Report: Aer Lingus to sharply cut back reward programme

[MarkD]

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1208867&issue_id=11088

Aer Lingus to axe free flights perk

ONE of the last perks of Aer Lingus is going. The company's TAB points system which allowed frequent flyers to build up points on journeys allowing them to claim free flights is being done away with.

From August 31 the accrual of TAB points will be restricted to members of the Gold Circle club only - whose members are the most frequent flyers building up the equivalent of 3,500 TAB points in a year.

This means that only those who fly very regularly will reach this target when you consider that there are a maximum of 165 TAB points on a Dublin to Brussels economy flight and a maximum of 500 on Dublin to New York economy.

According to Aer Lingus, from October 31 under its frequent flyer programme the TAB level will be discontinued. The company says people's TAB account balance must be redeemed by October 31. Any TAB points not used by this date will be eliminated, according to the company.

A letter sent out to all frequent flyers from the company's head of customer relations, Louis Harte, this week stated that the company had reduced fares, many by over 60pc, and had introduced 28 new routes to key European destinations with more planned.

Kathy Donaghy

[hobie]

so unless your doing at least the equivalalent of 7 round trips a year .... Ireland/U.S.A. then EI are not really interested in you!

:( :( :(

how does that compare to the competition ?

[MarkD]

Makes me glad I'm in BA Executive Club.

If anyone from BAEC is listening, at least one person in my family wouldn't turn down conversion of TAB points to BA Miles!

[Toulouse]

I really don't get the business sense behind doing this. I know I'll probably continue flying with EI a lot, but I might tend to use another carrier instead, even needing to go via somewhere else to get to DUB, just to be able to earn a few points. I've been a firm defendor of EI up until now, but I'm starting to get the impression they feel they can just say "we've added X number of new routes and lowered fares" as an excuse to get rid of any pax perks they feel like. Anyway, aren't frequent flyer programmes about customer loyalty building? So what are they going to do know to build loyalty? I sincerely hope they know what they're doing.

Going totally off topic, sorry, but this morning I posted regarding todays DUB-TLS service, and as I was immediately moved to the "spectators gallery" and only got one 'typical pprune" response making mock of me for bring up this, but here goes again. I happened to be at TLS this morning (I live and work just beside), saw their EI 533 service pushing back from the gate, then returning to the gate after five minutes positioned just a few metres from the gate. Continuation of the story, another EI 737-500 arrived in TLS this afternoon and took off from TLS for the EI 533 10.45 am departure to DUB at about 17.40. The original aircraft that came in this morning is now parket here at a remote stand, and from what I could see (at some distance) there is some sort of black mark (looks like a hole, but as I said, I say it from a distance and thus cannot confirm) on the tail of the aircraft. There was a person, possible maintenance, up on top of the fuselage looking at this mark when I was watching. Anyone know what the problem is?

[Spearing Britney]

Toulouse, trying to help I tried to find your post but could only find one from Gibney85. Is that you, if so nice pub but I prefer Smyths...

Anyway re the photos Gibney posted loks like excess grease post maintenance...but they were of a wing not a tail! confused!

[hobie]

news tonight is that Willie walsh wants to lead a management buy-out of EI

http://www.rte.ie/business/2004/0702/aerlingus.html

[Globaliser]

Message number 1: Watch what happens to oneworld partner earning levels, and maybe jump ship to one of those schemes.

Message number 2: Be not surprised if EI were to leave oneworld altogether.

[Toulouse]

Hi there Spearing Britney,

No I'm not Gibney85. I actually deleted my original post as the only reply I got was the typical "pprune" bashing of "go get a life!":{

I don't have a photo of the aircraft, yet it's definitely the tail!!!!

Thanks:ok:

[Aer Solas]

In responce to what the USA compeditors think about the TAB card being axed, well there are not too many in Dublin. Only 3 airlines offer transatlantic services, EI to LAX,BOS,JFK,ORD (A332/3's summer and winter) And Delta to Atlanta (B777! in summer and B767 in winter), Continental to Newark (B767 in summer and B757 in winter). So no real competition.
I'm surprised EI could'nt fill a A345 or a smaller A340 on it's US routes, if Delta can fill a 777 on a daily flight to atlanta.

[Toulouse]

Apparently the news for the TAB programme isn't as bas as it sounds. Have been happy the past years or so gathering up point on with TAB, yet still not enough so I was really quite p***** off when I hear this new, so much so that I sent an email to Aer Lingus, and this is the reply I got: (I have deleted names of who sent it to me as I'm not sure if that should be posted here, for confirmation, all you need do is email EI yourselves).

Thank you for your e-mail.

I would like to clarify that the Aer Lingus Frequent Flyer programme is
not being discontinued, but re-structured. The TAB tier level will no
longer be available but an online system for frequent flyers will be
available via aerlingus.com and one will be able to earn their way into
the Gold Circle via this new process. Details will be available on our
website www.aerlingus.com later this year.

In the meantime, if I can be of any further assistance, please don't
hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

[MarkD]

still, all current FF holders are shafted as balances are being zeroed. By the time this "online system" (what the hell does that mean anyway) comes onstream most folks will be off to QF and BA methinks...

[Toulouse]

Good point MarkD. That's certainly the one thing that doesn't make sense. I'm not really in to sending letters off to companies as I did in this case (well, an email), but may I suggest as many of you do the same, then EI might see sense. All of is just complaining here isnt going to change anything, but if they actually start getting letters from "disappointed" passengers who also threaten to opt for other airlines if their FF programme is axed, might just make EI / TAB think twice about this latest stupid change at EI.

[SNNEI]

As a note, to "earn" your way into the "new" ff programme, you need to earn 3500 points in a year. Not so easy when you only get 18 points for a one way to AMS at the lowest fare...

Was a little p*ssed too at first, but the free trip to London was nice! I have been collecting for 3 years (Ireland-AMS once every three weeks and was still short by about 400 points for a ticket to AMS)

Really, I dont think it's something to get too worked up over: it was never one of the most rewarding programmes to begin with. Interesting to note too, that not once in that 3 years of flying was I ever offered an upgrade!

[Toulouse]

Now, one can be come an "applicant member" of the Gold Circle club. On earning 2400 points in a 12 month period (apparently 150 point per European flight), you become a full member. Now my predicament...
My application process to become an applicant... took over a month instaed of the 2 days promised by EI. Finnally got my applicant number and was invited to register my flights so far on their web site, but they appear to have not updated site in at least a year as many EI destinations are not included on the drop down lists, such as TLS (a route I have numerous flights on I wanted to credit)... and then starts a "long" series of emails between EI and myself. Basically I'm told to wait till their IT department updates the lists of destinations, but as many routed which don't appear have been operating for over a year, how long will we have to wait. Anyway, it can't take that long to add a few cities to the drop down lists? I've also been told that I must register flights within 3 months. I asked if I could send them the details of my flights by email and they said NO, and that as I'm only an "applicant member" and not a "full member", my account doesn't appear on tehir screen, but as usual, "I'm not to hesitate to contact them for further assistance". Ahhhh!!!! So, what do you think of this??
:{

[tu154]

The elimination of the tab programme has been a joke. I have never had a reply to an email from Tab, and my account was deactivated so I couldn't even book a flight to use up my points before the deadline. And don't even get me started about trying to get them on the phone.
I was a gold circle client through the AIB credit card, the only read advantage was to be able to check in at the premier desk. I will miss that. But only when checking in with aer lingus who I will avoild like the plague. Again.