jmittle

Besides access to the First Class Lounge Gold status on BA is a JOKE....one never gets recognized for anything and they treat you like you fly once a year.

2 recent problems this airline needs to learn from US carriers cant even believe I wrote this line but it is true.

STANDBY....if a customer gets to the airport early and there are seats available for the early flight why make the customer wait. I had a miles ticket and BA refused to allow me to go on the earlier flight.

Next miles ticket nightmare...changing the ticket when a seat opens. Not possible on layovers which is ridiculous...if a miles seat happens to open up what is the difference??

Trav+

Could it have been that BA Didn't Know Who You Were on your last journey?

irmster

whilst the 2 examples you quote would I think be the same on any airline, I agree that the benefits of BA Gold are not anything special. I don't notice any difference now I'm a mere silver......whereas I am going out my way to keep my BMI gold status.

jmittle

more like they are a bunch of rebots that do not understand customer service!

BUFman

- access arrivals lounge after a long-haul flight into LHR (or JFK)
- very decent champagne on offer in the First lounges at LHR
- some dedicated first lounges in North America
- use of BA lounges even when not flying BA or a oneworld carrier
- access to AA flagship lounges (intl 1st class) in JFK, ORD, LAX (and LHR)

I'd agree that the step between blue and silver is bigger than between silver and gold, but Gold still comes with a number of quality perks.

sdorling

Airlines for the most part are a business, last time I checked the US airline industry wasn't exactly healthy. Perhaps BA could learn a lesson is customer service and the likes of UA / AA / US / NW could learn not how to file for Bankruptcy.

Bet they didn't give you a free elite upgrade either Standby is very much a stateside phenomenon. In many ways it would be nice to be able to standby. But frankly, more hassle than its worth IMO. Besides, how would this incentivise businesses from splashing out on the more expensive flexible fares?

Indeed, the difference between Silver and Gold, for me a leisure traveller is minimal. I prefer the Terraces lounges in both T1, and T4 than the respective FIRST lounges and generally tend to use the SSCI machines / OLCI.

With the exception of US carriers, what benefits are often different for top tiers on different carriers. Lounge Access and access to Premium Check-in areas seem pretty standard. So what are BA missing that their competitors offer which make the benefits of Gold so distinctly average?

FWIW, lounge access is a greater benefit to me than the ability to standby.

ny911

What champagne did they service on LHR T1/T4 F lounge (not Concorde Room)?

I made my first visit to the champagne bar at T1 in Dec, I forgot to notice what the brand is,however they are not cold enough.

By the way, as a HK base resident,I chose other OW FFP instead of BAEC because
1) Only guarantee seats on full fares as a Gold.
2) Only Asia Miles could be earned as destination miles and Tier Points as status miles.

The advantage of BA Gold would be better opup chance than a OW Emerald and better earning rate in F/J (not Asia base).

Petrus

25% more miles than silver. Over a year that makes quite the difference.

House

I agree that the US airlines deliver more to their elite frequent flyers than European airlines do. This is especially true when you are located outside the airline's "home" country. In one sense, they need to - the service offering is in some ways much lower. AA, for example, admit that their latest Business Class cabin is not as amazing as it could have been because so many of their seats go to elite frequent flyers. It's a different business model for a very different home market.

BA Gold does deliver some perks - using F check-in and the F lounge for a start. You can even use the lounge when not flying on BA or a Oneworld airline - one of the very few airlines who offer this. And you can choose from the best seats on board at the time of booking (I know some airlines offer this to everyone, but BA doesn't - this is a clear extra privilege for Gold).

Now, I always think that things can be better, and I think that BA's recent efforts to court those with very high tier point totals (Gold Guest List for instance) make real sense commercially. I am a pretty low value Gold for BA in commercial terms, and appreciate the benefits I do get which, in turn secures my travel spend (and where possible that of my clients).

Where I do think status should come into its own is when things go wrong. Golds should get any irregularities sorted out first, get rebooked first (along with full fare passengers) and the like.

I used to focus my travel on Star Alliance but my travel patterns changed and BA began to make more sense. I have to say that, while I had (and continue to have) good Star Alliance experiences, I feel more valued as a BA Gold than I did as BD Gold.

Basically put, if the scheme doesn't make you feel loyal then use another airline or alliance - that's what competition is all about. It's the ultimate form of feedback!

Scotland

You might looking at your statuses be too used to US airlines and how they operate. The flexibility of standing by for flights if there are seats is great but BA doesn't need to offer that. There service is so far above that of the US airlines that they want you to pay for what you need.

Need flexible tickets then pay for them etc.. I agree with a mileage ticket that is different but BA's frequent flyer scheme is aimed at FF and not at people on bucket shop tickets like the US schemes.

Could be better at BA I agree but its still not too bad.

ny911

Seat assignment on BA could be done by holding a OW Sapphire or above status.

House

My understanding is that some seats (e.g. front row of First) are held back for BA Gold / Oneworld Emerald.

botham

Next time you're feeling discontented, because you didn't receive any further benefits, spare a thought for the vast majority of us whose only chance of enjoying the lounges is to pay a lot of money from our own pockets, rather than enjoying the perks of employer paid travel.

I have just paid nearly £5000 for my family to fly CW this summer, our first opportunity to see how the other half live.

AJLondon

Correct.

Euan

That is indeed correct I think it's specifically for BA Gold.