Yes. The desk staff said it was a chronic problem nonetheless (fixed with a manual lookup).

Just back from a very enjoyable work/vacation trip to South Africa.

FWIW, I'm a stubborn Star Alliance loyalist, so with the assistance of my client's OTA I was able to force a mixed itinerary of SK + LH ("just like the old days") for UME-ARN-FRA-CPT and return. It was more expensive than it used to be, clearly because the underlying fares are simply combined. LH could only book it with one FF number, but after reservation I called up the Senator line and swapped my EBD number for the 2 SK sectors.

Because of the mixed itinerary, online check-in was impossible in both directions, and ground agents in both UME and CPT struggled to print boarding passes. Digital boarding passes were not available. It took a little longer overall but worked out, and we got the itinerary we wanted.

(So if you really hate SkyTeam, rest assured it's still possible if a bit dumb

SAS is recognising free seat selection for SkyTeam Elites on their own tickets, but the website wants to charge me on my KL ticket with an SK-operated flight... Great IT again...

Guess it's time to pick up the good old trusted telephone, ye?

Meanwhile, on KL - had free seat selection in "manage booking" until check in. Once checked in - all seats, including "standard economy" became paid - can't change my seat assignment anymore. Disappointing.

P.S. Had my first airport actual experience with SK in SkyTeam.
On the positive side - at check in they were able to check my bags through onto a separate KL reservation and even issue a single combined boarding pass for all flights - very nice. Was able to scan SK bp and walk into both AirFrance and VA Club lounges.
On the less positive side - both ST lounges here are simply bad. Poorly designed, small, crowded and nothing to eat (VA Club has the audacity to *sell* food. Why would you need a lounge for that?). Def. going to miss *A. Sad.

It appears that the BP/lounge issue at outstations has been fixed - I was able to enter the BUD lounge on an AF J Light ticket with an EBG status without any issues, computer finally said yes 👍 printed BPs at both BUD and AMS showed the correct status too, although the one I printed at CDG did not (but I just used the mobile BP and it worked fine - AFKL's own lounges were never a problem anyway).

Shouldn't J generate lounge access by and in itself? Or has AF also fallen for the lounge free J trend?

I have upcoming flight out of LHR with SK in Go Smart, my status is Elite Plus, whoever not from SK rather another SkyTeam airline.

In the SAS app it says lounge available, however no indication on which lounge, to my knowledge the contracted LH lounge are for Plus and EBG/D/P, not for tier customers from other SkyTeam airlines?

Business Light (not offered in all markets, most notably those covered by the Delta/Virgin Atlantic joint venture) does not include lounge access.

Just to update here... actually with the new qualification scheme, getting to SEN isn't that hard. End of Q1 and I am already at half the required points. I would say, not much more difficult than EBD. Actually, probably easier to achieve than EBD. The 6 segment rotations to Germany help of course

6 segment rotations in business?

So, if I am reading their chart right, SEN requires 10 intercontinental flights in business (of which half have to be on LH group). That's 5 r/ts US-Europe. Think I'll keep qualifying for MS *G with 1 intercon r/t a year.

No, economy. But each segment gives 20 points. So my usual CPH-FRA-LEJ or NUE already give 80 points, if you weave in MUC� or some DB train segments� 120. Together with a couple of trips to India and the US, the 2000 points are not that hard to collect. Even in economy.

(Although I was lucky and got approved a trip in TK J which boosted the point earnings quite a bit)

With the super low earnings now on SK economy, EBD is kind of impossible unless flying long haul business. Or collect really a lot of flights to qualify by segments.

and tbh, SEN is much more valuable than EBD.

Free seat selection on LOT. What else does SEN actually get vs generic *G? (And LH itself is a terrible airline whose business class is to be avoided like a plague).

P.S. EBG takes 3 r/t Europe-US in "Business Smart", currently available for $1600 each (or 2 r/ts Asia-US on SV, $2K each). So, about $4K total. I can't see a way to get status with LH for anything near that amount.

I don�t necessarily agree that LH is terrible. Sure, long haul C is dreadful. But in economy they are fine and in my opinion far ahead of SK.

Short haul, I care about getting where I need to get and if things go south being taken care off. And here SEN status works wonders at LH. Even on the plane, always get free drinks from J, almost always a free middle seat, very frequent op-ups.

Free ASR on all Miles-and-More airlines including �premium seats� like exit row.

And for long haul C, we have OS and LX. Just had OS J to ORD� really nice.

Next, you get F award inventory at LX and better access to award inventory at LH. Sure, hefty surcharges but for confirmed F awards worth it.

Works for me.

sure, you can get *G cheaper, but treatment of SEN is much better traveling a lot on Miles-and-More carriers.

And not to forget Eurowings, Discovery and LH City, which do not recognize *G.

Out of SkyTeam, only AF, KLM and Delta are nice airlines to fly in my opinion. And they do not care too much about a SK*G.