I’ve been a JetPrivilege Platinum for over 6 years now, and the airline is no more. While JetPrivilege, which is a separate company, majority owned by Etihad and independently operated is charting out a new future for itself. JetPrivilege froze the member benefits for JetPrivilege elites, and has not commented on the future of the loyalty programme, given it is without an anchor airline at the moment. However, they continue to create more earning and redemption options for members. As a member of EAP, JetPrivilege Benefits on Etihad were well known.

Last week, I had the opportunity to fly both Economy and Business Class on Etihad Airways, and given Etihad used to grant member benefits for JetPrivilege Platinum customers, I was curious to know what was I to expect in the current scenario. Given I was banking all my Etihad flights in the recent past also to JetPrivilege, I’d dropped to Silver status on Etihad, and I still had my JetPrivilege Platinum status.

Earlier, as a member of Etihad Airways Partners, which was quietly dissolved, Etihad used to offer the following privileges to the Platinum elites of their partners:

• Premium Check-in and boarding
• Lounge Access
• First Class Lounge Access at Abu Dhabi
• On board recognition
• Priority Baggage Handling

I am sure there were other benefits as well, but these are the ones that come top of my head. I thought it would be useful to write a post on the current JetPrivilege Benefits on Etihad Airways.

Priority Check-in

So, here is how it went on my recent flight between Mumbai and Paris (via Abu Dhabi) a few days ago, my first time on Etihad Airways in Economy in a very long time. When I arrived at the airport, I walked over to the Business class check-in area, where I was issued my boarding passes without a blink of an eye.

Like you can imagine, for me that was a huge saving of time, where otherwise I’d have had to wait for atleast 45 minutes to be provided with my boarding passes. Also, I was able to switch my BOM-AUH seat for a better front row seat here at the airport.

Lounge Access at Mumbai Airport

I was also promptly issued a lounge access card to the Mumbai Airport GVK Premium Lounge (West Wing). This is the same lounge used by Etihad for their own Business Class customers out of Mumbai. First Class lounge access goes to the First Class passengers, but I don’t think there are any flights out of Mumbai with First Class anymore.

Priority Baggage tagging

Again, my check-in bag was tagged Priority without any questions asked, and indeed was one of the first ones that came out on the belt on the other side.

Lounge Access at Abu Dhabi

At Abu Dhabi, however, the story was slightly different than the last time I was around in Economy. Earlier, Etihad used to provide First Class Lounge access to Platinum members of JetPrivilege as well, even when they were flying in Economy.

At some point in time, this changed and when I headed to the First Class Lounge, Etihad Airways now directed me to the Business Class Lounge. While a full review of the lounge will come up later, I have to argue I’ve been to this lounge multiple times, and for a two hour pit stop at Terminal 3, AUH, it did its job very well.

On Board recognition

This was a hit and a miss. I’ve always been greeted in First Class, of course, but in Economy, I’ve noticed, only on the narrowbody Economy class segments was I greeted personally by the cabin crew. So, on the Mumbai – Abu Dhabi flight, which was operated by an A321, I was wished, but on the Abu Dhabi to Paris CDG flight, the cabin crew went about their business just like that.

Overall, I am glad that the JetPrivilege Platinum still got me something while I was expecting next to nothing now that the airline has shut down. The full benefits offered currently are enlisted on the JetPrivilege website here.

Have you been able to use your JetPrivilege Platinum status recently on Etihad Airways? What has been your experience?