michaelo

Hi,

I just discovered this site and I'm impressed by the knowledge present here about the M&M program. Being a member as FTL and SEN since it start in 93, I learned more about the program in the last couple days, than in the last years.
I would like to check with you some of the non-documented / published perks /benefits for a SEN.

- Senator Dinners
Never heard of them. Are they organized by the LH sales areas ? Who is invited ?

- Tennis Tournament
Years ago (maybe 20 :-) ) a father of friend of mine used to participate in those. Are these still taking place ?
BTW, he was a courtesy card holder, then got the Senator Card together with a pin written HON on (the "Ehrennadel" ). Not sure if he stayed HON or became SEN when they introduced the HON club in 94.

- LH sponsored events (concert, sports etc.)
Anyone knows if SENs could get invites for those ?

- Seat assignments
Is it true that the seat next to a SEN is blocked as long as possible during the seat assigments ?

- Operational upgrade policy
Is there a fixed policy or is it really more up to the gate staff ? A CSR told me once (when I tried to get free upgrade on a award flight ;-) ) : " The priority is HON, SEN, FTL. In the tiers the fare set the prio. E.g. a SEN in C get upgrade to F prior to a SEN in D.

- Parking in FRA
Some time ago there was a talk on a special parking area for SENs and FTLs in FRA. ANyone knows what happend to this ? Do SENs get prios in getting a space subscription in the P31 garage (adjacent to hall A, prio-check-in) ?

Some triva to end with : Just read in a German magazin (BUNTE) about some artist having the Lufthansa "Platinum" card. I guess they mixed up silver (FTL) with platinum, or the journalist was calling it like this, instead of Senator which means nothing to most of the readers ... or it IS the top-secret next tier ;-)

Happy to join this board ! Talk to you soon !

ahrz

True: the seat next to me is usually blocked...by a passenger




[This message has been edited by ahrz (edited 06-23-2001).]

Rudi

michaelo:
- Senator Dinners: in 2001 (some) Senators in Germany and Switzerland (others?) were invited to a cocktail-dinner party to memorate 75 years in Lufthansa. In Switzerland the party took place in GVA, BSL and ZRH. I was at the Zurich party (about 350 guests present)
- Tennis Tournament: Not to my knowledge - and I probably would know.

- LH sponsored events (concert, sports etc.)
Anyone knows if SENs could get invites for those ? there was one (classic concert at the Zurich Tonhalle) event I got an invitation 2 years ago in Zurich

- Seat assignments: only in eco - my success rate on inner-european flights about 30%.

FoxPro

Hi Rudi,

LH SYD called me a few month ago and offered us 2 free tickets to a classical concert (sorry, don't recall who was performing) at the Sydney Opera House. They said it was a special offer for their SENs.
I found that very nice of LH. They play the "Kleine Geschenke erhalten die Freundschaft" idea very well.

Unfortuneately I had to pass this one on as we were about to go abroad at that time.

Andreas

lacanau

I don't think the seats next to SENs get blocked at all... at least it never happened to me. At times, however, the check-in staff recommended changing from my pre-assigned seat to another seat available where the seat next to it was vacant. But I think this was just a case of the check-in staff being attentive.

As for operational upgrades, your chances are highest when the class you are booked on is full but the next highest class is not, and you're a SEN or at least FTL and come to the gate early enough (otherwise those seats will be snapped up by other SENs using vouchers or asking for upgrades). This I believe is the most important factor. Of course you may be unlucky and the gate staff simply refuses upgrades, but most of them are quite friendly and are at least willing to check their computers to see if they can upgrade you.
Btw, an award ticket will never be upgraded unless it's an extreme emergency. A friend of mine is LH check-in agent and offered to upgrade me to F but seing my C award ticket he told me there's nothing he can do.

Mizu

At reservation time they actually block the seat next to you, unless the flight is too full to accommodate all block requests. However, I don't know what happens if another Senator requests the seat next to you (clash of the titans?)

Merry

The 'Platinum' card will probably be the Hons card, they are a grey colour and come complete with a grey leather luggage tage/card holder identical to the red Senator tags (except for the colour difference).

Nick

moellernotarcgn

For SEN only the first two rows of Domestic and European Business Class cabins are blocked (between six and eight seats). In the reservations agents seat map these are classified as Q = Quiet Zone.

Only the window and aisle seats are assignable while the middle seats are temporarily blocked off. LH though will give them away at the airport of departure to last minute customers (or upgraded Economy pax) when the flight is very full.

A year ago while not SEN I also got these seats when connecting to a Award/Upgraded/Paid First Class Intercontinental flight - your agent must simply try. As seat requests for exit row seats there is no immediate confirmation, but a 10 mins. wait. If the request is denied, the agent should call the LH helpline and request again; for SEN travelling Business Class they MUST do it, for other pax connecting to a First Class longhaul on LH plate the USUALLY do it. I hope this explains the situation well.

Also: checking in for your flight as a non SEN Business Class pax you may ALWAYS get these seats as long as they are not preassigned (and not many are, because most reservation people are not aware of this), because almost no check-in agent knows what the restriction Quiet Zone means and deletes the warning coming up after giving away such a seat with a push of his button.
Of course, you get no better treatment and not more food and the splurge will be history after your short flight. Good luck.

The-Longhauler

ha! ha! good one !!!