Loop: Brussels Airlines' new frequent flyer programme

[Acid-drop]

i wonder how they even check that ...

[b720]

I don't think that they can verify the real address of applicants.... One has to give the address when filling in registration.. I doubt they ask for ID!!?? The only thing is that they will probably send the cards to the address stated on the form.. On the other hand, a lot occurs electronically with a pincode..redeeming..checking balance etc.. In principle, if they don't ask for ID.. One can put anyone's name under "the same roof".. they never asked for ID when joining Miles and More.. Don't think they'll ask them for loop..besides Loop is open to anyone..regardless of where they live.. One can be a resident in Afghanistan and flying SN a few times a year within Europe..

[OO-ITR]

I don't think it doesn't even matter. Lets say that I'm a frequent flyer in Europe and I add three of my best friends claiming 'under the same roof'. After collecting enough loops I decide to give a free ticket (or discount) to one of my friends. I don't think SN will check that these friends live under the same roof nor will they make a fuss as those loops are earned via my travelling.

[b720]

exactly..

[flightlover]

I don't think it doesn't even matter. Lets say that I'm a frequent flyer in Europe and I add three of my best friends claiming 'under the same roof'. After collecting enough loops I decide to give a free ticket (or discount) to one of my friends. I don't think SN will check that these friends live under the same roof nor will they make a fuss as those loops are earned via my travelling.

The 'under the same roof' part is easily checked by the name and address supplied on the tickets provided to the traveller(s) collecting loop points. And as it is an offence to provide fake details it is a bad idea to falsify these details to collect loops faster.

The second part, you giving the ticket to someone else, is an option provided to you as you can buy a gift voucher with your loops.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

I did register myself! Honestly after reading all terms & conditions, Loop seems to be a very fair deal/programme. Obviously, the customers targeted are not the same as Miles & More. This move is on line with the "hybrid carrier" strategy by brussels airlines.

[b720]

They never ask for your address when booking, it is the billing address of your credit card they re after... In my case work address...It could be anywhere... They can not really check the under the same roof policy... I think they rely on the good will and honesty of most people...

[airazurxtror]

Once you have 2000 loops you can start using them : take a free ticket or deduct the number of loops from the total price if you don;t have enough loops.
What is so difficult not to understand about that???

What I don't catch is how many euros you may deduct from the total price, with your 2000 loops.

OO-ITR was unable to give me the answer, and for a good reason :

"The amount of reduction will be determined by Brussels Airlines at its sole discretion, based on objective criteria, and will be announced in the usual communications channels of the Loop programme, including the programme website and at the moment of booking."

http://static.brusselsairlines.com/loop ... itions.pdf

Not exactly like a Delhaize card, miss Erdmanis ...

[teddybAIR]

To the people who understand it all:

1) For every euro you spend you get 3 loops
2) but how much is that loop worth???

And...they never expire on the condition that you keep flying with us is the perfect definition of points that expire

[OO-ITR]

Once you have 2000 loops you can start using them : take a free ticket or deduct the number of loops from the total price if you don;t have enough loops.
What is so difficult not to understand about that???

What I don't catch is how many euros you may deduct from the total price, with your 2000 loops.

OO-ITR was unable to give me the answer, and for a good reason :

"The amount of reduction will be determined by Brussels Airlines at its sole discretion, based on objective criteria, and will be announced in the usual communications channels of the Loop programme, including the programme website and at the moment of booking."

http://static.brusselsairlines.com/loop ... itions.pdf

Not exactly like a Delhaize card, miss Erdmanis ...

Im sorry to dissapoint you. But unfortunately I'm not the PR rep for SN on luchtzak. Although I know that other carriers have them on here...

But I see you are eager to join Loop so feel free to ask your question on their FB page or twitter. I know they are quiet active in there. If you are not on social media, you can also try via an old fashioned email, via brusselsairlines.com/contact us (ou 'contactez nous' si vous voulez...).

I'm sure they will have an answer for you...

[airazurxtror]

Im sorry to dissapoint you. But unfortunately I'm not the PR rep for SN on luchtzak. Although I know that other carriers have them on here...

But I see you are eager to join Loop so feel free to ask your question on their FB page or twitter. I know they are quiet active in there. If you are not on social media, you can also try via an old fashioned email, via brusselsairlines.com/contact us (ou 'contactez nous' si vous voulez...).
I'm sure they will have an answer for you...

I thank you for your kind answer, but I don't think I will pursue the matter : that scheme seems too sophisticated for an illiterate unseasoned traveller like me.

[RoMax]

How relevant is it anyway to know exactly how much 1 Loop is worth? When making a reservation, you will immediately see what value you can cover with your Loops. Also the indication that 2000 Loops is enough for a free Check&Go flight (excluding taxes) gives already quite a good indication of how much Loops are worth.

Of course they don't tell you everything, do you know one loyalty program anywhere it the world that is telling you the exact 'secret behind it'?

And...they never expire on the condition that you keep flying with us is the perfect definition of points that expire

Indeed they do expire, so that's a bit of a PR trick, but you can't deny that they are relatively unlimited in time compared to other loyalty programs where (status and/or award) miles expire after a fixed period even if you continue flying with them. If you expect to make use of a program like this, you can also expect it will be people that fly at least once a year, which is not that much at all. It doesn't make sense to save Loops when you want a free flight in 8 years time

[teddybAIR]

I'm always amazed to see grown up people change their behavior to earn more miles/loops/points/stickers/etc while inherently everybody knows they are just a cheap trick to increase the perceived value of what is being provided to the customer. 100 loops sounds like you're a millionaire in the making. Curious to see the average reaction if your paycheck would all of a sudden be payed out in loops

Some study in marketing principles might give you more insight...

Thanks ITR! As senior marketing consultant with 15 years of experience consulting companies like Electrabel, Proximus, Brussels Airport, Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium, bpost, BNP Paribas Fortis, etc. I like to think I know a thing or two about marketing and loyalty programs.

Secondly, I didn't say I don't understand the workings of loyalty programs, I said I'm amazed about the behevioral effect of simple earnings based "loyalty programs". Too me, such programs are instruments that raise switching barriers for customers, but they fail to create true brand loyalty. Every single time the points/loops/miles have been used to the extent that they drop below a certain level, the customer has no more reason to be more loyal to your airline than any other.

What I expect when a company rolls out a second loyalty program next to an existing earnings based program is that it provides true additional benefits for a specific customer segment that values these benefits so much that they start to attach emotionally to them. The fact that loops are easy to share between family members is something I rather applaud.

Finally, companies in general undestand that their loyalty programs only give them a partial view on customer purchasing behavior. A true value adding system would give you insights about your share of wallet in the total number of flights a family takes a year. That way, you have created yourself some very powerfull levers for future growth.

But anyway, that's just my 2 cents in a nutshell (it's an aviation forum, not a marketing conference)
Feel free to PM me should you wanna exchange thoughts about loyalty systems, but note that I discuss respectfully and expect no less from you. Remarks like "Some study in marketing principles might give you more insight..." are not at their place here on luchtzak.

Kind regards,
bAIR

[teddybAIR]

And...they never expire on the condition that you keep flying with us is the perfect definition of points that expire

Indeed they do expire, so that's a bit of a PR trick, but you can't deny that they are relatively unlimited in time compared to other loyalty programs where (status and/or award) miles expire after a fixed period even if you continue flying with them.

Just call a cat a cat. My experience is that if you overpromise and underdeliver, customers defect because they lack the necessary trust. No trust, no emotional connection with your customer. No emotional connection = only a rational connection = price sensitivity. And we all know which airlines win that game

[OO-ITR]

I'm always amazed to see grown up people change their behavior to earn more miles/loops/points/stickers/etc while inherently everybody knows they are just a cheap trick to increase the perceived value of what is being provided to the customer. 100 loops sounds like you're a millionaire in the making. Curious to see the average reaction if your paycheck would all of a sudden be payed out in loops

Some study in marketing principles might give you more insight...

Thanks ITR! As senior marketing consultant with 15 years of experience consulting companies like Electrabel, Proximus, Brussels Airport, Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium, bpost, BNP Paribas Fortis, etc. I like to think I know a thing or two about marketing and loyalty programs.

Secondly, I didn't say I don't understand the workings of loyalty programs, I said I'm amazed about the behevioral effect of simple earnings based "loyalty programs". Too me, such programs are instruments that raise switching barriers for customers, but they fail to create true brand loyalty. Every single time the points/loops/miles have been used to the extent that they drop below a certain level, the customer has no more reason to be more loyal to your airline than any other.

What I expect when a company rolls out a second loyalty program next to an existing earnings based program is that it provides true additional benefits for a specific customer segment that values these benefits so much that they start to attach emotionally to them. The fact that loops are easy to share between family members is something I rather applaud.

Finally, companies in general undestand that their loyalty programs only give them a partial view on customer purchasing behavior. A true value adding system would give you insights about your share of wallet in the total number of flights a family takes a year. That way, you have created yourself some very powerfull levers for future growth.

But anyway, that's just my 2 cents in a nutshell (it's an aviation forum, not a marketing conference)
Feel free to PM me should you wanna exchange thoughts about loyalty systems, but note that I discuss respectfully and expect no less from you. Remarks like "Some study in marketing principles might give you more insight..." are not at their place here on luchtzak.

Kind regards,
bAIR

sorry I am not a psychic, can't know that you had experience in Marketing...

[teddybAIR]

Well, then just treat people respectfully. It doesn't cost a thing and it makes this website a more pleasant environment.

[Flanker2]

The value of a LOOP is irrelevant, in the same way as nobody knows the exact value of a mile (& more) or an avio. Only the prizes are relevant. Nathalie Erdmanis gave two examples during the press conference:

1. A retired couple flies to a vacation home in the French Provence through Nice airport. If they fly Light&Relax, it will take them 5 trips to collect enough LOOPs for an extra trip to Nice.

2. A business executive flies once a month to London in Flex&Fast. After three trips taken in November and December, she has enough LOOPs to take her fiancé in May to the capital of romance, Venice.

Not bad, but not overly exciting either.
It's great for the frequent flier who flies with SN anyway (and by the way, why reward them anyway?), but not very powerful to get new customers "hooked".
I think that this loyalty program ommits a very important aspect of a loyalty program: the target.
It's not very clear from the start how many loops you need to collect/target, so it's like chasing an invisible target and when you don't know what you're after, then what is the point?

I think that the reward entry threshold is rather high, at 5000 loops, ie 1700 Euro's spent.
Also, having to fly once every 12 months to avoid expiry is not very attractive, as people have lives and lives are full of circumstances and unkowns.

I think that it could work out well if they launch loop promo's for the emptier flights and actively advertise this. (For instance, "just 1000 loops for the following return flights: (examples)")
Also, the reward system should be expanded to include more advantages such as the option to exchange loops for lounge access (1000 loops for lounge access for two people), checked luggage and upgrades at the airport.
I think that the loops should also be expanded to allow longhaul flights with all segments flown on SN metal and booked directly with SN to be included, and the expiry extended to 36 months.
The reward entry threshold should be reduced to 2000-3000 loops.

So overall, great initiative, but the execution needs to go one step further if they really want to get people excited about it.

[airazurxtror]

It's not very clear from the start how many loops you need to collect/target, so it's like chasing an invisible target and when you don't know what you're after, then what is the point?

Exactly.

[sn26567]

The ethical advertising jury qualified as "misleading commercial practice" a Brussels Airlines campaign on a loyalty program ("Loop") supposed to provide "free flights".

In radio spots in particular, the company did not mention that taxes or other charges must be paid. The campaign must be stopped, although it is in fact already over, according to Brussels Airlines. The loyalty program allows to collect points to redeem against flights. "Brussels Airlines presents Loop!, the points that quickly provides free flights" could be heard in the radio spot.

The spot refers to a website with the conditions, including the fact that taxes remain payable. Following a complaint, the ethical advertising jury (JEP) concluded that the campaign should have been more clear, and when indicating the price of a ticket, taxes, duties and costs must be included.

Brussels Airlines does not agree with the decision, but does not intend to go further, the campaign is over. According to the company, the spots clearly indicated that there were conditions and these were properly explained on the website. "We do not sell a product, but a loyalty program. We do not think we have gone too far," it said.

After La DH

[Poiu]

The value of one loop is 0,01€, according to the website.
Strange because they also mention 2000 loops (20€) equals a FREE return to Malaga...
Another detail: I have the impression loops are only credit after all segments of a booking have been flown.