SAS to add new advantages to EuroBonus Diamond
 

SAS will soon for the wide public announce new advantages for the EuroBonus Diamond program.

This is a gift shop where you once a year can choose between a number of different gifts. Currently there is 4 to choose from.

The first 4 gifts are:

Quintessentially Lifestyle Concierge Service: ca. 8.0000-9.000,- dkk
Urbanears Marshall Monitor hovedtelefoner: ca. 1.000-1.500,- dkk
EatCard: 495,- dkk
Cinima tickets: ca. 300-400,- dkk
From May 16th there will be added more gifts to the list:

20 rental films at Film2Home (op til 49 dkk. pr. film = 980 dkk)
6 months free audio books from Storytel (99 dkk. pr. måned = 594 dkk)
Free 1 year member card to the amusementpark Tusindfryd (Norge) (799 nok)

DK Link

I think it is a good thing to see that SAS will make a real difference between Gold and Diamond. Interesting to see the next steps they take on the journey to make EuroBonus better.

Br,
Henrik

I do agree but to be honest - I would have preferred something I could actually use like "on top the Opup list" on oversold SK flights (especially long haul), Rollover of points/segments for the next qualification period after hitting the 100.000/100, seatblocking even for EBGs other EBD is load does allow for it, access to exit rows/preferred seats on all flights prior to check-in, EBD dedicated support hotline,...

So things that make my travel experience with SAS better - I don't care about cinema tickets, headphones etc. These are things I can buy for little money but I can't buy e.g. the spot on top of the Opup list or priority access to the good seats on short haul flights - and on top these things won't cost SAS a dime.

None of these things have to do with a frequent flyer program, I think what everyone wants and expects here is default op-ups for EBD if seats are available. Or a Diamond only lounge, so we're not stuk with the overcrowded ARN lounge. I also like what IcelandAir does with free parking at KEF for Saga Gold members. These are things that frequent flyers value and benefit from. I expect the elite tier of such a program to provide travel perks, not cinema tickets.

These listed "perks" are worthless. SAS really needs to get their heads out of their asses and stop trying to reinvent the wheel here, the expectations of FF programs and travellers are very clear, they can copy what other airlines are doing and profit immediately.

Interesting point of view where Im totally disagreeing.
Just copying what your competitors are doing will only contribute to incremental innovation and short term value increase, kind of like pissing your pants. In my view what SK is doing right now, though it is done with the usual SK clumsiness, is a try to change the rules of the game in search for ground breaking innovation within the ecosystem of FFP. Yet we have only seen small changes, but at least to me it looks like SK are actually trying to challenge the mind-set regarding FFP's and engage in disruptive innovation that hopefully for SK will change the rules of the game and in the long run turn SAS into a profitable company.
Well, just my 5 cents.

To me the possibility of getting Quintessentially Lifestyle Concierge Service is a strong value proposition. I have had access to the service through work and it was truly great. I will look forward to this :)

There is a difference between copying what your competitors are doing and meeting (frequent) traveler expectations based on what competitors do by default. Right now SAS has catching up to do in order to meet those expectations, specifically for the Diamond tier. I'd rather see them bump the requirement to 200k or 300k points and do it properly as opposed to this. At the very least things like an upgrade voucher at hitting or renewing Diamond would be a concept they can introduce immediately and please everyone with.

When they are done catching up there is room for innovation. SAS's biggest flaw in these matters is how little they listen to customers, the same things everyone always complains about never change and their recent track record hasn't shown they should just be sailing their own course as they haven't booked the results to back that up.

I would be genuinely surprised that if SAS would put out a poll more people would vote in favour of this compared to them introducing more traditional elite tier perks that other airlines offer.

It's great indeed, but will not appeal to the majority of EBDs. Those who value and benefit from these services already have them. Most other folks will give it a try and after not using it for a year regret not having qualified with another airline and grabbed that upgrade to First or the occasional upgrade because of empty seats in a higher class.

I think this is good news. While it would make sense to get parking/upgrades/dedicated lounges, would also be good, this is without a doubt an improvement of the programme.

This can hardly be bad news.

ScandiGB

I think is some very good initiative from SAS and something that do not require the backend IT systems to be changed. I know that the upgrade vouchers and similar suggetions are not possible in the current setup so it is nice that they think out of the box and really makes a difference now.

^^^ to SAS for this step up.

Br,
Henrik

Can someone please help me by explaining what I can expect with the Concierge service? How's that being implemented?

I'm Diamond since yesterday, so it' suddenly quite interesting to read about these perks. :)

Do I correctly understand that none of these are available as of yet? Otherwise, how do I order?

Afaik they will eventually all become available at https://diamond.flysas.com/ :)

oh my...
 

this scares me... this is not a metal any longer...

A little Hilton'ish

And not SAS like... BA have emerald... are they flirting? or just being funny...

Name? Geir Falls = Fillagrees = Delicate ornamental work of fine silver gold or other metal, NOT DIAMOND!!!

Where did you know this URL from?

From the source code on SAS' frontpage. It has also been shared around on several scandinavian travel forums recently.

I can confirmed that the site is online and you can login on this site using your SAS details.

I can also confirm that the first order have been recieved after ordering it from the web site.

Br,
Henrik

Finnair has had something similar for many years when you first qualify as platinum. It used to be every time you requalify, but has been changed if memory serves correctly. So, it´s not like SAS is inventing anything here. Better than nothing, but giving perks offered By the airline would make more sense to me.

I just guess that it was not so easy to find a metal more precious than gold, and not clashing with the already existing EBP, Eurobonus Pandion. They are not the first star carrier to have a series of metal cards and then end in Diamond. But they may be the second. I don't think you should read much from the naming convention.

Platinum would have been the obvious choice, regardless of Pandion existing which also shows as EBG on boarding cards. Typical SAS trying to be clever and missing the boat.

I don't have the link, but I remember having read that SAS actually wanted to call their new level Platinum, but as this term was copyrighted by others (maybe CC companies, I have at least two Platinum cards from banks), they had to find something other than Platinum.

Probably better that UAs similar level which is (used to be?) known as 1K

You cannot copyright/trademark "platinum" as such being a generalistic term. It is a common word like cat or dog or sausage.

There must be other reasons.

and apple, or "one"

also if they're going to make EBD show as EBD on boarding cards (eventually), won't they then do the same for Pandion, and then create confusion with 2xEBP?

1K is still alive and kicking over at UA. (Funny enough, at AA Gold is actually the lowest elite level.)

Me too.

As used as a level in a loyalty programme, it surely can get registred as a trade mark. And it is enough for it to be registred as such in one of SK's three main markets to be useless as a level in the program.

Finnair still gives extra perks when you hit 200k, 250k and so on. Some similar things like SAS apparently, but geared towards Finnish design, but one of the options at 200k is also 40k award points.

Is it correctly understood, I can choose on gift now before my period expires end of month and another one in the new period?

Hi, I will hit Diamond next month.
Im interested in this, but other than the headphones? seem like the gifts are for Scandinavian residents?

Also i do agree that more "flying" perks would be greatly appreciated. I was recently on a flight CPH-NRT and half business was empty, as it often is, and no op upgrades....and my optiontown one didn't come through either.

I guess that the Quintessentially Lifestyle Concierge Service is global and not bound for DK. But also the Eat Card counts for SE (http://www.eatcard.com/sv/).

But I do agree that the offering is not so broad but it is still nice to see that SAS is doing something different when they most likely are not able to give things such as upgrade vouchers due to IT or other issues internally.

I will most likely also go for the headphones my self - am a bit in doubt but do not see that my need for the concierge service will "earn it self".

Question - how do anyone see the usage of the Quintessentially Lifestyle Concierge Service and which offerings do they give other than a extended booking agency with good connections?

Br,
Henrik

I am still to use it for the first time, although I did call them for Wimbledon tickets, which is one of the events announced on the EB site and on the phone they were quite friendly and helpful, but then the follow up ... was asked to send them an e-mail and they would get back with info and prices, which I did mid last week and am still waiting!

I had something similar on AMEX Platinum and they can help to find a good restaurant, if you need suggestions and can assist with bookings, however, the promise of getting tickets to sold out events or fully booked top restaurants never came through!

So if you often need assistance for restaurant, theatre bookings etc. then the concierge service is handy - otherwise I would opt for the earphones! Mine are being delivered today, so anxious to see whether they are any good.

I got the earphones friday, and must say a plesant surprise, well well, it's not Bose, but a set of high quality earphones (according to the invoice copy in the package valued 1.600 DKK) with a litle luck i get to KEEP my Bose when travelling with my wife now ;)

/Schwert

That's good to hear and it was exactly my intention as well, finally to have my Bose to myself ;)

There are only 2 options for Norwegians, the two cards, both useless when you have AMEX and their Concergie service. Headphones are sold out, I received the email the other day, logged in 2 hours after receiving it - and all gone, my period ends in May, and they say; "too bad", when I asked for a pre-order so I can get it before my Diamond status expires. Rubbish.

SAS to add new advantages to EuroBonus Diamond
 

How can your status expire in May? If you are Diamond now and your qualifying period ends in May, then you will be Diamond for the next year as well.

None for you, or for everybody on the flight? Last time I flew CPH-IAD in business, a several Pandion-members got invited to sit in Business just before pushback. As 'just' a gold member, you usually end up quite far down on the list.

Did anyone bother making a sasidea entry for more flying perks instead of the current charade of nonsense? If it would be referenced here we could all vote on it right away and force SAS to pay attention.

Hi,

I have made that idea and awaits it for SAS to approve so it is public. I will share the link as soon as SAS have done so.

Br,
Henrik

Then please file an idea first that states that SAS should listen to it's customers and to the suggestions on MySASIdea...

Well, I can pick one gift this period, up until May 31st and then a new one on June 1st, so this leaves me with only one gift ...

They now have added a yearly pass for Tusenfryd (an amusement park near Oslo). 179 left of those. Would have been nice, if I had kids, and lived near Oslo. The two cards are uninteresting.

Ed: Wrote a "complaint" on SK's Facebook page.

Well you can sell the card again on www.finn.no. I am sure you will give a couple thousand or hundred back? ;)

SB

That is agains the rules of finn.no. I would reccomend you not to suggest that people here breach rules of and agreements of other online sites.