Nobody needs a Mercedes-Benz. Nobody needs a Bentley. They’re either premium or luxury products, and anyone buying one knows that a Kia or Ford would get them from A to B for much less cash. Millions choose to buy a Mercedes every year because the value proposition works for them. Perhaps these customers are willing to pay more for their car because of the product design, or technology highlights - maybe it’s about the brand prestige, or it could be unrivalled performance, increased comfort or perceived quality. The ‘luxury’ industries - fashion, cars, wine/alcohol, hotels, airlines and many others - are a complex mix of product, brand and marketing investments. They operate side by side with other non-premium competitors. Of course many components are needed to run a successful business but product substance and an aspirational brand are both key ingredients in the luxury space.

BA with its Club rebrand is seeking to reward their most discerning high-spend customers - these customers likely have a very good understanding of the premium/luxury segments and, perhaps, higher expectations than the average passenger. I think many at BA do understand luxury quite deeply. I truly believe you’re wrong and it’s about much more than getting each J or F customer from A to B.

The risk if they don’t get it right is that J or F customers who might have overlooked issues due to the benefits offered to them by the Executive Club may now feel free to choose rival products - there’s always BMW, Porsche or other premium/luxury options. Maybe Kia instead, because they’re pretty good these days too.

Would you agree that for many customers, the overall value proposition of flying with BA has changed as a result of this move? Depending on an individual’s travel patterns, another scheme may now reward them in a more meaningful way. I don’t see anything wrong with FlyerTalk members using this moment of change to reevaluate and assess what works for them.