Is a * Platinum Needed?
 

There have been a few discussions on the board about not being treated equal by the various members of the alliance.

My thought is that since now the best you can hope for is *G, they should have one higher category that is truly the same (actual miles needed to achieve or equal to the categories in the individual programs above Gold level) on all members or at the least better than *G.

My reasoning is that with UA for example both Premier Exec and 1K are *G yet 1K is much harder to attain, the same is true with SQ/PPS.

Any comments?

check out previous discussions:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum82/HTML/000062.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum82/HTML/000095.html

Don't think there was any consensus other than diversity is good. One person's garbage is another person's gold http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

A higher tier might provide different benefits but perhaps the reality is there are not too many Star gold travelling the globe so all airlines are happy with the current arrangement--demands meet expectations/capacity?

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 02-13-2001).]

the (smaller) Star-member-airlines with less routes, less coverage, (and less/no NorthAmerican competition in their main markets), will not agree.

Anyway, the real big advantages of being 1K are only good on UA and are a typical NorthAmerican-competition 'thing' (6 systemwide upgrades, free Shuttle upgrades, NorthAmerican confirmable one-way upgrades); and that's a lot compared with the 'gifts' for the top-tier members of all other Non-North-American StarAlliance members.

I think this is a feasible idea. Maybe theres even no need to roll out any additional infrastructure for this new tier, you could perhaps have these very fflyers use the International F lounges (SQ would have to open their Krisflyer lounges), the obviuos priority waitlist over *Golds, and some other marketing gimmick that Im sure they could come up with.

So... lets see... Im a UNited 1K, LH Senator and SQ PPS... I wonder if that would get me qualified as a *A Platinum...??? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

There is a project by LH to re-launch the HON card.

our FlyerTalk 'merry' is a LH Honors member and did always report, that he sees no real advantage compared to the 'regular' Senator status.

LH is missing the middle tier (*Gold, but not highest level on airline)so far,
as well as TG, BD and some more.

Agree. There should be. In that case ALL lounges would be accessible. And they MAY even make courtesy upgrades a possible occassional "perk" that could then be a published benefit, as Hilton, Starwood etc do.

And maybe a 25% tier bonus when flying as a Plat. on OTHER than your "host" carrier.

i.e. that would be good for the other Star carriers when they offer same route as you "host". Right now to fly to Europe I'd be NUTS to take TG, SQ or Air NZ, SAS or LH as United gives me DOUBLE flown miles, or say 30,000 extra per roundtrip. If I could fly SQ or TG and get usual 100% PLUS another 25% platinum bonus I'd look at it. Good for those airlines, and good for me, as frankly their in-flight service long haul KILLS UA. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Disagree entirely on that one!

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~ Glen ~

For what it's worth, TG said to me last year they were planning another level (this from one of the Managers at ROP)..but heard nothing to date (can't say I'm surprised)

I suppose * had to bow to the lowest level (2 tier, as with TG ROP) members. oneworld(tm) has 3 elite levels (ruby, emerald & saphire) and I think that works well, but do saphires (which is the top tier, IIRC) get any particular perks?

It would be cool to have a platnum Star level that equated to UA 1K, LH SEN, AN Diamond, etc etc (and UA's 1K cards could go from a white colour to a goldyplatnum shade please! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )... maybe silver/platnum colour with a gold "U" mmmm I want one http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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UA 1K MEL
Wannabe UA MELKA !

The top-tier, I think it's emerald, gives you access to first-class lounges. With CX, rather, they issue you an invitation to their first-class lounge even when you fly a cheapie economy. (I personally think this is going way too far on the part of CX. I usually stay in the buz. lounge when they give me one for my eco. ticket.)

Let me throw this thought around...

Effectively there is very little benefit in being Elite if you are travelling the best available class of travel.

I think it is about time one of the alliances introduced a top-tier Elite level for regular premium passengers only.

As lounges, luggage allowances etc etc are of no use to premium travellers - benefits could be more focused on companion tickets/upgrades etc and equal treatment on occassional leisure travel as business travel and airport transfers.


Currently, even all the invitation only elite levels provide no real benefit - other that a feeling of superiority - LH Hons basically offers the same as Senator; Qualiflyer Circle's only real perk is limo transfer to non-airgated planes at Zurich; BA's Prem gives some benefits to those in the know, but nothing really tangiable.


OK, I am getting very synical about FFP's, but there must be lots of people out there, who just don't see the benefits (other than free travel) and yet they are the very same people who make the most money for the airlines.


Nick

Sounds a lot like SQ PPS to me http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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UA 1K MEL
A Star Alliance(tm) Member.

One of the biggest benefits as far as I am concerned in the guaranteed seat. I can't count the number of times I have used that perk to get on a full plane in C-class. In fact I'm doing it tomorrow from NRT to FRA.

It's also pretty good the way things suddenly become possible. My travel agent had got me a window seat. I called LH to change it to an aisle. No luck. I then checked to see if my FF number was in the booking file...it wasn't. When I gave it to the agent...suddenly an aisle seat materialised.

But are you guaranteed a seat in F class?

My whole point is that for travellers who travel in 'best available class' the benefits of a FFP are negligable, yet these are often the people who make the airlines the most money.

Nick

Merry, I see your point, but... lets see the following situation.

If an airline were to give in writing a statement that granted a certain super-elite tier fflyer a guaranteed seat in first, then there's the potential that another revenue pax (who also paid F but doesnt happen to carry that elite tier) would have to be bumped down to C. Im not sure this would work.

Thoughts?

I agree, but in that case what is the advantage of a FFP to a 'best-available-class' passenger?

I just don't see the advantage anymore.

If I really want a favour, my agent phone's the airline and reminds them how much revenue I give them - not what colour card I have...


Nick

I agree with Merry.

If you routinely fly paid F, then the only value is spending the miles. Effectively, a rebate on your ticket price. But given accumulation amounts and redemption levels for F, the rebate probably does not come close to what could be negotiated on a corporate deal with the carrier (with or without FF accumulation).

I would be happy with F Lounge access for * Platinum.

I don't think you'd see F lounge access even if there was a *Platinum. UA doesn't let anyone but F pax in the F lounges, not even 1Ks. And I can understand why, even when I'd greatly benefit from the perk.

F lounges just couldn't accomodate (that many) elite-members

The LH Sen Lounges in Europe (LHR,FRA and MUC) already can not accomodate the *Golds. With complete novices at LH being able to attain SEN status with one smart RTW flight in F, the product has been so devalued that a complete new approach is needed.

I agree with Zorro's comment that even a novice could get SEN with one rtw in F. However that statement itself eliminates a great majority of the population. On my LH flights (outside of or not originating in Germany) there are still very few SEN's.

I would still argue that a level above *Gold is needed. One of the definite perks should be F lounge access.

one other difficulty to get all Star-carriers itno an agreement for reciprocal access rights to first class lounges is, that many of them don't even offer first-class flights, others offering first-class flights don't still don't have (real) first-class lounges.

some that come to my mind without offering first-class-flights: Air Canada, Ansett, Austrian, British Midland, Lauda, SAS, Tyrolian (how about Mexicana?).

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MikeFly:
[B]I agree with Zorro's comment that even a novice could get SEN with one rtw in F. However that statement itself eliminates a great majority of the population. On my LH flights (outside of or not originating in Germany) there are still very few SEN's.

Then, the great majority of the population is obviously not great enough yet.

Either the reciprocal access rights are not fair (which I doubt, given LH´ status as founder of *A), or LH hands out Sen Cards like candy at Fasching. I have been refused access as SEN to the TG F/C lounge in BKK, flying B/C on TG, on the grounds that *G are only allowed into the B/C Lounge. Same for the SQ Lounges in SIN. The 100,000 limit for non German residents is too low, given the generous Bonus miles for premium travel on LH.

Zorro

Regarding F class lounge access, AC, MX, AN, BD, SK, and the Austrian Group don't even have F service, and would thus have no amenities (eg. F class check-in or lounge access) to give to * Platinums.

Moreover, NZ only offers a few flights with F class, and I believe only has one F class lounge at AKL.

As a Star Gold, I have access to most of LH's Senator Lounges, as well as most of RG's and NH's First Lounges. Thus, this only leaves TG, SQ, and UA as the only carriers that would really offer something special to * Platinums.

I totally agree with Merry. All my travel now is in paid J, making ff status irrelevant to me. The only marginal benefit I get is priority waitlisting as LHR-JFK tends to be heavily booked on the days I travel.

What I would like would be a guaranteed seat in J whenever I need it. Neither BA Gold/VS Gold offer that currently.