AlicorporateUK

As per above, this is possibly a topic which I'm relatively sure has already been discussed ad nauseam but I thought it was worth sharing a couple of interesting data-points concerning recent travel experience(s).

With my Star Alliance Gold membership (through SAS) done-&-dusted for another 'year' until 2021, I thought it would have been worth confirming my Frequent Traveller status for another couple of years and have therefore been using my 'LH*FTL' number instead of 'SK*G' on some of my most recent bookings (no lounge access at my local airport i.e. Sarajevo but I certainly haven't been missing the family pack of roasted peanuts and the dry cheese sandwiches, plus the very 'spartan' yet cheap-&-cheerful bar next to the departure gates has been very handy for coffee or Sarajevsko Pivo, if needed ).

Long-story-short, I was unfortunate enough to experience a few missed connections in the last couple of months or so (I do an average of 4 and sometimes 6 flights on a weekly basis hence possibly not that uncommon given the amount of travel) and the way they got handled got me thinking: with my FTL number in the booking, I had the pleasure of a bus/van awaiting just as I stepped off the aircraft (remote stand) at both Frankfurt & Munich, which was quite impressive I thought (3 out of 3, with the most recent one last week arriving to Munich from Berlin). Also on a recent transfer where the Sarajevo flight docked at the far end of I (I think it was I28 i.e. quite a walk up down to the G gates, involving passports plus security as well, I was entirely convinced I would have missed my connection), I got to the gate 5 minutes before the actual time of departure and was allowed to board (the lovely gate agent went: "You finally made it"), which probably had nothing to do with status but still... I'm not saying that the 3 IROPS I had with my SK*G card in the booking were badly handled but I had to go and speak to somebody on the first occasion and quite unfortunate on another one with a bus gate at Frankfurt shut 20 minutes before boarding (the agent reassured that I would have been put on the next available service to Leipzig).

This is 'merely' FTL (nothing super-duper such as SEN or HON) but very nice indeed from LH, regardless of whether status was indeed a factor (and the question is: would LH 'take care' of their 'own' FF in a somewhat different way?).

G

oliver2002

Doubt it. The agent sees a list of pax missing and the status is listed there among other things. SK*G and FTL should get the same amount of recognition. The decision to send a RDS to pick you up for a direct transfer is usually made by the OCC based on various factors, one being the alternatives they could accomodate you on. So a LEJ flight may be dispatched without you because there is another one a few hours later, but a flight to SJJ may be held because its the last flight of the day anyway and there are no alternatives for you to rebooked onto.

worldclubber

iLied

hugolover

No lounge access in SJJ, but I thought you flew everywhere in biz. Is this due to Brexit!? Shall I setup a GoFundMe?

Just this week I was reading of your mouthwatering culinary delights in Helga's short haul Business Class?

Class of travel always "trumps" status like SK*G or FTL.

If you unfortunately end up in Y again, change to FTL after you have your BP with your Gold status on it. That will get you in the lounge just fine .

fassy

As said before, decision is taken based on different factors. I haven't had a single direct bus transfer yet... neither in FRA nor MUC. Last week the flight from TSR to MUC was delayed about an hour and we parked at a remote stand with doors being opened the same time boarding of my flight to CPH started. Same for a colleague to AMS. No bus! But FRA passengers got a direct bus,

I suppose they just saw 1 or 2 pax misconnection, not a huge issue. In my case there was another CPH flight flight 2 hours later anyway. For the pax missing their FRA connection, and potentially from there on to a long-haul, a much bigger - and more expensive - issue. Therefore they got a bus.

Btw, couldn't believe it... I made it on the CPH flight. Even after the bus ride to H immigration, train to the satellite terminal (and having the full 4 minute wait time) and getting on of the last K gates (K27). Was breathing quite heavily arriving at the gate And even my checked-bag made it!

AlicorporateUK