New upgrade award on Thai and devaluation
Jun 27, 2014, 8:53 pm
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Jun 27, 2014, 11:23 pm
#78
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SIN
Programs: TK-G | Accor P | SQ-G | Marriott T
Posts: 3,831
Jun 28, 2014, 5:57 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Jun 28, 2014, 8:06 am
#81
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Melbourne, Aus
Programs: TG*G VA Plat
Posts: 272
The night is always darkest before the dawn! Doubling of the redemption rates, while increasing earn rates by significantly less, is a bit of a kick in the teeth, but perhaps the ROP program was too generous for too long? Please don't flame... I'm just throwing the idea on the table!
On the face of it, the 1 Sep 2014 changes to ROP don't look good (in fact, they look really bad) and will be enough, I suspect, for many to switch their business away from TG. However, I'm hopeful there are announcements yet to come and the final implementation of the changes will not be as dire as they seems right now.
Just had a chat to the incredibly helpful person on my local ROP desk and she says:
* GUPs/PUPs will be retained, but not clear yet if there will be any changes;
* Impact on taxes/surcharges still to be confirmed (will they be included?); and
* TG is still finalising the scope of the changes and ironing out some anomalies
For example, presently Aus/BKK/Europe rtn in J costs 170k (both TG and *A award). Under the new scheme, the same flight will cost 340k for a *A award, but around 450k for a TG award (as Aus/BKK and BKK/Eur will be costed as two separate redemption flights).
It's a bit concerning these changes will have the biggest, unfavourable impact on some of the most loyal flyers... but I'm willing to wait a bit and see what transpires.
On the face of it, the 1 Sep 2014 changes to ROP don't look good (in fact, they look really bad) and will be enough, I suspect, for many to switch their business away from TG. However, I'm hopeful there are announcements yet to come and the final implementation of the changes will not be as dire as they seems right now.
Just had a chat to the incredibly helpful person on my local ROP desk and she says:
* GUPs/PUPs will be retained, but not clear yet if there will be any changes;
* Impact on taxes/surcharges still to be confirmed (will they be included?); and
* TG is still finalising the scope of the changes and ironing out some anomalies
For example, presently Aus/BKK/Europe rtn in J costs 170k (both TG and *A award). Under the new scheme, the same flight will cost 340k for a *A award, but around 450k for a TG award (as Aus/BKK and BKK/Eur will be costed as two separate redemption flights).
It's a bit concerning these changes will have the biggest, unfavourable impact on some of the most loyal flyers... but I'm willing to wait a bit and see what transpires.
Jun 29, 2014, 12:46 am
#83
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Funnily enough, I had decided to switch to ROP from UA for my primary *alliance FFP until TG announced this devaluation. UA is now by comparison a much better program, and miles do not expire.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:10 am
#84
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 217
I've held ROP Gold for more than 15 years. That's it for me. I also hold an SQ Silver card, so from here on out, I will just accumulate miles there. SQ give 25% Gold bonus, so that's something.
I like to use awards in C class to LAX for myself and my wife.
TG: 340,00 miles r/t
SQ: 160,000 miles r/t for a saver award or 240,000 miles for a standard award - on TG!
I guess these two words apply to myself as well as many others:
1. Burn
2. Dump
I like to use awards in C class to LAX for myself and my wife.
TG: 340,00 miles r/t
SQ: 160,000 miles r/t for a saver award or 240,000 miles for a standard award - on TG!
I guess these two words apply to myself as well as many others:
1. Burn
2. Dump
Jun 30, 2014, 3:26 am
#85
Ambassador: Thai Airways
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MEL, SIN, CDG, DXB
Programs: EK*P, TG*P, SQ*PPS
Posts: 977
You've been drinking far too much of the koolaid big fella. I think this will be the nail in the coffin for ROP. I had been loyal to then for about 10 years but last year switched everything to Virgin Australia and last year accrued about 300,000 points. Blooody glad I didn't throw them all TGs way now!
I'm staggered at what TG has done and wonder how well they have modelled the consumer behaviour as a result of this change.
Jun 30, 2014, 10:06 pm
#86
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 52
)Consumer behavior is definitely not in their decision making. I am very sure that these decisions have been driven purely on a 'math' basis - recalculating costs and hence making the ROP program more profitable - on the assumptions that consumers of course do not react to this.
It's almost like a kid with a lemonade booth selling 10 units a day at a dollar. Kid realizes it needs $20 instead of $10, so just charge $2 instead of $1 - problem solved :-)
Jul 1, 2014, 12:31 am
#87
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Melbourne
Programs: Velocity Gold
Posts: 1,069
They did not. TG is effectively a state owned enterprise and not really bound to be profitable (it would be nice but hey... )
Consumer behavior is definitely not in their decision making. I am very sure that these decisions have been driven purely on a 'math' basis - recalculating costs and hence making the ROP program more profitable - on the assumptions that consumers of course do not react to this.
It's almost like a kid with a lemonade booth selling 10 units a day at a dollar. Kid realizes it needs $20 instead of $10, so just charge $2 instead of $1 - problem solved :-)
)Consumer behavior is definitely not in their decision making. I am very sure that these decisions have been driven purely on a 'math' basis - recalculating costs and hence making the ROP program more profitable - on the assumptions that consumers of course do not react to this.
It's almost like a kid with a lemonade booth selling 10 units a day at a dollar. Kid realizes it needs $20 instead of $10, so just charge $2 instead of $1 - problem solved :-)
Jul 1, 2014, 12:36 am
#88
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Melbourne
Programs: Velocity Gold
Posts: 1,069
They responded to my email with the standard stuff about the new levels being comparable to purchased tickets (I still don't really get this but they must have given a point a THB value and then compared it to their revenue fares) and spruiked the increased earn.
They then finished with the following:
"Our management has received many comments and acknowledged all affected issues caused by these new award charts.
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and
add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
They then finished with the following:
"Our management has received many comments and acknowledged all affected issues caused by these new award charts.
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and
add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
Jul 1, 2014, 9:38 am
#89
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: VZ
Programs: M&M, ROP, KrisFlyer
Posts: 1,028
.....
They then finished with the following:
"Our management has received many comments and acknowledged all affected issues caused by these new award charts.
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
They then finished with the following:
"Our management has received many comments and acknowledged all affected issues caused by these new award charts.
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
Jul 1, 2014, 5:07 pm
#90
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
"Our management has received many comments and acknowledged all affected issues caused by these new award charts.
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and
add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
During this time, the management is considering if there is anything we could improve more in order to enhance and
add value to our services to ensure satisfaction of all members and customers as many as possible.
We would like to thank you for your valued feedbacks regarding this issue."
For Thai ROP members who aren't comfortable with other FFP's that don't directly/fully support Thai speaking customers, or who aren't knowledgeable of other FFP's, and that they can credit TG flights to, perhaps they'll just stick it out with the new changes. For anyone else though, I doubt they'll have many customers sticking around, other than perhaps some Platinum members who fly mostly premium classes and aren't quite as affected by the changes.