Finnair Plus will get ”fantastic new improvements”
Jan 13, 2018, 8:31 am
#46
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
I think the joint ventures are a bit like a big "wet felt" for Finnair. My guess is that the multilateral agreements are hampering many internal discussions/development initiatives, ie stopping any revamp or a re-launch of the ticket types. Finnair adopted BA ticket types upon joining the JJV and I don't see any changes on that side until JJV breaks up or is renegotiated.
(BTW, wonder what will happen march 2019 when BA becomes a third country airline?)
On the AJV side maybe things are easier - I imagine AA is calling the shots there.
(BTW, wonder what will happen march 2019 when BA becomes a third country airline?)
On the AJV side maybe things are easier - I imagine AA is calling the shots there.
- AA: Main cabin, Premium Economy, [Business, First]
- AY: Economy Saver, Economy Premium Saver, Economy Flexible, Economy Premium
- BA: Economy, Premium Economy[, Business Class]
- IB: Basic +, Optimal, Flexible, Premium Economy Promotional
Thus the closest resembling model to AY would be IB.
Jan 13, 2018, 11:04 am
#47
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Platinum
Posts: 103
It is always concerning to hear new "enhancements" regardless of the FF or hotel chain program. Due my pretty intense flight pattern (all in Y) during last months I'm now about 6000 points away from the Platsku threshold. Very positive thing is that my accrual period is until end of September so will be able to enjoy my first time ever Platsku until end of 9/2019. However I have no flights coming next couple of weeks so wondering should I just convert some award points to tier points before next Thursday (expected release of enhancements?) just to be on the safe side and to secure Platsku level soonest...
Jan 13, 2018, 11:15 am
#48
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Helsinki
Programs: A3 Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 1,014
It is always concerning to hear new "enhancements" regardless of the FF or hotel chain program. Due my pretty intense flight pattern (all in Y) during last months I'm now about 6000 points away from the Platsku threshold. Very positive thing is that my accrual period is until end of September so will be able to enjoy my first time ever Platsku until end of 9/2019. However I have no flights coming next couple of weeks so wondering should I just convert some award points to tier points before next Thursday (expected release of enhancements?) just to be on the safe side and to secure Platsku level soonest...
Jan 13, 2018, 1:26 pm
#49
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,182
I recall making a not very thorough researh at the time of JJV introduction and found that ticket types aligned with BA. Especially the new ticket type "Premium Economy", which mimicked BA offering except for the lack of a premium cabin obviously.
I see that FInnair now has stopped selling economy premium on AY operated flights, but the two other ticket types offered on Japan, "Economy Saver" and "Economy Flexible", looks to me identical to the fare structure BA is offering on their Japan flights.
But I haven't researched it very deeply and I haven't flown much of OW to japan since the JJV came into existence so I should be a bit more non-categorical.
AY: Economy Saver, Economy Premium Saver, Economy Flexible, Economy Premium Flexible
BA: Economy Saver, Economy Premium Saver, (and after flipping the ticket type switch) Economy Flexible, Economy Premium Flexible
Last edited by intuition; Jan 13, 2018 at 1:53 pm Reason: spelling
Jan 13, 2018, 1:50 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
Group 4: Fredrika Fannypack. She is a travel blogger and loves travelling. She might not live in the HEL area, so her travels usually need a connecting flight via HEL, doubling segments. But she doesn’t restrict herself to AY; she gladly buys a TK flight when she finds a good deal. She earns her status more or less by accident, especially if this year’s flying includes a rare paid J ticket for €1200, or even two. For AY, she is not a valuable customer. Taking advantage of the best offers will but her butt in the AY seat quite often but for very little cash. The cost of having her as a Gold will outweigh the revenue, and to have her fall back to Basic would still keep her flying as much as before.
Group 5: OH-LGG and friends. Myself included, and a handful of active FTers. And that’s it – this group is very very small. We fly far too much, we pay far too little and we know how to take advantage of all the benefits and then some. Yes, we don’t bring AY much revenue and the cost of having us as status members will exceed the revenue by far. You could say Group 5 takes advantage of the loopholes in the system. But since there are so few of us, it’s pointless to try to close those loopholes because in doing so, you would jeopardise groups 1–3. So it’s best to let us enjoy ourselves and to concentrate on making money on the rest of the bunch.
Group 5: OH-LGG and friends. Myself included, and a handful of active FTers. And that’s it – this group is very very small. We fly far too much, we pay far too little and we know how to take advantage of all the benefits and then some. Yes, we don’t bring AY much revenue and the cost of having us as status members will exceed the revenue by far. You could say Group 5 takes advantage of the loopholes in the system. But since there are so few of us, it’s pointless to try to close those loopholes because in doing so, you would jeopardise groups 1–3. So it’s best to let us enjoy ourselves and to concentrate on making money on the rest of the bunch.
Jan 14, 2018, 9:28 am
#51
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,757
Even if I included myself in Group 5, I'm actually a sort of 4/5-hybrid, too. I travel because I want to go places. And often I travel with a certain destination in mind, but OTOH I might also go somewhere simply because there's a good deal, deal meaning a combo of money spent, travel class and points accrued. That kind of travel has, for instance, taken me to Nicaragua, which didn't turn out to be the most exciting place on Earth but the trip was enjoyable nevertheless.
At the beginning of every tracking period, I decide that now is the time to burn all those points and save money, not caring about renewing status, but when the period is coming to a close, I find myself calculating how many points I would need and if I could justify a long weekend in NYC just because it might take me over the threshold... For me, a MR has so far never been a same plane turnaround but a good excuse to make a trip
But I suppose my disease is worsening since I have a same-plane turnaround to DEL coming up, only for the points 
(Well, if DEL wasn't DEL, I probably would have stayed a couple of nights, too...)
At the beginning of every tracking period, I decide that now is the time to burn all those points and save money, not caring about renewing status, but when the period is coming to a close, I find myself calculating how many points I would need and if I could justify a long weekend in NYC just because it might take me over the threshold... For me, a MR has so far never been a same plane turnaround but a good excuse to make a trip
But I suppose my disease is worsening since I have a same-plane turnaround to DEL coming up, only for the points (Well, if DEL wasn't DEL, I probably would have stayed a couple of nights, too...)
Jan 14, 2018, 1:23 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AY Plat Lumo+LTG, FI Gold, DL Silver, BA, SK, AX Plat, Priority Pass, Marriott Ambassador & others
Posts: 634
With that in mind, I just hope they don't over-simplify back down to only two tickets types by removing Value/semi-flexible. IMO, Value was a win-win ticket type:
Ideally, they'd rework the system a bit so that Value can return to the JV flights too, but not holding my breath for that.
- It was almost free money for the airline.
- It was attractive for frequent fliers.
- Probably a lot of infrequent fliers bought it for the bags, not realizing that they can get away with Light+bag.
Ideally, they'd rework the system a bit so that Value can return to the JV flights too, but not holding my breath for that.
Luckily I fly enough long hauls in J to not have to worry about this. If I didn't I would have jumped ship to another program long back.
So an improvement suggestion: Make it possible for a passenger to upgrade the ticket from basic to value (or even to business) before the flight with cash. And I mean a real upgrade which grants the points of the upgraded class.
Jan 15, 2018, 10:10 am
#53
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
I personally have found the division between basic and value to be extremely annoying, mainly due to our corporate ticketing policy. As per the policy, when flying economy on a shorter trip, the cheapest ticket has to be selected, even if the next best thing was only 1 euro more expensive. Availability of the basic and value fares is nearly always the same, as they come from the same inventories.
Jan 17, 2018, 1:56 am
#58
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,182
