Cathay Pacific boosts rewards for frequent fliers, even those in cheaper seats, to retain loyalty

Changes to Marco Polo Club programme also make it easier to remain a member, as Hong Kong’s flagship carrier consolidates its customer base amid restructuring efforts

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Cathay is making changes to its frequent flier programme to retain customers, as it restructures its business. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 11:45am, 3 Nov 2017Updated: 11:34pm, 3 Nov 2017

Cathay Pacific Airways will give frequent fliers, even those in cheaper seats, more rewards points per flight to fast track them towards premium travel perks, as the carrier consolidates its customer base amid an extensive restructuring of its business.

The latest tweaks to the Marco Polo Club programme take effect from December 8, some 18 months after the last revamp, which rewarded big-spenders over economy class and short-haul travellers.

Travellers on expensive tickets were more handsomely rewarded than those in economy class, in the previous revamp of Cathay’s Marco Polo Club programme. Photo: Handout

Now, with more aggressive competition from full-service and budget carriers, Hong Kong’s flagship carrier will allow all loyal customers to move faster towards higher membership status, which gives them lounge access, larger baggage allowances and priority boarding, among other perks.

Cathay Pacific’s head of customer loyalty, in a statement on Friday, said: “We continue to improve our offerings to ensure the Marco Polo Club evolves to meet our members’ travel needs. The new club points will better reward our members so that their travel experience is enhanced and their loyalty recognised.”

Cathay Pacific to save HK$2.2 billion by changing investment in new planes

Cathay Pacific, recognised as one of the world’s best airlines, has seen its fortunes flag in recent times. It announced a HK$2.05 billion (US$256 million) loss in the first half of the year, and cut 600 jobs in May as part of a range of measures to steer it back to profitability. It also asked its pilots to accept pay freezes and changes in pension benefits.