Its like being turned down by someone you most like!
Ever had that experience?
I just asked Emirates, my favourite airline, for a “status match” with Qantas where I hold Gold Frequent Flyer Status. One of the difficulties of being “high status” with one airline is that it does “lock you in”.
Gold Status comes with express check in, lounge access, bonus frequent flyer points and higher luggage allowances. I have Blue Status (the basic level with Emirates) because I frankly haven’t flown them enough. They don’t fly on most of the routes, I have been frequenting. In addition, when they are on a sector I am flying and I can choose between them an airline I have status with… there’s obvious reasons why thats not usually not attractive.
My travel to the Middle East and Europe is ramping up. So I asked Emirates for a “status match”. i.e. automatically granting me elite status with them in return for my flying them more often. Airlines do this with an expectation is that once you have been granted the status, you will transfer a chunk of your loyalty (or all of it) to the new airline. Some airlines don’t officially match, others offer them reluctantly and others use it as a competitive tool.
I can see why some airlines are reluctant to use it. They have got to think: “how loyal is that customer really going to be?” When will they rush off to someone else to get a match?
I can also see why others embrace it. It costs nothing for the airline to match a status until the passenger flies and when they use the service, they are actually paying for their ticket. And to keep the status, they will keep on flying.
The deal with Emirates is that said “no”. ie they turned me down! Jilted by my favourite airline!
Not the end of the world for my Middle Eastern trips. I am also Gold with Virgin Australia and that gives me status at Emirate’s rival Etihad so guess who I will be sampling?
Anyone had success with Emirates status matching?
Yup, just got my gold pack two days ago! I asked for a status match with my Qatar.
Congratulations! Did you do anything special to get it? ie write to a particular department?
I wrote to Skywards@Emirates.com and they directed me to the North American Sales Dpt. They awarded it to me after a week or two. Didn’t even have to provide proof until after I was granted status. Here’s what I said:
Emirates, I currently am a Qatar Airways Gold member and a Skywards Blue member. After flying on Emirates a few months ago, I’ve decided to switch to Emirates. I was hoping that Skywards Member Services would be willing to upgrade my Skywards account to match my status on Qatar Airways. Thank you and I look forward to flying with you.
well done and thanks for the advice.
I went through the Australian Sales Dept.
From what I have read, Emirates is a bit hit and miss with matches.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-airlines-skywards/1222829-emirates-status-matching.html
My guess is that there are already a ton of Golds in the Australian region and not so much in North America. Good luck!
Martin
Disappointing that you didn’t get special treatment from Emirates but good for us to know you are flying this way. Hope you can stay in the Pound Hilton in Fujairah with 7 stars and a giant King size bed fit for a Sheikh like yourself. If Emirates is stingy for such a seasoned traveller as you, make up for it by coming to stay with us in a splendid complimentary service.
Did you tell them that you were a travel writer with a web site that has a global reach and that you would be reporting the decision of Emirates louder than the sound from all the UAE mosques put together? That should have given you a gold littering status. It has dropped them low in the estimation of many who will read your article and popular site.
I am a silver member with Emirates Skywards and I think now I might start a flying website and use that as leverage to get up to Gold+ status to make our trips back to Melly as comfortable as possible.
Looking forward to getting your reservation. The butler is shampooing the red carpet, replenishing the shisha supplies and starching the toga.
Salaam alaykum!
Geoff
P.S. Congratulations on your new web hosting site. I always look fwd to your travel gems.
Oops!
‘gold littering status; was a slip of the key but it may make more sense than a ‘gold glittering status’!
Thanks Geoff…Lets try and catch up in February,…will the butler be ready by then? 🙂