The needs and desires of most consumers are changing, and Cathay Pacific Airways is among the brands seeking to offer a relevant customer experience. In an effort to reflect this evolution, Cathay Pacific has announced a number of changes to the Marco Polo Club, the airline’s exclusive loyalty program that offers a host of valuable benefits to frequent flyers.
Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s largest airline and the occupier of Hong Kong International’s main hub, will enhance the popular loyalty program by offering the type of customer experience that more consumers are demanding. That is, the airline will redouble its efforts to recognize the behaviors of individual customers and offer more personalized rewards.
"Customer loyalty is the backbone of our airline, and we are grateful for the great support and contribution our Marco Polo Club members have been giving us,” said Dane Cheng, Cathay Pacific Director of Sales and Marketing. “The travel industry is ever-evolving and we understand there have been significant changes to the way our members travel in recent years. We must adapt to these changes so that we can continue to help our passengers travel well and ensure they feel properly appreciated."
The Marco Polo Club enhancements are only the latest in a long line of initiatives aimed at bettering the customer experience. After recently expanding its network of airlines with many new ultra-long and ultra-short-haul flights, and making significant investments in an array of in-flight services, Cathay Pacific believes that the new loyalty program should also evolve alongside its other changing travel patterns and additional product offerings.
One of the biggest changes will see Marco Polo Club switch to a new points-based system. Consumers will now be able to earn points by the type of fair booked, distance travelled and in cabin spend. Cathay Pacific sees this as a more balanced approach that will rapidly allow travellers to advance through various tiers. This is especially true for those who fly premium classes.
Overall, the entire loyalty program now promises to be more flexible.
Some of the additional benefits include extra lounge passes for members and their guests, bookable upgrades for gold and diamond members, and "Membership Holidays," which enable members to retain their status for one year.
Finally, to become more family friendly, Marco polo Club will also lower the qualifying age for young adults down to 12 from 18.