Too many Elite members BA/AA
Aug 19, 2016, 8:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: Marriott and British Airways
Posts: 740
Too many Elite members BA/AA
Today I was checking in at JFK for a flight to London. There were more elites than non elite's the check-in. Are we coming at an point that Elite membership is worth nothing like we already see by the USA hotel chains Hilton, Sheraton and Marriott. The US credit cards promo's has brought millions of miles in the game. In the plane the stewardess told me that BA in overrun with US customers with mid-level AA Elite status and that BA is downgrading there Club World service. Quote from stewardess: First Class is our focus now, here are the most customers that are paying for their tickets. Any experience?
Aug 19, 2016, 8:39 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Today I was checking in at JFK for a flight to London. There were more elites than non elite's the check-in. Are we coming at an point that Elite membership is worth nothing like we already see by the USA hotel chains Hilton, Sheraton and Marriott. The US credit cards promo's has brought millions of miles in the game. In the plane the stewardess told me that BA in overrun with US customers with mid-level AA Elite status and that BA is downgrading there Club World service. Quote from stewardess: First Class is our focus now, here are the most customers that are paying for their tickets. Any experience?
Aug 19, 2016, 8:39 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,196
Every now and again we get posts like yours
The results are often
- yes there are too many
- need to make qualification MUCH harder
- But set the level so I can still be Gold
The results are often
- yes there are too many
- need to make qualification MUCH harder
- But set the level so I can still be Gold
Aug 19, 2016, 8:44 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, several other less interesting cards...
Posts: 3,712
Aug 19, 2016, 8:46 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,041
Aug 19, 2016, 8:47 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
FWIW the credit cards have (relatively) little to do with status, besides a few elite qualifying miles on AA. Priority boarding exists, but is still after proper elites. Perhaps the biggest issue is OW ruby having access to business check-in, but since there's no in-between, not really sure what can be done. Either way, I strongly disagree that status is "worth nothing," even if I'm a lowly sapphire.
Aug 19, 2016, 8:56 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Geek platinum
Posts: 2,004
If it was JFK it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that it was a super high J 744 and Y was lightly loaded. I've flown back from New York with Y being very sparsely populated which J has been much busier. But then I guess it is easier to jump to the conclusion that BA has too many elites disrupting the OPs serine progress through the airport and hence onward to the ivory tower of their choosing 
Aug 19, 2016, 9:02 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
These rants can all be summarized across alliances and carriers as:
"The qualification for my elite level ought to be set at one [Insert Metric: mile/point/Dollar/other unit] than I have."
For what it is worth, the crew with whom OP spoke are crew and not management for a reason. They have no clue what they are speaking about.
Yes, F costs more than CW and so on. But, although the specifics are proprietary, most business analysts believe that on international long-haul, it is Business Class (whatever a carrier wants to call it) which is the most profitable because it represents the best balance between revenue and cost which includes space.
"The qualification for my elite level ought to be set at one [Insert Metric: mile/point/Dollar/other unit] than I have."
For what it is worth, the crew with whom OP spoke are crew and not management for a reason. They have no clue what they are speaking about.
Yes, F costs more than CW and so on. But, although the specifics are proprietary, most business analysts believe that on international long-haul, it is Business Class (whatever a carrier wants to call it) which is the most profitable because it represents the best balance between revenue and cost which includes space.
Aug 19, 2016, 9:17 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,814
Today I was checking in at JFK for a flight to London. There were more elites than non elite's the check-in. Are we coming at an point that Elite membership is worth nothing like we already see by the USA hotel chains Hilton, Sheraton and Marriott. The US credit cards promo's has brought millions of miles in the game. In the plane the stewardess told me that BA in overrun with US customers with mid-level AA Elite status and that BA is downgrading there Club World service. Quote from stewardess: First Class is our focus now, here are the most customers that are paying for their tickets. Any experience?
Aug 19, 2016, 9:34 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, several other less interesting cards...
Posts: 3,712
These rants can all be summarized across alliances and carriers as:
"The qualification for my elite level ought to be set at one [Insert Metric: mile/point/Dollar/other unit] than I have."
For what it is worth, the crew with whom OP spoke are crew and not management for a reason. They have no clue what they are speaking about.
Yes, F costs more than CW and so on. But, although the specifics are proprietary, most business analysts believe that on international long-haul, it is Business Class (whatever a carrier wants to call it) which is the most profitable because it represents the best balance between revenue and cost which includes space.
"The qualification for my elite level ought to be set at one [Insert Metric: mile/point/Dollar/other unit] than I have."
For what it is worth, the crew with whom OP spoke are crew and not management for a reason. They have no clue what they are speaking about.
Yes, F costs more than CW and so on. But, although the specifics are proprietary, most business analysts believe that on international long-haul, it is Business Class (whatever a carrier wants to call it) which is the most profitable because it represents the best balance between revenue and cost which includes space.
Aug 19, 2016, 11:21 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
Probably those who earn their status through work travel taking their wife and two kids on the annual holiday. Multiply that several times and you end up with a crowd.