carrotjuice

I took a spate of long haul and short haul J flights with BA recently... at the beginning of my first segment, I glimpsed on the manifest and saw my CIV score. On every subsequent segment, when I had the chance, I glimpsed again... up to my very last segment and - it hasn't changed?!

At first I thought CIV score would increase with every paid segment flown. Not true.

Then I supposed it would be updated only when the segment has been reflected on the BAEC statement. Not true.

Finally I conjectured that it would be updated only when the entire return ticket was flown. Again not true, because my recent flights comprised of several paid return tickets.

I'm out of my wits here in investigative work... has anyone done similar investigative work to figure out BA's supposedly well guarded algorithm?

zoosh

I believe that the CIV score is updated around the same time when Britain crowns a new Monarch

jerry a. laska

See this post:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23275262-post10.html

fripperies

Maybe your CIV updated when you purchased the flights you have now flown (i.e. the CIV you saw on the first manifest is your current CIV).

TBH I haven't the remotest knowledge of CIVs, just wondering why it has to be assumed they are adjusted sector by sector like tier points.

DominicB

Surely the CIV is the airline's assessment of how valuable you are to the company. That's not necessarily just a product of repeated flying - it's not the same as racking up tier points. If your travel pattern is known and recognised I imagine you have your score, and it may be that they would need to see some significant change in how you operate and spend before it changes....? Just a guess....

Paralytic

I do wonder if those that concern themselves too much with their CIV score also spend too much time comparing themselves to others in public changing rooms...

Does it really matter? Does knowing such things change your experience of flying BA, or the way you are treated?

beardoc

Some of us develop a fascination with understanding how things work. What makes a system function and how it ticks. For these, understanding what your CIV score is and seeing if it relates to a level of service received helps to understand the undocumented parts of the BAEC program. And that's the fun bit - working out what BA does. Like when they leaked the Hilton Operating Manual 2010 edition, it was a fascinating insight into how it all works.

FrancisA

Not that the CIV score really adds anything given that it banded by BAEC tier - 17-36 for silver, 37-96 for gold, 97-99 for GGL and 100 for PREM.

So a really valuable silver at 36 through full fare Y tickets will still score less highly than the lowest Gold achieved through cheapest discounted fares and TP runs.

Not sure either that CIV score makes any difference to service; certainly not in the way that status does. Surely CIV is more about distinguishing customer types within the status bands (a useful tool for marketing purposes and broader customer understanding) rather than something that affects frontline customer service?

81romeo

Just FYI - the CIV score can drop as well within the same membership year.

It happened to me despite travelling the same....I gave up understanding why this happens.

carrotjuice

Indeed. "Rerum cognoscere causas" - to find the causes of things.

I don't personally think CIV changes the BA service materially, but it's intriguing to understand the rationale behind more subtle parts of the service... like ranking for operational upgrades, meal selection priority, etc.

carrotjuice

It did cross my mind too... but I thought unlikely because purchased tickets can still be cancelled; I suspect BA is unlikely to change the CIV score until the passenger's flight pattern accords some 'certainty', else there will be incessant reversals and score adjustments due to cancelled tickets.

CCayley

+1

I think it's related to some psychological need to be loved or admired: "I know I'm technically Gold now that I've done that cheapo Tier Point run, but how can I be sure that BA really appreciates me?" seems to be the attitude.

LTN Phobia

CIV is something you mention to your frequent flying friends as part of a semi-willy-waving, self-deprecating joke/dig at each other, and not anything to be proud of. It's hardly an achievement, is it?

Globaliser

I love reading about this conception that CIV scores are used to prioritise op-ups. Some people obviously like to overlook the many reports of Silvers, Bronzes and Blues being op-upped when GGLs and Golds are not.

So many things go into the question of whether someone is op-upped that even if BA emailed you your CIV score every day, you would have little better understanding of how the op-up system works.

KARFA

Perhaps one needs to have a willy to fully appreciate the enjoyment of waiving said willy