What pain does your elite frequent flyer status let you avoid?

[Dyslexic traveler]

This was an interesting article and the quote from Henry Harteveldt is so true

“It’s a perverse type of relationship,” he said of airline loyalty. “In the hotel business customers are loyal because they like something; they join loyalty programs with airlines because they hope they will hurt you less.”

The history and evolution of hotel loyalty

what do you think

Wayne Bourke

The Dyslexic Traveler

 

[sjd]

The pain of bad expensive coffee from outlets in the BNE Domestic terminal. I drank a lot of it before hitting SG and then WP last year.

 

[Skyring]

For me, it was two trips to the USA in 2005. Both had me spending half the afternoon and all of the evening in LAX T4. I was tired, uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to board the plane and go to sleep. There were announcements, bustle, competition for the few power outlets, the food was expensive and nauseating, the whole environment was horrid as more and more cranky Aussies crowded in for their midnight flights home. Just finding a seat was a struggle and many chose to claim a patch of carpet.

At that point, lounge access looked like a very good deal, and from then on I've made sure that I had it, one way or another.

 

[vt01]

When I started flying more regularly about 20 years ago, I found out our company had a corporate rate for QC membership. I think it was about $100 per year with no joining fee. After spending so much time in the terminal trying to find a seat or decent food and drinks, it seemed a bargain to be able to use the QC and have free food and drinks. From that time I've always been a member.
It was only about 4 years after that I achieved SG and then eventually WP so had access until 2012 when I finally dropped to LTS. My 2 years of paid membership then kicked backed in. Like Skyring, one way or another, I'll always have lounge access. Only 800 SC's to reach LTG but it's slow going as I hardly fly at all any more. Hopefully I make it before QFF LTG is 'enhanced'. Cheers

 

[boomy]

Most people don't like flying.
Lounge access, seat selection, upgrades, better customer service, it all helps to take some of the pain away (for those who don't like flying ).

 

[Hvr]

When things go pear shaped status is invaluable.

Earlier this year I was flying SJU-JFK-ORD-DEN on AA. In the JFK flagship lounge I realised my next flight was running very late and I may miss my connection from ORD-DEN Which was the last flight of the night). The lounge angel at JFK booked me on a duplicate flight the next morning just in case.

As it turned out the flight to ORD was several hours late by the time we arrived so I just had to confirm my next flight and all was good. Quite a few people had much longer to wait.

 

[straitman]

When things go pear shaped status is invaluable.

Earlier this year I was flying SJU-JFK-ORD-DEN on AA. In the JFK flagship lounge I realised my next flight was running very late and I may miss my connection from ORD-DEN Which was the last flight of the night). The lounge angel at JFK booked me on a duplicate flight the next morning just in case.

As it turned out the flight to ORD was several hours late by the time we arrived so I just had to confirm my next flight and all was good. Quite a few people had much longer to wait.

Full agreement with Hvr. The support when needed and the availability of Lounge access. Yesterday I waited in the terminal for a flight out of Cairns. It was not an ordeal but on the other hand nowhere near as pleasant as having a lounge to sit in.

 

[bass_ke]

It's saved me from terrible expensive coffee and from hanging around gate lounges, especially the last 10 minutes when folks start getting testy and jostling for position. The ability to cruise down the PB lane, especially when bubba is with us rocks.

I feel in a lot safer hands I things were to go pear shaped as well. I've a bit more work travel on this year so hoping to make WP and access the infamous row 3

 

[legroom]

.... I've a bit more work travel on this year so hoping to make WP and access the infamous row 3...

I think you meant row 12 as row 13 could be available for SGs already.

***

On the topic of lounge angels, I found on occasions that they are much more helpful than the check-in agents in swapping seats for you.

On one instance, they even called to the next port (DXB on QF codeshare) to reserve an exit row seat for my next flight (when the check in agent simply said "not possible").

The Priority Boarding helps a lot, esp. in the USA.

 

[samh004]

When things go pear shaped status is invaluable.

This. Only had one such occurrence with Qantas, and another with Virgin (at the time) Blue, and both times I was happy I had the (more or less) highest status. However, when things are going great, it's also nice to know I can relax in a good spot

 

[Timsboot]

Many years ago I was due to fly from BKK to SYD in the days when QF used BKK as its path to Europe. Booked in J. Due to a screw up my by travel agent (that I should have spotted so my fault too) I was booked to fly one day too late. I tried to change to the right day but there was no availability. The Fokker was Chokka. "You could go out the airport and wait" the phone agent recommended. I had to get home so I went to the airport 2 hours early and sat and waited. With 30 minutes to go before departure there were 40 people queued up trying to get on this flight. All pacing and staring at the desk agents. From the far right hand corner of the airport the chief check-in agent waved to his colleague staffing the front of the queue and held up two fingers indicating how many seats were available. Without blinking or pausing the agent pointed to me and one other passenger - granting us the magic tickets home. She did not have to check a manifest. She did not have to think about it. She already knew who the WPs were and where they were sitting among the scrum. Sure I had to downgrade to a middle seat economy. But 38 other people went back to their hotel rooms and cried.

 

[harvyk]

For me, seat selection, whilst I usually got the seat I wanted pre-status, post status I have always gotten the seat I wanted or better.

Lounge access is certainly nice as well, some terminals aren't too bad out in the plebs section, but there are some shockers out there as well.

 

[hdfb]

Spending time in noisy and uncomfortable gate lounges and spending money on food and drinks while waiting for flights. The money saved pays for the incurred costs of a status run. Also really helps when a flight is delayed.

Also, preferential treatment for flying ahead when getting to airports early despite booking on red e-Deal.

 

[michaelj]

I realised how much I valued the priority check in desks on international flights when I once flew NZ as a nobody and had to join the long economy line.

 

[Mogul]

For me it has to be lounge access especially when flights are delayed / cancelled and priority check in.

 

[whughes3]

I realised how much I valued the priority check in desks on international flights when I once flew NZ as a nobody and had to join the long economy line.

Absolutely! Not having to stand in queues (or at least not in very long ones) is high on my list of benefits.

 

[harvyk]

I realised how much I valued the priority check in desks on international flights when I once flew NZ as a nobody and had to join the long economy line.

+1 million to this...

skipping the check in queues is a big plus IMHO... I've also been able to skip queues when doing a dom to int connection with no checked bags by checking in at the QP.

 

[flyingfan]

Express immigration counters. Sometimes it can make all the difference for me.

 

[medhead]

A slightly different take but my airline status allows me to suffer the pain of flying on Jetstar.

Full agreement with Hvr. The support when needed and the availability of Lounge access. Yesterday I waited in the terminal for a flight out of Cairns. It was not an ordeal but on the other hand nowhere near as pleasant as having a lounge to sit in.

I literally stood at one spot for about 10 minutes wondering what do i do now at CNS on Sunday afternoon.

 

[basso]

There was a blog on Loyalty Traveller about this very quote: The perverse relationship of airline loyalty programs compared to hotel loyalty programs - Loyalty Traveler