orbitmic

Indeed, this thread is becoming a bit of a model of 'how to create rumour? 101':

- Take a small nugget of truth (in this case: Nicci tells us that BA only awards, BA+1partner awards, and one partner only award will be harmonised into a single scale)

- Give it a random and dramatic interpretation ('it will now cost as much to fly LAX-HKG as to fly LAX-LHR-HKG. Thank goodness there are no round-the-world awards or the rumour would have been a single LAX-SFO will now cost the same as a round the world LAX-LHR-HKG-SFO )

- Ensure you do not give people (in this case Nicci) a chance to reply to your artistic mental constructs about the new award chart

- In fact, do ensure you undermine her credibility in advance just in case she tells you your hypothesis is plain wrong ('BA always lie', 'they are trying to sc**w us', 'they have been deceptive in the past and still are now' or whatever)

- Strengthen the rumour by using self or reciprocal quotation as evidence (quote an FB maybe in another forum and say FB is always well informed ^ so this is quasi-certain, then quote the other forum in FB claiming it has been said that it is almost certain that...)

- Add a bit of action drama by mentioning vast exodus of members, class action lawsuit, lies (oh dear why is it that on FB people always love talking of 'lies' every time something ends up not being the way they wanted??)

As others have mentioned, the rumour people have created could prove completely false or somewhat true. What is sure is that sooner rather than later, full charts will be published and then people will get plenty of chance to comment/complain about what is happening. The 'September musings' thread should show us that rumour is not always true or well informed and that it is much easier to comment on facts than build a card castle out of imaginary realities. As noted above, I remain a sceptic about the other changes to be announced and will withhold comments on the new 'club' until we know everything, but I'd never pre-empt what they will consist of.

Oh, and at the risk of sounding boring, I personally feel uncomfortable and unhappy when our forum switches to some weird war on national characters. I find it totally unhelpful, not fun, not entertaining, and intellectually miserable. It is a fact that people who live in some areas will benefit more than others from the new system but I would have thought that a community like ours should know better than to use such differences to reinstate some petty wars, be they US vs UK, Europe vs US, UK vs rest of Europe, Australia vs Asia or whatever.

kered

I also think that there is a 5th group of poster, of whom I admit I am one.

Those that view the announcement yesterday with cynicism & suspicion of what's to come down the pipe at us later on when further details are announced.

True there was some good news on the redemption front in yesterday's announcement, but I cant help but feel that we are being buttered up with the good news, to ease the impact of the bad that may be on the way. It won't be all give on BA's part without a fair percentage of take too. Companies in general always put a positive spin on things to mask the negative & I think there is as much not being said, as there is being said.

Things that have come to mind include the following......

* The cessation of the Household Account !

* While they have said that tier levels will be unchanged during the change, they've not said anything about renewal, so I have to wonder will there be a re-shuffling of TP requirement combined with the possible introduction of a Bronze tier !

* From reading the "Giving you more recognition when you fly with us" line, I'm wondering is that increased recognition going be based on the introduction of a two tiered redemption system coming into play, whereby Blues / (Bronzes) will be required to spend more miles on redemptions & MFU's than Silvers & Gold. More recognition for Silvers & Golds but done with a slap in the face for Blues / (Bronzes) !!

* While the reduction in redemption spend required for East Coast U.S flights is certainly welcome, I'm very cynical about the further ramifications of that move......... less Tier Point earning on revenue flights to the East Coast ???

Realistically, we have to sit & wait until BA release further information on the changes afoot, in order to see the full picture. But the drip feeding of information, with the first release being on the whole positive & generating goodwill from a lot of BAEC members towards the changes, really smacks to me of a buttering up exercise. So I have to wonder will all those who are feeling somewhat celebratory at the moment, have a very different outlook when the details of further "enhancements" to the program are made public.

I guess so it's a case of "Watch this space (albeit nervously)"........

henkybaby

I think you mean 'American Journalism 101'...

British_Air_Stole_My_Miles

OMG - this is SOOOO unfair. I getted that Chase card and they gived me 100000 miles. I selled my grandmother and all my children to get it so I could have a lifetime trip using them BA miles that Chase gived me.

Those miles are now worthless and I have read this thread and I can see now that I cannot use them and this is so unfair and I am gonna SUE British Air and Chase because they is picking on Americans and I am gonna have to sell my other grandmother and my husband too so I can go on a free holiday somewhere.

Jamjaw

Surely SFO-LAX would cost the same as SFO-LHR-HKG-LHR-LAX all on BA metal? I am sure that is the most direct route anyway....

Ragman

Agreed - I am happy for more people to fly AA - I much prefer BA.

Thanks Nicci again for the clear responses.

Jimmie76

Welcome to FT, sorry to hear of your problems.

BAHumbug

The new T's & C's specifically refer to the HHA so I can't see them doing away with it. I wouldn't worry.



We just don't know. Most of what is in your mind will be down to speculation. I'm waiting until November - I am wondering too, but the mileage changes make me feel less nervous about it all.


Again, I think you're extrapolating too far. More recognition might be as simple as some sort of mileage multiplier for Golds and Silvers. You're not losing anything by being Blue in that case.


Doubtful - NYC is a cash cow and they won't want to irritate people flying on that route.

BAH

castcore1212

And BA should not come into the US and peddle their soon to be worthless miles on US Card Members who more than likely will want to fly from the US on partners?

Swanhunter

Guys - can we quit with the fun poking and general characterisation of certain groups of members? It is adding nothing to the discussion other than winding fellow FT'ers up.

Swanhunter
Moderator, BAEC

castcore1212

It's deducting from Nicci's statement that Partner chart will be combined into BA chart. Which is logical.

Do you have any evidence that will support things will not change?

BAHumbug

Well spend them now (you have 2 months, and can redeem up to 350 days ahead), then go to another program that is more to your liking. @:-)

BAH

GUWonder

With BA increasing the number of miles it will issue for economy class flights, any failure to entirely close down the "Euro-cheat" possibilities could well invite an even further increase in the number of US persons who look to "Euro-cheat" to acquire/retain OW Sapphire/Emerald status on the relative ease via BAEC.

I have no doubt that status earning won't be remaining the same for very long.

BAEC has given all BAEC members with an email address on file with them notice of the change. There are something like 60 days for people to do what they want to mitigate for devaluation risk applicable to this change and bookings can be made even into next summer (in so far as availability at current standard prices isn't gutted by BA and/or its partners).

This is nowhere close to as bad as what Delta Air Lines has done to its "loyalty" program customers around the world.

tangey

Well they *did give advance notice, 2 months in fact, but it was clearly not enough time in your case. What about if they give 4 months notice, and you did the transfer 5 months out ?...someone is always going to be caught no matter HOW much notice they give.

tangey

You've just cancel cards, taken people of your christmas list etc, based on NO FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT on redemption rates originating from the US, del boy had a name for that.

btw, now that you have no use for them,can I have you miles please ?