"We will refund you the fare difference" is the biggest cough***, borderline illegal scam going on in the the airline industry right now (not saying VA does this - but typically this is what happens):
Here is how it the con works:
You book business class, for say, $1000
The airline, at this...
Free wifi is a perk of Skywards, and frankly, it's probably the Skywards/Loyalty department that is funding the initiative.
Wifi is not perk of the QF/EK tie-up, and it is not a perk of QF status.
It is a benefit of being a Skywards member.
$40 for priority everything -- and airlines wonder why people are less brand loyal today than ever before.
Make it $400 for priority everything and another $400 for lounge access.
Make it a giant advertisement for "FLY MORE -- EARN STATUS".
Those who want to pay -- will still pay.
Make legit...
In some ways, it's brilliant.
Turning the loyalty program back into a frequent flyer program instead of a free-for-all-lifestyle-nonsense that some airlines are obsessed with.
That lifestyle loyalty nonsense might bring in loads of new customers to earning points, but it ultimately results in...
I wouldn't worry about lounge overcrowding.
3,000 matches isn't a big number.
Take out QF Plat/Plat1/CL, who probably won't do it because Platinum isn't on the table (i.e., they get better treatment with QF...ironically - the Plat and higher type flyers spend more and usually have higher yield...
The lesson here, and with *ALL* airline loyalty programs - SPEND THE MILES!
Don't save them up for 'that one big trip in X years'.
Don't warehouse points in an airline/hotel program thinking they are 'safe'.
Always spend them at the earliest possible opportunity.
Or that company which runs LATAM status match also does manages status match for most global airlines and can tell that your United status is a trial and was not earned on merit ;)
I do hear that LATAM elites are treated very well when it comes to upgrades...
Airlines trying to run their own status match/challenge campaigns... total disaster.
100% guaranteed it turns away more customers than they think they're gaining.
Most airline employees (including C-levels) have no clue that matching in 2024 is vastly different than it was in 2000, 2010 or even...
Consider that near-unlimited points are warehoused in US banks via credit cards, and people with money and points will pay people to find seats for them.
I'm sure business is booming for folks like Steve Hui at iFlyFlat.
In fact - I don't know why QF and other airlines don't team up with him...
There was a brief 2 year period in the past decade where Enrich had no devaluations 🤣
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I think it's fair to say that MH is really "Kuala Lumpur Airlines", focused on people who live in KL.
Some observations:
- Qantas has completed dozens of surveys and focus groups and has decades of customer feedback on the topic, spent god-knows how much on big4 consulting firm fees -- and Classic Plus is the best they could come up with. Let that sink in, on how disconnected management are.
-...
I flew both Residences & Apartments in 2023.
Residence is the same as normal apartments first class except:
- Your own private bathroom+shower onboard.
- Your own private double bed which is separate to your F seat/bed. This bed is a proper bed like in a hotel. Separate TV in the bedroom.
-...
Do a stopover in AUH.
Book a flight from AUH -> Somewhere -> AUH, within your stopover - credit to EY.
Or look at things a different way - If your EY flights are in biz/first: Do the gold match, credit everything to EY and your flights jump start you towards Platinum.
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Minor note -...
Avoid Enrich.
The program has been devalued yearly for 7 out of 10 years.
Just last month, there was another points redemption devaluation, with some sectors (eg, KUL-ADL in J) increasing by 100%.
Enrich has no consumer co-brand credit card.
Limited credit card transfer partners.
Options for...
Why would they add more premium seats when aussies are happily shelling out $20k for biz class to Europe?
More premium capacity=lower yield.
Why do you think QR was blocked from adding premium capacity?
Keeps the yield high for everyone else.
UAE has no shortage of people with unlimited money.
Premium cabins are full.
High-demand for premium cabins.
Record profits.
More people earning Gold/Plat through biz/first than ever before.
The definition of a high-value pax for EK is *VASTLY* different to that of other airlines.
It wouldn't...