Programs: ELAL Matmid Gold; LH FTL; Flying Blue Platinum; BA Silver
Posts: 1,212
Semi-OT: Difference between silver & gold for me, and BA vs LY
Hi everybody,
I'm currently facing a decision - whether I should stop flying LY and move most of my flights to BA.
In short, I'm no so happy with LY and their business class seats, and I also don't like the fact that lower business class fares earn points like economy. If I would like to renew my LY gold this year, I'll have to purchase higher fares business class fares (not a huge problem, since my office will pay for most reasonable fares), but I'll probably have to add another business class flight to the US or to europe (depends on the fare and on my future flights).
If I decide to move my business to BA, I'll be able to make it to gold until November or December 2013 (unlike BA, in LY my membership year ends in August, so that's what is partially creating the problem. In BA, my membership year will only begin by February 2013). The major question is what differences are there for a TLV-based flyer between BA silver and gold? If I do decide to move to BA, I'll earn about 1600 tier points a year - which means that I'll only make it to gold (but I won;t be able to earn the gold upgrade vouchers and etc.).
Therefore, as I can see, the major differences are:
Entry to F class lounges (but there is no F lounge in LHR's T1, so I will be only able to use it in connecting flights)
More Y class reward seats (which is useless for me, as I only redeem in CW, or business in Iberia)
Double priced reward flights if no space available (which I probably won't use)
Did I forget anything?
If these are all of the differences, than basically there is no major difference between gold and silver for me, and if that's the case, then I'll try to renew my status with LY and see what happens.
What do you think? Is there anything else I should consider? Thanks.
On the face of it I am sure that BA would be a good move due to the superior business class seat.
However, TLV is in an unstable part of the world and it is possible that BA could pull out at some point in the future. However LY is sure to continue serving TLV.
On the face of it I am sure that BA would be a good move due to the superior business class seat.
However, TLV is in an unstable part of the world and it is possible that BA could pull out at some point in the future. However LY is sure to continue serving TLV.
I'm sorry - but in which parallel universe do you see BA pulling out of TLV?
Programs: Hilton HHonors Diamond, British Airways Silver, Aer Lingus Gold, Priority Club Platinum, ABP
Posts: 9,423
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom
On the face of it I am sure that BA would be a good move due to the superior business class seat.
However, TLV is in an unstable part of the world and it is possible that BA could pull out at some point in the future. However LY is sure to continue serving TLV.
The business seat is rather less superior since lately.
I can definitely see your point now that the flights are T1, the difference does seem to have lessened.
I think the bottom line is that the seats, network, consistency of service are, IMO, far superior to LY.
Also, as a Gold member, you have, as also mentioned, the soft benefits, with the higher priorities, etc. Finally, not forgetting the great service (again, in my experience) from the Tel Aviv BA office - I find it be far more personal and efficient than anything I received from LY.
Now, if only redemption availability in Club would open up again.......
Programs: BA Gold ,LH Sen, LY SIL, FB Pla, HH Gold, IC Amb, SPG Gold, Avis President club etc...
Posts: 9,931
There is no doubt that for those doing primarily TLV-LHR (and vice versa) without connections the differences between Silver and Gold are nominal unless you do enough travel to earn the Gold upgrade for 2 etc beacouse in terms of the airport experience there is no difference what so ever between Silver and Gold at T1.
Of course that's only while the flights are indeed going from T1 beacouse as soon as they move out of there even of it were to T3 Golds will once again have more airport benifits than Silver.
Semi-OT: Difference between silver & gold for me, and BA vs LY
During the first Gulf War, the Patriot was a complete failure, whereas the current iron Done system makes flying a far lesser risk. Incidentally, LY flights were also not operating a regular schedule back then. I remember very well, at the age of three, being dragged by my mother (who had me and her six-month old son) on an itinerary TLV-BUD-FRA-ORD-IAD-JFK...
We have had so many technological advancements in the field of aerial defence, that the situation is no longer comparable.
I fly this route a lot, and have LY Platinum and BA Gold. I'm utterly convinced BA is far superior to LY. Only thing I would say is that since the change of aircraft, and the removal of WTP and First, there is almost no award redemption LHR/TLV in Club, about which I am quite annoyed. (Personally I use my Avios to fly the Atlantic, so that's OK for me - but if one only wants to redeem on TLV, you will be lucky to get suitable return flights in Club now.)
And I am utterly convinced that BA will not pull out of TLV. It is lucrative, and even during the last intifada, the BA flights were amazingly full. They might pull out of AMM, and even CAI (though I doubt that), but if the world is in such a mess that BA are out of TLV, I think we need to be looking for the fall out shelters in England!
Programs: ELAL Matmid Gold; LH FTL; Flying Blue Platinum; BA Silver
Posts: 1,212
Hi everybody,
sorry I couldn't log in earlier to respond.
First of all I would like to thank you for your advices & responses.
I forgot to mention that 50% of my flights are TLV-LHR, and 50% TLV-US (excluding family trips and maybe 1 flight to somewhere else in europe a year). All of these flights are in business class (or CW, if flying BA).
Therefore, as for the soft benefit of priority in op-ups, I'll only get it in about 25% of my flights (LHR-US).
I have experienced myself great service by BA's office in TLV. For example, there was a time they had a system glitch and didn't give me a credit for a flight which I upgraded with miles, so the supervisor at BA call center in TLV also gave me 25000 avios (than miles) as a compensation.
However, I've also experience good (but not great) service with LY. They usually open up award seats if needed (without charging double miles, but that's after a very long wait-listing) and in my previous membership year they renewed gold for me thought if I had 1600 points (out of required 1800). However, in my current LY membership year I will earn no more than 1300 points (due to personal reasons that caused me to cancel a 700 points trip).
I also need to consider the fact that in 2014 I'll have to travel twice to HKG (leading me to only travel once to the US instead of the usual 3 times a year). For the TLV-HKG route, LY is better than BA, mostly because of the fact that the flight is direct and is guaranteed not to fly over arab countries.
Maybe this should be part of what I need to consider?
I think that when BA will change their terminal in LHR again (probably in 2014), I may give this thing a second thought.
BTW, I heard that BA has a new lounge in TLV? Has anyone been to it, and can give me derails?
Thanks.
