dylanks

Tobias-UK

Filthy Monkey

Lolbert

Thanks. Will see where I end up at the end of my membership year in April and will give them a call if i hit 6k TPs

Vasco Pridat

Interesting I will hit spot 6000tp this year. But am not very keen for 2 more jokers.. I enjoy the ccr.. So I was planning on crediting the 1000tp to Alaska for better revenue value
If I would get another guf2.. I'd stay with ba..
What's your thoughts?
Ask ba?

TravellerFrequently

Interesting to see my post from nearly three years ago.

Since then, I have had CCR status for a couple of years and now have Gold for Life. GGLfL does still seem unattainable but if I carry on with my current level of travel, I could just make it in retirement and it can join my free bus pass!!

Filthy Monkey

Less likely as a standard GGL member. There's definitely more flexibility around GGLfL.

nakedgrape

So I finally achieved GGLfL last month, and I must say that the recognition from BA has been pretty poor. I received an email from BA saying "We write very few emails like this, because what you’ve achieved is exceptional. It’s our great pleasure to award you Gold Guest List for Life membership of the Executive Club. Fittingly, it’s the highest status the Club can bestow, because achieving 100,000 Lifetime Tier Points is an incredibly rare achievement. Many, many congratulations."...and that has been the extent of it.

I've traveled both long and short-haul with BA several times since then, and haven't noticed any difference in service. No meet-and-greets by Special Services (or the Concorde Team as they're now known), no expedited arrivals when flying into JFK - in fact, nothing different than the standard on-board hellos I've received as a GGL member for the past decade or so. For having achieved "the highest status the Club can bestow", BA is pretty poor at making their customers feel "exceptional"!

I'd be interested in knowing if other GGLfLs have experienced a different service level since moving up from standard GGL, or if BA really doesn't distinguish in practice between GGL and GGLfL.

Lolbert

As with everything BA, my experience is that "special" treatment is very sporadic. Occasionally I will get met at satellite or A gates at Heathrow but only if there is someone available to do it once the Prems have been taken care of. I never get met at JFK. Recognition on board is sporadic too; I just flew s/h on holiday last week and there was no recognition. I think it's more of a safety net when things go wrong and you are high on the list if Op Ups are required but that's about it. The real benefit of GGLfL is in the redemptions.

LTN Phobia

It gives me a headache when an airline/hotel status is described as an achievement. Maybe an achievement in patience with the associated lifestyle but it kind of feels like a wrong use of the word (achievement, to me, is associated more with someone who has been in a serious accident learning to walk again, or overcoming something etc., not sitting/sleeping a certain number of miles/nights...)

TTmex

Perhaps a voucher for cosmic radiation sickness treatment would be more apt? ;(

golfmad

I have not achieved those lofty heights yet but when I do, I shall not be expecting or wanting any particular recognition. I'll only be interested in the benefits that accrue namely the annual jokers and CCR card.

LTN Phobia

I see it that the particular recognition being such solid benefits on offer to GGLfL.

I don't need pandering to. Just give me something tangible

Not just applicable to BA. I appreciate the in-flight shopping vouchers on SQ PPS renewal than PPS recognition on the ground or on board.

NRGsaver

As Lolbert mentioned above, the frequency of interactions from the Concorde Team seems quite random, though recently I have noticed an increase in being met both at satellites with a car and at A gates for an escort through passport control. That said, I've also had a good many flights with nothing at all, either on board or on the ground (which is perfectly fine with me).The jokers are a definite bonus and I have been very well looked after when things have gone wrong, such as operational delays and cancelled flights and also a fair few OpUps. I have no complaints at all - I expect nothing special and am delighted when, from time to time, something happens.

nakedgrape

Thanks for the feedback folks, that's useful to know. Two thoughts from my side:
1) Given the amount of business that one has provided to BA over the years in order to qualify for GGLfL, it is surprising to me that there is no personal outreach to say "welcome to GGfL, here's what we can do for you, and do you have any feedback for us". It wouldn't require a big effort, and everyone appreciates some direct, live communications. Some years ago when I made Platinum (not even IO) on EK, an account manager came to my office to say thanks for the business, here's your membership card, and here is how to contact me directly should the call centre ever not be able to resolve an issue for you. It was a nice touch and much appreciated.
2) When I've traveled with colleagues who are Concierge Key on AA or HON on LH, they very consistently receive the equivalent of special services meet-and-greet at both departure and arrival. Not something that I would care about on departure from LHR, but of potentially very real value when arriving at US airports with long immigration queues. So my question was basically about whether once one has what BA refer to as their "highest status" (which of course it isn't, given Prem), the service is on par with what their competitors provide, or whether BA still falls short in this regard. Sounds like the answer is the latter!