FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,545
Competition trying to assail the BA high contribution fortress
There has been quite a bit of criticism of BA's latest enhancements from BoB to F service changes, but in terms of competition, one of the key arguments against AF was that you could not pre-assign your seat for some silly reason. Well, now FB gold and platinum can preassign their seat in all travel classes on flights within Europe except domestics (hopefully the domestic exception will end soon). This is true including in the equivalent of BA HBO fares.
AFKL have also just launched their own super-status in answer to HON and GGL, which is called Ultimate. FB being FB there are scarce details for the moment but for high flyers, particularly those not based in London and there are many on this thread, that might be one to watch and consider.
Qualification seems to be 360k level miles over two years. MAN-LAX via CDG in business class will typically earn you 17,900 to 23,500 level miles return depending on fare type, so 8-10 such returns a year or equivalent will get you that Ultimate status, which is roughly in line with GGL qualification. Of course, FB earnings are distance based so it would go faster if you go to SCL, TYO, CPT, or SIN, and slower if you go to JFK, TLV, YUL, or DXB.
Details (or, so far, lack thereof as the case might be!) of both the new seat selection and Ultimate status are of course on the FB forum, but I thought it was worth mentioning here specifically because I have now heard two firm claims (and several more tentative ones) that the timing of those new (genuine) enhancements is aimed to specifically capitalise on the deterioration of the BA product and perceived dissatisfaction amongst high contribution passengers. In other words, competitors now feel that the BA fortress is assailable in a way that it was not until recently.
For full disclosure, I should add that I am personally not convinced so am not currently interested in seeking FB ultimate status (with my flying pattern, I easily could), and I am not making any prediction on the success of their new charm offensive to high contribution passengers, but I know several people who have told me that they are switching.