ILS2

I would we very (pleasantly) surprised if they did not raise them. I can't help but thinking that there is a fairly huge catch to this 100% surprise. It's only a few years back since they tried to raise the upgrade prices, and I can see that happening, plus a revision of the *A awards chart and SK awards chart.

Morale: Spend some of your miles now, unless you want them all to end up like the German Mark in the 20s...

mkgrip

In both the old and the new systems those flying Eco or even Eco-Extra within Scandinavia and Finland will qualify for Gold with segments before they reach the points required.
As the segments needed is now more, this will mean less Golds in the new system for the domestic flyers not more.

intuition

C-pax flying only intra-scandinavian also qualifies through segments and thus have to meet the higher threshold.

Same goes for all econ-flyers to "north-europe" (EU1 area).

So actually the bar is raised for a lot of quite frequent flyers. Maybe the lounges will be a zoo anyway, but I don't think it is because of the 100% earnings.

THammer

It is impossible to make everybody happy...but I for sure like this. Just interesting to see what else they will come up with. It reminds about the the changes BA made to their program earlier this year.
THammer

thomas199023

Will *alliance partners give 100% miles on all fares from then as well?
Currently most "cheap" fares only give 25% or none.. on UA

Cornelius77

No information on changes in point return with *A partners yet. We can only hope, but it's probably highly unlikely.

SK2751

Is there a real revenue difference for SAS if their customers choose another FFP? Does not it, in the end, matter just that they fly more SK metal?

cvarming

That is exactly what is needed to get me back on SK long haul. I really like the ORD-CPH late departure and afternoon arrival, but with the ridicules earnings on SK metal I simply couldn't justify it. And the SK *A award chart is unreal compared to the chart in america.

Cornelius77

I don't quite understand what you mean here. Do you mean earnings from flying on SK metal and crediting to other *A FFP programs than EB, or do you mean earnings when crediting to EB?

tiltslope

I think this move can give SK some edge over LCC-s. In the long run also EBGs might win on perks if more pax help to improve the foundation.

I expect SK to go for less point bargains and smaller reductions to balance more points to be given out. They certainly have tested a lot of reward options during previous year, not always welcomed here, but perhaps done for purpose.

GUWonder

Either way, flying SK metal will make a lot more sense as there is the option of crediting the flights to at least some program and earning full miles. For quite some time now, I've done what I can to minimize my use of SK metal and tried to avoid codeshare flights operated by SK because there was no reliable way to earn full miles no matter how I split a multiple airline itinerary ticketed under a single PNR.

When others book flights for me, a simple instruction to avoid SK-operated flights was the order of the day because I wasn't about to micromanage the process and increase everyone's frustration by telling them that SK is fine as long as all the SK-operated segments were booked in the following fare class codes _____. SK complicated matters too much for them to be a first choice for me even where the route network made sense for me. That's why they lost a good chunk of my business.

Adde

What happens if a EB-member has his qualifying period ending at the end of May and if he at that time has collected a number of flights somewhere between 40 and 50? Will he qualify for Gold or not?

For such a person would it matter if he reached the current 40 flight level before or after May 4?

oliver2002

Unless they have the cash to accrue for the extra miles handed out (required by IFRIC 13) they will have to cut some benefits somewhere.

SirRagnar

As I understand it on the facebook comments it's a hard cut, so he would have to make the 40 flights before May 4th. Otherwise it will be 50 flights.

Adde

Hm, interesting. If this is true, I think some people might miss the Gold qualification just because they are unlucky with the timing.

For me personally (forced by company travel policy to book the cheapest options), I currently normally qualify for Gold on a number of SK flights between 40 and 50 per year. With the new rules I will easily qualify on number of points instead.

But, if I would have had my qualifying period ending in May, June, July or August I am not 100% sure that I would qualify, since I would then either have to reach 50 SK flights or 50000 point counting a lot of the 25% earnings from the past year.

Luckily my qualification period ends in March.