BobTL

So i booked a VS leg from LHR to BOS on an AF ticket. VS leg is code shared on an AF flight number. I am Platinum For Life at Flying Blue.

on VS you can not:
- see the seat chart in the booking
- select a seat at all
- select a seat at airport for free, seat is selected for you. If you don't like it, you will have to pay 30-50 GBP.
- use extra leg room/plus seats free of charge like on AF/KLM
- bid for upgrade
- use miles to upgrade
- have lounge access to the VS Clubhouse in LHR
- check in at all, needs to be done at airport

I already know now this is the last time I am flying VS. Totally useless system, even the basics are not in place.
I do not understand in this day and age with AI and all the new IT developments why it's so difficult just to show a seat map, make seat selection possible, check in etc.

Annoying !

So just to had to get that off my sleeve

Any good hacks to avoid these things?

fifty_two

Some points listed are pure policy decision by VS , for instance lounge rules at LHR , some are just about agreements not signed , while the rest is technical integration not done

Detail like "use extra leg room/plus seats free of charge like on AF/KLM" is irrelevant . While some carriers grants benefits like this to elite members from same alliance , the general behaviour in this industry is to make you pay like all paxs unless you are elite flying with airline who granted you status

I assume that same booking under VS code would have been slightly more easy to manage

Codesharing can be a double edge sword , you need to study the in and out to know what to select or avoid

I like AM planes but i do recognize their greediness and bad customer service stopped me from booking with them , bit similar story with CM just add star alliance headache with status miles. However both cant be easily avoided if travelling in central america

Solution = book under AFKL codeshare , and voila , best of both worlds

wait until you see what is a GDS , then you will start to understand all the marketing blabla about innovation is just pure BS

nldogbert

What I can say is that the integration of VS into the alliance has gone down the wrong pipe.. from what I feel, them joining ST was just because of the co-operation with DL and AF/KL. Until today, close to a year (or more) - it is nearly impossible to get the correct miles credited to the VS program nor add the number.
Furthermore, there's really not much of recognition as a VS Elite/Elite Plus when flying outside of VS itself. So I am not surprised with all the limitation that you have highlighted in your post.
I guess the same situation will happen with the upcoming joining of SK into the alliance.

I doubt that there will be any better way outside of calling VS to resolve it.

Cheers!

irishguy28

I would not expect that; there's one very big difference; AFKL themselves are the ones bringing SK into the fold, so you can expect full and reciprocal recognition of Flying Blue benefits on SK and Eurobonus benefits on AFKL once this kicks off.

And as regards other (non-FB) Skyteam Elites - I don't believe that AFKL (will) view these quite as contemptuously as DL/VS appear to do, so I expect that other (non-FB) Skyteam elites won't experience the same level of barely-being-recognised on SK that one finds on VS/DL

You may as well save your breath; calling VS is unlikely to remedy (m)any of the points given above. You'll not get into the LHR VS Clubhouse just by calling to complain, for instance.

nldogbert

Yes for the lounge access that is clear as it's clearly indicated, but for the other if the OP is not able to do it online and there are other expected benefits as a ST E+ member, for example seating, this can be done via the phone.

Cheers!

BobTL

It is indeed relevant. The Skyteam site states this as a benefit:

Buuuut: Except VS:

BobTL

Well I don't think that is clearly indicated, both the Skyteam and VS site are saying the exact opposite:

nldogbert

In this case I will follow the rules set out by VS themselves. For the lounge, I would bring a copy of that print to show them at the airport. For the other benefits, I am afraid it is either HUCA if it is clearly indicated that as ST E+ you should receive the benefits. This is what I hate especially with the ST Alliance - stingy in some ways across benefits from one member to another and the worst is no lounge when on domestic flights without international ones especially in the US.

Cheers!

irishguy28

But what's shown above are not the rules; it's merely a vague answer to a question, written before VS actually entered Skyteam and before the access rules (which have seen some tweaking) were published.

Their current rules posted on the website will be of no help:

FBs Golds in Economy or Premium Economy, and FB Platinums in Economy, simply don't get access to the T3 Clubhouse (instead, they are directed to the Aspire lounge)

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/n...clubhouse.html

olivedel

AFAIK, this is new to me, I believed FB Plat used to have access even when flying Y.

irishguy28

It changed last summer, a few months after their official entry into Skyteam.

They have tightened up the access rules significantly. They previously granted access to Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines status holders in various configurations, but those no longer get access. And they no longer grant access to any Skyteam Elite Plus members (other than VS, DL or Flying Blue in the stated configurations)

brunos

Thank you Irishguy28 for providing up to date information.
My understanding is that ST elite+ never get access to the lounge based on status; except for SkyMiles DM/PM and FB Plat, but only in they fly in VS Premium (PE), not Y.
Correct?

fifty_two

yes i know what the website says , but i am talking about day to day reality ; the so called skyteam rules are not enforced , there are exceptions .

Some we really enjoy while others like this case are not good for us.

If you have rules , however in the same time you allow airlines to make exceptions on their own terms then its like flipping a coin , and you , as a customer , will be happy as long as you win

Not only VS , i can tell you similar stories about AM, OK, UX, KQ doing the same , i think SU also did

Not related to seating options but DL just announced a new lounge with similar type of restrictions as VS in LHR , QR in DOH and soon TK in IST


So quoting the alliance website is ok and i do agree with you , if they wrote it that means its supposed to be this way ; but once you remember that an alliance is more of a marketing shell allowing airlines to leverage business opportunities rather than a real fully fledged governing body , then you understand it has little value cause in the end each airline decides what they want to do and seems to face little to no consequences for not respecting the "rules"

Now comparing the skyteam situation with others i can tell you its not that bad , as elite member when flying star alliance in general its essentially lounge + fast track and free luggage, period . And you can be happy if a star alliance airline gives you more than these 3

brunos

One must accept that the concept of "alliance" is getting weaker and weaker.
Airlines are getting to favor their own pax, especially J and F. And when a a few airlines in the alliance are getting airline-centric, others are inclined to respond.
OW is a smaller alliance with high-quality members and good benefits. But cracks in the status benefits are showing. No more alliance-wide policy of bag check-through on separate tickets. Some airlines reserve their "premium" premium lounge to J & F pax.
We are trending to a model where an alliance will simply mean crediting miles and status point across the alliance, a basic lounge, and some status benefits available on some airlines with a preference for their own FFP (extra bag, free seat assignment,...). Of course, that might take time.

DuyT

Do you know if Upper Class Wing check in area is available to STE+ without flying premium? Their website says it does, but might be an oversight in updating the page. It doesn’t have the ‘premium’ language added.