FlyerLX

OK- I understand....

Firstly- Don't worry too much about the new card to cover you from the first day of March 2021 to the last day of February 2023... You will still show as extended in the system and the card will probably arrive nearer the end of this year.. Around November IIRC..?? (Others please feel free to correct.)

Second- I think nothing much has changed for you in LH's eyes. You're quite right to see this year as dead so, if it's not too insensitive to say, the current situation probably doesn't make too much difference and your requal years will be 2021 and 2022 (not to mention, of course, January and February 2022.)

Bear in mind that status miles cannot bridge both your qualifying years (you need 100K in 2021 or, as things now stand, 480 QP in 2022) but you can't put status miles and QP from both years together to give SEN status.

If you requal in 2021, you extend by two years (current system) which takes you to the last day of February 2025. If you requal in 2022, you extend by one year (new system) which takes you to the last day of February 2024.

As ever, others are free to correct me if I'm wrong!!

vantage03

This email is intentionally deceptive and vague. Totally consistent with their behaviour during Coronavirus.

The words “transparent” and “goodwill” are repeatedly used, and it couldn’t be more ironic.

Where’s the goodwill for those of us who have been loyal and status already expires in Feb 2022?

Where's the transparency for us on what happens?

It’a comically disgraceful. A loyalty programme exists to make you spend more with an airline/company.. this is destroying any loyalty I have to Lufthansa Group, and I’ll happily vote with my wallet if they don’t get their act together real soon.

San Gottardo

Also received the HON email.

I don't understand the logic:

• because 2020 being a year in which people cannot fly LHG that much, HON who re-qualify in 2019-2020 will be extended by one year
• despite 2020 being a year in which people cannot fly LHG that much, HON who re-qualify in 2020-2021 will not be extended by one year

gryomosy

Oh wow, never looked at it that way! I think I will try and requalify under the old system in the 2021 then. I always liked having that extra year to not continiously have to scramble and stress around getting enough status miles racked up.

Thanks for that golden tip!

sophialite

It is so dumb that I think they made a mistake.

FlyerLX

I certainly agree that it's dumb, but as I said here I think they want everyone to jump on the first LHG aircraft they see in a desperate bid to maintain status. They've just told Scholz and co. to hurry up with the payment of 9 billion... I guess they think if they've got HONs and SENs captive for this year and next with expiry at the end of February 22, then they can also tell them to hurry up and make loads of bookings !!

I'll keep an eye on it but I'm seriously considering crossing the floor to BA (who already have a very similar status structure to what M&M have now annoyingly delayed to 01.01.22) instead of giving in to such tactics.

sophialite

Unfortunately product is a huge factor for me in my travel, so this doesn't quite compel me to make the jump to BA. But AF P, on the other hand, is now a lot more compelling.

vantage03

AF P also much more compelling to me too.
As is SQ.

FlyerLX

...Sure, I was just making the point more generally that LH could end up doing themselves yet more damage after the virus has done enough... It's mostly a good idea to make people want to use your services and not to try to compel them. Try to compel them and it's very possible that they look to the competition (wherever that is)... I for one was going to travel LH extensively within the bounds of what's possible in 2021. Now, because the old status system suits me much less than the new status system, I'm checking out BA which already has a status system very similar to the new (post-22) M&M structure.

kai.lileboo

Miles and More is the only FT programme I know that kept silent for such a long time. Many others already extended the status for at least one year (for everyone) and I received communications regarding this situation already back in March.
I learnt now that many of you already received the so called "goodwill" letter from M&M, I received it just last week.
If I understood correctly, M&M says that the status will be extended for 1 year ONLY to members who will not be able to renew their status in 2020, e.i. that expires in FEB21. That will then be honoured until FEB22.
I am in my dead year and I see I get nothing, as I already requalified until FEB23, that means I will not get one year extra, right?
In that case, Lufthansa is cutting my status benefits by 3-4 months.
M&M has been making wrong decisions, and also mistakes in the past, I am not sure if this is one of them. I think they need to concentrate and persuade as many of their tier members as possible to stay with them. This new "goodwill" gesture is another crap from M&M and clearly sending us a message, that M&M is downgrading again and is clearly offending the ones who already qualified. Why not extending the status for everyone?
I am asking myself where is this going? Who the f*** are those idiotic people in M&M management who run this programme?
Lufthansa should not be saved, they need to refund all the tickets first, before asking for government bailout.

FlyerLX

I am in my dead year and I see I get nothing, as I already requalified until FEB23, that means I will not get one year extra, right?

My understanding is that you are right and, like many, you get no extension of status. I agree it's shabby.

Why not extending the status for everyone?

Well as I say... Who really knows and I guess as the political wrangling continues LH has a lot of big stuff to cope with right now... But my guess is that they see FFs as a captive audience who will be extra keen to keep their status and, therefore, who will take any flights they can in the near future to secure status. Just as Spohr is gambling that the federal government will give him the cash on his terms, LH more widely is gambling that pax will fly sooner rather than later if pressed to do so by status termination dates.

The gamble may well backfire...

behuman

I think we should all take a deep breath and relax. What sense makes a FFP elite status without lounge and dangerous masks being worn on board ?

As a lifetime SEN I don't care anyway and may choose the airline with the less crazy policies and best service. Navigare necesse est, sed vivere non.

Milos77

HON here with status validity thru 02/22. Just received following response from HON service desk (regarding status extension):

‘The dynamic nature of the situation demands a high degree of flexibility from all of us: "We fly on sight" and as a first step we decided to support frequent flyers who would be affected by a status downgrade early next year.


We are aware that this measure will only benefit some of our frequent flyers, but please rest assured that we are keeping a close eye on the political and economic situation, its impact on the Frequent Flyer Programme and your status. During this exceptional global situation, we will do our utmost to find satisfactory and objective solutions for our frequent flyers.

Please understand that we are currently unable to make any statement regarding status renewals valid until February 2022. However, you can rest assured that we are monitoring the situation very closely, analyzing it continuously, and that we will inform you as quickly as possible in case of any change.

Sincerely,

Your Miles & More Team

Management Customer Care

HON Circle’

I certainly hope that this situation will be mitigated at the later stage either by status extension or lowering required mileage threshold.

FlyerLX

......as a first step....

Interesting choice of words... Let's hope it does turn out to be just the start...

kai.lileboo

Milos77: Don't hope too much. Maybe you will no longer need any status by the end feb. 22 as the aviation industry will change for quite some time and probably M&M will too.