My "Soft Landing" from Gold to Silver
Sep 19, 23, 2:03 am
#46
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Dubai
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 391
Silver is definitely the sweet spot for me. I am currently gold, but only through extensions for the last 3 membership years, where in only one of those I flew enough to qualify for silver.
Given the flounge is so poor now, there is very little difference between that and the GC. Bonus Avios (although less so now) and use of first wing (which I don't use as I don't live in London) are the only real benefits I see. I am not sure about call centres, I have always found calling the gold line during UK business hours to be answered quickly and my issues resolved quickly, if silver does not get through to the same UK based staff, this is probably the biggest differentiator for me.
Given the flounge is so poor now, there is very little difference between that and the GC. Bonus Avios (although less so now) and use of first wing (which I don't use as I don't live in London) are the only real benefits I see. I am not sure about call centres, I have always found calling the gold line during UK business hours to be answered quickly and my issues resolved quickly, if silver does not get through to the same UK based staff, this is probably the biggest differentiator for me.
Sep 19, 23, 2:54 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,393
I soft-dropped (if one can call landing on a pretty hard surface a soft drop) from Silver to Bronze right before Covid hit.
I get my Silver status primarily by flying once a year to Asia ex-EU. I then use that for my 10-20 return short-haul flights that I book in Y.
However, now I'm no longer silver, I miss the lounges and fast track. On the plus side, I've been trying other airlines both for the long-haul to Asia and the short-haul flights. I'm undecided whether to continue like this or try to get Silver back next year.
I get my Silver status primarily by flying once a year to Asia ex-EU. I then use that for my 10-20 return short-haul flights that I book in Y.
However, now I'm no longer silver, I miss the lounges and fast track. On the plus side, I've been trying other airlines both for the long-haul to Asia and the short-haul flights. I'm undecided whether to continue like this or try to get Silver back next year.
Sep 19, 23, 2:59 am
#49
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,561
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?
Sep 19, 23, 3:01 am
#50
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,055
Bear with me for a odd statement.
I think the reason the lounges are busy is that there is less flights......
And that means that those flying business plus the Golds and silvers are condensed together flying in bunches rather than evenly spread throughout the day.
Take my hometown Malaga , there used to be 2 or 3 flights a day out of LHR and now there is normally just one. As a consequence the flight is rammed , CE goes to 12 rows meaning I can't get a Y exit seat ever and the scrum for boarding groups 1,2 & 3 is about 100 pax. Of course all those status holders are all in the lounges at the same time. If there was 2 flights a day prehaps we could revert back to 6/8 rows of club and less crowding at the pinch points.
I think the reason the lounges are busy is that there is less flights......
And that means that those flying business plus the Golds and silvers are condensed together flying in bunches rather than evenly spread throughout the day.
Take my hometown Malaga , there used to be 2 or 3 flights a day out of LHR and now there is normally just one. As a consequence the flight is rammed , CE goes to 12 rows meaning I can't get a Y exit seat ever and the scrum for boarding groups 1,2 & 3 is about 100 pax. Of course all those status holders are all in the lounges at the same time. If there was 2 flights a day prehaps we could revert back to 6/8 rows of club and less crowding at the pinch points.
Sep 19, 23, 3:08 am
#51
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, BA Amex Prem, BA Amex Business, Amex Platinum, Coutts Silk, Hilton Diamond etc.
Posts: 3,772
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?
As I said on my "offered 30" thread, by the time I was through there was no sign of any queue for GC South, there were certainly seats available in GF and the CCR was absolutely fine (photos in the thread).
That doesn't mean I am denying the "lived experience" of those who found queues and crammed lounges, simply that I think it was a relatively short-term problem.
Completely agree that silver is a sweet spot.
One of the people whom I gave a silver card to this year was in touch with me over the weekend after she flew back from LHR on Saturday and by all accounts she had a great experience.
She is a vegan but found a good selection of food in the lounge and enjoyed some BrewDog and other alcoholic beverages.
Sep 19, 23, 4:17 am
#53
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,512
After the pandemic, my employer made a philosophical shift away from using one carrier for everything (BA) to using whichever carrier offered the best J class fare for each destination. I fly long-haul regularly, I now find myself a mid-tier member of just about every alliance - after nine years of BA Gold.
This includes mid-tier with British Airways. Today was my first flight in nine years where I didn't check in at First Wing or use the flounge. This was my Silver experience; I feel reality slapping me in the face:
the check-in queue for Club had a wait estimated to be 30 to 40 minutes. I abandoned the queue and went instead to WT check-in, where I waited instead for 5 minutes.
- At Fast Track security, only one of the two belts was operational, and even the operational one wasn't moving. I used regular security instead.
- 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.
Needless to say, I do not feel valued as an Executive Club Silver member.
I learned during my transitional year of flying business class with a multitude of global carriers just how mediocre the BA product for elite passengers truly is in comparison, especially when considering the tragic state of the IT, and lack of availability of help by phone when one needs it - even for BA Gold. Now that I am Silver rather than Gold, I find myself dreading my future BA flights, but am thankful that they are now less common.
My hope is that Mr. Doyle might somehow resurrect this once-proud airline.
This includes mid-tier with British Airways. Today was my first flight in nine years where I didn't check in at First Wing or use the flounge. This was my Silver experience; I feel reality slapping me in the face:
the check-in queue for Club had a wait estimated to be 30 to 40 minutes. I abandoned the queue and went instead to WT check-in, where I waited instead for 5 minutes.
- At Fast Track security, only one of the two belts was operational, and even the operational one wasn't moving. I used regular security instead.
- 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.
Needless to say, I do not feel valued as an Executive Club Silver member.
I learned during my transitional year of flying business class with a multitude of global carriers just how mediocre the BA product for elite passengers truly is in comparison, especially when considering the tragic state of the IT, and lack of availability of help by phone when one needs it - even for BA Gold. Now that I am Silver rather than Gold, I find myself dreading my future BA flights, but am thankful that they are now less common.
My hope is that Mr. Doyle might somehow resurrect this once-proud airline.
In saying that I have a number of QR flights coming up and I should easily attain BA gold again, which I probably will do, I just won't use BA, and rely on codeshares for the 4 flights.
Like you I will await the resurrection of what was a very good airline 20 years ago.
Sep 19, 23, 4:49 am
#54
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London
Programs: Sir Ratechaser Seigneur de la Patience d'un Saint (Mucci), BA Silver, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 2,270
Not sure how relevant that is these days...
Sep 19, 23, 7:20 am
#55
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 323
Yes. I agree.
I was downgraded from Gold to Silver, the Silver lounge is always ludicrously busy now.
The Gold and Silver lounges also share the shower facilities, so it is now stupidly hard to ever get one. Always full now I find.
LHR is fairly near to me (2 20 minute hour direct coach). I use LHR for most of my flying.
However as self employed I tend to fly cheapest route. I have no issue flying via a hub in Europe to save cash.
Since BA downgraded me, and I lost my TK status match, I am doing a lot of flyinf AF/KL.
AF/KL is very easy to renew as you credit for any leftover TP (or XP as they call them) when the clock re-sets minus the ones to renew status. Unlike BA who reset at zero each year (albeit soft landing too).
The Silver lounge at LHR is atrocious and a total waste of time, contrast that to 2E AF lounge which much quieter, champagne and decent food.
I probably will let my BA Silver run down, then work to keep renewing AF Gold. Can always use Dragonpass if flying BA.
My one good point for BA is the compensatory Avios for complaints. However after experiencing J now with CX, MH, AF, KL, KQ and IB, I think BA very mid range (better than IB and on par with KL, others though much better).
I was downgraded from Gold to Silver, the Silver lounge is always ludicrously busy now.
The Gold and Silver lounges also share the shower facilities, so it is now stupidly hard to ever get one. Always full now I find.
LHR is fairly near to me (2 20 minute hour direct coach). I use LHR for most of my flying.
However as self employed I tend to fly cheapest route. I have no issue flying via a hub in Europe to save cash.
Since BA downgraded me, and I lost my TK status match, I am doing a lot of flyinf AF/KL.
AF/KL is very easy to renew as you credit for any leftover TP (or XP as they call them) when the clock re-sets minus the ones to renew status. Unlike BA who reset at zero each year (albeit soft landing too).
The Silver lounge at LHR is atrocious and a total waste of time, contrast that to 2E AF lounge which much quieter, champagne and decent food.
I probably will let my BA Silver run down, then work to keep renewing AF Gold. Can always use Dragonpass if flying BA.
My one good point for BA is the compensatory Avios for complaints. However after experiencing J now with CX, MH, AF, KL, KQ and IB, I think BA very mid range (better than IB and on par with KL, others though much better).
Sep 19, 23, 11:03 am
#57
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 507
I was in the F lounge at LGW one Friday afternoon in mid August and it was just me and three other people. The J lounge at LGW always appears to be more spacious and Ive never known it chockablock. But there are obviously much less flights a day plus minimal connecting traffic?
Sep 19, 23, 2:29 pm
#60
Join Date: May 2019
Location: FL390 or the iron way
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,022
