Why doesn't IAG standardise on OneWorld and other benefits?
Dec 22, 2017, 6:03 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard
Posts: 7,549
It's quite a contrast from the US carrier customer segmentation, where they segregate mostly on fare rather than brand or product. All of the mergers here have resulted in forming a single brand to expand the route network, rather than having multiple airlines to operate. In the case of LH and KL-AF their traditional separate brands has made sense as they are country specific brands and there's still a strong sense of flying the local brand carrier (whereas in the US, we almost prefer to fly the non-US brand!). Attempts in the US by legacy carriers to start separate low cost brands have never really worked out (similar to BA's earlier attempts with Go if I understand correctly).
Dec 22, 2017, 6:13 am
#32
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: LON BCN SYD
Programs: BA, OZ, A3, VA, VS, DL, QF, former BD and others
Posts: 1,074
IAG may have chosen not to align tier benefits across its group, but plenty of other airline groups offer their frequent flyers points earn and applicable benefits on their LCC subsidiaries/group airlines: LH group and Eurowings, Aegean and Olypmic, Singapore and SilkAir, Qantas and Jetstar - there is a precedent for this. IAG must have considered this, and either decided not to do offer it, or perhaps has not got round to deciding on or implementing changes (as far as I remember, the recent investor presentation mentioned something along the lines of looking at a common loyalty proposition across the group).
As a customer who has flown BA, VY and EI, and experienced differing points earning opportunities/status benefits on each, I would prefer all IAG airlines to join (in the case of EI, to re-join) OW, as this would make flying these airlines more attractive for me as a customer, but I recognise that there would be costs to these airlines joining OW, and that this may not be something that IAG wants to pursue for all airlines in the group.
However I do think IAG is missing a trick by not extending points earning (including tier point earning) and applicable/easily transferrable points status benefits across airlines within IAG. True, this is possible to some extent with codeshares, but not everyone flies from a single country to destinations in other countries and back. I have needed to fly intra-continental Europe routes, and from continental Europe to UK regions on routes where VY operates and BA does not have a codeshare on the route, and there must be many others in this situation across IAG's route network.
If there is nothing to be gained from booking VY over Easyjet or Ryanair, a regular BA customer has no incentive to book VY for the occasional flight they need to book on a route where BA do not offer a flight but VY and others do, and similarity for a regular VY or EI booker booking the occasional flight on BA. Lufthansa and others obviously think that this makes sense for them.
The current system is a confusing mesh of rules regarding lounge access and other status benefits on different carriers while making points earn conditional on how the ticket was booked, and many flyers who participate in IAG's loyalty schemes, but predominantly fly one airline may not be aware the detail involved, and book their ticket in a way that reduces or negates points earn and prevents status benefits applying, then be disappointed by their airport or in-flight experiences.
In particular, given VY's situation as an airline owned by IAG and not IB, it makes little sense that IB frequent flyers booking on VY get a different package to BA frequent flyers booking on VY.
Offering easy points earn and status benefits across IAG group airlines for IAG group frequent flyers, as LH group do, might keep some bookings within IAG that presently go elsewhere, and would improve customer loyalty and brand image amongst IAG group airlines. In most cases, the cost to IAG would be negligible (priority check in and boarding don't cost the airlines anything; increased baggage allowance and seat selection benefits probably do not cost much as not all customers bring more bags, or would use paid seat selection; while lounge access is a relatively low cost which is accepted when an frequent flyer already has status with that airline). IAG might find that the benefits of this could outweigh the costs.
As a customer who has flown BA, VY and EI, and experienced differing points earning opportunities/status benefits on each, I would prefer all IAG airlines to join (in the case of EI, to re-join) OW, as this would make flying these airlines more attractive for me as a customer, but I recognise that there would be costs to these airlines joining OW, and that this may not be something that IAG wants to pursue for all airlines in the group.
However I do think IAG is missing a trick by not extending points earning (including tier point earning) and applicable/easily transferrable points status benefits across airlines within IAG. True, this is possible to some extent with codeshares, but not everyone flies from a single country to destinations in other countries and back. I have needed to fly intra-continental Europe routes, and from continental Europe to UK regions on routes where VY operates and BA does not have a codeshare on the route, and there must be many others in this situation across IAG's route network.
If there is nothing to be gained from booking VY over Easyjet or Ryanair, a regular BA customer has no incentive to book VY for the occasional flight they need to book on a route where BA do not offer a flight but VY and others do, and similarity for a regular VY or EI booker booking the occasional flight on BA. Lufthansa and others obviously think that this makes sense for them.
The current system is a confusing mesh of rules regarding lounge access and other status benefits on different carriers while making points earn conditional on how the ticket was booked, and many flyers who participate in IAG's loyalty schemes, but predominantly fly one airline may not be aware the detail involved, and book their ticket in a way that reduces or negates points earn and prevents status benefits applying, then be disappointed by their airport or in-flight experiences.
In particular, given VY's situation as an airline owned by IAG and not IB, it makes little sense that IB frequent flyers booking on VY get a different package to BA frequent flyers booking on VY.
Offering easy points earn and status benefits across IAG group airlines for IAG group frequent flyers, as LH group do, might keep some bookings within IAG that presently go elsewhere, and would improve customer loyalty and brand image amongst IAG group airlines. In most cases, the cost to IAG would be negligible (priority check in and boarding don't cost the airlines anything; increased baggage allowance and seat selection benefits probably do not cost much as not all customers bring more bags, or would use paid seat selection; while lounge access is a relatively low cost which is accepted when an frequent flyer already has status with that airline). IAG might find that the benefits of this could outweigh the costs.
Last edited by wyvern; Dec 22, 2017 at 6:18 am
Dec 22, 2017, 10:55 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
If you are on a BA issued ticket in J or F arriving at LHR on BA then you get lounge access with EI in LHR for onward to DUB/ORK/SNN if the EI flight is on the same ticket.
Silver or better when flying to/from LHR have lounge access at DUB/ORK/SNN/LHR flying EI regardless of the ticketing carrier
You also get tier points as the EI flight was sold by BA under a BA code
Silver or better when flying to/from LHR have lounge access at DUB/ORK/SNN/LHR flying EI regardless of the ticketing carrier
You also get tier points as the EI flight was sold by BA under a BA code
IAG may have chosen not to align tier benefits across its group, but plenty of other airline groups offer their frequent flyers points earn and applicable benefits on their LCC subsidiaries/group airlines: LH group and Eurowings, Aegean and Olypmic, Singapore and SilkAir, Qantas and Jetstar - there is a precedent for this. IAG must have considered this, and either decided not to do offer it, or perhaps has not got round to deciding on or implementing changes (as far as I remember, the recent investor presentation mentioned something along the lines of looking at a common loyalty proposition across the group).
As a customer who has flown BA, VY and EI, and experienced differing points earning opportunities/status benefits on each, I would prefer all IAG airlines to join (in the case of EI, to re-join) OW, as this would make flying these airlines more attractive for me as a customer, but I recognise that there would be costs to these airlines joining OW, and that this may not be something that IAG wants to pursue for all airlines in the group.
However I do think IAG is missing a trick by not extending points earning (including tier point earning) and applicable/easily transferrable points status benefits across airlines within IAG. True, this is possible to some extent with codeshares, but not everyone flies from a single country to destinations in other countries and back. I have needed to fly intra-continental Europe routes, and from continental Europe to UK regions on routes where VY operates and BA does not have a codeshare on the route, and there must be many others in this situation across IAG's route network.
If there is nothing to be gained from booking VY over Easyjet or Ryanair, a regular BA customer has no incentive to book VY for the occasional flight they need to book on a route where BA do not offer a flight but VY and others do, and similarity for a regular VY or EI booker booking the occasional flight on BA. Lufthansa and others obviously think that this makes sense for them.
The current system is a confusing mesh of rules regarding lounge access and other status benefits on different carriers while making points earn conditional on how the ticket was booked, and many flyers who participate in IAG's loyalty schemes, but predominantly fly one airline may not be aware the detail involved, and book their ticket in a way that reduces or negates points earn and prevents status benefits applying, then be disappointed by their airport or in-flight experiences.
In particular, given VY's situation as an airline owned by IAG and not IB, it makes little sense that IB frequent flyers booking on VY get a different package to BA frequent flyers booking on VY.
Offering easy points earn and status benefits across IAG group airlines for IAG group frequent flyers, as LH group do, might keep some bookings within IAG that presently go elsewhere, and would improve customer loyalty and brand image amongst IAG group airlines. In most cases, the cost to IAG would be negligible (priority check in and boarding don't cost the airlines anything; increased baggage allowance and seat selection benefits probably do not cost much as not all customers bring more bags, or would use paid seat selection; while lounge access is a relatively low cost which is accepted when an frequent flyer already has status with that airline). IAG might find that the benefits of this could outweigh the costs.
As a customer who has flown BA, VY and EI, and experienced differing points earning opportunities/status benefits on each, I would prefer all IAG airlines to join (in the case of EI, to re-join) OW, as this would make flying these airlines more attractive for me as a customer, but I recognise that there would be costs to these airlines joining OW, and that this may not be something that IAG wants to pursue for all airlines in the group.
However I do think IAG is missing a trick by not extending points earning (including tier point earning) and applicable/easily transferrable points status benefits across airlines within IAG. True, this is possible to some extent with codeshares, but not everyone flies from a single country to destinations in other countries and back. I have needed to fly intra-continental Europe routes, and from continental Europe to UK regions on routes where VY operates and BA does not have a codeshare on the route, and there must be many others in this situation across IAG's route network.
If there is nothing to be gained from booking VY over Easyjet or Ryanair, a regular BA customer has no incentive to book VY for the occasional flight they need to book on a route where BA do not offer a flight but VY and others do, and similarity for a regular VY or EI booker booking the occasional flight on BA. Lufthansa and others obviously think that this makes sense for them.
The current system is a confusing mesh of rules regarding lounge access and other status benefits on different carriers while making points earn conditional on how the ticket was booked, and many flyers who participate in IAG's loyalty schemes, but predominantly fly one airline may not be aware the detail involved, and book their ticket in a way that reduces or negates points earn and prevents status benefits applying, then be disappointed by their airport or in-flight experiences.
In particular, given VY's situation as an airline owned by IAG and not IB, it makes little sense that IB frequent flyers booking on VY get a different package to BA frequent flyers booking on VY.
Offering easy points earn and status benefits across IAG group airlines for IAG group frequent flyers, as LH group do, might keep some bookings within IAG that presently go elsewhere, and would improve customer loyalty and brand image amongst IAG group airlines. In most cases, the cost to IAG would be negligible (priority check in and boarding don't cost the airlines anything; increased baggage allowance and seat selection benefits probably do not cost much as not all customers bring more bags, or would use paid seat selection; while lounge access is a relatively low cost which is accepted when an frequent flyer already has status with that airline). IAG might find that the benefits of this could outweigh the costs.
Dec 23, 2017, 3:14 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: EIDW
Programs: Aer Lingus Concierge, Radisson Rewards Platinum, BW Diamond, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,968
If you travel Y there is no difference at all
It works both ways Aer Club earns nothing unless its EI code, EI aircraft. No lounge access in LHR flying BA either, so BAEC is doing better. That really is where the complaint lies inconsistency. Flight ticketed by an IAG carrier on another IAG carrier with an IAG code should be status earning. The lounge etc is a separate issue (cost)
Dec 23, 2017, 5:26 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
You miss out on collecting a small number of tier points as its Y only, that said EI is more reliable on DUB-LHR and T2 is so much nicer than the chaos at T5 and if you arrive into T5B the time to gate isn't hugely different as you can grab the T2 bus from the hidden door in T5B. Folks in my office insist on DUB LHR on EI due regular delays when past flying BA, sure delays happen to every airline but BA shorthaul is always the first to go wrong.
If you travel Y there is no difference at all
It works both ways Aer Club earns nothing unless its EI code, EI aircraft. No lounge access in LHR flying BA either, so BAEC is doing better. That really is where the complaint lies inconsistency. Flight ticketed by an IAG carrier on another IAG carrier with an IAG code should be status earning. The lounge etc is a separate issue (cost)
If you travel Y there is no difference at all
It works both ways Aer Club earns nothing unless its EI code, EI aircraft. No lounge access in LHR flying BA either, so BAEC is doing better. That really is where the complaint lies inconsistency. Flight ticketed by an IAG carrier on another IAG carrier with an IAG code should be status earning. The lounge etc is a separate issue (cost)
Flying Vueling ZRH-BCN - can you earn BA Avios points? popped up yesterday, which further illustrates the challenge here. corporate-wage-slaves provided very informative and detailed instructions on the process to get VY tier points into your BA account, but the OP decided it wasn't really worth the effort. I came to the same conclusion on a recent pair of EI flights.