SMK77

With a bang? You don't think that crew will take any notice of you pretending to be dead - they will be either having their lunch break or pretending themselves to perform cabin service (touch trolley, run to the galley, touch galley, run to the trolley - repeat till lunch break). As long as you have your seatbelt fastened and are in an upright position, you might be lucky to be found by the cleaning troups - and they will just throw you out of the plane...

check balance

oh dear thats a long way to go for me...
and who knows whats the M&M conditions by then and how many other programs they put on top (HON,...)

Rambuster

I was just reading this months German Business Traveller magazine and stumbled over a statement that automatic lifetime SEN status after reaching the previously known targets (>60 years, 1 mill. status miles and 10 years of SEN) no longer exists.

This is the statement by LH spokesperson Amelie Schwierholz (in German):

"Der Senator auf Lebenszeit ist eine Ehrenvolle Ernennung, die Lufthansa in jedem Einzelfall aus freien Stücken gewährt und auf die man mit noch so vielen Meilen kein Anrecht erwirbt"

In short: Lifetime SEN can be granted by LH but it is purely discretionary.

DownUnderFlyer

I think this was always the case. While those criteria still exist, it wasn't automatic. It was always on application and there never was a contractual obligation to grant lifetime SEN status.
Better to get your lifetime status somewhere else IMHO.

flyingfkb

So what is the problem?

Kiwi Flyer

I always thought it was discretionary - as indeed any unpublished benefit is.

taigatrommel

Hi,

based on the idea of the global alliances it's possible the gain a status in certain FFP of an airlines without flying this airline ever. Because of the mutual recognization of the FFPs.

But why should reward LH now people for lifetime flying, if they never spend money on them? The alliance grow bigger and bigger and the amount of SEN without flying LH grows. In the beginning of Miles&More the SEN was more linked to LH flying.

And today there is the HON. Didn't exist 6 years ago during the 10th birthday.

I think the HON and therefor only accumulated LH/ LX/ OS miles will qualify for lifetime status, if there will be something like this again.

taigatrommel

totti

I have to admit that I don't understand your argument. Why should LH/OS/LX have a problem with handing out lifetime status to someone who does not fly LH/OS/LX anyway (and hence won't make use of most status perks anyway)?

mh492

They would still get all the *G perks flying UA or AC for example.

taigatrommel

Hi,

Why is earning HON miles limited to LH/LX/OS? The base idea of an FFP is attaching the customers to the own company. And even a SEN never flying LH and family stills costs LH some money if this customer use the LH *G perks, e.g. if other airlines charge for lounge access.

Of course, the FFP are nowadays a huge business, by charging and paying partners for earned miles, awards, lounges, newspaper subscription, ...

But in the end at least the status levels are linked to the base idea of the FFP - loyality for the best customers spending the most or at least a lot money.
If in the view of M&M on the long run a customer earning all his miles on e.g. only SQ flights is the same level like another customer earning the same amount, but on LH family, then something is going wrong.
Of course M&M is own cost account within the LH company. But if it's an island without any links to the other parts of the company, I should sell my stocks immediatley

As there is nowadays the HON level for LH, I suggest all lifetime status issues will be based on this.

taigatrommel

Rambuster

The only point I wanted to make with this thread is that the lifetime SEN used to be a published benefit at one point in time (many moons ago) and now it is just a discretionary gift.

taigatrommel

Hi,
Yes, it seems like, this benefit has gone. Sorry for starting the discussion on principles based your information.

Best regards,

taigatrommel

totti

Because LH/LX doesn't want cheapo UA HONs to (ab)use the HON perks on LH flights which still implies that these people still fly LH/LX from time to time. I doubt that LH had any problem with a HON who had never flown with LH anyway as UA was paying for HON miles. But I don't think that it is useful to go any further in this discussion as it doesn't add any value anyway.

I agree with you that it is likely that LH will attach such perks to HON level these days even though I'd not suggest it.

Tyrolean

Lifetime SEN would be a great incentive for me to fly a lot more with LH.
But now Lifetime-Gold is the great incentive to fly QF and 1W a lot more, especially on my trips down under.
Thank you LH that you gave me the try of other airlines.
Variatio Delectat!

totti

That's why I said I'd not suggest it Lifetime status would be an incentive and of real value with no doubt. But flying on the dark side (BA/QF) is a great alternative.