Turkish Airlines, as a member of the Star Alliance, has started to status match members of the BMI Diamond Club program on the announcement of BMI getting sold to IAG (British Airways) and hence breaking away from the Star Alliance.

However, as it is now turning out, Turkish is also status matching into other alliances. As of today the following status matching is being done:

• Silver on another carrier (BD/Another alliance) –> TK Miles and Smiles Classic Plus (*A Silver)
• Gold on another carrier (BD/Another alliance) –> TK Miles and Smiles Elite (*A Gold)
• No status match to the Miles and Smiles Elite Plus (TK’s top tier)

Status is good for 2 years from the date of status match.

Requalification: Members outside Turkey need the following for requalification:

• 25000 Status Miles in 1st year or 37500 Status Miles in 1st and 2nd year for Keeping the *A Gold, else soft landing to *A Silver (for 2 years)
• 17000 Status Miles in 1st Year or 37000 Status miles in 1st and 2nd year for keeping the *A Silver.

You can also buy upto 10,000 Status Miles in the second year if you don’t think you will fulfil the criteria.

*A Gold Benefits: Come on, all of you know this, but I will still tell you again:

• Airport Lounge Access – available worldwide for you and a friend when you travel with any Star Alliance member airline, regardless of your class of travel.
• Priority Airport Check-in – allows you to check-in at the Business and/or First Class counter.
• Priority Boarding – enjoy the freedom of boarding at your convenience along with First and Business Class passengers.
• Extra Baggage Allowance – an additional 20 kg (44 pounds) where the weight concept applies, or one additional piece of luggage where the piece concept applies.
• Priority Baggage Handling – like you, your bags get priority treatment and are among the first to be unloaded.
• Priority Reservations Waitlisting – when there aren’t any seats left on your preferred flight, gives you priority should a seat become available.
• Priority Airport Standby – gives you top priority when standing-by a flight at the airport.

Overall, it is an upcoming program with much success at the Freddies 2012 (Program of the Year – Europe) and so looks like a lot of potential ahead. Also, one of the easiest programs to retain *A Gold. The program is also decently generous in terms of earning miles by flying on *A carriers. You can have a look at the charts here.

Take note that Turkish Airlines did not use to status match as a policy at a point of time, but seems that is set to change.

Here is how to request for the status match:

• Sign up for a Turkish Airlines M&S Account here.
• Send an email to customermiles@thy.com with a scan of your other airline FFP membership card and account statement (this is a requirement to receive both). You will need to make a case for them to look at you as a good case to status match into their program (a business case for them?)
• You should hear from them in a week to ten days about their ‘decision’ on your status match query.

All the best, and ping back for questions if any!

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While Air India is preparing to receive its Boeing 787 Dreamliners from Boeing, which should be finally arriving somewhere in May 2012, Japan Airlines seems to have stolen the thunder from Air India by being the first airline to operate the 787 services to India. The picture you see above is from JAL’s 787 first approach at Delhi’s Airport.

Japan Airlines recently received its Boeing 787 planes, and used the first one to start a Boston-Tokyo service which is a new route, with effect from May 1, 2012, they’ve also pressed this plane into service on the Tokyo-Delhi-Tokyo route, making JAL the first operator to bring the 787 planes to India commercially. There is good reason to believe this makes economic sense, since JAL spokesperson reveal that the earlier operation was on 70% capacity of a Boeing 777, which fits perfectly well for the size of a 787 to fly the route (with fuel savings being an added advantage).

Air India is preparing to deploy its B787’s on various routes from Delhi and Mumbai (including to Frankfurt, and a proposed service to Sydney and Melbourne). But seems like making advance announcements is out of fashion at Air India and hence no one has a clue as to which date will the plane be deployed on which route.

I’d recently visited the Boeing 787 Static Display plane from Air India at Indian Aviation 2012, and my view is that Air India will not make an experience out of this unique opportunity to fly the 787s. You can check out the cabins of the new plane here, which already look quite ‘tired’.

Next up, Lufthansa is bringing the 747-8 to India after taking it to Washington DC. Glee. Now waiting for the oldish A380 to land on Indian shores.

Related Posts:

• Air India plans to launch 787 service on Delhi – Melbourne late 2012
• More speculation on where is the Air India 787 flying?
• moneylife: My new column on Air India’s 787s
• A first look inside the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which will go to Air India
• I am off to Hyderabad for India Aviation 2012
• Air India proposes a $1 Billion compensation, Boeing disposes in $500 Million
• Album with all the AI Boeing 787-8 Pictures

(HT to DELAPPROACH for the pictures)

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When American Airlines knocked out the ORD-DEL flight a short while after they entered Chapter 11 protection, I was slightly crossed with them. And I had good reason to be, I had just started to earn top-tier status with AAdvantage due to the OneWorld MegaDo, and was planning to make American Airlines my regular flight for travels to the USA, and switch to the oneworld network for going places outside my base at BOM.

With this move, I was still going to be able to use the oneworld benefits, by taking a one stop flight via London on BA or Brussels on Jet Airways, but I was going to be unable to use my upgrade benefits fully, which are valid when flying on American Airlines metal only. Also, all of a sudden I could not book award tickets online since American Airlines could not support partner award redemptions online.

Gladly, I noticed on Lucky’s blog the other day that AAdvantage has now added the functionality to book British Airways award space via the AA.com website. That instantly meant that I could now book my AAdvantage miles from India to travel not just to the USA but anywhere that BA went, using the AA.com website, which is a significant addition of functionality for me since I don’t have to Skype or call international to book an award ticket.

Now that makes life so much easier, and helps me keep my commitment with AA for the times to come. This means I no longer have to go on an award space ‘hunt’ to Europe and I can book away directly using the website. Thanks Maya Liebman for moving to become the CIO of American Airlines.

On the AA wishlist now, is if they could convert the upgrade vouchers to be used on partner upgrades as well, like United members get for Lufthansa… then nothing is stopping me from stepping up my commitment to American Airlines!

There, I said it…

Related Posts:

• American discontinues its only flight to India, what is next?

• 130 hours to AA Executive Platinum

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