HUGE NEWS - End of Mileage Plus & Other programs
 

Hi all

Yes, Strictly speaking this post should be on the Star Alliance website, or on UA etc etc etc

But this is such big news that I think it deserves to be posted here. Essentially kiss goodbey to Mileage Plus, Global rewards etc and welcome a new Star Alliance earn and burn frequent flyer program.

This is going to be MEGA
http://star-alliance.co.uk/

I bet this post gets a lot of replies

cheers Peter

PS If this proceeds ok then I'll be able to combine my Global Rewards, UA miles etc etc Europe here I come!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
(not new to this board, and not a very competent discussion on that uk-link in my judgement).

yes, as discussed already on this board under different topics, StarAlliance-carriers (starting with LH and SK this winter 00/01) try to 'unify'/'simplify' some parts of their ff-programs in the very near future.

LH, as the example I know best, will 'give up' honoring reaching/renewing 'ff' or 'Senator' with bonus-miles and, instead, replace them with (25%?, 50%?) status-miles on (every LH?, or even every Star?-)-flight.

Many, now-existing, major differences between the individual programs make it very difficult to move forward very fast with a 'unified program' that should finally replace individual ff-progams. I am pretty sure that individual programs will still be around in year 2003 ...

It is true this was discussed in the *A forum.

OT, why would someone set up a website like that? BB's charts are WAY more useful!!!

Dorian http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif



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Hi again

I checked the * alliance board and found the discussion although it is quite short
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum82/HTML/000206.html

The article at
http://www.btonline.co.uk/bustrav/co...l.ez?REF=10015

seems quite specific. I wouldn't have thought it took rocket science to devise a conversion chart from existing schemes to a new MEGA * Alliance scheme.

I couldn't find a press release at the Star alliance site - perhaps it is being kept secret for the time being. What makes you think Rudi that this will not eventuate this year?

I hope that it does eventuate this summer - if only on an opt-in basis. By mixing my Ansett, United, Mexican, Lufthansa and Varig miles/points I should easily be able to travel to Europe!

cheers Peter

[This message has been edited by ffhound (edited 08-26-2000).]

Surely it makes sense for airlines to retain their own frequent flyer programs to be able to effectively target their local markets? There must be a lot of examples where this aplicable, but the biggest one I can see is the issue of upgrades. The US programs (such as UA MP) all have upgrades, both using mileage and for elites. UA could not do away with this benefit as it would put them at a big competetive disadvantage vis a vis AA, etc. However, in programs in the rest of the world, upgrades seem to be much less common, or non-existant. Take British Midland, another Star-Alliance partner, where you need to be gold elite (top tier) to have any opportunity to upgrade at all.

Standardizing these two programs would seem almost impossible, because there would have to be a huge change in the culture of at least one of them. Moreover, the two programs use totally different methods of point accrual, have very different reward charts, different methods of acquiring elite status.

Thus, if you wish to have a single program you have to throw away the map and start again and you have to radically change the terms and conditions for most of the members around the world. You can not reasonably use one single airline's program as your basis. Also, if you are having a true alliance-wide program, you can't really follow the example of BA and allow US based members to have upgrades and other to whistle (that just causes resentment). Therefore, I think that Peter's idea, taken to the fullest extreme, is unlikely.

Moreover, we live in an age of personalization. That is most easily achieved at the local level where people (should) understand the local business cluture, market etc. It would be a lot harder in a unfied alliance-wide program.


[This message has been edited by james (edited 08-26-2000).]

If this ever happen what will happen with all non * partner? I mean SK has a bunch of airline that earn EuroBonus points but you dont get UA MP Miles on those flights. Every airline has a bunch of them, what will happen with them? Will they still be part of it or will they just be cutted away?

I think, maybe, the whole point of what's discussed here is that you only collect and burn miles for free flights etc. on the "unified" star alliance program, whilst loyalty program (gold and silver levels etc) will stay with the individual programs, much like CX's "The Club" or SQ's PPS. It would be very stupid to try to integrate elite level programs, as said above, because I can't imagine all the differentl airlines agreeing on all the terms of the trickiest part of a FFP, the elite level. They really do differ so much between airlines, so it'll be like trying to mix water and oil (without soap, of course) Also, for example, if people were to be given upgrades based upon their status, and if Star had a "unified" FFP which also included a common elite status, then that means the upgrade will be valid on any Star carrier. Just try to imagine SQ agreeing to that one!

This website look so unprofessional I suspect it's fraudulent. Hogwash. I suspect the article in the Business Traveller fell for it too.
Why would Star Alliance need its site to be hosted by some internet domain registration company??? Star-Alliance.co.uk has no connection whatsoever to Star Alliance, I am afraid, and this site was set for a purpose that eludes me at this time but will certainly become clear at some point.

As I tell my students, the internet is a great resource IF one applies a modicum of discriminating personal judgement in analyzing the garbage found on it.

I beg to differ.

Firstly the website claims to be independant so it is not a Star Alliance website. It is obviously a hobby website.

Have a look at the following post...
http://members.boardhost.com/stanalliance/msg/8.html

You will note that customer relations at Singeapore Airlines seem to recognise the importance of the website.

Then look at this post
http://members.boardhost.com/stanalliance/msg/11.html

Jackie Lee - customer relations Marco Polo Club

I think a reappraisal of this website is in order.

cheers Peter

ffhound,
I checked your links, but I see nothing there that would make me think differently.

The first link is a reply by someone at singapore airlines to someone who asked about the website you are talking about. Hardly an endorsement.

The second link has to do with oneworld, and more specificially with how Alitalia's own program had to change to be more in tune with other programs in the alliance. This happens in all alliances. AF's program went through a major overhaul less than a year ago, in order to synchronize it with Delta's.

I still can't find a motive for that uk website, though.

[This message has been edited by Droneklax (edited 08-27-2000).]

This discussion really is premature, isn't it? More like rumor(s). Something is planned, and, as it becomes closer to implementation, we can be reasonably sure that someone in the FT Intelligence Community will learn about it and report.



Patience, a virtue often possessed by women and rarely by men.

Dorian, FFHound
I e-mailed the editor of the "unofficial" Star Alliance site last night to inquire where he got his info, and how he claims to show all the Star info. He answered today to say that he doesn't claim to be the official
Star site, but he got his info from the Lufthansa FF site today, confirming the merging of the 15 FF plans. According to him, timing is for "late winter"

To Nathan Detroit; The saying is: Patience is a virtue, cherish it if you can. Seldom in a woman, never in a man.
bj-21.

I noticed there is legal disclaimer wording wording in tint type at base of front page.

Quite a well done site ... there is a lot of work in there. I like the page with all the links to Hotel websites etc, all in one place .... if nothing else I'll bookmark for these:
http://www.pooh.ezesurf.co.uk/ua.htm

The UA info seems "lifted" straight" off UA website? The person doing it seems to have no real "extra" knowledge to offer as does Premex site. The site does not mention to REAL benefits of 1K for instance, so maybe he is just printing the "official" site info for each plan?

I agree with most above, that the airlines dropping their own schemss would not be a viable reality.



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~ Glen ~

Time will tell.

The fact that Businesstraveller.com has published the change suggests that it is something more than a rumor. Who is to say that Businesstraveller.com got the news from the hobby website.

We could go arguing this for ages. I'll think I'll email Lufthansa and get some hard facts.

cheers peter

It appears that Lufthansa don't have an email address.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Could someone in Europe please give Miles and More at Lufthansa a call and clarify the situation? Are we going to see a merger of the various Star Alliance programs?

Thanking you

cheers Peter