Iberia Plus: tier status extended to March 2022 [and now March 2023]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Silver VY apologist IB up and coming
Posts: 8,611
Iberia Plus: tier status extended to March 2022 [and now March 2023]
I got a mail from Iberia Plus last week informing me, in classic Iberia fashion, that they know things are tough right now, and they really wanted to be flexible, and even though they made the requal criteria less demanding, but go pound sand because we just dropped you to a base member. I can't say I'm surprised, really.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
Please note they say that "even though we proportionally reduced the requirements of the program", you've dropped to base level. There has been no communication from them about any change in requirements.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
sabemos que estos ltimos meses has podido verte afectado por la restriccin de vuelos a nivel mundial. Entendemos que la situacin sin precedente del COVID-19 ha podido perjudicarte de diferentes maneras y ha llevado a muchos de nuestros viajeros frecuentes a frenar el ritmo de sus viajes.
Queremos agradecer la confianza que nos demuestras cada da al volar con nosotros y confiar en el programa Iberia Plus.
Por esta razn y dado que ha bajado notablemente la actividad area en estos 3 ltimos meses, hemos querido flexibilizar las condiciones del programa. Aun habiendo reducido las exigencias del programa de forma proporcional, ahora has bajado al nivel Iberia Plus Clsica.
Queremos agradecer la confianza que nos demuestras cada da al volar con nosotros y confiar en el programa Iberia Plus.
Por esta razn y dado que ha bajado notablemente la actividad area en estos 3 ltimos meses, hemos querido flexibilizar las condiciones del programa. Aun habiendo reducido las exigencias del programa de forma proporcional, ahora has bajado al nivel Iberia Plus Clsica.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: IB+ Gold, TK E+, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, IHG Diamond
Posts: 13,372
Considering that IB+ runs from 1 April until 31 March for status purposes, it's very hard to argue that people didn't have at least 11-11.5 months to complete the Elite Points required. Platinos have two years...
Whether or not BA, IB, etc.should be extending status anyhow is a separate question. I think it's the right thing to do, but IAG will soon find out whether it matters. They still may feel good about having the Madrid to South America and London to everywhere business markets locked up.
Whether or not BA, IB, etc.should be extending status anyhow is a separate question. I think it's the right thing to do, but IAG will soon find out whether it matters. They still may feel good about having the Madrid to South America and London to everywhere business markets locked up.
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,075
I got a mail from Iberia Plus last week informing me, in classic Iberia fashion, that they know things are tough right now, and they really wanted to be flexible, and even though they made the requal criteria less demanding, but go pound sand because we just dropped you to a base member. I can't say I'm surprised, really.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
Please note they say that "even though we proportionally reduced the requirements of the program", you've dropped to base level. There has been no communication from them about any change in requirements.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
Please note they say that "even though we proportionally reduced the requirements of the program", you've dropped to base level. There has been no communication from them about any change in requirements.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
Got the same mail here.
This downgrading combined with the limited benefits on Vueling, even booked under IB code, also drive me to the other alliances.
#4
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,075
Considering that IB+ runs from 1 April until 31 March for status purposes, it's very hard to argue that people didn't have at least 11-11.5 months to complete the Elite Points required. Platinos have two years...
Whether or not BA, IB, etc.should be extending status anyhow is a separate question. I think it's the right thing to do, but IAG will soon find out whether it matters. They still may feel good about having the Madrid to South America and London to everywhere business markets locked up.
Whether or not BA, IB, etc.should be extending status anyhow is a separate question. I think it's the right thing to do, but IAG will soon find out whether it matters. They still may feel good about having the Madrid to South America and London to everywhere business markets locked up.
These days we are seeing very low fares in Premium Cabins, and probably it is foolish to book, but still I have bought a few tickets and non in Oneworld.
#5
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: Latam Platinum
Posts: 15
I have a question. Flying in vueling (ticket VY) is considered a segment for qualification in Iberia plus?
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,075
#7
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Brasil/Spain (but a heart in Scotland)
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Iberia Oro, SkyTeam - Elite Plus, Le Club Accor - Platinum
Posts: 408
I did requalify at Oro and I imagine Iberia's reasoning for not being flexible is that the year runs 1 April - 31 March. But I can also see that downgrading people who were close to requalifying might not be the best strategy for when this is over - more so if they did actually have oneworld flights booked and decided not to travel when covid-19 escalated.
I am interested at this point as to whether Iberia will show any flexibility for this coming status year. My next flights (due to cancellations and postponements) are not until the end of October (!). And I'm not even counting on taking those at the present time. Usually 6 months in I'd be well on my way to requalifying, but that definitely will not be the case this year, and I am not anticipating earning enough EPs to requalify over the next 12 months.
This said, since Iberia is virtually shutdown now, and the situation here in Spain is very difficult, I don't see how it'd be sustainable for them to not at least show some flexibility this year, because otherwise they must be heading for a dramatic reduction in Iberia Plus status members come 2021.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Madrid, Spain
Programs: Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond, IHG Ambassador, Melia Platinum, IB Gold, TAP Gold
Posts: 22
I got upgraded by IB from plata to oro (silver to gold) 2 weeks ago. I was pretty close to gold anyways.
I'm guessing that they did something similar to BA, where the requirements for the levels were relaxed ~30%.
From the email in spanish:
I'm guessing that they did something similar to BA, where the requirements for the levels were relaxed ~30%.
From the email in spanish:
Por esta razn hemos querido flexibilizar las condiciones del programa. Dado que ha bajado notablemente la actividad area en estos 3 ltimos meses, hemos reducido las exigencias del programa de forma proporcional para que as te conviertas en socio Iberia Plus Oro.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: IB Platino
Posts: 100
I didn't seem to get any extension but I don't seem to have an expiry date for collecting the required points due in Year 2 of the Platino cycle (I was over 6250 points in year 1 of 2). Just says, earn 5875 elite points by *. It should be earn 5875 elite points by 31/3/21, as per the bonus Oro card. Perhaps this was an IT error rather than anything generous.
#10
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SIN
Programs: A3 Gold, SQ KF Elite Gold, QR Gold, IB Plata, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 176
I got a mail from Iberia Plus last week informing me, in classic Iberia fashion, that they know things are tough right now, and they really wanted to be flexible, and even though they made the requal criteria less demanding, but go pound sand because we just dropped you to a base member. I can't say I'm surprised, really.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
Please note they say that "even though we proportionally reduced the requirements of the program", you've dropped to base level. There has been no communication from them about any change in requirements.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
Except from their paragraphs-long mail about how hard it is out there for an airline:
Please note they say that "even though we proportionally reduced the requirements of the program", you've dropped to base level. There has been no communication from them about any change in requirements.
BA are also offering no relief whatsoever, so I guess I'm going to be concentrating my flying from now on with *A.
were you downgraded from Oro (Gold) to Base? This past years the first time Ive not fulfilled the requirements - in fact, I barely accrued 15 Elite points in 2019/2020 - and was downgraded from Oro (OW Sapphire) to Plata (OW Ruby). Do they normally do soft landings or did they make some sort of exception because of the lockdowns worldwide?
#11
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Madrid, Spain
Programs: Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond, IHG Ambassador, Melia Platinum, IB Gold, TAP Gold
Posts: 22
Hi alanw,
were you downgraded from Oro (Gold) to Base? This past years the first time Ive not fulfilled the requirements - in fact, I barely accrued 15 Elite points in 2019/2020 - and was downgraded from Oro (OW Sapphire) to Plata (OW Ruby). Do they normally do soft landings or did they make some sort of exception because of the lockdowns worldwide?
were you downgraded from Oro (Gold) to Base? This past years the first time Ive not fulfilled the requirements - in fact, I barely accrued 15 Elite points in 2019/2020 - and was downgraded from Oro (OW Sapphire) to Plata (OW Ruby). Do they normally do soft landings or did they make some sort of exception because of the lockdowns worldwide?
#13
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Spain
Programs: Iberia Plus Oro, Hyatt Glob, HHonors Diam, Amex Centurion, Hertz PC, UX Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 12
Hi craighthemif, you are somehow right but I was not so far away from renovating Oro and actually I had a trip already booked that would have take me well above the 2250 elite points.
These days we are seeing very low fares in Premium Cabins, and probably it is foolish to book, but still I have bought a few tickets and non in Oneworld.
These days we are seeing very low fares in Premium Cabins, and probably it is foolish to book, but still I have bought a few tickets and non in Oneworld.
It would have taken me over the 2250 threshold.
I tried to ask for an exception but no luck, I find this very disappointing and short sighted from Iberia...
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Silver VY apologist IB up and coming
Posts: 8,611
I went from Plata to Blue. There is a special circumstance, though...I got the Plata "for free" with the Icon Visa card. Evidently it was for the first year only. I credit all my IB flights to BA. The only thing that gets credited to IB are VY flights, of which there weren't many Avios this year.
As the Icon card is such a terrible deal, I decided to get an Amex and stop worrying about an airline credit card.
As the Icon card is such a terrible deal, I decided to get an Amex and stop worrying about an airline credit card.
#15
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New York, Paris
Programs: AA ExPlat 4MM, AA Life Plat, Lufthansa FT, Delta Basic
Posts: 1,593
So much for the Intra- OW Alliance consistency. American has fully extended status for a full year, doubtlessly under pressure from the other US "Big 2" DL and UA plus Southwest which did the same thing even adding extra benefits. Finnair has also been extremely cooperative.
I have had, since all this began, to cancel trips with Finnair, AA and BA, the first two being no problem at all, but BA delaying things and refusing flexibility for as long as they could... only to HAVE to fully refund me , with the money now-re-credited. IAG (BA/IB, not sure for Vueling and not involved with EL) do not seem to realize that there will be an "After" (or actually maybe there won't) and that the good will and choice of their (former?) customers will be paramount for their recovery.
That they have lost me forever as much as I'll be able to is totally unimportant. They will howerer have lost millions who have not been treated better than me, and THIS will have a significant if not definitive impact.
I have had, since all this began, to cancel trips with Finnair, AA and BA, the first two being no problem at all, but BA delaying things and refusing flexibility for as long as they could... only to HAVE to fully refund me , with the money now-re-credited. IAG (BA/IB, not sure for Vueling and not involved with EL) do not seem to realize that there will be an "After" (or actually maybe there won't) and that the good will and choice of their (former?) customers will be paramount for their recovery.
That they have lost me forever as much as I'll be able to is totally unimportant. They will howerer have lost millions who have not been treated better than me, and THIS will have a significant if not definitive impact.