EC changes : will you switch ?
 

Just curious to know what your plans are after the EC changes come into effect : will you stick to BA, switch to an other FF program, or else ?

In my case (mostly eco traveller, Silver, based on the continent) I think I will end my almost systematic allegiance to BA for long haul flying. I had come to the EC after Flying Blue introduced its own "enhancements" (plus the 10-abreast seating on 777s) a few years ago. But this time I will not really switch, as I do not know of any other program which would provide me a really better incentive. So I will shop long-haul as I have been doing short-haul for a while now : first criteria will be price and convenience, rather than loyalty.

The days of FFP fun will soon be over for me. Paradoxally, I almost feel relieved as it will make my travel planning much simpler !

100% yes.

Around £20k leisure flights each year lost to BA.

But to qualify........what I won't do is actively seek out BA. I will just make an unemotional choice based on practicalities.

Thank goodness I've got AAdvantage Platinum for life (OW-Sapphire). I was about to buy a ticket to do a tier point run. Good thing I didn't ! Glad I didn't. I was earning most of my miles through cheapo tickets. The reduction of 100% miles to 25% on discounted tickets was my reason for sticking with BAEC.

I was about to start a thread asking "where would you go?"

For me the benefits of BAEC are the AA alliance/route network and the Tier Point systems, which still seems like the easiest way to get status.

I travel to the US a several times a year, and the idea of relying on Delta (for Virgin) or United for LH doesn't appeal.

Switch frequent flyer program? Probably not, there's not another carrier with a FFP that would suit my travel patterns.

Pay less attention to chasing avios and tier points when deciding to whether fly with BA or another carrier? Definitely.

No.

I had already switched for long haul premium as BA products are simply poor. Shorthaul is shorthaul and will be price driven. The incentive to fly BA shorthaul has now pretty much gone so price will win out more often now. Biggest problem is that LHR is 21 miles away so price difference will be between LH and BA or such like. I wont be rushing to LTN or STN any time soon

Now if someone comes up with a household account for AA then it really is bye bye BAEC. Not holding my breath however.

I would switch in a heartbeat if there were a better alternative out there.

M&M and FlyingBlue seem to be at least as bad, United only really works for long hauls on their own metal, IB is the same as BA... Maybe AA might be better but if they become 100% revenue focused, it seems futile. I'm more worried about status than redemption.

So unless someone has some brilliant suggestions, I think BA has left just enough in to be exactly competitive with the market. I'm more likely to cut back, or go for gold via TP running, than I am to switch and go be silver elsewhere.

Yes, definitely. I fly mostly S/H and a couple of L/H a year, all in economy (unless it's a redemption). Will be using Star Alliance where I can as I'm currently just over 4K away from renewing Gold for 2016. Also happy to fly EasyJet in Europe.

Of course I will continue to check BA fares and travel to destinations that may not be served by other airlines.

The question is ... what programme should I credit my OW flights to? AA?

I won't switch - after the last round of changes (EuroGold abolished (after a delay), per-sector pricing for redemptions (which UK domestic customers were shielded from, til now) I decided not to continue running for Gold, but to remain content with Silver.

Ironically, I will turn Silver just after these changes come into effect. I might have to have a rethink and see if Silver and/or Avios are as useful now after these latest changes.

Having dumped Flying Blue for similar reasons some time ago, it's nice to be set free from another alliance, and to be able to book each trip each time totally independently of alliance-requalification worries!!!

The writing is on the wall for FFPs. I have become much more value focused in the last 18 months and am now buying on value, which may be loco or legacy. The legacies aren't going to reward me for my Scroogian tendencies (fair enough), so I've invested in a Priority Pass and am now buying the seats I really need, e.g. flying up to Heathrow in Y on the upper deck of a QR A380 day flight, in the aisle seat of a pair, cost £185 (for a one way ticket) and I'll pocket the difference between that and business for when I need to do an overnight segment and then buy a flat bed. I have no idea if this incredible cheap price even earns any Avios.... and don't care.

I think I will become a lot smarter buyer and save a small fortune, which will then pay for leisure flights. As I run a small business, I am lucky to be able to do this and feel sorry for those obliged to use a corporate agent/travel manager, who will lose a nice perk.

I may not switch from BAEC, but I will certainly cease flying BA (to be fair I already have in most cases).

I'm usually on the egde of Silver/Gold, so I'll now just fly Cathay/QR who offer a much better product for what will now be a similar earn rate. I'll just do my 2 domestic returns a year to maintain status.

I will also cease redeeming on any BA flights.

Depending on the upcoming CX revamp I may leave BAEC entirely.

No immediate reason for me to leave BAEC but if I drop status at any point there's even less reason to choose them for future flights.

I will from now on book the best price flights backed up by lounge pass or PP as I try not to fly from LHR it will not be such a loss to me even though I will be gold by early April. So in effect BA will lose out on my spend if they fail on the price plus lounge costs,but I'm sure they will not notice it. I'm also sure that I am not alone with those thoughts.
John

No.

Where to? M&M are worse, Flying Blue is much worse. I run a small consulting business and my clients are aware of my D-and-above policy. BA/QR/Finnair business products are comparable. And the only reason I'm still with M&M is due to LX's very decent F and C product on L/H (and the limo service in MUC/FRA).

I won't switch, but I will no longer go out of my way to fly BA. So a significant portion of my travel will now be on other Airlines which fly direct from my local airport.