The creeping death of *G... should be a matter of concern for Star managers

So, now following NZ and SN, LH/OS/LX eliminates extra checked bags on their lowest fare classes. Star G rules are changed to permit this practice, which clearly violates the original intent of the creation of Star Gold tier benefits.

Some might argue, we can't book such fares via OTA, only directly online, they can't be combined etc. so this by itself isn't hugely significant. Perhaps, at this moment, for many of us it's true. For my own SN flight tomorrow, booked via OTA, this is no big deal because it's not in the lowest category. But on discovering this, I had to spend the time today to download and check my receipt from the OTA to verify the booking class and then verify the SN-mapped fare category to be sure I'll be able to check without charge.

The direction of this cut and what it signals is very concerning. For years, *G has been a worthwhile status. The alliance-wide production of benefits and the actual enforcement of such benefit has made the concept work well, for lots of us.

But now, at some point, the effort required to keep track of the differential benefits by fare/booking class, by codeshare/carrier metal, by booking channel etc. overwhelms even those with a stake in maintaining status and the willingness to put forth effort.

What next - elimination of lounge access for Star G members flying on such fares? Elimination of biz class check-in? Etc.

Star should realize, because when the tenuous hold of alliance benefit drops below the threshold, that the temporary incremental benefit of extra revenue could be countered by wholesale patterns in consumer choice. If Star G is not worth the candle, then the alliance as a whole bears the cost of customer switching.

More convenient non-alliance options such as FR, EZ, EK, EY etc. are going to be the beneficiaries of such reductions. On the current itin, if I'd been denied Star G checked bag privilige, I'd have booked on the DILBERTIAN machine instead because for the same price as I've paid, I could have purchased a checked bag fare. I'd receive better mileage on AA for the itin than I do as Star G via MP, also.

A few Star managers will realize that when the Shark talks openly of preferring BA to Star, the end is nigh.

Now, we're not there yet, many of us, quite, but the segmentation of benefits and the hassle of verification is mounting.....

 

Dude, don't you fuel dump regularly? Airlines might not necessarily want to encourage that kind of business.

And let me guess, your *G status is from a lot of miles acquired via fuel dumps? Maybe it's A3 status?

Anyways... yes, indeed, the Ryanairization of air travel continues. You are what fare you bought this time, not what shiny card you have. Airlines are trying to monetize everything. They want to push people to buy higher fares. This is part of that push.

 

I actually haven't been using much of my *G...noticed quite a bit of 'fatigue' amongst the alliance.

There's just wayyyy too many airlines in *A, while it's great that we get a bunch of choices for redemption or earning miles. The lounges are often crowded and benefits are diminished.

 

This isn't just true for *G benefits IMO. The rules have gotten so convoluted and confusing for so many travel programs and benefits that I have in many cases given up trying to keep up with them. It seems they don't realize that every time they deny a benefit to a customer because of some obscure fine print clause they piss the customer off and drive future revenue away.

 

What is this fuel dump of which you speak? My *G (UA) status is acquired by flying 100k PQM which is more than 100k BIS, on UA and *A partners. Has been for a number of years. I do have an A3 account but it's not Gold, and has only a 1k signup bonus as total activity. I never even had EuroCheat BA status when that was possible.

But anyway, why does it matter how my *G is obtained? I'm making factual commentary on trends felt by all *G members, and I'm not the only one noticing these trends.

That's what will happen... the actual beneficiaries, when the market fully opens, will be carriers like FR. In fact, specifically, it will be FR.

 

The impacted fare types are most often purchased by people who care most about price over anything else. There's no need to offer benefits on those fares (though it's a nice thing to do) because doing so will generally not impact present -- or future -- ticket buying decisions.

 

So long as competitors offering prices close to those fares do give benefits (e.g., AA), it will attract some fliers away from the (e.g., UA) low fare without benefits.

 

Since you can buy *G for $2,200 outright, I think it's already heavily devalued.

 

Very well said!

 

I support OP's point - there should be no discrimination on what fare you purchase. If you are *G you should be entitled to the benefits, I don't want to read a lot of small prints saying this and that.

 

I guess Im missing something here, is it because the ticket was purchased on OTA (perhaps BULK) I hve not had any issues when purchasing directly from a * Carrier on their website.. Thanks and Safe Travels