F + CW Redemptions - Should they only be available initially for Golds and Silvers?
 

There have been some hints on here that in the future (?) F and CW redemption flights might only be available to status holders although how much truth there is in that I really don't know.

So, I have several questions to see what folks think if that was ever to be the case.

1) Do you think that redemption flights should be available which is on a time scale related to status?

(Not saying that the timescales below are right but just to give a random example, feel free to make up your own)

Gold - 355 days
Silver - 300 days
Bronze - 200 days
Blue - 100 days

2) Would that be fair for BA's most loyal and regular customers?

3) Where would you put OWE/OWS/OWR in the above table?

4) Just keep the status quo? (which I am all for and would be fair to say those who have held status for a long time, acquired loads of Avios through paid flying and are as entitled as anyone to have it continue as a first come first served basis when spending Avios)

Pete

That would be a sad day for Tesco Tourists.

BA could hire George Orwell for its promotional campaigns:
"All members are equal but some members are more equal than others".

Where?

I think BA make too much money selling Avios to Tesco and co to want to implement this. What exactly would be the point in collecting Clubcard points and converting to Avios if you could only book Y/W ... ?

The timescale approach seems reasonable.

I think that is a great idea, but then I would wouldn't I?
With the recent removal of free changes to Rewards for Golds(as yet un-announced by BA, I'm still waiting to be informed by BAEC with the usual trite "as one of our most valuable customers") this would go some way to restore the minimal value of Gold over Silver.

There have been hints by several well informed posters in previous months.

I'm not saying non-status holders couldn't fly in F/J and just reiterating the odd post here and there suggesting that MAY be under consideration that only status holders could redeem in premium cabins.

Pete

Really?

First hint I have seen.
No. I don't think it is a good idea. The original air miles game was to fill unsold inventory.
It has come a long way since then.
An easy lift for Golds and silvers would be to allow airport upgrades or confirmed upgrades at check in (t-24) by using avios.... I really don't see the difficulty in doing this.

The only mention I've come across is yours!

LH are trying to make their F seem like a proper premium product (you could say the biggest thing they did in this regard was to reduce the number of F seats by half). Do we have any evidence BA are trying to do the same??

Every time the CX or AA new J product gets a mention, we get dozens of people saying "Oh, but if BA had that layout, the J seating density would be reduced and ...

... wait for it ...

... think of the reduction in the number of CW redemption seats that would be made available!"

Oh no! Here we go again... When Lufty began down this route (and other changes), I left (I was a SEN).

All BA really need to do is better manage award availability in the premium cabins. There are numerous recent examples on this board of planes flying with plenty of empty F and J seats, yet not a single redemption being available. Sure, there's a balance they need to find so as not to unduly hurt their paid ticket revenue stream.

As a Gold with plenty of Avios to burn, I would just like a more deterministic approach (i.e. release of seats) to finding F and J awards. I wouldn't back them only being available to Golds and Silvers.

I would however support a slight re-balancing of the BAEC tiers to better differentiate them.

The Lufthansa policy on F awards isn't so nice for rank file members of M&M, but it rather favours Senators. So it was noble of you to leave in protest.

Nope, there has been talk/posts on this of that I can assure you both. I am away to try and find these posts!

ETA: Here is an older post to start with.

This idea sounds like a preying Mentis !

BA makes huge amount of money selling avios to Chase, Tesco etc. Add the hefty renamed Fuel Surcharges and you are asking them to cannibalize their own treasury.

Remember BA , by virtue of keeping availability very tightly controlled, has a vaultful of Avios floating around, much of it unusable for most people. You can find this outstanding Avios as "future liabilities, payables etc"

Indeed. I save a significant number of my Avios through Tesco, and yes, I would stop. I am sure my mum and dad would too.

Golds and Silvers already receive considerable benefits through their status, not least of which is a 100% Avios bonus - that is twice as many as I would earn for instance when flying. That effectively makes redemptions 1/2 the cost of mine! (when using Avios earned by flying)

No gripe about that at all, I just think it would massively devalue the scheme for most of its members - people like myself and my parents (who are in their early 70s and enjoy a trip every 18 months or so in F and who shop a great deal at Tesco, and use a BA Amex card, because of this).

This would only happen if BA reduced the number of seats in F. Could never see it happening in CW.

Anyway, there's always Iberia.

PETER01 MUCCI, BA Silver, Fons Rumoris