crazy8534

Something I have never experienced before this afternoon; was offered £30 if I would choose not to go to GF from TFW as it was so busy apparently. I explained that I was going on to the CCR and was let through.
Tbh GF didn’t look much busier than usual to me.

firstlight

seems you could have taken the £30, gone through south security and in by the millionaire door 🙂

crazy8534

The thought did cross my mind although when you are already a gagillionaire £30 can come or go .

makin'miles

Was it GBP 30 in cash, or a voucher for use in the terminal?

crazy8534

No idea I’m afraid I didn’t get that far, I was somewhat ‘taken aback’…!

KingCanute

Not sure what the wholesale prices are these days, but it might have been cheaper and more effective to just offer a bottle of champagne (to be collected after security of course)

above the clouds

Interesting to see the value BA places on one of their supposed top lounges for golds. That £30 wouldn’t even get you into the Aspire lounge downstairs.

Nick_USA

Perhaps a flaw for a refusal of the £30 is that it would be credited to the card that paid for the ticket, and in most cases that would be a corporate card with no benefit to the traveller.

Ldnn1

Highly unlikely. It would presumably be a voucher of some sort (or possibly to claim via bank transfer).

Ldnn1

Before you mentioned CCR, was the suggestion that you could use GC instead, or was the voucher instead of a lounge entirely?

CT-UK

and yet they are still renewing people without the required tier points and offering double points on holidays....

crazy8534

I didn’t get into the details (as you can tell!) but she was very discreet and said the lounge is very busy sir I can offer you £30 if you choose not to come in today, there was no suggestion that I wouldn’t be allowed in if I had declined and was planning to go to GF. At the same time as this exchange there was a gentleman with his wife and daughter (I assume) arguing with the other agent to be let in- from what I gleaned he was a GCH and wanted 2 guests.

Frankly, we all know that BA would be within their rights to say it’s full, sorry, and indeed we know that happens in GC North quite regularly so I am glad to see them using a carrot instead of just a big stick!

The CCR is moderately busy at what I would say is a normal level for a weekday afternoon and there was no offer of anything at the desk there. When the loved-up honeymooners leave the bar I may go over there . Oh to be in new love again….. .

Edit: sorry I misunderstood your point (I have had a fair amount to drink!). I think it was strongly implied that I wouldn’t be visiting any lounge today if I accepted the money. Come
to think of it, maybe I could have got an escort through security (I wouldn’t even have needed to put my own bags on the belt) and out to Wagamama! I missed a trick .

Edit 2: this is what I mean by not too busy:

Modo

This is the second similar post today - following the heaps of opprobrium in threads about GF

We have - both - got six months to requalify for Gold/OWE. And are not too far away.

Based in Northern England where - surprisingly - LHR isn't much longer to travel to than the execrable BA operation at MAN we have been weighing up our plans for the rest of the year.

Conclusion is.... based on our usual routings to Asia in J. Move to Ey/EK. Settle with OWS for Europe trips.

QR = OW - prices out of MAN are currently a fantasy in J.

Modo

Trying to create a new clientele of the Grey generation to fill premium cabins?

Shoulder season for leisure travel now schools are back.

Be interested to observe if this carries through in to Oct/Nov.

T8191

Hmmm … we have a 5h+ layover at LHR on Wednesday. NO WAY are we being left out in the wilds, thank you!