Status extension for maternity/paternity/adoption
Jun 3, 2017, 6:13 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 774
Update on this. I emailed BA in reply after granted this benefit as I had already retained gold until Oct 2018. I asked whether I should apply for this after the current year ends or whether they will just grant gold until Oct 2019. Here is their reply:
Result 
Originally Posted by BAEC
Dear LavaJava
Thank you for your replies.
I apologize for the delay in my response, and I hope that this hasn't caused too much inconvenience.
I can confirm that once your renewal for this year is processed, as you have renewed at Gold by earning the required amount of Tier Points, you will hold a full year at Gold status. If you do not earn the Tier Points necessary in your next year at Gold, we will process a renewal based on this benefit after your membership year ends, in October 2018.
If this renewal is not automatically applied, please contact us so we can investigate further.
Thank you for your patience so far and again, I would like to wish you and your new child all the best for the future.
Thank you for your replies.
I apologize for the delay in my response, and I hope that this hasn't caused too much inconvenience.
I can confirm that once your renewal for this year is processed, as you have renewed at Gold by earning the required amount of Tier Points, you will hold a full year at Gold status. If you do not earn the Tier Points necessary in your next year at Gold, we will process a renewal based on this benefit after your membership year ends, in October 2018.
If this renewal is not automatically applied, please contact us so we can investigate further.
Thank you for your patience so far and again, I would like to wish you and your new child all the best for the future.
Jun 4, 2017, 5:02 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: KLM Plat, BA Bronze
Posts: 383
I requested on 4 May to extend my Gold status, expiring in August 2017 by a year. Had less than 500 TP, and given my circumstances, would not realistically have been able to fit in enough trips to hit 1500 by July 8. I have been Gold or Silver since 2001, and Gold for the past 3-4 years.
My daughter was born in Sep 2014, and now stays with me most of the week which does restrict my travel to short 2-3 day trips. I enclosed her birth certificate and mentioned that she took her first flight this April and joined the EC.
Today I received an e-mail that my Gold status has been extended until August 2018, although I cannot see the extension in my online profile yet. Also my daughter was given 1000 Avios. Very nice feature in the programme. I did not have further communications with BA on this since my first e-mail.
My daughter was born in Sep 2014, and now stays with me most of the week which does restrict my travel to short 2-3 day trips. I enclosed her birth certificate and mentioned that she took her first flight this April and joined the EC.
Today I received an e-mail that my Gold status has been extended until August 2018, although I cannot see the extension in my online profile yet. Also my daughter was given 1000 Avios. Very nice feature in the programme. I did not have further communications with BA on this since my first e-mail.
Jun 4, 2017, 5:41 am
#34
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: DUB/ORD/SIN/PVG
Programs: EI AerClub Concierge, EK Gold, BA Gold, BD Gold (Retired), HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,923
Could have used this benefit a few years ago when our then new born had some health challenges - great to see family friendly policies like this.
Interesting that the pain and suffering of having and raising a baby earns 1 extra year of status while the pain and suffering inflicted by BA's IT is worth 2 extra years of status.
Is flying BA like giving birth to twins?
Interesting that the pain and suffering of having and raising a baby earns 1 extra year of status while the pain and suffering inflicted by BA's IT is worth 2 extra years of status.
Is flying BA like giving birth to twins?
Jun 4, 2017, 5:47 am
#35
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,956
Interesting, it would appear that there is a large degree of flexibilty to the rules. I was asking for a extension based on the birth of my son early last year. Granted I only had 3 years of silver membership, which I dropped to 0 BA flights last year(defected to KLM) but you would think an annual spend of ~10-15K would be worth a reasonable amount. If they had matched it I would have probably thought seriously about coming back.
Jun 6, 2017, 7:21 am
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: KLM Plat, BA Bronze
Posts: 383
Jun 6, 2017, 7:37 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 774
. Sounds tough in your case, and perhaps they were looking at your recent bookings. It's not clear from your posts how you put this to BA and how they responded.Not sure 2 years extension is worth what some travelers faced over that weekend.
Jun 14, 2017, 4:05 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, AA 1MM lifetime gold, Starwood gold, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 719
My son was born in Aug 2016. I currently have gold until end of April2018. I applied for the benefit in May 2017 and received an email last week detailing that gold status will be extended beyond April 2018. My wife (also gold and applied simultaneously) is yet to receive a response.
Our holiday plans predict renewal of gold anyway, but it is very nice to have this extension in case we choose to use redemptions for the remainder of the tier point year
Our holiday plans predict renewal of gold anyway, but it is very nice to have this extension in case we choose to use redemptions for the remainder of the tier point year
Jul 7, 2017, 5:31 am
#40
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 94
Just another data point ...
Inquired initially about eligibility on May 3rd when this was announced. New arrivals born in September '16 so missed the first 7 months of my earning year (before and after the happy day). Got a response back requesting certs on May 31st.
Certs sent on May 31st and e-mail back from BAEC on June 8th advising they'd "extend" my Silver Tier for another year after my TP year ends. That happens this weekend but so far no update on the expiry date in My Executive Club.
Had 2 bookings (incl 1 x CE) at the time.
Will chase them today as soon as I've set up a HH account. Flying next week so want lounge access!
Inquired initially about eligibility on May 3rd when this was announced. New arrivals born in September '16 so missed the first 7 months of my earning year (before and after the happy day). Got a response back requesting certs on May 31st.
Certs sent on May 31st and e-mail back from BAEC on June 8th advising they'd "extend" my Silver Tier for another year after my TP year ends. That happens this weekend but so far no update on the expiry date in My Executive Club.
Had 2 bookings (incl 1 x CE) at the time.
Will chase them today as soon as I've set up a HH account. Flying next week so want lounge access!
Jul 8, 2017, 6:59 am
#41
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 774
Just another data point ...
Inquired initially about eligibility on May 3rd when this was announced. New arrivals born in September '16 so missed the first 7 months of my earning year (before and after the happy day). Got a response back requesting certs on May 31st.
Certs sent on May 31st and e-mail back from BAEC on June 8th advising they'd "extend" my Silver Tier for another year after my TP year ends. That happens this weekend but so far no update on the expiry date in My Executive Club.
Had 2 bookings (incl 1 x CE) at the time.
Will chase them today as soon as I've set up a HH account. Flying next week so want lounge access!
Inquired initially about eligibility on May 3rd when this was announced. New arrivals born in September '16 so missed the first 7 months of my earning year (before and after the happy day). Got a response back requesting certs on May 31st.
Certs sent on May 31st and e-mail back from BAEC on June 8th advising they'd "extend" my Silver Tier for another year after my TP year ends. That happens this weekend but so far no update on the expiry date in My Executive Club.
Had 2 bookings (incl 1 x CE) at the time.
Will chase them today as soon as I've set up a HH account. Flying next week so want lounge access!
Have BA sorted this for you?
Jul 17, 2017, 5:33 am
#42
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,171
Data point - sent in the email and copy birth certificate, and was confirmed a 1-year extension of Gold within 24 hours. Very efficient.
Current GCH, although not a long-term GCH (more normally silver; had a busy year c. 2,000 TPs which bumped me up in 2016).
Likely to close this TP year at around 1,000 TPs; would have probably made 1,500 anyway had I put all my flying onto BA (I used Swiss for a few LHs for logistical reasons).
But nice to have the renewal for another year, especially as it coincides with another year of being able to fly with Ratypus Junior more or less for free, and First Wing is so much easier than regular security with a pram/baby clobber...
In terms of effect for BA - effectively guarantees them all our holiday travel and probably most of my business travel for 2017-18.
Current GCH, although not a long-term GCH (more normally silver; had a busy year c. 2,000 TPs which bumped me up in 2016).
Likely to close this TP year at around 1,000 TPs; would have probably made 1,500 anyway had I put all my flying onto BA (I used Swiss for a few LHs for logistical reasons).
But nice to have the renewal for another year, especially as it coincides with another year of being able to fly with Ratypus Junior more or less for free, and First Wing is so much easier than regular security with a pram/baby clobber...
In terms of effect for BA - effectively guarantees them all our holiday travel and probably most of my business travel for 2017-18.
Jul 17, 2017, 5:39 am
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
Also - assuming that even if GGL is extended, CCR cards are not provided even if 5K TP were earned during the pre-extension year?
Jul 17, 2017, 5:06 pm
#44
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,597
Not sure about CCR - you should write in, then wait a month
for the reply.
Jul 19, 2017, 11:52 am
#45
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: Thai Royal Orchid Plus Gold, BA Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 348
Hi everyone, I'd much appreciate your advice on how best to leverage the BA Paternity Benefit.
I am currently BA Silver, membership year ending 8 Sep 2017 (card expiry 30 Oct 2017). In the past month I have become a proud new father.
Annoyingly, I currently have 590 TP with 1 eligible flight remaining before I could retain Silver via usual channel. My first trip upon return to work will be mid-Sep to Indonesia. My preferred choice of carriers (based on cost to company, flight times and my FFPs) would be either CX or SQ.
Assuming I wanted to maximise my BA Silver membership, I wonder what would be my best option?
1) Claim the paternity benefit now - thus extending my card expiry to 30 Oct 2018? What happens to my Silver membership year, or any TPs/qualifying flights that I would collect in mid-Sep 2017 if I were to fly CX?
2) Ask BA to extend my redemption year deadline by 14 days, fly CX (I could potentially force a routing that includes 1 BA leg to satisfy the 4 flights requirement), so my Silver gets renewed to 30 Oct 2018 via usual channel - and THEN I claim paternity benefit to extend it to 30 Oct 2019?
Any thoughts? Have I missed any other options? (given I'm dealing with a newborn and an exhausted mum, consider a TP run out of the question)
Thanks!
I am currently BA Silver, membership year ending 8 Sep 2017 (card expiry 30 Oct 2017). In the past month I have become a proud new father.
Annoyingly, I currently have 590 TP with 1 eligible flight remaining before I could retain Silver via usual channel. My first trip upon return to work will be mid-Sep to Indonesia. My preferred choice of carriers (based on cost to company, flight times and my FFPs) would be either CX or SQ.
Assuming I wanted to maximise my BA Silver membership, I wonder what would be my best option?
1) Claim the paternity benefit now - thus extending my card expiry to 30 Oct 2018? What happens to my Silver membership year, or any TPs/qualifying flights that I would collect in mid-Sep 2017 if I were to fly CX?
2) Ask BA to extend my redemption year deadline by 14 days, fly CX (I could potentially force a routing that includes 1 BA leg to satisfy the 4 flights requirement), so my Silver gets renewed to 30 Oct 2018 via usual channel - and THEN I claim paternity benefit to extend it to 30 Oct 2019?
Any thoughts? Have I missed any other options? (given I'm dealing with a newborn and an exhausted mum, consider a TP run out of the question
)Thanks!