Your BA/OW 2017
Dec 21, 2017, 12:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,529
Your BA/OW 2017
Hey folks
I think there was a similar thread last year which reviews this year's travels.
Let me start:
2017 stats:
65 flights, 50,676 miles flown
37 business class, 22 economy class, 3 first class, 3 private
Top 5 airlines (oneworld only):
Now it's your turn
I think there was a similar thread last year which reviews this year's travels.
Let me start:
2017 stats:
65 flights, 50,676 miles flown
37 business class, 22 economy class, 3 first class, 3 private
Top 5 airlines (oneworld only):
- BA (36x)
- AY (11x)
- AA (5x)
- QR (4x)
- MH (2x)
- LHR (37x)
- ZRH (18x)
- BSL (14x)
- HEL (11x)
- TLL (8x)
- LHR-ZRH (6x)
- BSL-LHR (5x)
- LHR-BSL (5x)
- ZRH-LHR (4x)
- HEL-LHR (3x)
Now it's your turn
Last edited by florens; Dec 21, 2017 at 1:12 am Reason: typo
Dec 21, 2017, 1:14 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
In what has been a year of changes for BA services, it is indeed interesting to see how it has or has not affected our travel. I haven't looked back in great details, but a few interesting bits:
1) By 31/12, I will have flown 206 flights on a total of 24 airlines in the year, divided almost equally between short and long haul flights. BA has remained my top airline in 2017 totally 36% of my total number of flights. However, that proportion hides some important discrepancies.
2) Short haul Y: there has been little change to my nonstop Y flights from LHR the vast majority of which have gone to BA, in part because I can equip myself for nonstop flights in Y and use the CCR or the CX F lounge in T5 and T3. I have also had more flights to LCY on BA Cityflyer which service I enjoy. By contrast, BA has completely lost my LGW flying (in favour of U2 and DY) and my short haul flights into LHR on BA have declined too, benefiting direct competitors (AF, KL, TK, RO, etc)
3) Short haul C: this has been one of the biggest declines in my BA business. I had quite a few short haul C flights on BA in 2016 but have had none since the new service was introduced in the Spring. Almost all of my short haul flights fall into the medium and short categories and quite frankly, I am not even willing to pay an extra £30 (that was actually one of the POUG offers I got) for that. In fairness, I have not switched to C on competitors as a result, more to Y on either BA or competitors as I have decided that I really do not need short haul C except in very specific circumstances.
4) Long haul Y and W: this is the other type of flights on which my BA business has completely disappeared. Most of my long haul Y and (rarer) W flights are connecting and in 2016, I did all of them on BA. This year, I only did one (to AMM, which I don't even count as a 'real' long haul flight to be honest), in large part because of the short haul Y component which is rubbish and which I find far more punishing when part of a long haul itinerary. I have thus flown long haul Y and W itineraries on QR, AF, KE, DL, NZ, TK, etc but only that one AMM one on BA.
5) Long haul J: Another big change here: BA is no longer my top provider which is now QR (50% of my total J flights), followed by AF which is now no2, BA (where I experience the short haul C product!), LX, JL, and smaller but enjoyed elements of MH, AA, DL, IB, CX, KL, etc. The QR progress is largely due to the opening of new routes - both in Europe and in Oceania - that are big on my travel agenda and have made QR a very convenient alternative with very consistent quality and the added advantage of the stopover programme which I have very much enjoyed when flying very long haul (e.g. Australia, New Zealand). It should be noted that since the introduction of the new CW experience, I have booked all of my forthcoming J flights to JFK on BA whilst previously, some had been on DL, AA, KL, and AF so that is one specific route on which I am reinforcing my BA business and will continue to if/when they extend it to other routes, so I expect that my BA long haul J flying will regain a bit of ground in 2018 though maybe not enough to regain the no1 spot it had for years until 2016.
6) Long haul F: Unlike J, BA still my most frequently used airline in F (a much smaller proportion of my total long haul flying than J I must say) but with a small decline with more flights transferred to AF, JL, and CX (all of which I much prefer product-wise but I am a cost-conscious traveller so I look at price differential every time and need to justify in my own head not going for the cheapest solution).
So overall, BA is still my top airline in terms of segments but increasingly due to short haul Y flights from LHR and to/from LCY and to a lesser extent long haul F. This also means tht my total BA spending has gone down dramatically in 2017. Biggest decline has been short haul C which has basically disappeared, and long haul Y and W which has basically been almost entirely transferred to competitors (it should be noted that in effect, my long haul Y and W flights are often more expensive than my long haul J ones as I usually fly Y or W long haul when fares are very high due to very short trips or one way trips etc so the revenue loss is not negligible). BA has lost a lot of ground on long haul J too but I enjoy the new product on LHR-JFK and will probably repatriate some of my long haul J flying to BA if this new product is generalised to other routes. In F BA is one of my least favourite products but often the most affordable which has protected much of my BA F flying, but in effect, I defect to competitors - such as AF, JL, or CX every time the price difference is small.
1) By 31/12, I will have flown 206 flights on a total of 24 airlines in the year, divided almost equally between short and long haul flights. BA has remained my top airline in 2017 totally 36% of my total number of flights. However, that proportion hides some important discrepancies.
2) Short haul Y: there has been little change to my nonstop Y flights from LHR the vast majority of which have gone to BA, in part because I can equip myself for nonstop flights in Y and use the CCR or the CX F lounge in T5 and T3. I have also had more flights to LCY on BA Cityflyer which service I enjoy. By contrast, BA has completely lost my LGW flying (in favour of U2 and DY) and my short haul flights into LHR on BA have declined too, benefiting direct competitors (AF, KL, TK, RO, etc)
3) Short haul C: this has been one of the biggest declines in my BA business. I had quite a few short haul C flights on BA in 2016 but have had none since the new service was introduced in the Spring. Almost all of my short haul flights fall into the medium and short categories and quite frankly, I am not even willing to pay an extra £30 (that was actually one of the POUG offers I got) for that. In fairness, I have not switched to C on competitors as a result, more to Y on either BA or competitors as I have decided that I really do not need short haul C except in very specific circumstances.
4) Long haul Y and W: this is the other type of flights on which my BA business has completely disappeared. Most of my long haul Y and (rarer) W flights are connecting and in 2016, I did all of them on BA. This year, I only did one (to AMM, which I don't even count as a 'real' long haul flight to be honest), in large part because of the short haul Y component which is rubbish and which I find far more punishing when part of a long haul itinerary. I have thus flown long haul Y and W itineraries on QR, AF, KE, DL, NZ, TK, etc but only that one AMM one on BA.
5) Long haul J: Another big change here: BA is no longer my top provider which is now QR (50% of my total J flights), followed by AF which is now no2, BA (where I experience the short haul C product!), LX, JL, and smaller but enjoyed elements of MH, AA, DL, IB, CX, KL, etc. The QR progress is largely due to the opening of new routes - both in Europe and in Oceania - that are big on my travel agenda and have made QR a very convenient alternative with very consistent quality and the added advantage of the stopover programme which I have very much enjoyed when flying very long haul (e.g. Australia, New Zealand). It should be noted that since the introduction of the new CW experience, I have booked all of my forthcoming J flights to JFK on BA whilst previously, some had been on DL, AA, KL, and AF so that is one specific route on which I am reinforcing my BA business and will continue to if/when they extend it to other routes, so I expect that my BA long haul J flying will regain a bit of ground in 2018 though maybe not enough to regain the no1 spot it had for years until 2016.
6) Long haul F: Unlike J, BA still my most frequently used airline in F (a much smaller proportion of my total long haul flying than J I must say) but with a small decline with more flights transferred to AF, JL, and CX (all of which I much prefer product-wise but I am a cost-conscious traveller so I look at price differential every time and need to justify in my own head not going for the cheapest solution).
So overall, BA is still my top airline in terms of segments but increasingly due to short haul Y flights from LHR and to/from LCY and to a lesser extent long haul F. This also means tht my total BA spending has gone down dramatically in 2017. Biggest decline has been short haul C which has basically disappeared, and long haul Y and W which has basically been almost entirely transferred to competitors (it should be noted that in effect, my long haul Y and W flights are often more expensive than my long haul J ones as I usually fly Y or W long haul when fares are very high due to very short trips or one way trips etc so the revenue loss is not negligible). BA has lost a lot of ground on long haul J too but I enjoy the new product on LHR-JFK and will probably repatriate some of my long haul J flying to BA if this new product is generalised to other routes. In F BA is one of my least favourite products but often the most affordable which has protected much of my BA F flying, but in effect, I defect to competitors - such as AF, JL, or CX every time the price difference is small.
Last edited by orbitmic; Dec 21, 2017 at 2:48 am
Dec 21, 2017, 1:43 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London, Strathaven
Programs: BA (Gold). Various other statuses
Posts: 1,466
Due to changes in personal circumstances, in 2017 I took more domestic flights than usual and of those more were with easyJet than BA for some reason?
71 flights (+ 3 still to take)
40,719 miles
136h 35min flying time
Top airports: GLA (51), LGW (49), LHR (12)
Top airlines: U2 (38), BA (30)
Top routes: LGW-GLA (23), GLA-LGW (18), GLA-LCY (6)
Top countries: GB (71), ES (9), DE (4)
71 flights (+ 3 still to take)
40,719 miles
136h 35min flying time
Top airports: GLA (51), LGW (49), LHR (12)
Top airlines: U2 (38), BA (30)
Top routes: LGW-GLA (23), GLA-LGW (18), GLA-LCY (6)
Top countries: GB (71), ES (9), DE (4)
Dec 21, 2017, 1:50 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: London
Posts: 71
Due to my position at one of the ME3 (you can guess which), my 2017 should finish as follows:
43 flights
164,162 miles
235 hrs flying time
Top airports: DOH (29), LHR (23), FRA (6)
Top airlines: QR (27), LH (7), BA (4)
Top routes: DOH-LHR (7), LHR-DOH (7), BRU-DOH (2), DOH-BRU (2)
Top countries: QA (23), GB (23), DE (10)
43 flights
164,162 miles
235 hrs flying time
Top airports: DOH (29), LHR (23), FRA (6)
Top airlines: QR (27), LH (7), BA (4)
Top routes: DOH-LHR (7), LHR-DOH (7), BRU-DOH (2), DOH-BRU (2)
Top countries: QA (23), GB (23), DE (10)
Dec 21, 2017, 2:04 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Gold, TP Silver
Posts: 888
By EOY 17:
92 flights
116,359 miles
285 hrs
Top airports: HEL (54), LHR (23), ARN (22)
Top airlines: AY&N7 (22), BA (15), AA (12)
Top routes: ARN-HEL (10), HEL-ARN (7), HEL-LHR (4)
Top countries: FI (54), GB (26), SE (24)
92 flights
116,359 miles
285 hrs
Top airports: HEL (54), LHR (23), ARN (22)
Top airlines: AY&N7 (22), BA (15), AA (12)
Top routes: ARN-HEL (10), HEL-ARN (7), HEL-LHR (4)
Top countries: FI (54), GB (26), SE (24)
Dec 21, 2017, 2:39 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
Programs: *A Gold (A3), HHonor Gold
Posts: 5,693
So I wrote last year, in the same thread:
This trend continues: I had 3 BA flights this year. For short-haul, LH is now my primary choice for obvious reasons (living near FRA) but other carriers but BA are also usually considered as they are superior to BA in most aspect for the elements I am concerned with. I do not like CE anymore due to the reduced catering for short and medium bands. For long-haul I do not consider BA except if last choice. I am however impressed with the reviews of the new catering and bedding and am willing to try them again on a route where both are deployed.
I have moved to *A and is now Gold with them, while I will lose my OWS status next year and go to Ruby. I plan to continue this way even if maintaining status with *A is hard when your main metal is Lufthansa.
Stats for end of year 2017, so including 2 flights no taken yet:
Miles flown: 1200 with BA, 62 000 total (very light decrease compared to last year and strong decrease of the amount of BA miles and flights)
Segments: 3 with BA, 63 total (order: LH, SK, AY, A3, BA, IB, LX, OS, TP, JL, LA)
Classes: BA: 3 Y, Total 32 Y, 13 Y+, 17 J, 1 F
Reason: 10% Business, 90% Leisure
Avios earned: not a lot
Avios burned: all of them
Airports visited: FRA, HEL, ARN, ATH, CPH, LHR, TLL, TLS, MAD, GRX, LIS, HER, JTR, BUD, VIE, TXL, FCO, LCY, EDI, OSL, SVG, XIY, IAH, NRT, HND
Quite a lot have changed, first my situation:
- I left the UK to live in Germany, making FRA my home airport.
- I travel much less for work
This means I travel with BA much less naturally. I will not connect via LHR when I have a large choice of destination from FRA. Of course it also depends on Lufthansa actually flying () and prices, schedules, etc ...
Moreover the changes and atmosphere of last year (erosion of product, cheapening of the brand, abysmal communications) also had an impact on my choices for long haud. BA is not my first choice anymore for both Y and J.
I do still like CE for example. Compared to the few other intra-europe J I tried (LX, AY, LH, AF, KL, SK, A3), only A3 and AY are above.
But in Y all carriers I have done are now above BA. In both long and short haul. And I would say the same of the J long-haul I did in 2016 which where a tie or above BA.
The result is that for the year 2016-2017, I will renew Silver with 700 TP. And not the +1000 TP like the two previous years.
Next year will be interesting: I have JL F, SK C (new seats) booked long haul. Short haul AY C again and OS C for the first time. I do not foresee me increasing my BA flying.
- I left the UK to live in Germany, making FRA my home airport.
- I travel much less for work
This means I travel with BA much less naturally. I will not connect via LHR when I have a large choice of destination from FRA. Of course it also depends on Lufthansa actually flying (
) and prices, schedules, etc ...Moreover the changes and atmosphere of last year (erosion of product, cheapening of the brand, abysmal communications) also had an impact on my choices for long haud. BA is not my first choice anymore for both Y and J.
I do still like CE for example. Compared to the few other intra-europe J I tried (LX, AY, LH, AF, KL, SK, A3), only A3 and AY are above.
But in Y all carriers I have done are now above BA. In both long and short haul. And I would say the same of the J long-haul I did in 2016 which where a tie or above BA.
The result is that for the year 2016-2017, I will renew Silver with 700 TP. And not the +1000 TP like the two previous years.
Next year will be interesting: I have JL F, SK C (new seats) booked long haul. Short haul AY C again and OS C for the first time. I do not foresee me increasing my BA flying.
I have moved to *A and is now Gold with them, while I will lose my OWS status next year and go to Ruby. I plan to continue this way even if maintaining status with *A is hard when your main metal is Lufthansa.
Stats for end of year 2017, so including 2 flights no taken yet:
Miles flown: 1200 with BA, 62 000 total (very light decrease compared to last year and strong decrease of the amount of BA miles and flights)
Segments: 3 with BA, 63 total (order: LH, SK, AY, A3, BA, IB, LX, OS, TP, JL, LA)
Classes: BA: 3 Y, Total 32 Y, 13 Y+, 17 J, 1 F
Reason: 10% Business, 90% Leisure
Avios earned: not a lot
Avios burned: all of them
Airports visited: FRA, HEL, ARN, ATH, CPH, LHR, TLL, TLS, MAD, GRX, LIS, HER, JTR, BUD, VIE, TXL, FCO, LCY, EDI, OSL, SVG, XIY, IAH, NRT, HND
Dec 21, 2017, 3:13 am
#7
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,091
This year was my busiest ever... even if it's a small fraction compared to real frequent flyers 
Flying just for leisure (and occasionally for family reasons), I think it will never happen again to fly this much, but then I said the same thing in 2015 when I was able to get a GUF2...
Flights with OW airlines:
61,769 miles (out of 84,993 total)
41 sectors (out of 58 total): 10 Long Haul , 31 Short Haul
In details:
BA: 19 flights - 5 LH, 14 SH (2 still to take) - 2F / 13J / 4Y
AA: 12 flights - 3 LH, 9 SH - 3J / 9Y
QR: 4 flights - 2 LH, 2 SH - 2F /2J
AY: 4 flights - SH only - 2J / 2Y
KA: 2 flights - SH only - Y
Most visited airports: LHR, MIA, AMS
In summary, I increased the flights with BA this year, mostly for price reasons and rules attached (like only BA metal for "cheap" PTY & BZE trips) and to use my GUF2. Redemptions were 99% on partner airlines like AA & KA. Next year (a surely quieter one about travels) I think BA will be again our most used OW airline, due to another GUF to use and the fact that we can't go to UAE with QR anymore...
Flying just for leisure (and occasionally for family reasons), I think it will never happen again to fly this much, but then I said the same thing in 2015 when I was able to get a GUF2...
Flights with OW airlines:
61,769 miles (out of 84,993 total)
41 sectors (out of 58 total): 10 Long Haul , 31 Short Haul
In details:
BA: 19 flights - 5 LH, 14 SH (2 still to take) - 2F / 13J / 4Y
AA: 12 flights - 3 LH, 9 SH - 3J / 9Y
QR: 4 flights - 2 LH, 2 SH - 2F /2J
AY: 4 flights - SH only - 2J / 2Y
KA: 2 flights - SH only - Y
Most visited airports: LHR, MIA, AMS
In summary, I increased the flights with BA this year, mostly for price reasons and rules attached (like only BA metal for "cheap" PTY & BZE trips) and to use my GUF2. Redemptions were 99% on partner airlines like AA & KA. Next year (a surely quieter one about travels) I think BA will be again our most used OW airline, due to another GUF to use and the fact that we can't go to UAE with QR anymore...
Dec 21, 2017, 3:15 am
#8
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
I still have 10 flights to go this year, but assuming I take all of them:
- 164,059 miles of which 113,511 miles just with BA and 160,121 with oneworld (inc. BA)
- 214 segments of which 160 with BA and 204 with oneworld (inc. BA)
- 158 times at LHR all oneworld either arriving or departing, and 68 at LBA
- most travelled routes LBA-LHR (37) and LHR-LBA (28) - both BA of course
- most traveled aircraft G-EUPP a BA A319 - 7 times
Dec 21, 2017, 3:23 am
#9
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,146
I still have 10 flights to go this year, but assuming I take all of them:
- 164,059 miles of which 113,511 miles just with BA and 160,121 with oneworld (inc. BA)
- 214 segments of which 160 with BA and 204 with oneworld (inc. BA)
- 158 times at LHR all oneworld either arriving or departing, and 68 at LBA
- most travelled routes LBA-LHR (37) and LHR-LBA (28) - both BA of course
- most traveled aircraft G-EUPP a BA A319 - 7 times
Dec 21, 2017, 3:38 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
Am I allowed to petition to see CWS's travel map this year?
I'm not going to work it out as I had 1 x BA flight (will finish on 3) but spent the year exploring new airlines for obvious reasons (5 new airlines), and a ridiculous amount of long haul Y flights on Asian carriers - nothing to be happy about!
I'm not going to work it out as I had 1 x BA flight (will finish on 3) but spent the year exploring new airlines for obvious reasons (5 new airlines), and a ridiculous amount of long haul Y flights on Asian carriers - nothing to be happy about!
Dec 21, 2017, 3:46 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,529
Dec 21, 2017, 3:48 am
#13
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Dec 21, 2017, 3:53 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LHR & JER
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 253
What's everyone's advice on the easiest way to keep track of all of this?
I've done 79 flights this year so far, with 3 to go, but I couldn't tell you between BA/AA or how many times through each airport.
BA/AA: 73 (+3 to go)
QR: 4
U2: 2
I've done 79 flights this year so far, with 3 to go, but I couldn't tell you between BA/AA or how many times through each airport.
BA/AA: 73 (+3 to go)
QR: 4
U2: 2
Dec 21, 2017, 3:56 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,529