NewbieRunner

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...l#post14473646

more4less

^

The point is that life is made out of expectancies. We keep flying LH for convenience but also hoping to be op-uped.
Also even if our last free upgrade was 2 or 3 years ago, we still remember it with pleasure, and we do not take in consideration that in the last 40/50 segments we flew in the COS we had booked.

duncfly

I missed that post. ^ Very informative Oliver.

duncfly

LH doesn't give a s**t about something you didn't pay for, never promised you, and has no obligation to provide to you? Is that what you mean?

I think you are right.

econprof

But they do care about my loyalty. And changing the implicit terms of that loyal is something to take note of. Why else does everyone get jazzed about the number of new SENs that might be clogging up the lounge? It's their lounge... they have no obligation to provide it. I don't see how this is any different... it just doesn't happen to be one of the implicit terms of customer loyalty that you care about.

No one is saying they have an obligation. And if they have have to do op-ups, it's their business how they allocate them. Just like it's my EUR 20K per year spent on crossing the Atlantic on one of the most competitive routes in the world...and I can allocate it like I want...

Odd that you should get so defensive about LH.

vinonobile

Completely agree. Most of us still fly because they need to, and paid by the company. I've mostly been able to convince them to buy V class tickets, given the increased flexibility over the cheap classes. But I hardly expect to convince them to spend 80€ or so more (plus 25€ extra because you have to call to book Q compared to V) to be in Q.

But then, since op-ups started decreasing last year, I've been UAing anyway and use SWUs from V. So once I'm out of vouchers, I guess now I might sometimes be the *G Q who 'bumps' a HON L from his/her op-up

Rambuster

I wouldn't count on too many HONs on longhaul L tickets !

Lack

Where did you got that idea? To LH right now you're just the fare you paid.

Circumknowitall

Absolutely, from LHs viewpoint the purpose of its loyalty scheme is not about 'rewarding' past behavior its about influencing future behavior

econprof

Of course. They want me to fly on their planes. Repeatedly. Otherwise, what's the point of a FFP? I could take a variety different airlines between FRA/DUS/CGN and NYC. Since I became SEN 4 years ago, I've flown exactly two flights out of more than 100 between those pairs on an airline other than LH, even when LH is not always the cheapest choice. Why?

a) I had a good chance of being upgraded (even on S, W, and L fares)
b) the SEN lounge at JFK and, since it opened, the Welcome Lounge at FRA
c) I can reliably get an exit row seat.

I rarely book a flight (only out of necessity) in a class higher than V. So now it sounds like one of my three primary reasons for staying with LH will no longer be there.

Like I said above, I'm probably in a small minority of people who is adversely affected by this change in any significant way. But it is a *significant* change in the incentives for me to fly LH.

TRAVELSIG

Thanks that made me laugh

gorbatzjov

I'm really disappointed and shocked! Maybe I don't know LH well enough (SEN for 2 years) but this seems crazy! My company's policy is to book the cheapest eco ticket available (through internet or travel agent, doesn't matter... Whatever is cheaper). They look up the flights themselves (I just tell them when and where I need to be) so there's no possibility for me to book a more expensive class in eco...
Even with those cheap tickets, I'm upgraded quiet often (just today from PRG to FRA on an E ticket or last week from BEG to FRA also on E). I'm moving to Dubai as expat in Jan 2012 so I won't make it to SEN anymore next year. Now I suddenly don't feel that sad about this anymore! Emirates Gold... I'm on my way.
This is really disappointing...

PS. Any idea if SN, OS, LX will follow this stupid 'enhancement' soon?

weero

Why disappointed? Is there anyone outside of maybe some glorious 7 of the inner FT (HON) Circle who can - reasonably - count on an op-up? I have never ever received a Y->C op-up, so I would also never notice a rule change of such a nature.

BikeHelmet

Add me to that putatively small minority. As I mentioned somewhere else, 50% of my most recent opups came on a (TATL) V fare. Also, my experience certainly does not confirm a reduced OpUp chance, neither after I became SEN nor after the peak of the economic downturn.

Circumknowitall

Whilst I cant depend on an Op-Up I have received a significant number, perhaps 25% of my Long Haul flights have been op-up Y to C.

This enhancement is disapointing for me