Lifetime Silver - Will BA ever introduce it?
Apr 27, 2015, 11:40 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Apr 27, 2015, 1:48 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
BA is no longer the benevolent old Uncle we used to know. Instead, he has morphed into a penny-pinching old Grandfather (the image of Private Fraser from Dad's Army flashes across my mind) who cares naught for anyone or anything except scraping money from every corner of his existence, and shovelling it into a tin under the bed.
BRAVO Uncle T ^ ^ BRAVO
Apr 27, 2015, 1:51 pm
#18
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
I asked James Hillier this very question shortly after LTG and LTGGL were introduced. There are no plans to add LTS.
Apr 27, 2015, 3:53 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
It won't happen...if anything, the scrapping of Lifetime Gold is more likely to happen.
I used to love flying even in economy, the longer the flight the more excited I got. Now I find it all a bit of a nuisance so I'm glad there wasn't such a thing to chase when I was young or it would have ended up being a waste of money. I was more interested in chasing girls anyway.
I used to love flying even in economy, the longer the flight the more excited I got. Now I find it all a bit of a nuisance so I'm glad there wasn't such a thing to chase when I was young or it would have ended up being a waste of money. I was more interested in chasing girls anyway.
Apr 27, 2015, 4:13 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,166
I have a "I have a Wife tag" which I proudly display on my finger.
Feb 6, 2019, 9:56 am
#23
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,208
I thought I would resurrect this in case anyone (relevant) at BA is following the Board. I have just hit 25k LT points and think this would be a perfect level for LTS 
I think earlier posters maybe miss the main point. It would be to reward people like me who have been loyal BA flyers for many decades, with a relatively even spread of travel - in my case dating back long before TPs had even been introduced. One of my gripes is that I get no recognition for all the Concorde and TATL F trips I did before TPs were even a glimmer in Mr Hillier's eye - or maybe even before Mr Hillier was born
I have made Gold for many, years but even then I am not really that close to LTG. My problem is that retirement looms, and with it the end of the longhaul premium business flights. All I want is some little reward - by way of easy check-in and lounge access - to ease my wearied way through the airport on my ET holiday flights. Its not that much to ask after a lifetime's loyal flying !
So if anyone relevant is reading this, please do give it a thought ....
I think earlier posters maybe miss the main point. It would be to reward people like me who have been loyal BA flyers for many decades, with a relatively even spread of travel - in my case dating back long before TPs had even been introduced. One of my gripes is that I get no recognition for all the Concorde and TATL F trips I did before TPs were even a glimmer in Mr Hillier's eye - or maybe even before Mr Hillier was born
I have made Gold for many, years but even then I am not really that close to LTG. My problem is that retirement looms, and with it the end of the longhaul premium business flights. All I want is some little reward - by way of easy check-in and lounge access - to ease my wearied way through the airport on my ET holiday flights. Its not that much to ask after a lifetime's loyal flying !
So if anyone relevant is reading this, please do give it a thought ....
Feb 6, 2019, 11:57 am
#24
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,274
srbrenna,
I remember something like this back in the 90s. By the time I had achieved the numbers, they had scrapped the scheme.
Anyway, BA's historic records of my flights is useless. They do not even have a record of my one and only Concorde flight, JFK to LHR.
I remember something like this back in the 90s. By the time I had achieved the numbers, they had scrapped the scheme.
Anyway, BA's historic records of my flights is useless. They do not even have a record of my one and only Concorde flight, JFK to LHR.
Feb 6, 2019, 1:54 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 688
Is there an argument for having a lifetime bronze?
My thinking is that the cost would be very low to BA, yes the benefits are minimal/negligible to the many golds here (hands up how many long time golds even remember them ) but bit part TP earners or those only in the FF game for a few years on Y fares will be tempted to choose BA more IMO at that small carrot. Just look at how addictive the FF status game is in general (or more generally for the younger generation how they entice use in computer games and apps with earning valueless achievements for high usage).
Granted it might seem odd to have Bronze for life and gold but no silver but maybe you just set lifetime silver stupidly close to lifetime gold so as to render it nearly pointless but avoid the oddity.
My thinking is that the cost would be very low to BA, yes the benefits are minimal/negligible to the many golds here (hands up how many long time golds even remember them
) but bit part TP earners or those only in the FF game for a few years on Y fares will be tempted to choose BA more IMO at that small carrot. Just look at how addictive the FF status game is in general (or more generally for the younger generation how they entice use in computer games and apps with earning valueless achievements for high usage).Granted it might seem odd to have Bronze for life and gold but no silver but maybe you just set lifetime silver stupidly close to lifetime gold so as to render it nearly pointless but avoid the oddity.
Feb 6, 2019, 2:03 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OW Emerald
Posts: 753
I personally doubt it - as a lifetime programme BA G4L is not that expensive to attain if you keep in mind the lowest reasonable possible costs, my estimates are as follows:
- BA Gold for Life ~ £52.5k
- Asiana *A Gold for life ~ 40k
- UA Million Miler ~ 35k
- AF/KLM Plat for Life ~45k
Considering the benefits are significantly higher to *A Gold or SkyTeam Elite+, and that Silver is comparable, I wouldn't see it being introduced below 20k lifetime TPs, at the very least. And 20k isn't a very attractive proposition, I think.
- BA Gold for Life ~ £52.5k
- Asiana *A Gold for life ~ 40k
- UA Million Miler ~ 35k
- AF/KLM Plat for Life ~45k
Considering the benefits are significantly higher to *A Gold or SkyTeam Elite+, and that Silver is comparable, I wouldn't see it being introduced below 20k lifetime TPs, at the very least. And 20k isn't a very attractive proposition, I think.
Feb 6, 2019, 2:49 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,900
Before the GGL partner cards came in, and just after GFL became a "thing", back in November 2013, I was at a lovely GGL lunch with Martin Broughton, Maggie Draycottt, Frank van der Post and other BA seniors.
They were sharing the updates on GFL (there were 8,000 GFLs qualified in the first wave) and announcing the news of the GGL partner cards and they said they were considering a SFL option, but they said that they would gauge the impact of GFL first and consider whether SFL would dilute the push for GFL.
Clearly these people have now left BA - in fact I think every BA person I remember at the lunch has now left BA - but at least this confirms that SFL was once being considered !
They were sharing the updates on GFL (there were 8,000 GFLs qualified in the first wave) and announcing the news of the GGL partner cards and they said they were considering a SFL option, but they said that they would gauge the impact of GFL first and consider whether SFL would dilute the push for GFL.
Clearly these people have now left BA - in fact I think every BA person I remember at the lunch has now left BA - but at least this confirms that SFL was once being considered !
Last edited by ThatT1Feeling; Feb 6, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Feb 6, 2019, 2:54 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,047
I mentally thought 25k was LTG
There is no way I would ever make 52k
The day will come fairly soon when I wont be able to maintain sliver
At that point it probably won’t make sense to fly BA but experiment with other operators that dont have the negatives like charging for seat selection
There is no way I would ever make 52k
The day will come fairly soon when I wont be able to maintain sliver
At that point it probably won’t make sense to fly BA but experiment with other operators that dont have the negatives like charging for seat selection
Feb 6, 2019, 3:02 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...
Posts: 2,552
Feb 7, 2019, 5:35 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
Could perhaps try a different approach? Offer LTS based on number of years you reach it? Reach silver in at least 20 out of 30 years, for instance.. Would encourage people to stay BA to get more qualifying years and would mean a minimum of 12000 TPS (spread over years) to get it, assuming people hit 600 exactly. Also allows for the odd year off etc.
I await the rebuttals
I await the rebuttals