Gold Guest List beginner's guide
Jan 8, 2019, 1:48 pm
#1381
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
Let’s have a look at the relevant terms. Clause 8.3 from the terms and conditions
so from date of acceptance (i.e. the day you nominate) until membership year end (30 September 2019) and for 12 months period after (to 30 September 2020). I am not sure there is much ambiguity there.
[EDIT: I agree btw the reference to card expiry date isn’t helping, but it’s just a poorly defined term. The intention with the cards in your example has always been very clear.
I am not sure what to suggest, if you want to complain and think she is entitled to 2021 then you can try but I think you are wasting your time. Partner cards giving status for over 2 years would be contrary to what has happened for many years so i am in no doubt BA are not intending to do that.]
Fitch’s issue relates to when you nominate someone in the short period between end of membership year and card expiry, and they are only giving cards for about a year then, so it would be like if you nominated your daughter on 15 August 2018 and they would only give her the status until 30 September 2019.
8.3. On receipt of a satisfactory application form British Airways shall at its discretion issue to the Nominee a discretionary Silver/Gold Partner Card which will be valid for a minimum of 12 months from the date of issue. For Nominees who are existing Executive Club Members, the discretionary British Airways Silver/Gold Card period shall begin from the date of acceptance by British Airways of the Nominee and last until the Nominee’s Membership Year End date and for the 12 month period thereafter. For Nominees who are not existing Executive Club Members at time of nomination Silver/Gold Cards will be valid for a period of 12 months from the date of acceptance by British Airways of the Nominee.
Membership Year End means the expiry date on the Membership Card;
[EDIT: I agree btw the reference to card expiry date isn’t helping, but it’s just a poorly defined term. The intention with the cards in your example has always been very clear.
I am not sure what to suggest, if you want to complain and think she is entitled to 2021 then you can try but I think you are wasting your time. Partner cards giving status for over 2 years would be contrary to what has happened for many years so i am in no doubt BA are not intending to do that.]
Fitch’s issue relates to when you nominate someone in the short period between end of membership year and card expiry, and they are only giving cards for about a year then, so it would be like if you nominated your daughter on 15 August 2018 and they would only give her the status until 30 September 2019.
Last edited by KARFA; Jan 8, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Jan 8, 2019, 1:59 pm
#1382
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 262
Let’s have a look at the relevant terms. Clause 8.3 from the terms and conditions
so from date of acceptance (i.e. the day you nominate) until membership year end (30 September 2019) and for 12 months period after (to 30 September 2020). I am not sure there is much ambiguity there.
so from date of acceptance (i.e. the day you nominate) until membership year end (30 September 2019) and for 12 months period after (to 30 September 2020). I am not sure there is much ambiguity there.
But in my daughter's case, as it happens, her card expiry date is 30 September 2020. Please note the year. I must admit that this was a surprise to me when I checked it this morning, but that is what it says. I'm looking at it right now on the BA site: "Tier point collection year ends 08 Aug 2019. Card expiry date 30 Sep 2020". I think this is because she has already re-qualified for Bronze on her earning since August 2018 and so is entitled to Bronze status until 30 September 2020. I thought the expiry date on the card only updated when the tier point year rolled over, but apparently not. So I repeat: if we are to treat the Ts & Cs literally then the "Membership Year End" date as defined is 30 September 2020 and she entitled to that plus another full year.
I honestly do understand Fitch's issue, even though you think I don't. I am having the same issue because I nominated my wife in the short period between what I understood to be her year end date and her card expiry date. But now we are being told that our membership year end date isn't what we thought it was, and I am now applying the definition in the Ts & Cs to my daughter based on the card expiry date that is currently showing on her account. I don't for a minute expect to get that for my daughter, but what I'm saying is that BA can't have it both ways. Either they use the definition of Membership Year that everyone thinks of it as meaning, i.e. the same as the tier point collection year, in which case Fitch has been ripped off and should be able to get an extra year for his nominee, or they use the definition in the Ts & Cs, in which case (reductio ad absurdum) my daughter should get nearly 32 months of status if I nominate her today.
Jan 8, 2019, 2:18 pm
#1383
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
I think we can agree BA should draft better terms 
Jan 8, 2019, 2:32 pm
#1384
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 262
Haha, yes indeed!
As an aside, I think what's really going on is that (shock, horror) BA just can't get its IT to do what it wants. In an ideal world I'm sure they'd draft the Ts & Cs to cover what they wanted the rule to be (which would probably be a simple one year of status) and then get the IT department to implement it. In practice the tail is wagging the dog. The system works the way it works because the only way the IT can be programmed to ensure everyone gets at least a year of status is to make it so that if you time it correctly they get nearly two years. BA then try to work back from the answer and draft the Ts & Cs to fit the reality on the ground, hence the absurd definition of "Membership Year End", but they get that wrong as well and in the end the whole thing is so confusing that nobody really knows what's going on, least of all the poor sods who have to answer the phone when I call the GGL line.
As an aside, I think what's really going on is that (shock, horror) BA just can't get its IT to do what it wants. In an ideal world I'm sure they'd draft the Ts & Cs to cover what they wanted the rule to be (which would probably be a simple one year of status) and then get the IT department to implement it. In practice the tail is wagging the dog. The system works the way it works because the only way the IT can be programmed to ensure everyone gets at least a year of status is to make it so that if you time it correctly they get nearly two years. BA then try to work back from the answer and draft the Ts & Cs to fit the reality on the ground, hence the absurd definition of "Membership Year End", but they get that wrong as well and in the end the whole thing is so confusing that nobody really knows what's going on, least of all the poor sods who have to answer the phone when I call the GGL line.
Jan 8, 2019, 7:59 pm
#1385
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
As GL I can guest two into the F lounge, correct?
I assume this would also apply to F entrance at T5? Seems natural as the two connect.
Thought I'd ask just in case that's incorrect!
I assume this would also apply to F entrance at T5? Seems natural as the two connect.
Thought I'd ask just in case that's incorrect!
Jan 8, 2019, 8:00 pm
#1386
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Oh, also, I've got a short flight coming up in two weeks. I've just made GL/CCR. Will I need the physical card to go into CCR, or will the app be sufficient for this? Just I don't know how long it'll take to receive it and what this process is. N00b here.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jan 8, 2019, 8:06 pm
#1387
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,252
Jan 8, 2019, 8:09 pm
#1388
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,252
You won’t need the physical card. There are recent suggestions that it’s now incorporated into the scan of your boarding pass but even if not there is a list available to the lounge staff and your name will be on it.
Jan 8, 2019, 9:49 pm
#1389
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Germany
Programs: BA GGL, CCR - TK G
Posts: 809
You may have to insist on the list. Happened to me last month when I forgot my card. I was very apologizingly saying I was sorry if she could please check the list. She was kinda ignorant about what list. You have to have a card.. I made her ask her supervisor who came back with the list. Lol
Jan 19, 2019, 4:33 am
#1390
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
I wonder if this scenario is possible:
I have friends flying LHR-ORD (full ticket is from MRS, but am ignoring that part). One of them is on my list of five in friends and family.
They are booked into WTP. There is no Avios availability for CW. Could I use my GGL redemption to open this up for them? I am not travelling on the booking and I did not make the booking.
I suspect the answer is no, but if it was possible who would then pay the extra tax, fees and Avios? Me, I would assume?
I have friends flying LHR-ORD (full ticket is from MRS, but am ignoring that part). One of them is on my list of five in friends and family.
They are booked into WTP. There is no Avios availability for CW. Could I use my GGL redemption to open this up for them? I am not travelling on the booking and I did not make the booking.
I suspect the answer is no, but if it was possible who would then pay the extra tax, fees and Avios? Me, I would assume?
Jan 19, 2019, 4:37 am
#1391
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,930
I wonder if this scenario is possible:
I have friends flying LHR-ORD (full ticket is from MRS, but am ignoring that part). One of them is on my list of five in friends and family.
They are booked into WTP. There is no Avios availability for CW. Could I use my GGL redemption to open this up for them? I am not travelling on the booking and I did not make the booking.
I suspect the answer is no, but if it was possible who would then pay the extra tax, fees and Avios? Me, I would assume?
I have friends flying LHR-ORD (full ticket is from MRS, but am ignoring that part). One of them is on my list of five in friends and family.
They are booked into WTP. There is no Avios availability for CW. Could I use my GGL redemption to open this up for them? I am not travelling on the booking and I did not make the booking.
I suspect the answer is no, but if it was possible who would then pay the extra tax, fees and Avios? Me, I would assume?
Jan 19, 2019, 4:58 am
#1392
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Interesting. Good to know!
Possible complication: due to work schedules, their itineraries are currently staggered. So one is flying ORD-MRS on a Sunday, one on a Tuesday. The return MRS-ORD section is the same for both of them (then married - no name change yet though!). Would BA be able to merge that return into one separate PNR/new ticket number? This is obviously essential before I can phone and attempt this upgrade redemption.
Possible complication: due to work schedules, their itineraries are currently staggered. So one is flying ORD-MRS on a Sunday, one on a Tuesday. The return MRS-ORD section is the same for both of them (then married - no name change yet though!). Would BA be able to merge that return into one separate PNR/new ticket number? This is obviously essential before I can phone and attempt this upgrade redemption.
Jan 19, 2019, 10:21 am
#1393
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Germany
Programs: BA GGL, CCR - TK G
Posts: 809
I'm. Pretty sure they have to be on the same flight or you need 2 jokers.. I doubt that you can open 2 different flights .?
Jan 19, 2019, 3:46 pm
#1394
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
yes so a single booking must contain the same itinerary, you can’t have two people on different itineraries on the same booking. And a joker applies to one booking only. M
Jan 20, 2019, 8:29 am
#1395
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,739
I'm sure you're right. although interestingly the Ts and Cs say:-
[QUOTE: GGL Ts and Cs]
4.3. All passengers must travel on the same booking as the Member.
[/QUOTE]
That implies to me that you must travel on the same booking.
Mind you, the CCR Card Ts and Cs say no guests....
[QUOTE: GGL Ts and Cs]
4.3. All passengers must travel on the same booking as the Member.
[/QUOTE]
That implies to me that you must travel on the same booking.
Mind you, the CCR Card Ts and Cs say no guests....