BMI Frequent Flyer Club a Scandal!!!

[Captain]

BMI has recently modified it's frequent flyer reward structure.

They went from points earned for flights to miles earned for flights.

They sent a newsletter by post to all their members. At first this sounded like great news as you can take advantage of using your miles on the ever increasing members of the Star Alliance.

But if you read carefully you will see that they are giving you less opportunities to earn free flights.

A fare with BMI booked on the internet (web fare) will only be regarded as 1/4 of the regular fare, therefore 1/4 less miles than normal. If you also book a discounted fare you will only get 1/2 of the regular miles you can earn for that fare.

What a Scandal!!!!

I am a member of other frequent flyer programmes and none of them are penalising members who book via the Internet and giving them less miles.

Does anyone know any ohter airlines who have recently introduced this

Captain.

[sn26567]

Does anyone know any ohter airlines who have recently introduced this

This seems to be a feature of UK airlines. Bristish Airways do not give you any FF miles at all on cheap flights.

I even had once only 1/3 of the normal FF miles for business class on a discounted business class (code D).

Hence, when you select a UK airlmine that is codeshared with a continental European one, be sure to select the continental airline for your ticket (SN on flights to LHR and MAN, LH on bmi flights to LHR, etc.)

[Comet]

As someone completely loyal to Belgian carriers, I have to ask how anyone can fly with bmi in the first place?

Having said that, one of the hardest airlines to get frequent flyer miles with is VLM. They only award miles to people on full fare economy, so I've never been able to get any miles when I fly with them. With Sabena it was different, I had many miles with them but was never able to do anything with them, and I don't know if the ones I had can be transferred to SNBA.

[sn26567]

With Sabena it was different, I had many miles with them but was never able to do anything with them, and I don't know if the ones I had can be transferred to SNBA.

Your miles on Sabena were on a Qualiflyer account. At the end of 2002, you should have received a letter from Qualiflyer asking whether you want to transfer your miles to Privilege (SN Brussels), the SWISS programme TravelClub or the TAP programme Navigator. It is not too late to act: see http://qualiflyer.loyaltygate.com/summary/

[Comet]

My computer won't bring that site up, I just get an error message (but this is not my regular computer so I'll have to try when I get home).

I probably lost the letter I was sent about the miles because at that time we were packing everything away ready to move house and it must have got lost somewhere.

I had quite alot of miles comparative to the flights flown because when I joined the Qualiflyer programme there was a promotion for so many free miles for joining online before a certain date.

[vflies]

I have to ask how anyone can fly with bmi in the first place?

Hello Comet,

Personally I always enjoyed bmi service and elected them as my 'Star Alliance carrier' as far as frequent flyer programs go.
It is still the Star member that will give you easiest and fastest access to top elite level and thus the all-important free upgrades and lounge access...
Compare its Diamond Club to United or Miles&More (Lufthansa, Austrian, LOT)... it's still a LOT more rewarding!
Good enough a reason for anyone travelling extensively.

VFlies

[Comet]

Very inetresting point of view VFlies.

I have read (and experienced) mixed things about Star Alliance. I have heard that Singapore are superb, Lufthansa mixed, Thai mixed, good reports on bmi, United not always so good, LOT never very good.

And I could never, ever, recommend Air New Zealand - they are the worst carrier I have experienced, ever!!

Interesting to note that a group on Yahoo dedicated to Air New Zealand never did as well as a certain other group I could mention!!!

[vflies]

Hello again,

Well, I don't even fly bmi that often...
But I manage my frequent flyer accounts around the most interesting members of each large alliance...
That allows me to be a top elite frequent flyer in Skyteam (my favorite), Star and OneWorld by simply pooling my miles...
and in return I enjoy the benefits of the entire group...
Really worth doing!
I can't remember the last time I had to suffer cattle class...

VFlies