Under pressure, Thai Airways International will not alter its Frequent Flyers Program

BANGKOK – A few days ago, it was all buzz in social media as Thai Airways International had announced to alter and change its frequent flyer program Royal Orchid Plus, starting from September. Particularly irritating for members was an increase in the necessary number of miles needed to have a free ticket. In many cases, the number of necessary miles to redeem a ticket would sometimes even double, compared to the previous awards chart.

 

According to the specialist UK magazine “Business Traveller”, a short haul business class flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok currently requires 55,000 miles and would have increased to 66,000 miles, while first class would have increased from 70,000 to 84,000 miles.
 

In some cases tickets would have required double the miles; currently a flight from North America to Bangkok in first class requires 230,000 miles round trip, but under the proposed changes this would have become 230,000 miles each way – a 100% increase. The explanation provided to Business Traveller by Royal Orchid Plus failed to convince: the new chart will make free seats easier to get, as more availability would have been provided. And to make the pill less bitter, ROP would also have increased the total of miles earned for the members with a gold status- but probably not to the same level than the requested miles…
 

In front of all the negative feedback from customers, Thai Airways International finally (THAI) announced that there will be no changes to all current Royal Orchid Plus Award charts, for the time being. THAI’s Royal Orchid Plus new award charts (previously scheduled to take effect on 01 September 2014) and the New Tier Bonus Miles for Platinum and Gold members (previously scheduled to begin on 01 August 2014), both will not commence for the time being. Therefore, members can redeem awards based on the current Royal Orchid Plus Award charts. Any future changes to the Royal Orchid Plus Award structure will be announced to members with advance notice to use their miles with confidence and convenience.