Kix

So you're playing second fiddle to Birmingham.

I wouldn't have thought that's anything to brag about.

StublueKPL

i'll be honest and say the only time im wearing a football top is at the pool or i have worn it in the pub watching the game (very occasionally and its the good lady who keeps buying me the tops. I havent bought my own since i was about 18!)

But trackies are 100 times worse!! i havent worn a trackie since i was about 12.

I would downgrade you if i seen you with trackies and a footie top on!! (economy-cargo)

commander

Agree. Trackies and a football top shouldn't even be allowed on the plane.

You must admit though the soapdodge flight is cram packed with sun bleached drunks wearing Celtic and Rangers tops..looks absolutely pitifull.

dubaiguy2011

I can safely say that anyone who wears a football top on a plane won't be holding a Skywards Platinum card.

scrubbedexpat141

Long time no see, how are you?

I'm going to make it my life ambition to get to Skyward platinum and wear a footie shirt and trackie bums on a flight.

I'll take a pic too.

dubaiguy2011

Back on thread, the Skywards Platinum is yet another own goal for EK IMHO.

EK have estimated that the top 5% of Skyward's Gold will qualify for Platinum (which will provide the level between Gold and IO - IO having approx between 250 and 300 members at date). Providing a tier to distinguish their highest revenue earners (who don't cut the IO ribbon) was EK's intention but the 'benefits / rewards' are dreadful. EK are desperate to increase revenue in their premium cabins (note that historically around 70-80% of Golds only ever flew in Y - this was the reason for EK introducing the flex/saver thing as they want to distinguish between revenue generating passengers as opposed to merely time spend on planes (note this is different philosophy to most other carriers, esp US based carriers)).

Unless you are regularly flying in F and J, then you have almost zero chance of qualification since EK eroded the earn and increased the burn on Skywards miles about 2yrs ago with the introduction of the Skywards zones and save/flex tickets.

To qualify for Plat flying LHR-DXB in Y, then you would need to take 2 saver return fares a week for an entire year to qualify at the 150k tier miles mark.

I laughed at the 'additional' benefits offered to Platinum - they are absolutely meaningless to anyone who will qualify as they will already be travelling in the premium cabins therefore lounge access / first class check-in etc is meh. Additional luggage allowance is also of no benefit to a business traveller (who rarely ever take checked baggage). Note that EK only have first class lounges in DXB (I can't think of anywhere else off the top of my head as I write this - around the network the lounges are all Biz class) so again that benefit is meh.

In terms of the additional tier benefit for earning miles for Plats - given my complete inability to spend my bazillion skywards miles over the last 2 years (I even tried to book a reward flight 5 months in advance last week to be told 'no availability'), again, this is meaningless. What's the point of having hundreds of thousands of skywards miles which you can't use?

On a brighter note, for the Golds, I don't see any deterioration in possibility of Op-Ups from Y to J as there won't be any Plats in Eco (unless they're on holibobs with their families in which case an upgrade is unlikely) therefore if Eco is overbooked, the Golds will still be at the top of the pile for an Op-Up.

For the mere Silvers... expect the delivery of a sh*t sandwich any day soon and a p.s. "Thanks for your custom. Not."

Good job EK - way to alienate 95% of your HVC's...

dubaiguy2011

Have been on the road a lot - tired and sick of planes.

Whilst I don't wear footy shirts, I regularly fly in F + J in shorts and t-shirts (and then changing into my own pj's on board). It always makes me laugh when you walk up to check-in counter (biz) to be looked up and down and asked "Erm are u flying in Biz class" to which one replies "No, I'm flying in First". Heh. Doesn't make up for staying at home though... Sleeping in your own bed is deffo way forwards rather than sleeping in a seat in a tin tube full of farts (even if the seat does go flat).

scrubbedexpat141

Yeah, true.

Up until recently I always flew in smart/casual clothes because my Dad did. Generation thing maybe, or just he flew business and we (the kids) were in Economy!

I don't own a footie shirt but I do own those mind-blowingly comfy grey Nike bottoms which I do sometimes wear to fly in.

commander

It is a kinda generation thing. I was discussing this topic a few weeks ago to some mates, laughing that i turn up and fly business and sometimes first wearing compression gear and trackies and a race T-Shirt. It is uber comfy.

My mate, who is an ex Sdn Leader RAF couldnt believe that people dressed like me get upgraded. He actually only ever travels in a shirt and trousers(chino) and a blazer..on the expectation that he would look smart and therefore stand more chance of getting an upgrade...regardless of the fact he is not a frequent flier..

Listen Biggles...there is a big bad world out there...

scrubbedexpat141

Oh there is truly nothing better than seeing a couple dressed like they're going out for dinner...only to see them sat in economy with me, for 7 hours, overnight...

Miss Anne Thrope

I agree with most of this (in fact I think I made some of the same points earlier in the thread). But I think you have missed one thing in the Pt benefits though I'm not sure I have unpicked this correctly. That is that you can redeem Skywards miles on any open revenue seat (though at a mileage premium). If I have got that right, that would be by far the most significant benefit and actually meaningful to a Pt flier who would have miles to burn.

Another way that I think EK is shooting itself in the foot by setting the bar so high is failing to provide an incentive to continue to consolidate flights with them once you have achieved Gold. Obviously location and schedule and routes will be constraints but if you fly the equivalent of 100k tier miles per year, it would be better to spread your business and go for Gold on two different carriers. There is almost no benefit to achieving "double Gold" on EK (certainly not those stupid dinners with trainee flight crew and the mileage discount vouchers are difficult to use) and you'd still be only 2 thirds of the way to Pt.

Anyway, EK has only ever done the minimum it felt it had to on FF programmes. Even the Pt was apparently precipitated by the first step in their absorption of Qantas.

Patsy Stoned

I'm going to Cyprus next month to celebrate my mother's 85th birthday... I can't afford to fly business so, if you feel the need to upgrade me darling , I don't mind helping you use up some of those skywards points...I think it is about 24,000 for an upgrade to Larnaca

scrubbedexpat141

Surely it's not far enough to justify the money?

Theseus

Does anyone remember that old fly on the wall doc at Heathrow? So that was probably nearly 20 years ago or whatever but IIRC BA stated on that programme that they looked to upgrade people who look smart.

dubaiguy2011

OpUps are generally done from the PIL, not on appearance. Agree if you look like stig of the dump then it isn't going to help... Agree that groundstaff can input 'SFU' against your PNR and put remarks in your booking profile, but generally this won't override the electronic procedures and manifests looked at by groundstaff and flight controllers when sorting overbooked flights...