Kenya Airways Asante number in DL booking
Aug 22, 2023, 2:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 643
Kenya Airways Asante number in DL booking
Since the Kenya Airways switch to Asante, I'm not able to add my number in a DL booking. Did anyone find a way to do it? DL chat even told me that they are not partners, so I'm not seeing that as a reliable source of information.
Perhaps we have to wait for the DL IT to catch up (still says Flying Blue and complains about an invalid number), but I'd like to be able to use this sooner rather than later
Perhaps we have to wait for the DL IT to catch up (still says Flying Blue and complains about an invalid number), but I'd like to be able to use this sooner rather than later
Aug 22, 2023, 4:24 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: lounge next door
Programs: *A Gold / ST Elite+ / OWS / EK G / HH Diam. / MR Tit / Hyatt GLOB / IHG Diam. / SL Jade / GHA Tit.
Posts: 1,527
Since the Kenya Airways switch to Asante, I'm not able to add my number in a DL booking. Did anyone find a way to do it? DL chat even told me that they are not partners, so I'm not seeing that as a reliable source of information.
Perhaps we have to wait for the DL IT to catch up (still says Flying Blue and complains about an invalid number), but I'd like to be able to use this sooner rather than later
Perhaps we have to wait for the DL IT to catch up (still says Flying Blue and complains about an invalid number), but I'd like to be able to use this sooner rather than later
Aug 23, 2023, 12:59 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,660
Aug 23, 2023, 1:34 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 643
OK, so I guess they haven't straightened out their new Asante scheme then. I won't be crediting any flights there for a while or actually risking any further Skyteam bookings, I don't want to be paying for baggage on partners when I can use a different airline.
Aug 23, 2023, 2:19 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,660
Skyteam doesn't require all member airlines to have partnerships with each other (they carved this exception out because of concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and Saudia's membership), although I do understand that KQ/DL are planning to have their agreement in place by October. However, it is quite likely that Asante will not be recognised by a number of other alliance members.
Aug 23, 2023, 2:25 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 643
Thanks for the clarification. My view of Skyteam was a little simplistic.
I'm not overly concerned about miles, more about seat selection/baggage which is hard to select in advance without being able to add your number to a booking. I don't like arriving at the airport and just hoping that the baggage benefit is applied.
Thanks again for the information, I thought it was very strange that DL wouldn't consider a Skyteam member as a partner but it's clearer now.
I'm not overly concerned about miles, more about seat selection/baggage which is hard to select in advance without being able to add your number to a booking. I don't like arriving at the airport and just hoping that the baggage benefit is applied.
Thanks again for the information, I thought it was very strange that DL wouldn't consider a Skyteam member as a partner but it's clearer now.
Aug 25, 2023, 9:57 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: A3, BA, OZ,
Posts: 1,099
Also, does this mean they don't have to acknowledge the Elite+ status?
That really seems like not much of an alliance if it is just a group of airlines that can choose to have agreements with each other or not...
Aug 25, 2023, 1:49 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,660
Yes, I don't believe either oneworld or Star Alliance have this exception. And yes, Skyteam airlines can therefore indirectly choose what benefits they offer to whichever partner's elite members.
Aug 27, 2023, 6:28 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
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ITA's Volare dance has been going on for something like 2 years. In that time they managed to get a couple of fellow Skyteam members to reciprocate on benefits, but I think none of them work on mutual allocation of miles/rewards.
Sep 20, 2023, 11:38 am
#11
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BOS, YYZ, HKG, TPE
Programs: OZ Diamond, DL Gold, QF Gold, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, WoH Explorist, Shangri-la Jade
Posts: 304
I just tried adding my Asante number to my upcoming DL flight today and lo and behold - the Delta system accepted it!!!
It still says Kenya Airways/Flying Blue but it looks like they are now connected. Just to experiment, I tired entering my Asante number as a 'flying blue' number - errored out as expected (please enter a valid frequent flyer number).
Looks like we are close to an announcement!
It still says Kenya Airways/Flying Blue but it looks like they are now connected. Just to experiment, I tired entering my Asante number as a 'flying blue' number - errored out as expected (please enter a valid frequent flyer number).
Looks like we are close to an announcement!
Sep 21, 2023, 10:53 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: lounge next door
Programs: *A Gold / ST Elite+ / OWS / EK G / HH Diam. / MR Tit / Hyatt GLOB / IHG Diam. / SL Jade / GHA Tit.
Posts: 1,527
not in the same way but Qatar premium lounge and lounge policy is a grey zone too.
Sep 23, 2023, 5:18 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
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Posts: 17,008
Both carriers provide alternatives, not super-luxe, but perfectly adequate.
Maybe QR's Bangkok facility is a puzzle, but there are much nicer lounges at BKK.
Nov 16, 2023, 11:12 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Goa, India
Programs: Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Ambassador, Hyatt Explorist, Qatar Gold, Vistara Gold
Posts: 1,294
Wondering if anybody has been able to successfully add Asante Gold to Delta and use all the Skyteam Elite Plus benefits like priority check-in, bags and seating? I have a bunch of domestic travel coming up within the US next spring and would prefer to book Delta if I can access ST Elite+.