Silver Lounge Access - remember when...?

[preiffer]

Does anyone else here remember from around 2002/2003 (I think it was '02) - VS trialled lounge access at LHR for Silver card holders.

From what I remember, it gave access to the ServisAir lounge at T3 (not sure about guests), but it was going to be "reviewed" after a while.

I presume the "review" ended with the facility being taken away, as there has been nothing similar provided since. Does anyone know if they are/were ever looking to re-introduce it?


(Assuming I'm not going mad, that is, and that someone else CAN remember such a time...[:I])

[mitchja]

Paul

Yes I remember this and did actually do this this when I was a Silver card holder and was flying in PE to SFO I think. It was indeed the ServisAir Lounge in T3 which also meant you had to walk past the VS Clubhouse entrance to reach the ServisAir lounge.

From what I remember the lounge did seem quite full of Ag FC card holders when I was there.

Regards

[Nottingham Nick]

Sorry, if I sound like a snob, but the Servisair lounge - whilst a haven from the madding crowds in the terminal - can never be compared favourably with a Clubhouse. [:$] (I know you never said they were being compared [:I] )

I think it that was an excellent marketing strategy by VS.. if they did it now, silvers would be clamouring to get gold.

I can't remember the experiment, but we used the Servisair lounges with Priority Pass, after VS banned Amex Plats from the CHs.

Nick

[mitchja]

I think you also had to be booked in PE as well as been a Ag card holder.

Regards

Originally posted by mitchja
I think you also had to be booked in PE as well as been a Ag card holder.

Regards

Thats right.

[RichardMannion]

Thats right, you had to be a Ag holder and travelling in PE. It was done at LHR and LGW - I seem to recall it being 2000.

Put your hand up if you remember when AmEx Platinum meant something, and also let you in the Clubhouses! Didn't they get a bit quieter when that went....

Thanks,
Richard

[preiffer]

Maybe it was 2000 as well, but I just checked, and it was during 2001-2 that it was a published benefit.

[honey lamb]

I would have used it in 2002 when I flew LHR-EWR in June and LHR-IAD in December. The World Cup was on and I had had to fly ORK-LHR via MAN as Aer Lingus was on strike and we had updates on the ORK-MAN route from the captain on Ireland's match. I had to blag Aer John's entry the first time as he was not silver but by December he had attained that status.

That was my introduction to the world of airline lounges.

[preiffer]

Hmm. Let's see - if the restrictions are that you're flying PE, anyway, surely it's a worthwhile benefit to keep?

Let's say VS bulk-buy the entry. 1 + 1 guest would be around £15-16 for both people?

That cost out of 1 or 2 PE tickets (bearing in mind the passenger has shown a certain amount of financial commitment to VS by nature of their Ag card) would surely be insignificant enough to warrant re-introducing it now that PE is one of the most popular products? I mean, it's one of the key things people find missing from PE - "lounge access".

Fully agree with Nick's point about it not being even close to the Clubhouse, but surely it would be a step in the right direction for the Queue-busting-only Silver holders...?

And so... Siver FC since the end of the "experiment" is again virtually worthless.

Regards

John

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by JAT74L
And so... Siver FC since the end of the "experiment" is again virtually worthless.

Regards

John

well no,you do get to check in in the PE line....[|)]

If we're on the topic of making Silver worthwhile again (ahem):
--Fast Track on PE flights
---2 CH passes a year
----increased miles accumulation proportionate to Au

Still pushing for some sort of mid-Silver status (Silver plus) for those of us who continue to be steadily Ag year after year,consistently close in on AU by 10-15 points and ...

cheers,

RR [i]

Good point roadrunner[y]I'll second that [y].

And so... Siver FC since the end of the "experiment" is again virtually worthless

To be honest you don't have to do a lot of business with VS to get Ag,so unrealistic to expect the red carpet with it.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by jaguarpig
To be honest you don't have to do a lot of business with VS to get Ag,so unrealistic to expect the red carpet with it.

Agreed - but we're talking about a benefit that only affects Ag's when travelling in PE - ie: their most lucrative cabin per sq. ft

It would also set PE further apart from WT+ et al

ie: their most lucrative cabin per sq. ft

I am sure there is more money made out of J,haven't come across any other airline that gives lounge access with a premium Y product.

[preiffer]

Pretty sure if you look at LFL - ie: Discounted Upper vs. Discounted PE, Full Fare Upper vs. Full Fare PE, the margin is better on the W cabin.

Just look at the space/staffing/facilities that are pumped into J - It's obviously beneficial to offer the frills around the J service, but I'm sure PE is actually more efficient at generating profit...


Upstairs on a 744 is a perfect example. If you factor in the little cabinets on each side as well, you get 20 PE passengers in a smaller space than 10 J's. That, and they've not had to spend money feeding/watering them in a CH, (maybe a limo, but that's paid for as extra), Revivals, 2x the onboard staff, dedicated check-in, bar, therapist etc etc.

Bearing in mind the ticket ranges from £750-£2000 in PE, or £2,000-£5,500 in Upper, I'm certain they actually make more/£ as profit out of W than J.

To be honest you don't have to do a lot of business with VS to get Ag,so unrealistic to expect the red carpet with it.

I take your point that it's quite easy to get silver status on VS. You only have to spend a couple of grand with them to get it and as little as £1500 a year to maintain it.

I maintain it by flying PE twice a year and don't expect any sort of red carpet treatment. What I would like though is perhaps just a little bit more than I currently gain from being a PE flying silver - i.e. NOTHING.

Regards

John

At the moment, Ag is more of a stepping-stone to Au, rather than a stand-alone tier level. As many people have said, its benefits are nothing to write home about and as the most frequent flyers often travel in the premium cabins, its rewards are largely unused.[:?]

Cheers,
VS045

Originally posted by VS045
its benefits are nothing to write home about and as the most frequent flyers often travel in the premium cabins, its rewards are largely unused.[:?]

You could say exactly the same about Au. The only benefits I have are the extra 25% mileage and using it to get leverage on on S->J upgrades and companion seats. All the other benefits are pretty worthless if you always travel in Upper Class.

BC

My POINT re Ag is not the maintenance level (which is fairly easy to retain) but the gap between 15 and 40 TP's. Many of us very loyal to VS, hover around 30 TP each year, don't go in for mileage runs (delightful as they are) and don't realize any benefit from achieving on beyond silver.
Not expecting a red carpet, but perhaps a terracotta doormat? An added benefit (FAST PASS!!) or a visit or 2 to the CH would be well received, and might be incentive to push that 30 tp to 40. I am bombarded by very tempting air offers from VS partners (Delta, Continental, HP, BMI) to add my miles to their FF programs but choose to go exclusively VS. Surely that's worth more than PE check-in (which is rarely needed as booked PE or UC) or an upgrade for a 20 minute train ride.

RR

Roadrunner,

I so agree with your points and think your summary benefits (Fastrack in PE, Couple of Clubhouse Access, +10% mileage) is an ideal compromise.

I agree with Preiffer about the profit margin in PE. An UC seat has at least double the footprint of PE - I think PE is about 1.5 times the footrint of Y. Whilst increasing PE benefits directly may be difficult - tying the benefits in with those regular PE flyers who do not quite reach Au seems sensible. After all 8 return flights in PE is a lot.

JP - You have to accept that there are a lot of loyal VS fliers out there who just are not being given the rewards they deserve. Whilst opening up the CH to all PE is obviously a non-starter giving some clubhouse access vouchers - possibly based on TPs (e.g. 1 access per 10TP over qualification level) - does not seem unrealistic. After all you can buy access through VH.

Personally I would love some vouchers with Au as I think the 1+1 rule for Au is biased towards couples to the detriment of families travelling together. All year I travel on business alone and never have need to invite a guest then when we have our annual vacation we can't take advantage.

Phil

Well I will be down to Ag end of next year,can't say it will make much difference to me.

I'm not particularly familiar with the BA FF system. Does anyone know what they offer in terms of their top status level and level beneath this? Although I suppose it's different for them as you get lounge access with both F and CW, and Y+ doesn't have the same place as it does in VS.

Cheers,
VS045