Should Bronze tier have access to Galleries (1 or 2 invites per year)
May 21, 2018, 3:03 am
#46
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: 30,517
Actually not really the same. The upgrades are what marketing people call "surprise and delight". Giving lounge passes does not include the "surprise" element and instead is likely to create an expectation or be taken for granted.
May 21, 2018, 3:10 am
#47
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 774
I don't think this is good idea, and agree with others that it is unlikely to make a difference.
However, as proposed above, the idea of purchasing lounge access/extra guests with Cash/Avios makes sense, and could be inclusive for all.
However, as proposed above, the idea of purchasing lounge access/extra guests with Cash/Avios makes sense, and could be inclusive for all.
May 21, 2018, 3:25 am
#48
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,578
From a commercial perspective it might make a lot of sense. I used to avoid BA at all cost and was a very loyal Star Alliance boy until 2008. A bad combination of corporate travel agents forcing me on BA resulted in me getting silver by accident, at which point I "tried" BA in earnest, had my next two flights upgraded, and stayed with them since.
So giving something for free can work great - if the product is great. If they "low chicken content curry" is good enough to elicit further spend may be another discussion...
So giving something for free can work great - if the product is great. If they "low chicken content curry" is good enough to elicit further spend may be another discussion...
May 21, 2018, 3:37 am
#49
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,409
True, the surprise element is what I remember the most, so yes not quite the same
May 21, 2018, 3:41 am
#50
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold (woohoo)
Posts: 189
I re-joined the Exec club about 6 years ago having assumed there was no benefit in digging out my old number (damn you lifetime tier points.... I was Qantas for 15 years in the interim). I distinctly remember being given a pass to the lounge after joining... Which would serve the purpose of showing lowly blues what to aim for.
Did this happen? Does it happen?
Did this happen? Does it happen?
May 21, 2018, 6:36 am
#51
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 94
The logic wouldn't be much different to giving Op-ups to potential Club customers instead of frequent flyers. Would work better if it was a "random" award than a published benefit.
That said, depending on when the customer(s) visited the lounge, it might actually be counterproductive - reality might no match the expectation!
That said, depending on when the customer(s) visited the lounge, it might actually be counterproductive - reality might no match the expectation!
May 21, 2018, 6:55 am
#53
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,271
As a very much ex-gold, who now flies with the cheapest available airline, I used to quite like using the lounges. However, now I have no lounge access, I feel no need for it at all. I just go to my preferred coffee bar in each airport, and am quite happy there. With the distinct advantage that you seldom get morons walking around trying to look impressive with their phones on loudspeaker.
If/when I do travel J/CE, I will use the lounge, which partly undermines what I say above!!
If/when I do travel J/CE, I will use the lounge, which partly undermines what I say above!!
May 21, 2018, 7:14 am
#54
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA CCR/GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,483
Originally Posted by Greenpen 
Clearly it depends on how you define "a lot", but a round trip from the UK (outside London) to the East Coast of the USA will get you enough TPs for Bronze - I wouldn't say that one trip/four flights is "a lot". I like the idea of a surprise lounge invite when loads are predicted to be low, but nothing else.
Getting Bronze involves flying a lot with BA so should be rewarded.
Last edited by LondonAndy; May 21, 2018 at 10:09 am
May 21, 2018, 7:28 am
#55
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rhineland-Palatinate
Programs: *A Gold (A3), HHonor Gold
Posts: 5,693
May 21, 2018, 8:40 am
#56
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,091
I'm sorry, but unless I missed something - or I did not understand your post - BA Bronze is OW Ruby, and that gives business check-in privileges alliance wide.
May 21, 2018, 11:18 am
#57
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 279
So the argument here is that maybe bronze should get a few passes to GC a year as that would incentivise them to fly ba more...
in in which case maybe silvershould get a couple of passes to gf each year?...
and then maybe gold should get a couple of passes to ccr each year?...
oh wait, maybe blue should get a couple of passes to fast track check in security and boarding each year too?...
I’d say that if a bronze would like the couple of passes it means that they are already aware of the value of lounge access and thus no need to give araser to incentivise them. Heck, chances are they may even imagine it to be a lot better than it is. You give them the pass, they come in an ‘in between meals’ period and they think ‘gosh is that what all the fuss is about?!!’
As a reminder, a single return LHR-DME in promo business class and one very cheap discounted return LHR-MAN will get you bronze. Offering lounge access on the LHR-MAN segments on that basis would seem frankly silly to me. A return LHR-DOH-XXX on QR or LHR-JFK-LAX on AA in promo business class and discounted return LHR-HEL will get you silver.
Anyway personally i don’t think it is necessary. Bronze privileges are pretty good for a potentially regular but modest level of flying...
in in which case maybe silvershould get a couple of passes to gf each year?...
and then maybe gold should get a couple of passes to ccr each year?...
oh wait, maybe blue should get a couple of passes to fast track check in security and boarding each year too?...
I’d say that if a bronze would like the couple of passes it means that they are already aware of the value of lounge access and thus no need to give araser to incentivise them. Heck, chances are they may even imagine it to be a lot better than it is. You give them the pass, they come in an ‘in between meals’ period and they think ‘gosh is that what all the fuss is about?!!’
As a reminder, a single return LHR-DME in promo business class and one very cheap discounted return LHR-MAN will get you bronze. Offering lounge access on the LHR-MAN segments on that basis would seem frankly silly to me. A return LHR-DOH-XXX on QR or LHR-JFK-LAX on AA in promo business class and discounted return LHR-HEL will get you silver.
Anyway personally i don’t think it is necessary. Bronze privileges are pretty good for a potentially regular but modest level of flying...
Also giving passes eliminates the need to extend the program to OW Rubies.
May 21, 2018, 11:28 am
#58
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,754
As a Bronze who has also been Silver for a couple of years, I don't like the idea. I am expecting to return to Silver next year and look forward to the lounge access again. I don't need to have a couple of free loans of a sports car to know that I want one and I don't think anyone needs a free pass to the lounge to make it more aspirational. If anything it might be a "got the t-shirt, what's next" result.
May 21, 2018, 11:38 am
#59
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
The T-7 free selection is IMO a good compromise.
May 21, 2018, 12:01 pm
#60
Join Date: May 2003
Location: TLL
Programs: OZ Diamond, BA Gold, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH Gold
Posts: 4,412
I am a *S on OZ and I get two passes to use OZ business lounges each qualification period for that level. it's a nice little perk, as *S doesn't really count for much otherwise. I can see a lounge pass or two encouraging some people to fly more to hit bronze (or some bronze level members to go for silver to keep their access).