General Observations on a recent trip.
 

I am a KLM Elite Premium for life member, and a recent 6 week trip to the US with my wife has brought home to me many, in my opinion, weaknessess and frustrations with the overall program...particularly with luggage and lounges, when using partners. We flew out AF, Business Class to Miami from London via Paris....two suitcases each, so far so good. Spent a few days in Miami before going on to Puerto Rico with Delta to catch a cruise. Firstly told one bag each only, without paying extra...argued the case....cases accepted, no charge. Try to use the lounge....'This is not an international flight sir, so you can't come in'...give up arguing and leave for the coffee shop outside, (with embarrassed wife.) After cruise, leave Puerto Rico for West Palm Beach, again on Delta. 'One bag each sir,'....go through previous life history of bags and allowed on...no charge. After a couple of weeks, head for Atlanta, again on Delta. This time at West Palm Beach, absolutely no way can we get our four bags on board....'I have to charge you sir.'....special favour...cost? $50 total. By this time, my wife is so fed up and asked me just what is the point of my flashy Elite card?...and I must admit I had to ask myself why do I put myself to this bother and trouble. OK, so we were of Reward tickets...so what ? And then, when you read the inflight magazine, about how Delta and KL/AF are working closely together and sharing all revenues across the pond I just feel that if this is the overall way to treat top so called Elite members, then the experience is hardly worth the trouble. Top members should particularly not have to go through all this hassle.

sorry for your difficulties...

but unfortunately you were in the wrong...
-skyteam elite lounge access only kicks in if you are traveling on an international flight. No sense in arguing, SJU is not an international destination for Delta
- skyeam elite/elite plus traveling in the economy cabin does not waive the baggage fee
http://www.delta.com/help/faqs/baggage/index.jsp#elite

Your benefits are outlined at
http://www.skyteam.com/about/miles/benefits.html

I do realise that...I'm just saying that in my opinion things could be better done....one ticket Business out...2 cases, change to Delta economy, only 1 each...is that stupid or what ? If that is correct then it should be made clear at booking...'Oh, by the way, you may be Business Class, but only one case each,unless you want to pay, as you're going to the US, and there is no room up front for your next segment'. Not too much to ask, or perhaps it is ?

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8520/4.6.1.286 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/301)

This is surprsing because I just flew on delta from detroit to miami in economy and on the outbound and inbound flights I was allowed to check-in up to 2 bags free. I am with air france, silver member

Isn't the international flight requirement megastupid? Meaning when flying AMS-BRU one would have access but LAX-JFK (much longer trip) one wouldn't. Plus, wouldn't it be arguable that since the rules state international trip, one being from Europe that US to US is an international trip? :D

Had a different experience last December when I flew US domestic with DL and was allowed to check in two bags.

Agree with your points that this service truly sucks, especially when on a leisure trip. It's things like this that ultimately tips the scale when deciding which airline to give your loyalty to, PE for life member or not....

1. Lounge access is for the same day of international travel only. That is the rule across Skyteam. SJU is considered a domestic flight.

2. Baggage fees should be consistant with the international travel portion PROVIDED that all the travel is on the same PNR (no seperate tickets). If the bags were free on the TATL portion, then the bags should remain free for the entire PNR. Were some of the domestic tickets purchased/redeemed seperately?

Cheers.

I agree with the last post. Assuming the flights were all on one TATL itinerary , the OP should have been allowed to check 2 bags without an additional charge.

The rule as published states: "For international customers making a connection/stopover to or from the U.S., or at a later date during their travel within the U.S. on the same itinerary, international fees and rules apply."

DL Medallion members may check 2 bags without charge but the same rule does not apply to the SkyTeam partner flyers. That rule states: Will SkyTeam Elite/ElitePlus customers be given an exception to the charge?
No. SkyTeam Elite/ElitePlus customers traveling in the economy cabin will be subject to the appropriate checked baggage fees.

The OP has a valid point. If the Skyteam travel is supposed to be a seamless hassle free experience, there should be consistent rules on luggage and lounge access.

One ticket out, with stopovers.
Last leg, seperate Delta ticket to Atlanta, to connect with seperate BA Club ticket. The agent was happy to check all the luggage through to LHR, but not relent on the 2x luggage bit..fair enough I suppose....rules is rules.

This is from the AF site:

How to access Air France airport lounges

To enjoy one of the 530 Air France and SkyTeam airport lounges, you must:

* hold a La Première or Affaires class ticket on Air France flights,
* hold a Business class ticket on a SkyTeam international flight,
* hold a ticket for an AIR FRANCE, KLM, or SkyTeam flight and be a Flying Blue Gold or Platinum, SkyTeam Elite Plus, or Club 2000 member.

This is what I mean by these Alliances not working closely enough together....either they all sign off to the sames rules as one...or tell us straight, "We might be an Alliance, but we're not that clever to work closely enough for you travellers, so you'd better do your homework before you leave home, as it's too difficult for us to agree on anything......apart from sharing all revenues across the pond."
From the above, I gather that I should have been allowed in at any Delta lounge, whether travelling down the back or up the front, together with my PE card....seems simple enough to me. (This assumes of course that a) Delta are part of Sky Team, and b) assuming they are...then they have lounges available.) Yes or No ??
ps And how does one get a SkyTeam Elite Plus card, or is that just another name for the regular PE lifetime card ? (Another example of daftness...give everybody a SkyTeam card according to their level...forget all the individual programs.)

The rule you are missing, and it is true for all 3 alliances, is that the US is different about everything. So just avoid the US and you won't be disappointed. ;)

Alternatively, just significantly lower your expectations when traveling within the US and you won't be disappointed.

It depends on the status you have within your own FFP, which varies by airline within SkyTeam.

From http://www.skyteam.com/about/miles/status.html

http://i41.tinypic.com/bdgjs.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/10mv3hj.jpg

That is also my experience from last year. I flew CDG-LAX-DEN-LAX-TXL on one ticket, AF & DL in Y, and the Denver portion was nested in the middle of this 3 month long trip. When I tried to check in at the airport kiosk, I was asked to pay for the 2nd piece of luggage, but I went to the 1st class counter and argued my way through. On the return leg the two gate agents were rather puzzled first. Then they agreed with me, but were not sure how to convince the system as well. In the end my samsonite suitcase was classified as a baby stroller :D, which apparently one can check in for free ...

More interestingly, I did a dozen or so segments after the my trip to Denver with DL, but on separate tickets, and whenever I wanted to check in 2 pieces of luggage, it was for free at both airport kiosks and online. The gate agents were quite startled when I dropped off my suitcases, and the system did not tell them to charge me. I found it very confusing, but obviously did not protest!