Air France – KLM Flying Blue Removes XP Earnings From Basic Fares

Air France and KLM are in a process of LCC’fication of their fares (they already have watered down their services), where the cheapest ones will no longer include even a cabin bag and may come with even more customer-unfriendly options.

Flying Blue, however, has published an updated XP earning chart that makes it clear that you soon will not earn any XPs (elite qualifying points) on short and medium haul flights on Basic fares. The exact date when these Basic fares will become bookable is unclear.

You can access Flying Blue here.

Flying Blue Updated XP Earnings Schedule:

This new chart is VERY CLEAR that you no longer earn XP points on these BASIC fares on DOMESTIC and MEDIUM haul flights.

It has not yet been communicated what these basic fares won’t include, but I assume that it essentially removes the possibility of carrying a cabin bag, and you can only travel with a personal item that can be stored under the seat in front of you.

It is unclear whether these BASIC fares will also be available in business class, as many other airlines have already done, where their basic or light fares don’t include any of the airport priority services, luggage allowance, or even lounge access.

Some airlines, however, grant most of these benefits to their own or alliance elite members, such as Finnair.

It remains to be seen whether Air France and KLM allow elite members to check a bag and bring a cabin bag with these BASIC fares.

With BA and Iberia, 0 bag + 1 bag (elite) = 0 bags, while with Finnair, 0 bag + 1 bag (elite) = 1 bag.

Conclusion

Air France and KLM should clarify the new fare types they are launching, as they are already partially visible on the website but not fully communicated to their members.

What has happened with other airlines in a similar situation is that they have simply renamed their current lowest fares as ‘basic,’ and then you need to pay extra for any of the services that these fares previously included.

I guess that both KLM and Air France should just give up their short-haul flying and let no-frills Transavia do it, as soon as there is nothing distinguishable between these three airlines.

Source