My "Soft Landing" from Gold to Silver
Sep 18, 23, 12:21 pm
#31
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,067
The South Lounge was so full that they weren't allowing anybody in. There was a queue that wrapped all the way around to the top of the escalators. I went instead to the North Lounge. There was a queue there as well; I was told that I could join the queue, but that there would be an estimated 90-minute wait to gain entry.
1) No guests
2) No Y
3) No W
4) Silver in J only
Sep 18, 23, 12:24 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 144
Please correct me on the numbers, but I think someone (CWS?) said that on any given day in T5, of those that have BA status, 5% are bronze, 10% are silver, and 85% are gold+. The goldies get their own lounge, which means the business of the club lounges is entirely due to BAs own success.
I am Silver, and I am at LHR probably 10 times a year. But I have been booted out of the emergency exit row on A320s twice this year due to large club cabins.
So I think the crowding is entirely due to BAs own success. As a silver I have never used T5s club checkin area, self drop off is much faster.
I am Silver, and I am at LHR probably 10 times a year. But I have been booted out of the emergency exit row on A320s twice this year due to large club cabins.
So I think the crowding is entirely due to BAs own success. As a silver I have never used T5s club checkin area, self drop off is much faster.
Sep 18, 23, 12:35 pm
#33
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci! And BA Bronze previous awards - Gold 11, Silver 6, Bronze 3
Posts: 3,637
1) No guests - This would go down like a lead balloon for those (high spending road warriors) who want to take their other half into the lounge when they are going on a trip (and not in J or F). Also applies to work colleagues.
2) Some people are on corporate travel that only allows Y. But if a full fare ticket, very profitable to BA so a decent perk is to offer Lounge access.
3) See above and I understand that W is actually the most profitable of BAs. cabins.
4) If you agree with the above two, then why not?
Finally, though there are clearly capacity issues at the moment, I am not sure that annoying some of your most profitable customers is the way to go. I think there is probably still another year of post-Covid status extensions working its way through and then the picture will become clearer.
Sep 18, 23, 1:13 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Devon, UK
Programs: VS Silver; Matmid Silver, BA Bronze; Accor Plat.
Posts: 694
I think the OP'e employer made the correct decision, as a sole trader, spending my own money on flights I too spread my travel around different airlines as cost is a massive factor and I would rather have money to spend on other things than transport costs.
Sep 18, 23, 1:22 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 488
The more likely issue in my estimate is the number of Golds who have dropped to Silver (due to decreased flying and the expiry of status extensions, and work policy changes (as per OP)), combined with a return to travel for business travellers who are already at Silver status level and maintain it normally, a decrease in frequency of flights leading to a longer time spent in lounges waiting for connections, and BA selling out fairly massive CE cabins on a regular basis.
For example, on Saturday I had to get an 8am flight from GLA to connect to a 1:40pm flight to the US. That led to some 3ish hours stay in a lounge. Even in the relatively quieter B lounge, people were standing against the walls waiting for seats to open up. (Though in fairness, capacity there is reduced due to ongoing improvement work) And by casual observation, many others had been there for a multi hour stay. Had there been a mid morning flight option, I would have only been in the lounge for an hour or so.
Sep 18, 23, 1:31 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,561
I agree with all of this. In particular the bold section.
For example, on Saturday I had to get an 8am flight from GLA to connect to a 1:40pm flight to the US. That led to some 3ish hours stay in a lounge. Even in the relatively quieter B lounge, people were standing against the walls waiting for seats to open up. (Though in fairness, capacity there is reduced due to ongoing improvement work) And by casual observation, many others had been there for a multi hour stay. Had there been a mid morning flight option, I would have only been in the lounge for an hour or so.
For example, on Saturday I had to get an 8am flight from GLA to connect to a 1:40pm flight to the US. That led to some 3ish hours stay in a lounge. Even in the relatively quieter B lounge, people were standing against the walls waiting for seats to open up. (Though in fairness, capacity there is reduced due to ongoing improvement work) And by casual observation, many others had been there for a multi hour stay. Had there been a mid morning flight option, I would have only been in the lounge for an hour or so.
Sep 18, 23, 1:31 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London
Programs: Sir Ratechaser Seigneur de la Patience d'un Saint (Mucci), BA Silver, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 2,270
I agree with all of this. In particular the bold section.
For example, on Saturday I had to get an 8am flight from GLA to connect to a 1:40pm flight to the US. That led to some 3ish hours stay in a lounge. Even in the relatively quieter B lounge, people were standing against the walls waiting for seats to open up. (Though in fairness, capacity there is reduced due to ongoing improvement work) And by casual observation, many others had been there for a multi hour stay. Had there been a mid morning flight option, I would have only been in the lounge for an hour or so.
For example, on Saturday I had to get an 8am flight from GLA to connect to a 1:40pm flight to the US. That led to some 3ish hours stay in a lounge. Even in the relatively quieter B lounge, people were standing against the walls waiting for seats to open up. (Though in fairness, capacity there is reduced due to ongoing improvement work) And by casual observation, many others had been there for a multi hour stay. Had there been a mid morning flight option, I would have only been in the lounge for an hour or so.
Sep 18, 23, 1:34 pm
#39
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,561
But if someone misses the tight connection and EC261 kicks in, thats a lot of real money v some crisps and cheap white wine.
Sep 18, 23, 3:01 pm
#40
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London
Programs: Sir Ratechaser Seigneur de la Patience d'un Saint (Mucci), BA Silver, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 2,270
Sep 18, 23, 3:19 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 1,956
Sep 18, 23, 11:14 pm
#44
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Dubai
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 391
Yes, you still soft land to silver. You could fly 0 flights when Gold and you'd still soft land to silver.
Sep 19, 23, 12:26 am
#45
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,065
My Y experience as Silver this weekend
Friday evening, Fast Track at KRK (irs the same one Golds would use, i was the only one in it) then onto an OK airport lounge, which again there is no difference between gold and silver. Its also the same lounge all the other airlines use. It can be busy but the BA flight departs so late it is quiet by then.
Boarding started just after the inbound parked up, group 1 called then group two. I ventured downd the stairs a few seconds after about 8 group 1 boarders (gold and CE) and we all stood in the holding pen while the inbound passengers disembarked and the aircraft cleaned. I was in row 12 on an a320, for the flight the middle seat was one if the few free seats.
in inbound on Sunday I joined the fast track q at T3 and cleared security in about 10 minutes, along with the golds around me in the queue.
I went to the BA Club lounge, had a coffee and met a colleague from the US who was in the same flight in CE.
The lounge was comfortable, no problem getting 2 seats together. My colleague had some breakfast, i had eaten in the hotel.
We make our way to the gate and join the priority Q (groups 1 2 and 3) to enter the gate. After a couple of minutes we are in and shortly after group 1 was called to board, swiftly followed by group 2.
I was in row 10 on a A319, the seat beside me was empty for the flight.
Is Gold really so much better?
Friday evening, Fast Track at KRK (irs the same one Golds would use, i was the only one in it) then onto an OK airport lounge, which again there is no difference between gold and silver. Its also the same lounge all the other airlines use. It can be busy but the BA flight departs so late it is quiet by then.
Boarding started just after the inbound parked up, group 1 called then group two. I ventured downd the stairs a few seconds after about 8 group 1 boarders (gold and CE) and we all stood in the holding pen while the inbound passengers disembarked and the aircraft cleaned. I was in row 12 on an a320, for the flight the middle seat was one if the few free seats.
in inbound on Sunday I joined the fast track q at T3 and cleared security in about 10 minutes, along with the golds around me in the queue.
I went to the BA Club lounge, had a coffee and met a colleague from the US who was in the same flight in CE.
The lounge was comfortable, no problem getting 2 seats together. My colleague had some breakfast, i had eaten in the hotel.
We make our way to the gate and join the priority Q (groups 1 2 and 3) to enter the gate. After a couple of minutes we are in and shortly after group 1 was called to board, swiftly followed by group 2.
I was in row 10 on a A319, the seat beside me was empty for the flight.
Is Gold really so much better?
