In the space of two months, two airlines have just announced changes to their Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP). And unfortunately for the members concerned, all the new rules adopted in recent years correspond to a devaluation their programme and now their status. Today, almost all airlines award miles according to the class of flight chosen - from 25% of miles on route X for the lowest fares in Eco Class to a bonus of 25% or 50% of miles in Eco Premium or Business Class. At the same time booking periods as well as the number of seats allocated for an FFP award ticket have fallen sharply.
United Airlines has decided to go one step further. From 15 Novemberthe American carrier is introducing a total flexibility on the number of miles required to obtain a free ticket. This means that a flight to the same destination may cost more or fewer miles, depending on the period or the take-off time. No more charter, then, but a fully-fledged reward system. random...
In addition, from 1 January 2020, Premier status on frequent flyer programmes will change. They will no longer be based on distance but on a combined total of flights and qualification points, with one dollar equalling one point. Each flight qualifies for one flight point (PQF) - regardless of the class chosen - except on the lowest economy fares. This flight point will be the same in all classes.
On the other hand, the qualification points (PQPs) calculated on the fare paid will vary according to class and distance. The airline will also include in its PQPs supplements added to the base fare, Economy Plus seats, the purchase of preferred seats, paid upgrades and a flight on a partner airline. In fact, United's main aim is to reward passengers who fly and spend a lot. This will naturally put long-haul passengers at a disadvantage, except for very frequent flyers.
As for Miles & More from LufthansaThe programme has already lost considerable value over the last year, firstly by linking the award miles awarded to the value of the ticket, and then by making award flights more expensive. From 1st January 2021Lufthansa simplifies "The new scheme will calculate premium status based not on the number of miles and the class of travel, but on the number of days travelled. ticket price. Points will be awarded according to the amount spent, and Miles & More members will earn more points if the flights are on Lufthansa Group airlines. The Premium statuses awarded will be valid for one year only instead of the current two years. However, the status of 'Grand Voyageur' and 'Senator' for life will become an official benefit of the programme.
These changes are taking place at a time when Europe is witnessing the emergence of a new sling against FFPs. In the United Kingdom, a study by Imperial College London, commissioned by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), indicates that FFPs would encourage travellers to fly more than you have to to collect miles and rewards. The CCC would therefore like FFPs to be simply abolished. The most frequent passengers, on the other hand, would be distinguished in a completely different way. They would pay a additional environmental tax to offset their contribution to global warming by travelling more...
