Becoming a frequent flyer just got easy

JET SETTING

With apex fares, price wars and no-frills flights, the domestic airlines industry has become a competitive cauldron indeed.

But operators realise that there is a limit to cutting prices. So, to further their bottomlines, they have started focussing on customer loyalty. Competition, therefore, is heating up on this front too, so much so that you need not even fly regularly to become a member or benefit from frequent flyer programmes.

All you need is a single boarding pass. If you have it, just go online (in the case of Jet Airways or Air Sahara) or go the airport/ offices of Indian Airlines (and Jet or Sahara), fill out a form and start earning points. (The other domestic carrier, Air Deccan, does not have a frequent flyer plan now).

Operators are upgrading their existing frequent flier programmes or offering additional benefits to old members.

Here's a look at the new schemes offered by domestic airlines:

JET PRIVILEGE
Jet Airways has introduced a new five-tier Jet Privilege (JP) programme: JP Blue is the entry level plan, while Blue Plus is a new tier. Blue Plus members can avail of tele check-in as soon as they complete 10 flights or 10,000 Status JPMiles within a period of six months.

JP Silver and JP Gold are the elite programmes, while JP Platinum is a super exclusive level especially created for the most frequent of flyers.

JPMiles are now valid for 13 quarters and they lapse on a quarterly basis (at the end of the 13th quarter) and not on an annual basis as was the case earlier.

Here's how this works: JPMiles earned in the first quarter of 2005 (Jan-Mar 2005) expire on the last day of the first quarter of 2008 (March 31, 2008).

Hence, only the JPMiles earned in that quarter will expire, and not the entire JPMiles earned in that year (Jan-Dec 2005). The validity cannot be extended beyond 13 quarters, and JPMiles that are not redeemed before expiry will lapse.

The airline has also introduced online access to JP accounts. Members earn bonus miles on all eligible flights based on their elite membership tier "" Silver 10 per cent, Gold 20 per cent and Platinum 30 per cent.

JP members also enjoy a complimentary upgrade from economy to Club Premiere by using an upgrade voucher.

Silver, Gold and Platinum members receive 1, 3 and 5 confirmed upgrade vouchers, respectively, each time their status changes.

They also have, along with one guest who is travelling with them on the same flight, access to Club Premiere lounges at Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Hyderabad airports, irrespective of their class of travel.

Additionally, 'Blackout' periods are not applicable for JP Awards on Jet Airways flights.

Blackout periods generally occur during the busy season and no mileage points accrue to a passenger in the period. Silver, gold and platinum members also get extra baggage allowance of 10 kg, 20 kg and 35 kg, respectively.

Along with Jet Airways-Citibank Gold credit card member, they can avail of priority check-in at the Club Premiere desk, irrespective of their class of travel.

Waitlisted passengers get priority based on their tier, and a stay a partner hotel earns miles too, apart from other benefits and privileges.

FLYING RETURNS
Indian Airlines (IA) has launched a special scheme (valid up to September 30) that allows you to its frequent flier club with a single boarding pass.

The earlier scheme required submission of 5 boarding passes generated in three consecutive months or a Rs 1,000 membership fee.

Miles accrue each time a passenger flies with Air-India, Indian Airlines, Alliance Air, Air France or code-sharing flights. International tickets to over 300 destinations fall under the scheme.

Flying Returns offers excess baggage allowance to members besides facilities such as dedicated counters for queue-free check-in, clubbing of miles with spouse for redemption, free ticket gift to anyone, priority confirmation if waitlisted and transfer of reward points of alliance partners American Express, ITC Welcomgroup Hotels, Citibank, LKP Forex, Orange, Standard Chartered Bank and MTNL.

COSMOS POWER FLIER
The Air Sahara Cosmos Power Flier Programme offers complimentary enrolment and is a three-tier programme.

A single boarding pass will give you an Executive Card, 30 flights or 30,000 miles within a specified period a Silver Card, and 50 flights or 50,000 miles within two years will get you a Gold Card.

Availing of partner-alliance services also earn miles.

Under the scheme, Silver and Gold members can check-in at the Royale Class counter even when booked to travel in economy.

An upgrade voucher allows a full-fare confirmed economy ticket-holding Power Flier to travel business class.

An upgrade voucher is mailed to the Executive Card member when he or she completes 10 one-way flights within a year from the date of enrolment. Silver Card members receive 3 upgrade vouchers and Gold card members six.

Gold card members can request confirmation when booking a full-fare economy ticket 48-72 hours in advance. The request gets priority subject to availability of seats. Cosmos too offer benefits to its members through partnerships with international airlines, hotels and car rental services.

If a passenger does not have enough Power Miles for a free ticket, he can pay the balance in cash. Award tickets can be redeemed through 'Buy Miles' scheme where each mile costs Rs 1.25.