QFF OWE invited to join Marco Polo club...

[Zippy7]

My most recent trip was Sydney to Mumbai via Hong Kong - and due to my firm's policy of booking the lowest cost airfares, I ended up on CX via HK (I wanted QF127/8 for the double SC, but missed out).

Anyway, sleep did not come easily on the overnight flights on the way home.
So inevitably, I was chatting to the FA, and interestingly(?) on one leg, I was invited to sign up to the Marco Polo Club and credit my flights to that program.

Now I've never previously been asked to sign up to MPC on a flight (I've been asked for an Asia Miles membership number when buying duty free, and then badgered to sign up, which I cbb doing)

Anyway, I was handed some paperwork that was an "Exclusive Invitation for First and Business Class Passengers". Apparently it costs USD$50 to join, but this special deal comes with a waiver

The FA was pretty pushy about it, even to the point of telling me that I would've got a complimentary upgrade to First on the Mumbai-HK leg if I was a member of MPC...

Anyway, I thought they would be aware of my OWE status, and I expected the "partner airline" premium pax to be "off limits" ??
Maybe they didn't know or care I was OWE...

It seems odd to me, but I'm curious to know if this is unusual, or just standard procedure?

 

[Sprucegoose]

I didn't pay anything. You fly you earn, at least when I was in the big noodle.

$50 for an upgrade, if true is good even if only a one off.

 

[Simo]

I would have paid the $50 for the upgrade and how cares if you don't get any other rewards.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Did you sign up?

 

[amaroo]

I'd be quicker than Flash Gordon signing that paperwork.

 

[markis10]

It's hardly surprising CX are trying to woo QF WPs, they have historically been very nice with frequent upgrades and with a lot more flights ex Australia to HK, they have a lot to gain.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It seems odd to me, but I'm curious to know if this is unusual, or just standard procedure?

I would say definitely not unusual - I flew J on CX 2 or 3 years back - PVG-HKG-MNL - no status with QF but included QFF number when booking - I would say within 15mins of take-off FS on PVG-HKG leg approached me told me she noted I was not member of Asia Miles and asked would I like to join.

Me tinks they keep close eye on pax FF info - oh and by the way I would have shelled out those 50 clams before you could say run Forest run

 

[Boris spatsky]

Interesting. I have 4 legs with CX on a LHR trip next week in J. Will see if i am offered as a QF WP. Although i want to credit to QF for LTG, which i am not far off. Dilemmas dilemmas.

 

[esquire]

Did CX J HKG-SYD this week - can say I was offered nothing - and didn't experience any OWE service.

In fact not much really stood out - service on the other long haul flights on QF and AY were similar (although expect polite but direct no-nonsense service on AY!). The food award goes to QF, closely followed by AY (Elk with blackberry sauce anyone? :shock, then much further down - CX which was boarder-line boring.

Will say however the new J seats on CX were excellent for sleeping.

 

[yohy?!]

I've heard of this on FT being pretty common in J and F on CX to waive the joining fee. In terms of the upgrade I think she might have been pulling your leg slightly....upgrades will be based on status just like QF and there are a hell of a lot of CX DIamonds, Golds and Silvers who would've trumped your Green status...

 

[djfuzz]

Yep - we joined MPC when offered by CX during a J leg as OWE several years ago. We were flying a lot of CX J legs at the time, but I think they just do it as a matter of course for F and J pax.

 

[Hvr]

Have done a few trips on CX J as a WP and never been asked to join. However, I have always found that they do know and look after OWE from other airlines.

 

[Simo]

Just thinking a few weeks ago I did 4 flights on CX a few weeks ago and got no love at all from CX.

I did have DYKWIA moment when checking in as one of the staff members informed me that i wasn't allowed priority check in because I was not a CX Marco polo diamond member. I then told him to go and ask a supervisor if a QF WP was allowed and it was all sorted in a few seconds with a half assed apology(Comment was "sorry it's ok you can stay in this line").

 

[Scozzie]

Have done a few trips on CX J as a WP and never been asked to join. However, I have always found that they do know and look after OWE from other airlines.

CX certainly do look after OWE's in my opinion, had an ADL / HKG / DBX return in Y last October and pre-selected exit row seat 54C for all four sectors and only sat in it once from ADL to HKG. Arrived in HKG and at the top of the airbridge there was a CX girl with a card with Mr Scozzie on it, asked for my onward boarding pass and had it exchanged for a J boarding pass. Boarded the DBX to HKG flight on return and CSM girl came and said " Mr Scozzie, we have a very light load tonight so would you like me to reserve a row of 4 in the forward cabin for you?" You bet I said and had a very good rest on to HKG. Had a long layover in HKG so was a bit weary when boarding time came around but b**ger me if I didnt get a beep at the gate, the herring bone layout in J and an excellent rest on the way down to ADL, SWMBO wonders why I always complain about being tired after long flights as it didnt show this time. It was my first flights with CX in almost 4 years so I was very impressed with the attention.

 

[GDV 747-24/7]

I regularly fly CX (currently in SYD Flounge on way to HK) and I can report that I've never been offered MPC membership on board but I do feel that they treat their non-CX OWEs very well.

 

[Zippy7]

I have completed quite a few sectors with CX, and this was the first time I have been made this offer.

All my travel on CX lately has been for business travel, and in J (company paying).
I am pretty sure that the HKG-BOM return leg was the first 2 sectors I've done on a CX plane that had 3 classes - every other time, there was no F, and no opportunity for upgrading.

I've never had a free upgrade with anyone (probably because work pays for J), but maybe next time I'm on the BOM trip I'll check in early and ask if there's a seat in F they can put my name to...!!

I guess the thing is that it was the first time I was "invited" to join MPC - I said I wouldn't bother unless I could get a status match