Czech Airlines has devised several innovations for members of its OK Plus Frequent Flyer Programme, which include: extending the validity of miles to 36 months (or an unlimited period for premium clients and active holders of cobranded company payment cards), expanded opportunity for lounge visits, and more flight miles on selected routes, among other novelties. The planned changes are part of the new policy for the programme. As a facet of this, the company has recently introduced the OK Plus Partner programme, envisaged for travel agents, while members of OK Plus Corporate will receive double the miles. The new rules take effect on 1 June 2014.
Under the new rules, as of 1 June 2014, the validity of every mile obtained will be extended from two to three years, while the validity of miles already recorded and valid on that date will be extended accordingly. The validity of miles obtained by holders of the Silver, Gold and Platinum OK Plus cards will be unlimited for as long as their premium status is maintained. Likewise, the time period within which at least one flight using the OK code and operated by Czech Airlines must be taken is also being extended to 36 months.
Unlimited Validity of Miles for Active Users of Payment Cards
Holders of co-branded Czech Airlines payment cards who use them regularly and obtain the minimum number of miles for payments using the card in the OK Plus programme will also obtain unlimited validity for their miles. For example, on the Czech market, the number of miles has been set at 400 for holders of the Czech Airlines and Citibank credit card, which corresponds to expenditures of approximately CZK 10,000. In addition to the MasterCard World card from Czech Airlines and Citibank, holders of the following co-branded payment cards also receive this benefit: Diners Club in Slovakia, Nomos Bank and First Czech-Russian Bank in Russia, and Armbusinessbank in Armenia. The conditions and limits have been set in light of the specifics of the given market.
Holders of co-branded Czech Airlines payment cards who use them regularly and obtain the minimum number of miles for payments using the card in the OK Plus programme will also obtain unlimited validity for their miles. For example, on the Czech market, the number of miles has been set at 400 for holders of the Czech Airlines and Citibank credit card, which corresponds to expenditures of approximately CZK 10,000. In addition to the MasterCard World card from Czech Airlines and Citibank, holders of the following co-branded payment cards also receive this benefit: Diners Club in Slovakia, Nomos Bank and First Czech-Russian Bank in Russia, and Armbusinessbank in Armenia. The conditions and limits have been set in light of the specifics of the given market.
“The new rules being gradually introduced in the frequent flyer programmes are, first and foremost, a response to our customers’ wishes, but they’re also inspired by the situation in both the aviation and non-aviation sectors. We want our clients to obtain greater benefits, or to be able to save up for more valuable ones. To put it simply, we’re working on making the OK Plus frequent flyer programme more attractive, while reinforcing its original purpose, that of providing our most loyal customers with the maximum number of real benefits. We wish to continue in this direction in the period ahead, as well,” said Stanislav Zeman, Czech Airlines Director for Business and Marketing, about the reasons behind the changes. He added: “I am convinced that this structure for OK Plus is currently comparable in many ways with frequent flyer programmes offered by similar-sized European carriers.”
Expanded Opportunity for Visits to Lounges and Other Benefits
Under the new rules, Czech Airlines is expanding the opportunity to make use of free entries to lounges for holders of the Gold and Platinum OK Plus cards to include code-shared flights using the OK code operated by carriers not in the SkyTeam Alliance offering departures from Prague. Clients with OK Plus Gold cards may bring one guest, and holders of Platinum cards two guests. Czech Airlines is thereby demonstrating its eagerness to provide greater travelling comfort to its most loyal OK Plus clients.
