bmi: Goodbye Company Rewards, Hello Star Alliance Company Plus

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)

  • Anonymous
    Guest

    continentalclub
    Participant

    From an email just received:

    Dear continentalclub

    As a valued Company Rewards member we want to let you know about some important changes we’re making. From 1 September 2010 bmi will be joining the Star Alliance corporate loyalty programme, Star Alliance Company Plus.

    Star Alliance Company Plus has been designed primarily for corporate travel and allows members to earn PlusPoints across a network of 12 carriers making it the industry’s first corporate incentive scheme by the world’s largest airline alliance.

    Your Company Rewards Membership

    You’ll earn points for your Company Rewards membership every time you fly with bmi until 31 August 2010. From 1 September 2010 our Company Rewards scheme will be closing, however as long as you join Star Alliance Company Plus before 31 August 2010 we will convert your points and transfer them into the Star Alliance Company Plus programme.

    Joining Star Alliance Company Plus

    Just like Company Rewards, with Star Alliance Company Plus there’s no membership fee and no minimum travel spend to join. You can continue to manage the programme online or ask your travel agent to manage your account on your behalf.

    To start earning across the other member airlines today and ensure your Company Rewards points automatically transfer join Star Alliance Company Plus, or if you are already a member of the scheme simply register your company below.

    http://bit.ly/9jL1hc

    For more information on Star Alliance Company Plus and the closure of Company Rewards please visit our website at:

    http://bit.ly/9jL1hc

    Kind regards

    Jenna Rowley

    Corporate Rewards Schemes Manager

    Clicking through to the Company Plus landing page appears to suggest that there’s a joining bonus of up to 1,500 CP points too.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Just a bump of this one as you have just over ten days to redeem your company rewards.

    I just liquidated mine today.

    You need to highlight the individual for whom you plan to purchase the flight, and you receive an electronic “voucher” for use in their name via email.

    This appears to be valid until June 2011 so no rush to redeem.

    I have never redeemed one in the past but assume it cannot be used towards taxes (?) and also that you would not get change from a larger denominated voucher, so best to ensure you redeem multiple lower value vouchers rather than simply cashing in all in one voucher, but not absolutely certain of this.

    Star Alliance Company Plus looks about as useful as a chocolate tea pot.


    BusinessClass
    Participant

    VK – you can towards taxes as well. You are right no change is given. I redeemed to VIE a couple of months ago and it didnt cost me a penny! I flew out with BD and back with OS. I thought it had to be BD operated flights, but it allowed me to book the return on OS.


    BusinessClass
    Participant

    VK – do you think I should redeem before the scheme closes? I had an email saying that any unused points will be transfered to the Star Alliance Company Plus. However, I have not looked at this scheme in any details, but from your comments I guess it is not great!


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I *think* your unused points will indeed transfer to Company Plus but *only* if you have pro-actively created a new account.

    Not very knowledgeable about Company Plus, but it appears to be a points based scheme so you can’t redeem for cash in the way you can with the present scheme, it is not clear which booking classes you can redeem into, and I am not so sure earning on Austrian would then allow you to redeem on Air India for instance.


    Travellator
    Participant

    I am unaware of this and cannot find anything on the BMi website.

    I currently have enough miles for about 12 returns BHD/LHR in Flexible Economy.

    I cannot redeem these just now as our dates are not firmed up.

    If it is true and the value of the new scheme is less than the old I will again be seriously annoyed with BMi.

    Just wish BA would move back to BHD – BMi need a bit of a shake up !


    BusinessClass
    Participant

    You need to either spend your points now, or create a Star Alliance Company Plus account and link the 2, then points will be transfered automatically (I think) when the BD scheme closes. I do not know much about the Star Alliance sheme so not sure if the value is less.
    Speak to BMI and see what you have to do – good luck as their call centre is the worst!


    Travellator
    Participant

    Is there a difference between Company Rewards and Diamond Club Miles – which is what I have ?


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Company Rewards is completely different from Diamond Club Miles.

    Actually you don’t need to spend you points now – the voucher I received yesterday via email is valid until June 2011:

    E-voucher details

    Please find the details of your compensation e-voucher below.

    Dear VintageKrug,

    Thank you for redeeming your Company Rewards points as this e-voucher.

    compensation e-voucher information

    e-voucher value: GBP 438.00
    e-voucher type: MCO
    your reference number is XXX

    To redeem this e-voucher please go to redeem a voucher and enter this reference number and your surname as shown above.
    this e-voucher is valid until 15 June 2011

    Please note: This e-voucher can only be redeemed against a booking in the recipients name. Full or partial refunds are not permitted.
    compensation e-voucher recipient information

    first name: Vintage last name: Krug


    Travellator
    Participant

    No worries for me then !


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Well, Travellator, that said it is highly likely bmi Diamond Club will merge into Lufthansa’s Miles & More within the next two years.

    Diamond Club miles are amongst the easiest to earn and most valuable when spent (especially using their cash + miles option) and so my suggestion would be to look to redeem your miles in the coming years rather than hoard them.

    Still plenty of time to use them, and still worth earning Diamond Club miles, just be aware that change is on the horizon.


    PatJordan
    Participant

    VK, you are quite correct about Diamond Club miles being the most valuable. My wife and I will be flying Orlando to Dublin (via Frankfurt) using about 36,000 miles and £200 cash. Thats for both of us, and in Business

    I hope you’re wrong, about Diamond Club merging with Miles and More. I have found Diamind Club a very good FFP and the people dealing with us mere mortals are generally quite helpful, with the exception of BMI’s achilles heel…………their call centre.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    PJ Jordan can you or anyone else confirm, when flying DUB-MCO is US immigration cleared in Dublin or Orlando (MCO).

    (excuse the off topic question….)


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I’m afraid it’s not really a question of IF Diamond Club will morph to Miles & Less, but WHEN.

    Prock-Shauer has stated:

    “Roadmap for integration [of] “Diamond Club“ in M&M agreed”

    “Restructuring will show full effect in 2011 and 2012, examples…
    LH integration will be completed, e.g. sales, M&M…”

    http://investor-relations.lufthansa.com/de/veranstaltungen/investoren-und-analystenkonferenzen/2010/2806-investor-day.html

    So 2011/2012 it is, then.

    The only upside I can see to this from a personal perspective is the increased longevity of M&M elite status; if my membership year is advantageously timed, my bmi Diamond Club Gold card should be grandfathered into top tier M&M and last for another 18 months.

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