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12 December: Japan Airlines with long term planning
One cannot talk of lack of long term planning with this promotion: Positioned in relation with the 15th anniversary of its JAL Mileage Bank next year, Japan Airlines has already announced an award promotion for online bookings covering most flights during two periods. The first will run between April and June, but the second from 01 December 2008 to 28 February 2009 only.
16 November: Austrian Airlines launches “Doc on Board”
Doctors and first-aid men participating in a course about assisting passengers with medical problems on board of flights earn 5.000 Miles & More miles for the base course and 10.000 miles for an advanced course. Participants will then receive a card valid for two years before it needs to be renewed. The courses, which will start in January, are recognised as certified training program by the Austrian chamber of doctors.
29 October: Emirates supports business forum “Leaders in Dubai”
Skwards members signing up for the 3-day event in November receive 40.000 bonus miles. They will be seated in a priority area and get the chance to meet one of the speakers of their choice. Speakers at this high-profile event include personalities such as Sir Richard Branson, Kofi Annan or Steve Forbes.
22 October: Delta guarantees no longer availability for unrestricted awards
As many other FFPs, Delta offers an award choice of unrestricted award availability, running at double the standard capacity controlled awards. As of December, Delta, however, guarantees no longer that a last seat will be made available to FFP members willing to redeem at the higher mileage level - what obviously puts the whole concept of these unrestricted awards in jeopardy.
28 September: No First Class awards offered on Singapore Airlines’ Airbus 380
Singapore Airlines has announced that it will not offer any seats in its new Suites, which will replace the First Class cabin on its new Airbus 380 aircraft, to its KrisFlyer members. Redemption in Business Class will only be offered at the restricted award levels.
20 September: AAdvantage stops elite bonus on British Airways
In a surprise move, American Airlines has announced that its elite members would no longer earn the usual elite bonus when flying on British Airways as of 01 March 2008. The bonus is granted on all other oneworld partners except for Japan Airlines and Malév.
07 September: TAM and TACA to split up
When the partnership started in 2001, it was a kind of revolution and seen as model for the future since two of the three most successful airlines in Latin America teamed up. Now TAM and TACA will terminate their Frequent Flyer partnership on 24 September and both will pursue their own ways. Interestingly enough, both airlines are said to be in talks with Star Alliance regarding a membership, but TAM seems to the clear frontrunner at this point. TAM has already started a partnership with TAP Portugal and deals with United and Lufthansa are expected soon.
5 September 2007: Hip Digital Media and Aeroplan Launch a Canadian Loyalty Industry First
AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE Turns Miles Into Music
Hip Digital Media, a full-service digital media agency, in partnership with Aeroplan (TSX: AER.UN), Canada’s premier loyalty marketing company, today announced the launch of the AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE allowing members to redeem Aeroplan Miles for digital music.
Hip Digital Media has created a custom branded site, www.aeroplanmusicstore.com, where members can create accounts and download music by redeeming 6,000 Aeroplan Miles for a 50-song Music Code. The AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE allows members to participate in the increasingly popular world of online digital music.
Aeroplan has launched the Fly Away with Michael Bublé contest to celebrate this exciting addition to its growing list of non-flight rewards. From September 10 – October 21, one lucky Aeroplan member who redeems their miles for a code to the AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE will be selected to fly to London with a guest to see Canada’s own Michael Bublé at Wembley Arena. After the concert, the winner and guest will head backstage to meet Bublé. For contest details, visit www.aeroplan.com/musicstorecontest.
“Hip Digital Media is honoured to partner with Aeroplan. Given our strength in building music properties, we understand the needs for companies to deliver custom branded programs to retain and build their membership base,” says Peter Diemer, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Development, Hip Digital Media. “The strength of the Aeroplan brand makes the AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE an excellent place to showcase our distribution and marketing services.”
Hip Digital Media has provided over 1 million licensed songs for the Aeroplan Music Store from all four major record labels, independent labels and music aggregators such as The Orchard. The store’s content is available in WMA (Windows Media Audio) and MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer-3); each song shows either a WMA or MP3 graphic next to it for easy identification. Members can download individual tracks or entire albums.
“The AEROPLAN MUSIC STORE is exciting for Aeroplan as it represents our first step into the world of online digital music,” said Craig Landry, Vice President, Member Products and Services, Aeroplan. “The innovative ability to turn Miles into Music helps Aeroplan deliver on our commitment to uniquely expand our portfolio of rewards to meet the diverse interests of our members.”
The 2007 Digital Music Report, by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), reveals single track downloads totalled approximately 795 million in 2006, an 89 per cent increase from 2005. The IFPI’s report also suggests consumers are turning to digital music downloads because they offer 24-hour shopping and unlimited shelf space; consumers can get what they want, exactly when they want it.
30 August: 5% discount on Continental tickets to credit card holders
Continental offers the holders of its co-branded Chase MasterCard in the US a discount of 5% on all tickets purchased on its website. Members have until 01 November to open an account and the discount will then be applied for one full year.
29 August: Jet Airways and Thai to split up
Jet Airways has been one of the most active airlines as of lately regarding the addition of airline partners, unifying members of all three alliances in its Jet Privilege program. Now it has to face a first set-back in form of a split-up with Thai on 30 October. This partnership will then have lasted a mere 16 months - what puts it high in the ranking of the shortest-lived airline partnerships in the FFP industry.
15 August: SAS introduces award calendar with number of available award seats
SAS is not the first airline to introduce an award calendar, but it has come up with an interesting variation of it. In addition to show alternative travel dates for one week around a desired travel date, the calendar also indicates how many award seats are available on a specific day, however without specifying the flights in case that several flights are operated on that day. This so-called award seat prognosis is updated every 24 hours. It is only available for award flights on SAS, Blue 1 and Widerøe.
The new SAS Award Calendar
30 July: Alitalia terminates FFP - and introduces new program
Alitalia’s MilleMiglia program belongs to those programs having no mileage expiry restrictions - including activity conditions - at all. But troubled Alitalia has found a different way to get rid of its liability issues: It will terminate its current program MilleMiglia on 31 December. While the program will then be replaced by a new, enhanced program, all existing miles will need to be redeemed by June 30, 2008 or they will expire. However, taking two Alitalia flights in the first six months 2008 will extend the validity of all remaining miles beyond June 30, 2008. It is at best doubtful whether such a policy will help to restore the financial stability at Alitalia or rather deteriorate further the image it has with many customers.
12 July: US Airways sells elite status
Once again, a US carrier is attempting the sale of elite status. US Airways’ Dividend Miles members now have the opportunity to purchase the elite status of their choice for a trial period of 90 days. If they meet an activity criterion of about one third of the regular annual activity required to attain elite status during these 90 days, they can maintain their status for the whole next year. Prices are in relation to the current membership level: Upgrading one level costs 200 US$, two levels 400 US$ and three levels (i.e. from base membership to Platinum) 600 US$, excluding taxes.
11 July: bmi miles for hotel reservations
Hotel bookings made through the bmi website now qualify for miles in the Diamond Club program. Miles can be earned at a total of 25,000 properties through the booking platform powered by Hotelopia. Every booking for a 3-star property entitles to 500 miles per night, at 4-star properties to 750 and at 5-star hotels to 1.000 miles per night. Bookings for 2-star properties are offered as well, but don’t qualify for any miles. These miles are in addition to miles earned with Diamond Club hotel partners, where the usual earning rate is 1.000 miles per night, up to three nights. Combining both offers lets members hence earn up to 2.000 miles per night on a regular basis.
10 July: Jet Airways incorporates Jet Lite
Former Air Sahara suspended its own FFP, Cosmos, on 30 June and is now integrated to the program of its new owner, Jet Airways. Outstanding points were transferred at a 1-to-1 ratio while Jet Privilege members will only earn 20 to 50% at most fares on future Jet Lite flights, the new branding adopted for the entity, which will be positioned as low cost product. Most other low cost operators in the increasingly crowded Indian markets, such as Air Deccan, Goair, Indigo or Spicejet, still do without any FFPs.
05 July: American Express restricts miles exchange
American Express has split up its Membership Rewards program into three different versions, depending on the card type. The most important change includes the fact that holders of the Blue and the generic card are now enrolled at the lowest level, Membership Rewards Express, where they can no longer convert their points into Frequent Flyer miles. The other, more positive, major change is that members at all levels have access to the Points Advance feature, where they can spend points they will only earn in the future. Depending on the card type, this credit is capped at 5.000 to 60.000 points. For the moment being, these changes affect only cardholders in the US, but it is general practice of American Express to implement successful changes in international markets with a certain delay if they are considered successful.
27 June: Air Berlin’s tier status no longer offered for purchase
Air Berlin has halted the option in its Top Bonus program to offer membership at the first elite level for purchase. Qualification is now only possible by meeting the corresponding activity criterion of accruing 20.000 miles a year. Purchase used to be offered at a price of 50 EUR.
04 June: United suspends Star Alliance upgrade awards
In a surprise move, United has announced that it suspended all Star Alliance upgrade awards with immediate effect. No further explanation was given. It is also unclear whether this puts in question the plans by Star to expand the upgrade awards across all alliance partner by the end of this year.
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