Yet to be announced Exec Club changes: your fears, conjecture and general grousing
Sep 1, 2011, 2:16 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: HH Diamond, SPG Plat; no plans for chasing any more airline status.
Posts: 880
Sep 1, 2011, 2:17 pm
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,335
From what I understand of the main changes announced it's interesting to note, from a OW perspective, that changes ushered in over a number of years by the QF program may have been a test bed (much as Sky used to use the UK as a testbed for product and pricing changes that other NewsCorp-owned TV platforms were considering introducing in other markets) for what's now being rolled out across BA and IB programs.
I am circumspect about the suggested introduction of a second tier of reward availability, this is exactly what QF did with its program, effectively devaluing any banked miles and making it harder to find any awards at more sensible rates.
I've no axe to grind but am curious about the intentions here.
I am circumspect about the suggested introduction of a second tier of reward availability, this is exactly what QF did with its program, effectively devaluing any banked miles and making it harder to find any awards at more sensible rates.
I've no axe to grind but am curious about the intentions here.
Sep 1, 2011, 2:24 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
Sep 1, 2011, 2:37 pm
#36
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,316
If partner awards are going to the BA award level, then how could it be only 3% of the routes increasing in miles?
Sep 1, 2011, 2:39 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
Shouldn't this thread now be retitled "Massive Devaluation to Partner Awards Announced"?
Or since that might be impolite to the official rep, maybe it would be appropriate to start another thread to discuss? I mean that is the big news here. People who liked using BA miles to fly AA to South America, etc. are going to be reamed, while a bone is thrown to those that don't mind paying the ridiculous surcharges on BA international flights (which will require fewer miles).
No, actually I am proven right. The big news about the partner devaluation was hidden in the initial announcement, but has since been confirmed, at least on Lucky's blog. The reduction in miles on some BA routes is a small bone and no way offsets the costs to millions of BA's north american members that don't use their miles on the short haul intra-Euro routes. And there is no change to the heinous fuel surcharge or LHR luxury taxes, which are a big disincentive to book BA metal with miles and virtually a deal-killer on cattle car awards.
Or since that might be impolite to the official rep, maybe it would be appropriate to start another thread to discuss? I mean that is the big news here. People who liked using BA miles to fly AA to South America, etc. are going to be reamed, while a bone is thrown to those that don't mind paying the ridiculous surcharges on BA international flights (which will require fewer miles).
No, actually I am proven right. The big news about the partner devaluation was hidden in the initial announcement, but has since been confirmed, at least on Lucky's blog. The reduction in miles on some BA routes is a small bone and no way offsets the costs to millions of BA's north american members that don't use their miles on the short haul intra-Euro routes. And there is no change to the heinous fuel surcharge or LHR luxury taxes, which are a big disincentive to book BA metal with miles and virtually a deal-killer on cattle car awards.
Sep 1, 2011, 2:57 pm
#38
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
As a person who converted miles from a CC yesterday to BAEC and who flys on CX with BA miles for rewards, versus keeping them on the CC and converting to AA instead, I am very concerned. Especially having just added 225000 miles to my BA account on the assumption yesterday that was good enough for two J seats to HKG from YYZ on CX....now going to find out it might not be nearly enough...
Sep 1, 2011, 3:05 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2
Because a lot of them like to redeem from JFK-HKG in CX First class for 150,000 miles. Based on the new 'distance' chart it's likely that route will increase (distance is over 8,000 miles). The other good redemption for US based member is North America to South America which is also likely to increase as it's c. 5,200 miles so will increase.
Having said that, how much more are the rewards really going to be? They wouldn't make the distance-based reward costs for BA/one partner/BA+partner worse than the two-or-more-partner costs, would they? And since they've said the two-or-more-partner chart won't change, that would mean, for example, that JFK-HKG-JFG will still be 60k/120k/180k for economy/business/first on two or more partners (and so that would have to be the ceiling for what it will cost under the new system, no?)
Sep 1, 2011, 3:07 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,301
Based on the fact it's moving to distance based it would suggest that they will increase in mileage. JFK-HKG is over 8,000 miles and JFK-EZE is over 5,200. LHR-EZE is 6,900 miles and 70,000 miles for Y return redemption.
Sep 1, 2011, 3:10 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
As I said when I replied earlier, the mileage for these routes hasn't been published and BAEC have said this will be published at launch (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17035794-post266.html).
Based on the fact it's moving to distance based it would suggest that they will increase in mileage. JFK-HKG is over 8,000 miles and JFK-EZE is over 5,200. LHR-EZE is 6,900 miles and 70,000 miles for Y return redemption.
Based on the fact it's moving to distance based it would suggest that they will increase in mileage. JFK-HKG is over 8,000 miles and JFK-EZE is over 5,200. LHR-EZE is 6,900 miles and 70,000 miles for Y return redemption.
Sep 1, 2011, 3:14 pm
#43
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,301
A big issue that BA have is flooding the marketing with BA miles via Chase for people who don't pay YQ with any American airline. At the end of the day they don't hide from the fact they charge YQ on awards but you then have a lot of new members only prepared to consider partner awards. It's just unfortunate that those awards look like they could potentially change the most.
So far the changes look more favorable to UK/EU members and why shouldn't they be. It's a British airline and I couldn't tell you the last time I saw a sign up bonus of 100,000 miles with a credit card in the UK.
Sep 1, 2011, 3:15 pm
#44
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: VS Silver; BA Blue; HH Gold; SPG Gold
Posts: 779
To say this has all been underhand, when we do not know what will happen is just stupid! If it turns out that JFK to hkg will cost the same as jkf-LHR-hkg, then you can say is underhand....
Sep 1, 2011, 3:15 pm
#45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Programs: BA Blue, UA Member, Marriott Rewards Gold, HHonors Blue, AVIS Preferred, Hertz #1 Club Gold
Posts: 81
For many North American BAEC members (myself included), the partner reward flights to Asia and/or South America are the only reason to collect BA miles (whether through travel or credit card rewards). If those rewards become much more expensive, we are taking a pretty major hit. BA is well within their rights to do what they're doing, but that doesn't mean we can't be more than a little disappointed.