Cw novice

Pretty lengthy article in the Sunday Times today on our Tier Point running habits. The non collection of a hire car gets a mention as does Sofia:

"While many people try to fly less to cut their carbon footprint, there is still one group of passengers who doggedly criss-cross the globe, braving jet lag on marathon journeys.

They fly to Hawaii for 45 minutes, or to Australia for a dinner with friends, taking journeys that can stretch over several days and a dozen time zones. Why?

They are on a mission to gain — and retain — airline gold cards which entitle them to enjoy airport lounges, seat selection and priority boarding. Attentive staff pamper them with free food and drink, as if to waft away the stresses and indignities of mass-market travel"

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d3fea1b2-9450-11ed-a195-2b5c5dce7b9b?shareToken=3b477aaa89572c5c636f667a5f b5e76d


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VictorSierra

Your link didn’t quite work, so here it is: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d...5-2b5c5dce7b9b

The whole thing feels like a fair assumption of what some of us do. That said, not sure this deserved it’s own article but at least they’re not trying to sell you a credit card whilst they’re at it

HIDDY

''BA Gold members are allowed to use the Concorde lounges''......hmmmmm.

KARFA

Some FT’ers were interviewed for the article - not me btw.

Wozza2404

I was irked to see that, as well. Whilst things like the non collection of a hire car is widely discussed on sites such as these, putting them into the wider media will see these loopholes shut very quickly.

But hey, I guess as there's no way to flog a credit card off the back of that information, who cares if it's thrown to the media, huh?

Ned1968

The "Concorde Room" photo is hilarious

crazy8534

I think it is an interesting, well-written and pretty well-researched article.
Some on here may not enjoy the spotlight but I am sure that it will only brighten as the questions over steps to make frequent air travel less attractive on the path to "net zero", intensify,

In terms of CCR access, it says:
"*** an IT consultant in London, became a BA Gold member by taking some tactical flights, and then got into the even more exclusive Gold Guest List. This tier entitles him to use BA’s Concorde lounges, which serve Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle champagne and offer complimentary à la carte dining and sleep pods for power naps."

Which is absolutely, technically, correct.
The photo is obviously wrong (it's the BOS lounge) but it almost certainly won't have been the author who selected it.

HfP make an interesting attempt to claim that it doesn't increase air travel and only shifts it by saying:
"Head for Points, says the main purpose of the loyalty programmes is not to stoke up demand for more flights but to prevent passengers switching to rival airlines."

Also I have always found it difficult to believe that BAH or Avis would care 2 hoots if you don't pick up a hire car- they already have your money and fewer miles on a vehicle or another car available to hire out again the next day when they see it hasn't been collected is net positive for them.

Corpt

The sense of outrage in some of the comments is quite entertaining.

Cw novice

I hadn't looked at the comments quite yet. At least the Transcon didn't get a mention in our dastardly acts either.

I did think that some of the members here would have been interviewed. Whilst the Hawaii shuffle is definitely a TP run, I can't remember SYD being under the £3/to parameter.

chriswiles

I added a reply where someone claimed you might as well 'pay as you go' if you only want to use a lounge before flying. She didn't quite get the point.

Interesting comments about regular business flyers who couldn't care less about lounge access or free champagne. In all fairness, I rarely drink in a lounge anymore. I don't feel like I can drink like I did in my 20s or 30s, like to have a clear head if I'm boarding in the day and like to get on the wifi with my laptop. I'll drink on the plane, but normally wait for the first drinks run.

crazy8534

Yes, just quite enjoying reading them over Sunday breakfast (at home, not in the CCR!).

Some of those people are hurting

Special mention for the chap who has lost his Gold status and now BA are paying a hefty price as he flies long-haul at least once a year and is going to use ANOTHER AIRLINE from now on….!

steveholt

Clearly, they haven't heard about the Chelsea lounge...

atcer28

As someone who is ”quoted” in the interview in a supposedly professional way I will just say it’s definitely not a quote of what I said.

In terms of Sofia BAH senior management are well aware of what goes on with non car collection already as I spoke to one of them about it a couple of months ago (not in terms of me telling them I hasten to add, it was about whether the offer was popular).

The journalist was also aware of it but was trying to get a feel of scale as to the size of percentage of people that do these sort of things. If it’s on FT it’s not exactly a secret should a journalist wish to research.

And I don’t sell credit cards in any shape or form.

teledude

An absolutely terrible article.

And I should know. I feature 🤣

Steve_ZA

The article fails to mention that TP runners make up a tiny percentage of status holders and the vast majority in the higher tiers travel for work reasons. I certainly don't see them driving up demand for premium travel, in fact the opposite is probably true, although Avis at SOF might disagree.

Someone is spending ~£2K to get Gold on a roundtrip to HNL and then using lounges while flying in economy for the rest of the year surely isn't motivating BA to add more flights.