Aerlingus AerClub/Avios

AndyBoBandy

swimming in a sea wrote: »

Have they just made qualifying for aerclub silver card more difficult? I'm annoyed they didn't honour me at least until May. I travel a lot in spring so I'll quickly qualify again but I don't have to use aer lingus so after this I'm not sure I will as their loyalty doesn't count for much.

they've made a complete and utter mess of the changeover to Aer Club, and pissed off so many Gold Circle members who now find themselves as only 'Applicant' members (Green), despite being members of Gold Circle for years (for me it was 8 years).

Loads of GC members didn't make the Aer Club cut as the points collection period for entry into Aer Club was 19th October 2015 - 18th October 2016, and if you made 2,400+ points in that period, it got you Silver status & above in Aer Club, if you didn't, you got transferred to Green (applicant) status, and a few token tier credits towards membership.

The reason so many are/were pissed off is because they always qualified every year to remain in Gold Circle. In my case, August was my renewal date, so I always ensured I had earned at least 2,400 points every August to remain a member, which I did. I'm sure a lot of other people did the same.
I only got to use my latest GC card for 3 months before it was scrapped (expiry on the card is August 2017).

In the points earning period for Aer Club entry, I only earned 1,900 points, so they gave me Green status, and 60 tier credits towards the 301 needed to gain status again (despite 1,900 points being 80% of the total required, they only translated that to 60 tier credits which is only 20% of the way towards status).

swimming in a sea

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Has anyone moved from Green to Silver yet by reaching/exceeding the 301 Tier Credit threshold?

My Tier credits went from the 60 they gave me upon entry to 185 in the space of 3 weeks, and have stopped there (I should be on 285 now), A lot of people appear to be in similar situations!! (Look like actually qualifying, and the system shuts down and it will take (literally) months to process missing flight forms).
Maybe the missing tier credits will all be added in October/November, and we'll get Silver status, but it will expire on November 21st!!

I honestly believe they don't want any new members with status after the (GC to AerClub) cull (for at least the time being anyway). They booted out a ton of Gold members back to applicant status (I assume the majority of Gold Circle members were only at Gold level, so a fair chuck of those people now find themselves at Green), pi$$ing off a lot of people in the process, thus saving themselves probably a fair bit of money in fast track & lounge access fee's etc..

Is it all just a cost cutting ploy from IAG to make their purchase of Aer Lingus even sweeter for them & their shareholders? We've all seen the sale figure of €1.4 billion mentioned, but Aer Lingus had €700 million in cash reserves (so really IAG bought the airline for ~€700 million). Are they now just trying to squeeze as much cost as they possibly can out of it, literally ditching the loyalty program (except for those at the highest levels), and making it extremely unattractive for any new applicants to want to join? It could go some way to explain the almost radio silence coming from them since the switchover, and their reluctance to give 2 f**ks about any complaints they are (regularly) receiving.

My next rounds of flight bookings will be coming up soon enough (I'll probably do 25/30 U.K. trips this year), and I'm thinking F**k it, F**k Aer Lingus, F**k AerClub, and to just go with Ryanair, after all they are an Irish company!

Good post, I didn't see this before my question above. So Aer Lingus has got rid a lot of us lowly Gold Circle members, well no problem I think i'll look else where myself. Only pity Ryanair don't fly to Dusseldorf where I mainly go.

niallo32

No tier credits received for last six flights and nothing received yet for sixteen missing flights I claimed for in that new page.

Noxegon

I happened to notice that Norwegian has a frequent flyer scheme. Just a thought.

https://www.norwegian.com/ie/norwegian-reward/

dudara

Minor progress. My online account is now showing me as Platinum rather than Green. I still haven't received any Avios since the trsansfer and I appear to only have a measly 25 tier credits. Did they start everyone from 0 as far as tier credits were concerned or did people have some migrate over? I was very close to Gold at the time of migration.

AndyBoBandy

dudara wrote: »

Did they start everyone from 0 as far as tier credits were concerned or did people have some migrate over? I was very close to Gold at the time of migration.

the points collection period for entry into Aer Club was 19th October 2015 - 18th October 2016, and if you made 2,400+ points in that period, it got you Silver status or above in Aer Club, if you didn't, you got transferred to Green (applicant) status, and a few token tier credits towards membership.


In the points earning period for Aer Club entry, I only earned 1,900 points, so they gave me Green status, and 60 tier credits towards the 301 needed to gain status again (despite 1,900 points being 80% of the total required, they only translated that to 60 tier credits which is only 20% of the way towards status).

L1011

Still no tier credits for flights between the status cutoff and the start of Aerclub and still no Avios for my first transfer from Supervalu.

ted1

I find the best option is to fly BA and use their club for work travel, then change over the avios points to Aer lingus to book treats fights for personal use.

jesus_thats_gre

ted1 wrote: »

I find the best option is to fly BA and use their club for work travel, then change over the avios points to Aer lingus to book treats fights for personal use.

Best option based on what?

ted1

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Best option based on what?

based on BA awarding more points per flight.


Due to the higher airline taxes in the UK its cheaper to fly from Ireland

so if travelling with work i'll fly BA and clock up the AVIOS points, then convert them to Aer Lingus and book a reward flight to the States for me and the misses.

its 405 euro+65,000 points return for 2 to JFK in June.
65,000 avios points is easy to get with BA, its just 2 or 3 long haul flights.

jesus_thats_gre

ted1 wrote: »

based on BA awarding more points per flight.


Due to the higher airline taxes in the UK its cheaper to fly from Ireland

so if travelling with work i'll fly BA and clock up the AVIOS points, then convert them to Aer Lingus and book a reward flight to the States for me and the misses.

its 405 euro+65,000 points return for 2 to JFK in June.
65,000 avios points is easy to get with BA, its just 2 or 3 long haul flights.

I was under the impression that redeeming via Aer Lingus was pretty poor value?

ted1

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I was under the impression that redeeming via Aer Lingus was pretty poor value?

Collecting them with Aer lingus is, collecting with BA and transferring isn't

jesus_thats_gre

ted1 wrote: »

Collecting them with Aer lingus is, collecting with BA and transferring isn't

Hmmm interesting.

Danger Fourpence

Danger Fourpence wrote: »

Has anyone had a problem with their account transferring over?

I got my Silver Aer Club card in the post and, wrongfully, assumed that everything would just be a smooth changeover.

Rang Aer Lingus today and they couldn't find the account number on my card. Activated my account a long time ago but I seem to be in Aer Club limbo. Just going back through my emails and I've contacted them twice about it but with no response.

Aside from that, the site is abysmal. There is very little error handling, it navigates like you're supposed to understand what is happening on the back end when you click a button. Even though I'm logged in I keep seeing the prompt to Join AerClub and any time I try save settings, no matter the browser, the page just sits there smirking at me. I can get over all that though, it's the wasted emails and calls that bother me.

This seems to have been resolved, although I'd have been none the wiser as I just logged on there by chance.

I have a platinum card with Aer Club, but now my membership is green and I seem to have zero points. I'm hoping the points follow, I want to use them pretty sharpish.

Tenger

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

..........
Is it all just a cost cutting ploy from IAG to make their purchase of Aer Lingus even sweeter for them & their shareholders? We've all seen the sale figure of €1.4 billion mentioned, but Aer Lingus had €700 million in cash reserves (so really IAG bought the airline for ~€700 million). Are they now just trying to squeeze as much cost as they possibly can out of it, literally ditching the loyalty program (except for those at the highest levels), and making it extremely unattractive for any new applicants to want to join? It could go some way to explain the almost radio silence coming from them since the switchover, and their reluctance to give 2 f**ks about any complaints they are (regularly) receiving.

My next rounds of flight bookings will be coming up soon enough (I'll probably do 25/30 U.K. trips this year), and I'm thinking F**k it, F**k Aer Lingus, F**k AerClub, and to just go with Ryanair, after all they are an Irish company!

I'm still appalled at the statement from the EI CEO from before Xmas about not cared about the customers being happy. Really shows the priorities of the EI and IAG execs in relation to the roll out of AerClub. Your idea on 'maximising return on investment' by IAG could be spot-on. Judging by your posts you were a loyal traveller on EI, its sad that you are being forced by them to look elsewhere for travel options.

ted1 wrote: »

I find the best option is to fly BA and use their club for work travel, then change over the avios points to Aer lingus to book treats fights for personal use.

I have mate who travels with EI, usually 3-4 times a month to the UK. He has switched over to BA FFP and is booking via BA.com. HE doesnt mind which airline he is on as its just a short hop over to the UK.
He just gave up on AerClub in January. He has to travel 4-5 times a year to the US but as EI codeshare with BA he will still get points with BA when he is on EI metal.

jesus_thats_gre

Tenger wrote: »

I have mate who travels with EI, usually to the US 3-4 times a month to the UK. He has switched over to BA FFP and is booking via BA.com. HE doesnt mind which airline he is on as its just a short hop over to the UK.
He just gave up on AerClub in January. He has to travel 4-5 times a year to the US but as EI codeshare with BA he will still get points with BA when he is on EI metal.

Exactly what I am doing!

hurleronditch

ted1 wrote: »

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Best option based on what?

based on BA awarding more points per flight.


Due to the higher airline taxes in the UK its cheaper to fly from Ireland

so if travelling with work i'll fly BA and clock up the AVIOS points, then convert them to Aer Lingus and book a reward flight to the States for me and the misses.

its 405 euro+65,000 points return for 2 to JFK in June.
65,000 avios points is easy to get with BA, its just 2 or 3 long haul flights.

I'd be interested to see your maths on this? I'm AerClub silver, heading for the next level. I opened a BA account recently so I could shovel my Starwood points into avios. Say on a low fare transatlantic, BA pay 50% of miles flown, so for DUBJFK about 16-1700 at entry. EI pay 3xEuros so on a standard €5-600 fare you're about the same? Or am I missing something?

Tenger

hurleronditch wrote: »

I'd be interested to see your maths on this? I'm AerClub silver, heading for the next level. I opened a BA account recently so I could shovel my Starwood points into avios. Say on a low fare transatlantic, BA pay 50% of miles flown, so for DUBJFK about 16-1700 at entry. EI pay 3xEuros so on a standard €5-600 fare you're about the same? Or am I missing something?

I think the logic is that by being with BA instead of EI you have a better chance of being rewarded the points rather than actually earning any additional points.
Gold Circle historically had an issue with not awarding points and members having to chase up their past rewards, AerClub seems to be continuing this tradition.

Jamie2k9

Got both points and tiers credited from a flight last week...

Doctor Shivering

hurleronditch wrote: »

I'd be interested to see your maths on this? I'm AerClub silver, heading for the next level. I opened a BA account recently so I could shovel my Starwood points into avios. Say on a low fare transatlantic, BA pay 50% of miles flown, so for DUBJFK about 16-1700 at entry. EI pay 3xEuros so on a standard €5-600 fare you're about the same? Or am I missing something?

Yeah if he has status on BA,he'll be getting up to double avios and a cabin bonus if in first or club

Pedro deNada

Yes screwing Aerlingus customers with new 'steerage card' whilst the airline is the most profitable part of IAG. Aerlingus chair meanwhile says the 'customer service' is not part of his job. Good luck wit dat!

dudara

The Avios and tier credits from last weeks flight have appeared on my account. No sign yet however of the flights taken since migration

Locker10a

Pedro deNada wrote: »

Yes screwing Aerlingus customers with new 'steerage card' whilst the airline is the most profitable part of IAG. Aerlingus chair meanwhile says the 'customer service' is not part of his job. Good luck wit dat!

Welcome to how it feels to work for an airline, where people don't really matter, profits, margins, statistics and "paper productivity" are king, if it looks great on a spread sheet and a cost saving can be made then screw everything else... I feel for the EI staff on the front line, expected to provide excellent service to "guests" but who's tools to do so have been almost entirely removed.

Yamanoto

Avios & TC's for my IAD-DUB on Feb 6th have shown up.

Still nothing in for flights taken in December.

goingnowhere

Just to restate the situation

If fly from an Airport where Aer Lingus do the check in (so one where you get a real Aer Lingus green boarding card) your points WILL post automatically within 5 days. (Thats all UK/IE/US/CA) Thats checked in on the ASTRAL DCS

If you fly from anywhere else it doesn't work

Yamanoto

goingnowhere wrote: »

Just to restate the situation

If fly from an Airport where Aer Lingus do the check in (so one where you get a real Aer Lingus green boarding card) your points WILL post automatically within 5 days. (Thats all UK/IE/US/CA) Thats checked in on the ASTRAL DCS

Not been my experience this month DUB-MUC & IAD-DUB.

L1011

goingnowhere wrote: »

Just to restate the situation

If fly from an Airport where Aer Lingus do the check in (so one where you get a real Aer Lingus green boarding card) your points WILL post automatically within 5 days. (Thats all UK/IE/US/CA) Thats checked in on the ASTRAL DCS

If you fly from anywhere else it doesn't work

Except for the fact that that frequently doesn't happen, just like when this was last stated as "fact".

notuslimited

My flights ex DUB are posting but my flights ex FRA are not. I travel this route every week. A couple of weeks ago I sent EI Aer Club a list of my flights, ticket numbers etc for flights since 1 Nov 2016 and after some perseverance the Tier Points were added (615 in total) but I was told to use the missing points form in respect of the Avios points. Since my Tier Points were added I have done 2 return trips with the same issue re no Tier Points being awarded ex FRA.

AndyBoBandy

It's just back to the days of old. Having to chase and chase for flights to be added!!

I filled in the missing points form for 3 flights a while back, GLA-DUB, DUB-NCL, NCL-DUB, I then got the avios & Tier Credits for the NCL flights last week, but still waiting on the GLA to come in (and put me within a flight of Silver status, which ill do next week)

trellheim

complain repetitively on their facebook and twitter pages. Although customer service cannot help, the stats if this is the most common complaint by far might prod senior management to harass IT management