Executive Club Changes
#61
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,899
hfly does that mean you give it a thimbs down?
#62
Join Date: Jan 2002
Programs: LH Miles&More Senator, KLM Flying Blue Platinum, BAEC Bronze
Posts: 523
Just spoke with someone in member services to confirm that a N. America to SYD award in F is going to go from its current level of 150,000 points to 420,000 points. He did confirm, but was astounded himself at the change. He claimed that this was his first call on the subject, and we reviewed the chart together.
I asked him to have someone in authority call me to help me understand the changes to the program. Really looking forward to speaking with them later today! I'll keep you posted on what they have to say...
I asked him to have someone in authority call me to help me understand the changes to the program. Really looking forward to speaking with them later today! I'll keep you posted on what they have to say...
#63
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: everywhere, BA Gold, LH, etc. etc.
Posts: 467
Last week I bought 7 tix to the UK for friends from Georgia. That cost me 210K miles and made a BIG hole in my balance. In the light of this, I'm very, VERY glad I did that, and will probably blow the rest of my balance before the summer.
The one or two (very dim) bright spots in all this do nothing to outweigh all the negatives. What a disaster! Lower earning, higher redemption, oh, and let's throw them a sop in the form of the ability to upgrade - for HALF the cost of a mileage ticket in the best case scenario.
Which way to the Aeroflot ticket desk...?
The one or two (very dim) bright spots in all this do nothing to outweigh all the negatives. What a disaster! Lower earning, higher redemption, oh, and let's throw them a sop in the form of the ability to upgrade - for HALF the cost of a mileage ticket in the best case scenario.
Which way to the Aeroflot ticket desk...?
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,415
Oh dear. What a disappointment.
I had expected the changes to reflect revenue more clearly - i.e more differentation in points and miles by fare paid, perhaps by zone and fare class, perhaps by actually revenue. It seems to have gone the other way, especially with tier points. 120 points for LHR-CAI, 120 for LHR-NRT.
IF the changes are to be accompanied by GENUINE recognition of the importance of Gold customers i.e protected decent seats, acknowledgement by crew, special services actually being visible then the pill will be easier to swallow. If not, I'm pretty sad.
At least the Amex 2for1 voucher for BA miles tickets is still with us. For the moment...
I had expected the changes to reflect revenue more clearly - i.e more differentation in points and miles by fare paid, perhaps by zone and fare class, perhaps by actually revenue. It seems to have gone the other way, especially with tier points. 120 points for LHR-CAI, 120 for LHR-NRT.
IF the changes are to be accompanied by GENUINE recognition of the importance of Gold customers i.e protected decent seats, acknowledgement by crew, special services actually being visible then the pill will be easier to swallow. If not, I'm pretty sad.
At least the Amex 2for1 voucher for BA miles tickets is still with us. For the moment...
#65
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
I think the only carrot that BA is holding out is the upgrades.
They're probably thinking that while the other changes will cause some groans, they'll create some loyalty with upgrades, as if you look at other loyalty programs, upgrades are what tend to keep people to a particular airline. (What value the people buying $250 transatlantics and upgrading bring to the airline, I don't know. But I suppose when flights are well below capacity, it is better to have a customer than not have one.)
Not sure how many flights there have been for me, but BA (with partners) has been my primary carrier. I had well over 5000 tier points in 2001, and close to that number in 2000. Both of those years included a lot of flights that earned no tier points (plenty of Europe short haul & US domestic on AA with some HP). I took 2002 off from work, and just barely re-qualified for gold with very limited travel last year.
Now, I'm back at work, and I'm self employed, and I am watching what I spend a little more.
So I just need to burn a bunch of miles booking award tickets before July 1. And after July 1, I lead the upgrade march to devalue the premium cabins.
Yes, I'm being somewhat sarcastic. I think the new program stinks.
But I will take a closer look at it ...
Depending on how the upgrades work in terms of availability and fare specifics, they might be good for a self-employed guy like me. I'm not sure I'm the target customer though (although in 2000 and 2001, I was).
They're probably thinking that while the other changes will cause some groans, they'll create some loyalty with upgrades, as if you look at other loyalty programs, upgrades are what tend to keep people to a particular airline. (What value the people buying $250 transatlantics and upgrading bring to the airline, I don't know. But I suppose when flights are well below capacity, it is better to have a customer than not have one.)
Not sure how many flights there have been for me, but BA (with partners) has been my primary carrier. I had well over 5000 tier points in 2001, and close to that number in 2000. Both of those years included a lot of flights that earned no tier points (plenty of Europe short haul & US domestic on AA with some HP). I took 2002 off from work, and just barely re-qualified for gold with very limited travel last year.
Now, I'm back at work, and I'm self employed, and I am watching what I spend a little more.
So I just need to burn a bunch of miles booking award tickets before July 1. And after July 1, I lead the upgrade march to devalue the premium cabins.
Yes, I'm being somewhat sarcastic. I think the new program stinks.
But I will take a closer look at it ...
Depending on how the upgrades work in terms of availability and fare specifics, they might be good for a self-employed guy like me. I'm not sure I'm the target customer though (although in 2000 and 2001, I was).
#66
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: everywhere, BA Gold, LH, etc. etc.
Posts: 467
Sorry, folks, I just re-read this.
This has made me really ANGRY. BA just doesn't seem to listen to those of us who provide its bread and butter.
Pucci - who ON EARTH is responsible for this? It looks to me like this will turn into a PR catastrophe for BA.
This has made me really ANGRY. BA just doesn't seem to listen to those of us who provide its bread and butter.
Pucci - who ON EARTH is responsible for this? It looks to me like this will turn into a PR catastrophe for BA.
#67
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,899
Lets hope waterside are monitoring this one today.....
"Hey BA look how many thumbs up you got today ."
We appreciate you valueing our loyaltyNOT
"Hey BA look how many thumbs up you got today ."
We appreciate you valueing our loyaltyNOT
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,345
This is the first time ever that in 2 pages of posts not one person has come forward as an apologist for BA. BA always has at least one apologist on these boards no matter how ridiculous a thing they have done in the past. That really says something.
#69
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by skippythelizard:
So what are the Qantas mileage redemption levels from NA?</font>
So what are the Qantas mileage redemption levels from NA?</font>
[Edited to acknowledge that the above levels are one-way only.]
What the heck am I doing in the BA plan?
The main reason I went with the BA plan was
the tier bonus of 100% on BA and AA flights as a gold.
I'd probably have been lifetime on Qantas if I had gone with them a few years ago.
If only there was a credit card in the US that offered Qantas miles. (I suppose Starwood could be transferred.)
Lots to reconsider these days.
[This message has been edited by skippythelizard (edited 02-28-2003).]
#70
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hfly:
This is the first time ever that in 2 pages of posts not one person has come forward as an apologist for BA. BA always has at least one apologist on these boards no matter how ridiculous a thing they have done in the past. That really says something.</font>
This is the first time ever that in 2 pages of posts not one person has come forward as an apologist for BA. BA always has at least one apologist on these boards no matter how ridiculous a thing they have done in the past. That really says something.</font>
#71
Join Date: Sep 2002
Programs: Mucci Gold Class
Posts: 2,045
I don't want to bring down the tone of all the happy talk here, but it looks to me as if booking a full miles award ticket in a premium cabin has gone altogether.
Previously, you could book a return, say, to Australia from NA in F for 150k. Now, to get a return in F you have to buy a Club World Fare then blow 140,000 miles on the upgrade.
Now apart from the massive increase in mileage requirements, can ONLY upgrade by one cabin from a paid fare. It would seem the only exception is if you buy an economy reward ticket and upgrade it to WT+.
Please someone tell me this is wrong!!
Previously, you could book a return, say, to Australia from NA in F for 150k. Now, to get a return in F you have to buy a Club World Fare then blow 140,000 miles on the upgrade.
Now apart from the massive increase in mileage requirements, can ONLY upgrade by one cabin from a paid fare. It would seem the only exception is if you buy an economy reward ticket and upgrade it to WT+.
Please someone tell me this is wrong!!
#72
Join Date: Nov 2002
Programs: UA Plat; AS MVP Gold; BA Silver; LATAM Black; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Plat; GHA Plat
Posts: 289
"If I read that Qantas link correctly, for flights of 2001 to 4500 miles (US east coast to London) ... I could get BA business class for 45K miles, or First Class for 60K miles! (Compared to 80K/100K in the BA program today, or 100K/150K after July 1.)"
Actually, you have to plug in the RETURN mileage. So, if going through the Qantas program, you would need 100K miles for business, 125K miles for first.
Actually, you have to plug in the RETURN mileage. So, if going through the Qantas program, you would need 100K miles for business, 125K miles for first.
#73
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2002
Programs: AA EXP, BA GLD, FT < 30 y
Posts: 2,106
Winter cleaning!
Last edited by CharlesMD; Jan 23, 2005 at 5:28 pm
#74
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: SAV/HHH
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (current GGL), HH Diamond
Posts: 1,293
[Edited: Oops ... meant to edit a previous post, but ended up posting another.]
[This message has been edited by skippythelizard (edited 02-28-2003).]
[This message has been edited by skippythelizard (edited 02-28-2003).]
#75
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,899
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by skippythelizard:
Any apologist would have to be a realist. They're probably on-line right know booking flights to burn off their mileage balances.
</font>
Any apologist would have to be a realist. They're probably on-line right know booking flights to burn off their mileage balances.
</font>