I’ll post more information later when I have time. Here is a very brief summary.

Regular economy seat – minor changes.

Sky couch economy seat – 3 seats sold as a pair with a mini bed. A new twist on the old standby of using an empty row to lie down.

Space seat premium economy – a business lite product with two variants. One for couples with more access to each other, and one for single travellers with slightly more privacy. Unlike the existing premium economy seating is 2-2-2.

Premier business seat – minor changes.

There will also be changes to IFE, amenities and food.

Some further information and pictures in the Flyer Talk new Air NZ longhaul discussion.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

This is part of a series of blog entries on how to get to countries and places. Here is a link to the index. I plan to eventually cover every country and some other places. If you have a request for a particular country or place please use the email me link at top right, or leave a comment.

Peru

Source: Allard Schmidt

A number of airlines fly to Lima, Peru, including:

• Star Alliance – Air Canada, Continental, TAM
• Oneworld – American, Iberia, LAN
• Sky Team – Aeromexico, Air Europa, Delta, KLM
• Selected other – most Central and South American airlines

TIP With relatively high fares, Peru is a good option for including on an award, round the world ticket or Oneworld South America pass.

TIP Check connections via Central America and Colombia for cheaper fares.

UPDATED August 2010 – Updated for TAM and Aegean joining Star Alliance, Shanghai leaving Star Alliance, Vietnam Airlines and TAROM joining Sky Team. No change to advice.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

To coincide with the arrival later this year of new 777-300 aircraft, Air NZ will be introducing new longhaul seating. The new product is being unveiled on Tuesday (NZ time). Eventually the new seats will be available on the 777-300 and 787, and will also be refitted to the 777-200 aircraft.

Since Air NZ has some very long routes, including the flagship Auckland to London and Auckland to London route which takes between 24 and 27 hours, I’m expecting seating which has been designed with passenger comfort in mind. Given the hype Air NZ is building (eg NZ Herald and again with some tantalising hints), I’m expecting something amazing.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

Elite frequent flyers look for lounges operated by alliance airlines to maximise the benefits. Elite status passengers can be flying any alliance airline to gain admittance to the appropriate airline operated lounge subject to lounge access rules and access to the portion of the terminal, whereas contract lounges are only available to those flying the specific airline(s) which has contracted for access.

Despite flying to 700 destinations in 142 countries (as at December 2009), Oneworld has about 300 non-contract lounges in only 133 destinations. I’ve visited 63 of these lounges, in 19 different countries.

It is similar with Star Alliance – they have 1077 destinations in 175 countries (as at December 2009) but only 350 non-contract lounges in 165 destinations. I’ve visited 109 of these lounges, in 35 countries.

Despite the gaps (some of which do have contract lounges available to elite and premium passengers), the global coverage of airline lounges is rather good. This is invaluable to people who are always on the move, although I wish more lounges have my two “necessities” – showers and internet computers.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

The majority of Star Alliance frequent flyer programs (FFPs), including all the main ones, have more than one elite status level that is Star Alliance Gold. Oneworld has 3 elite status tiers across the alliance (although some programs do not have every alliance tier represented), so I’m not sure why Star Alliance couldn’t also introduce an extra tier with additional benefits over Star Alliance Gold.

Star Alliance Gold Plus

(AC) Aeroplan – Air Canada Super Elite
(NZ) Airpoints – Gold Elite
(OZ) Asiana Club – Platinum
(US) Dividend Miles – Platinum Preferred
(MS) EgyptAir Plus – Platinum
(SQ) KrisFlyer – PPS Solitaire, PPS
(NH) Mileage Club – Diamond
(UA) Mileage Plus – Premier Executive 1K
(LH) Miles and More – HON Circle
(TK) Miles and Smiles – Elite Plus
(CO) OnePass – Platinum Elite
(CA) Phoenix Miles – Platinum
(SA) Voyager – Platinum

Programs with only one Star Alliance Gold status

(FM) Crane Club
(BD) Diamond Club
(SK) Eurobonus
(TG) Royal Orchid Plus
(JK) Spanair Plus
(TP) Victoria

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

As part of a review of my frequent flyer strategy for the year ahead I have been thinking about lifetime elite status. If one year of elite frequent flyer status is good then a lifetime is better – travel can be focussed on purposes other than requalification of elite status.

As the term suggests, lifetime elite status gives status benefits for the rest of your life, or the life of the frequent flyer program, whichever ends first. In respect of alliance benefits there is an additional caveat that the host airline remains in the airline alliance.

In 2007 I achieved lifetime Oneworld Sapphire status through Qantas Frequent Flyer. I was also well on the way towards lifetime Star Alliance gold status through Singapore Airlines before they pulled the plug by grandfathering existing lifetime PPS Solitaire members and stopping any new qualification of the status. Since then I haven’t paid too much attention to lifetime statuses, since most of the programs I use either do not have lifetime elite status, or have a long time period qualification (in one case decades for me).

The last couple of years my travel patterns have changed markedly, and as I continue to seek out more difficult to reach places they will keep changing for the foreseeable future. Thus, removing the requalification hassle will be welcome. I haven’t yet finalised my approach but in the meantime, here are some lifetime elite airline statuses that are available together with their requirements.

Lifetime status earned by a period of time with high status

Air France/KLM – 10 years platinum for lifetime platinum (Sky Team elite+)
bmi – 10 years gold for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)
Spanair – 10 years gold for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)

Lifetime status earned by a period of time with high status and minimum status mileage

Lufthansa – 10 years senator/HON circle at or above age 60, and 1 million status miles for lifetime senator (Star Alliance gold)
SAS – 10 years gold at or above age 60 for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)
South African – 6 years of platinum earned by flying 100,000 miles per year on South African or by the requisite tier points (only South African flights count) for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)

Lifetime status earned by lifetime status mileage (restricted)

Air Canada – 1 million status miles on Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz for lifetime elite (Star Alliance gold)
Air Canada – 2 million status miles on Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz for lifetime elite for yourself and a nominated partner (Star Alliance gold)
Air Canada – 3 million status miles on Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz for lifetime super elite for yourself and lifetime elite for a nominated partner (Star Alliance gold)
Air China – 1 million status miles on Air China for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Alaska – 1 million status miles on Alaska and Horizon for lifetime gold
Asiana – 1000 flights on Asiana for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
EgyptAir – 1 million status miles on EgyptAir for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Philippine – 1 million status miles on Philippine for million miler
United – 1 million status miles on Continental & United for lifetime premier gold (Star Alliance gold) for self and from 1 January 2012 annual premier gold for nominated partner
United – 2 million status miles on Continental & United for lifetime premier platinum (Star Alliance gold) and from 1 January 2012 annual premier platinum for partner (up until 31 December 2011 also lifetime Red Carpet Club membership for self)
United – 3 million status miles on Continental & United for lifetime premier 1K (Star Alliance gold) and from 1 January 2012 annual premier 1K for partner
United – 4 million status miles on Continental & United for lifetime global services (Star Alliance gold) and annual global services for partner, both from 1 January 2012
US Airways – 1 million status miles on US Airways for lifetime Silver Preferred* (Star Alliance silver)
* requires account to remain active to maintain the status, ie activity at least every 3 years.

Lifetime status earned by lifetime status mileage (unrestricted)

American – 1 million status miles for lifetime gold (Oneworld ruby) – from 1 December 2011
American – 2 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Oneworld sapphire) - from 1 December 2011
Asiana – 500,000 status miles (or 500 qualifying flights on Asiana) for lifetime diamond plus (Star Alliance gold)
Asiana – 1 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Continental – 1 million status miles for lifetime silver (Star Alliance silver)
Continental – 2 million status miles for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)
Continental – 4 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Delta – 1 million status miles for lifetime silver (Sky Team elite)
Delta – 2 million status miles for lifetime gold (Sky Team elite+)
Delta – 4 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Sky Team elite+)
Korean – 500,000 status miles for morning calm premium club (Sky Team elite+)
Korean – 1 million status miles for million miler club (Sky Team elite+)
Qantas – 7,000 status credits for lifetime silver (Oneworld ruby)
Qantas – 14,000 status credits for lifetime gold (Oneworld sapphire)

Lifetime status earned by lifetime mileage (any source)

American – 1 million miles for lifetime gold (Oneworld ruby) – until 30 November 2011
American – 2 million miles for lifetime platinum (Oneworld sapphire) – until 30 November 2011

Comments

Sky Team appears to be the easiest to earn lifetime top tier status. For me that isn’t much help as I very rarely fly Sky Team airlines.

Star Alliance has a number of options for lifetime top alliance tier status. Easiest would have been bmi, if you’ve already had bmi gold status. The expected merge into Lufthansa Miles & More within the next year scuppers hopes of lifetime status for most people. For someone starting now Asiana may be easiest except for those who predominantly fly United.

Oneworld has no lifetime top tier status. Lifetime middle tier status is most easily earnt with American since all mileage counts.

In all cases lifetime status requires a significant commitment and a lot of flying (except for American). So an important consideration is whether or not the lifetime status benefit will still be available for long enough to earn it, and whether the requirements may go up significantly in the meantime.

Something for me to think about.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

Just a few weeks into the year (which for me started on another continent), and less than a week since my last (land-based) trip, and I’m already getting itchy feet waiting for my next trip. I’ve resisted the temptation to book some last minute flights, so far. If Qantas was still flying domestically in NZ I probably would have booked something cheap by now, but I can’t bring myself to do it on Jetstar.

Perhaps a little road trip is in order?

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

I was recently asked how to make travel easier. The best thing travellers can do is to pack light.

Almost everything you might need on a trip is available at the destination if required. Travelling with light luggage has 5 key advantages.

1. Avoid luggage fees.
2. Flying without checked bags means no time waiting around baggage claim, and no risk of lost bags.
3. Greater flexibility during irregular operations (when things go wrong) as well as opportunities for (well compensated) voluntary denied boarding if there is no checked luggage.
4. Easier travel. A light bag can easily be carried up or down a hill, or over cobblestones if required (eg if the road outside your accommodation is closed).
5. More room for shopping.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

bmi has announced some changes to UK and Ireland product and to their frequent flyer program Diamond Club (a favourite among many on Flyer Talk for the ease of getting elite status and the generous redemption rates).

From 27 January 2010, business class on UK domestic and Ireland flights will be replaced with Flexible Economy. The main changes here are that business class mileage will not be earned unless crediting to Diamond Club (and then only while they have special earning rate), seating is no longer 3-2, higher rate of APD tax will no longer apply (because there will no longer be a separate business cabin), and heavily discounted business class fares are gone.

Passengers who have business class tickets should not only get the extra APD refunded (as advised in the bmi notice), but also 30% refund of the fare as compensation for the downgrade under EU regulation 261/2004.

Also on UK domestic and Ireland flights the free meal for passengers with bmi elite status is gone. This was a prime differentiation with Aer Lingus on the Dublin to London route for example, and so the removal is rather unpopular.

The other change announced was that Blue Plus status will be removed. As this status provided few benefits other than the free meal which is now removed, this makes sense. The Wandering Aramean thinks the closure of Diamond Club will not be long in coming.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.

Talks between a cabin crew union and management at BA have so far failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion and yesterday the union advised the re-vote for strike will be proceeding (BBC). The first strike attempt for 12 days at Christmas failed due to a court ruling that the vote was improperly conducted.

This time the union will take more care, and their rhetoric suggests there is a high chance it will go ahead. The earliest possible strike date is about 2nd March with the latest possible strike commencement date of 29th March, just in time for Easter break.

Time to start looking at alternatives.

Musings of the Global Traveller
Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer.