Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld
Here are their FF elite tier benefits and qualification requirements:
http://mas.com.my/content/dam/mas/master/en/pdf/enrich/guidebook.pdf
They operate on calendar years rather than membership anniversaries.
Enrich Platinum (which looks set to be their Emerald tier) requires 100 000 Elite Miles to qualify and 80 000 to requalify (ignore the guidebook on this, things have recently changed).
Certainly 100k elite miles is easier than the previous qualification criteria. It should be interesting to see this in a
oneworld context, esp. it looks the same in qualification as AA EXP, except different bonuses and what not.
The benefits far outweigh QF WP, and their Platinum status is more like a Platinum1 or Gold Guest List type status.
It's not hard to outweigh QF WP in benefits, but it is difficult to beat QF's qualification requirements for the equivalent
oneworld tier. Of course, this fact in itself (the qualification requirements) isn't a big deal breaker for the typical flyer.
Has things like free Spouse Platinum membership, porter services, Meet&Greet, Global Emergency Assistance, concierge services, and AMEX Platinum-like benefits like Home Assistance, Roadside Assistance, Hertz #1 Gold, and a variety of hotel benefits.
Most of the hotel benefits are confined to Asia-centric hotels IIRC.
You forgot *choke* "anytime access", i.e. access to Golden Lounge even if you travel on other airlines (no guests, though. 2 guests if you fly MH.) Not sure if this is confined to the KL Golden Lounge or any Golden Lounge in the world.
Enrich Gold (probably their Sapphire tier) doesn't look too bad either. Other than the usual priorities, free excess baggage and lounge access at the Sapphire tier, you also get Global Emergency Assistance and concierge service, access to a special check in suite and porter service at KLIA. Only 50 000 Elite Miles to qualify and the same to requalify.
Having walked around the check-in area of KLIA (KUL), unless I've missed something the "check in suite" doesn't look like much except a special section / row with a few plants and seats, not dissimilar to the poor excuse of a premium setting by QF at SYD T1 (including their rather underwhelming QF F check-in section). Meet & Greet for MH Platinums will help butter up an otherwise underwhelming check-in experience.
MH Platinums also get priority immigration at KLIA, and until the work on the KLIA aerotrain is complete, luxury car transfer between Main Contact and Satellite Terminals. (The aerotrain is likely to have finished maintenance well before MH joins
oneworld, however.)
Another thing that
hopefully has cleared up with the Enrich revamp is that the Elite Tier Bonus (equiv. QF Status Bonus) is applicable on any COS (the previous system says that you can only earn an Elite Tier Bonus when you fly MH J or F)
I am trying to find an updated redemption table. They've recently changed their redemption levels but from what I recall they're still more generous than QFF (not hard). Their website isn't very good and I can't seem to find redemption data unless I log in with my membership number (of which i can't remember).
I don't think they have a redemption table. I broke open my head the last time I tried to look for one (was thinking of burning an award with MH). The only way I could fish for prices is to use their redemption calculator (and yes you must be logged in as an Enrich member to access this). This is a tedious process and I've not the time to investigate if there are patterns (e.g. a zone-based or mileage-class-based system, etc.)
QF009 said:
I'm not sure if the Elite status bonus counts towards Elite Miles?
I suspect not. Although the FAQs need updating, under the old system this was a definite no.