lingua101

Are you saying as LH Silver you can get faster check in and extra luggage with *A carriers?

SQ325

Both is pretty much useless. While it seems theoretically a perk, practically the perks wont be required flying SQ.
Yes, I agree Prio-CI is quite handy when flying with LH in Europe, but pretty much nowhere required in the SQ network flying SQ.
Extra luggage seems a perk, but SQ is coming with 30kg already for everyone. So in comparison you gained nothing.

I agree, the marketing effect is probably better with LHs perks.

Therfore the threshold you need to reach is higher.

Silver Status is complete rubbish almost with every airline. Look at the LH MM thread, the same moaning we are doing here about KF, they do there in regards to MM.

SQ325

No, you get this perk only on flights of the LH group (LH, OS and LX) and if iam not wrong with LOT.

aster

That is an alliance perk that only comes with Gold status.

What I have written is that:
----------
LH Silver:
- business class check-in on LH and other Miles&More airlines (Austrian+LOT+Swiss)
- extra luggage on LH and other Miles&More airlines
- lounge access on LH and other Miles&More airlines

SQ Silver:
- nothing
- nothing
- nothing
----------

If you want alliance perks from Silver status then I suggest you go for a OW ffp. Silver with Finnair for instance will give you biz check-in when flying on alliance carriers.

aster

Nope. SQ Silver is useless. LH Silver is not. Pretending that others are equally bad as SQ is simply misleading.

With SQ Silver you get nothing. You will not get biz check-in, you will not get extra luggage, you will not get lounge access. This status is simply invisible because it gives you NOTHING.

LH Silver will have you checking in at the biz desk, it will double your luggage allowance to 40kg, and you will get access to the airline's lounges. Huge difference.

LH 3/3. SQ 0/3.

Oh, need I mention that if you have LH Silver your miles never expire? Make that 4/4 compared to 0/4 then.

No, the complaints are not at all to do with LH Silver, which is actually regarded quite highly over there. Even to the point of people wondering whether it's worth paying 500 Euros to keep this status, as LH gives you this possibility if you do not qualify the traditional way.

lcpteck

It's true, OW Ruby has at least priority check-in.

SQ325

Thats not entirely true. LH has cut the lounge access quite significantly and especially the move of flights to 4U is a big no-brainer heatedly discussed in quite some FFF. A lot of FTs have qualified via sectors in the past, because if you are mainly on intra-european, nowadays you would have a hard time to clock-in enough miles. Yes there are discussions on LHs offer to a targeted group to extend status against cash.

I stay with it, LH Silver is equal rubbish then all others.
If you are not flying LH it gives you nothing. And for sure I wont step into an LH aircraft anymore.

Don't get me wrong. I regard MM as a great FFP, probably the best among all *FFP. Not everyone wants to redeem flight and MM has a wide choice of options to redeem.
KF is quite limited and for sure not the best FFP to be in, but if you redeem solely on SQ and fly mostly SQ like i do, its fine. The transfer of miles from CCs is also quite handy.

lingua101

Well you are making theoritical argument. For those who is considering KF is very liklely based in SIN. If a person is only talking Silver it is unlikely he/she flies long haul very frequently like you, ptherwise they should have no problem to gain Gold.

For someone who hardly (or will never) fly LH , please bear in mind LH is only fly to FRA ex SIN, LH Silver is as useless as SQ Silver. At least SQ Silver you get extra miles when flying on SQ.

aster

First of all we are talking about Silver. This in itself means that we are not talking about alliance benefits (which ONLY kick in at the *G level) but only airline benefits.

Secondly, your statement that you get nothing when not flying LH is untrue as well. M&M is unique in that you get the benefits across 4 European carriers: Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss.

I don't know if M&M is the best *FFP but it's certainly light years ahead of that KrisFlyer rubbish. The latter is only good for CC transfers, nothing else. Even those who fly SQ and pay for tix have even credited their flights to M&M, especially if flying in the upper cabins.

Bottom line: SQ Silver is useless. M&M Silver is actually very good.

Just to prove how wrong you are - two easy points:

#1 Would you regard SQ Silver to be just as lousy if from Jan 1st 2015 they offered the following:

- business class check-in when flying SQ
- 40kg luggage allowance when flying SQ
- lounge access at Changi when flying SQ
- no miles expiry whilst maintaining Silver status

Would you honestly say that this makes ZERO DIFFERENCE and there is NO CHANGE for the better to today's SQ Silver benefits? Please...

#2 On a more humourous level, what do you think the reaction would be if SQ offered people Silver status in exchange for S$800?

lingua101

Aster, you are missing the points.

LH Silver will be good if you are based in Europe, and travel with those carrier frequently.

Same question like is CX Silver good? I will say yes, coz it will give me lounge access and other benefit if I fly CX. But if I fly other carriers frequently, the answer is no. I think you are also the one that say probably bank in to QR or BA may be better.

So at the end of the day, it is really about the travel pattern and where is the person base.

We are discussing practicality not theoretical.

SQ325

The same as it is if MM offers me extension for the same amount ( )

freedom89

Star Alliance Loyalty Benefits Table

As the link above, it does also seem that the exclusive benefits afforded by KF Silver is also lacking, as compared to many of the other Star Alliance carriers. SIA has never been the most generous when it comes to loyalty benefits. Even KF Gold isn't particularly great, as all you're going to receive is Star Alliance Gold benefits. The 25% bonus miles and waived or reduced KF service fees are very underwhelming.

In fact, you would have to look at SIA's exclusive PPS and Solitaire PPS Club programs to truly enjoy exclusive loyalty benefits – but the PPS value requirements will probably price most travellers out...

oneworld Loyalty Benefits Table
Skyteam Loyalty Benefits Table

Comparing KF Silver to its Skyteam and oneworld counterparts also proves the disparity between SIA's loyalty scheme to most other carriers. Given that fares on SIA tend to be a step above most other airlines, you'd think that they'd offer better perks to their frequent flyers...

SQ325

Thats exactly the point.

SQ325

So you agree, FTL is worth nothing if you are flying on SQ?


Not me. As i said, KF makes sense with a certain target in mind and flight profile even if KF is considered to be rubbish. The availablity of flight redemptions is surely a plus point to some people.

aster

Lingua, I think you are missing the entire point of this discussion, which is to show how poor SQ Silver is when compared to what other alliance carriers offer their Silver members.

This discussion was never about what LH Silver can do for those flying on SQ (or SQ Silver for those flying on LH). It is basic knowledge that Star Alliance only has alliance-wide perks at the Gold level.

Silver is simply about what YOUR airline is giving YOU in return for loyalty. And as I have reiterated countless times already, there is a huge difference between what SQ (nothing!) and LH (almost everything) reward their members with even at the Silver level.