BA ANNOUNCEMENT - BA to move to a spend based Tier Point system From 1st April 2025
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:11 am
#1321
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 9,394
Well it gives me no pleasure to say, and of course it wouldn’t be BA without being delayed twice… but I told you so. I’ll take KARFA ’s Ł5 in the form of a donation to a charity of his choice.
Some additional thoughts on the background and the key segment BA wants to ‘win’ from this.
As an example of who BA wants to ‘win’ here, think of the following example… a senior exec in a multinational who flies regularly but not frequently, e.g. to a quarterly board meeting. They travel enough to get Silver but not Gold, so can’t use the F lounge. They have a second home in the Loire Valley so most leisure flights are on Ryanair, but their one annual longhaul holiday is on Virgin to Disneyland. Rightly or wrongly, several BA senior managers have had a bee in their bonnet over this for years… and have been known to rant about cheapskate TP runners (their words!) getting Gold but not someone they think ‘deserves’ it more. And with more leisure customers taking up space for longer in the lounges than business customers used to, they decided the balance had tipped too far in the wrong direction.
And the changes have a secondary benefit in being more attractive to higher-spending Americans, who are the prime target base at the moment.
Some additional thoughts on the background and the key segment BA wants to ‘win’ from this.
- The timing of the announcement is mainly because some important people had it in their YE objectives to achieve in 2024 and the bonus is only likely to be decent this year for those who met their targets.
- Soft landings will disappear - this can’t be advertised because they were never official in the first place. A small number of people will be granted one quietly next year if they keep spending decently but don’t quite make a tier.
- Account managers will be given a stash of Silver cards to incentivise corporate travellers who are likely to defect. They’re more frightened of United than anyone else at the moment so if this is you, threaten to move your business to them…
- This has been on the cards since 2017, i.e. well before McKinsey began their takeover of the company, but yes they have helped with some of the more recent strategy behind it.
- Many at BA do think it’s a terrible idea but have been forced to do it anyway, even some of the team who are implementing it.
As an example of who BA wants to ‘win’ here, think of the following example… a senior exec in a multinational who flies regularly but not frequently, e.g. to a quarterly board meeting. They travel enough to get Silver but not Gold, so can’t use the F lounge. They have a second home in the Loire Valley so most leisure flights are on Ryanair, but their one annual longhaul holiday is on Virgin to Disneyland. Rightly or wrongly, several BA senior managers have had a bee in their bonnet over this for years… and have been known to rant about cheapskate TP runners (their words!) getting Gold but not someone they think ‘deserves’ it more. And with more leisure customers taking up space for longer in the lounges than business customers used to, they decided the balance had tipped too far in the wrong direction.
And the changes have a secondary benefit in being more attractive to higher-spending Americans, who are the prime target base at the moment.
M
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:11 am
#1322
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL & GfL, HHons Diamond, Intercontinental Royal Ambassador, IHGSpire Elite, Kimpton Inner Circ
Posts: 69
Is this BAs Ratner's moment
Total overkill by BA, yes there was a problem they needed to fix but this was not the way to do it. IAG share price was one of the stellar performers of 2024, watching carefully but expect it to crash, this will cause long-term brand damage.
It appears I am like many who will probably still make GGL status if I can be bothered but more likley will seek alternatives.
Whoever the consultants were they should be named and shamed.
BA need to come out immediately and announce a massive climb down. Every day this goes on more trust is lost.
It appears I am like many who will probably still make GGL status if I can be bothered but more likley will seek alternatives.
Whoever the consultants were they should be named and shamed.
BA need to come out immediately and announce a massive climb down. Every day this goes on more trust is lost.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:12 am
#1323
FlyerTalk Posting Legend and Ambassador: The British Airways Club
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 48,297
Well it gives me no pleasure to say, and of course it wouldn’t be BA without being delayed twice… but I told you so. I’ll take KARFA ’s Ł5 in the form of a donation to a charity of his choice.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ated-time.html
btw, you must be very stupid if you actually knew something and disclosed it. everyone who knew was under an NDA (either explicitly, or by virtue of general confidentiality terms in their employment contract) .
Last edited by KARFA; Dec 31, 2024 at 6:18 am
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:12 am
#1324
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL; TK Elite; FB Platinum; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 7,762
I'm almost tempted to cheekily call the BA Gold line to ask that given BA has shifted the goal post, can I get a full refund for the 6 future trips I've booked that would earn me Gold next year and GUF vouchers this year. Given that they've shifted the goal post, there's no point hanging around with BA and there are cheaper flights. Of course I expect them to say no, but I'd still be pleasantly surprised if they issued me a refund and I send that money in the direction of Qatar and KLM. Of the 6 trips I have booked, there's only 1 that I'd say is strictly a great deal that I'd want to fly regardless of BAEC considerations. It's been a real wake up call not to get any sense of attachment to any corporation.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:16 am
#1325
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Birmingham
Programs: BAC Gold, LH Senator, FB Platinum, HH Gold
Posts: 522
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:17 am
#1326
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,654
For those continuing to seek lifetime status elsewhere - what programs are you looking into? AY, LH?
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:17 am
#1327
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Various memberships
Posts: 544
So when I left this thread it was on page 25 - apologies for not reading the other 70 pages before posting again!
In some ways I am exactly the kind of person BA wants to get rid of - QR flights ex Oslo for 560 Tier Points (especially pre pandemic) and if I said to people at work I am flying to Newcastle the normal response was "presumably via Baku, Cape Town, New York and Amsterdam".
I suspect we will all now be playing a giant game of chicken with BA. My son has a BA Platinum Plus Amex and has said he will likely change it to a different card that earns Amex points which are more flexible. He is also going to convert his 100K Avios to Nectar Points. Would love to be a fly on the wall if BA had a few billion Avios convert to Nectar points with people having a "hissy fit".
I fully expect a lot more "spend ŁX on Amex and get Y Tier point" offers - especially if a lot of people start cancelling the Amex card.
We will see.
In some ways I am exactly the kind of person BA wants to get rid of - QR flights ex Oslo for 560 Tier Points (especially pre pandemic) and if I said to people at work I am flying to Newcastle the normal response was "presumably via Baku, Cape Town, New York and Amsterdam".
I suspect we will all now be playing a giant game of chicken with BA. My son has a BA Platinum Plus Amex and has said he will likely change it to a different card that earns Amex points which are more flexible. He is also going to convert his 100K Avios to Nectar Points. Would love to be a fly on the wall if BA had a few billion Avios convert to Nectar points with people having a "hissy fit".
I fully expect a lot more "spend ŁX on Amex and get Y Tier point" offers - especially if a lot of people start cancelling the Amex card.
We will see.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:18 am
#1328
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:24 am
#1330
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Isle of Man
Programs: BA Blue, IHG Gold, Radisson Premium, Clan Loganair, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 942
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:29 am
#1331
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 216
I'm almost tempted to cheekily call the BA Gold line to ask that given BA has shifted the goal post, can I get a full refund for the 6 future trips I've booked that would earn me Gold next year and GUF vouchers this year. Given that they've shifted the goal post, there's no point hanging around with BA and there are cheaper flights. Of course I expect them to say no, but I'd still be pleasantly surprised if they issued me a refund and I send that money in the direction of Qatar and KLM. Of the 6 trips I have booked, there's only 1 that I'd say is strictly a great deal that I'd want to fly regardless of BAEC considerations. It's been a real wake up call not to get any sense of attachment to any corporation.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:29 am
#1332
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 817
Will Highlife Cafe earn tier points?
2025 tier point runs = wholesale buying of Tom Kerridge sandwich’s..
2025 tier point runs = wholesale buying of Tom Kerridge sandwich’s..
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:31 am
#1333
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA Exec Club
Posts: 770
FWIW this is the text of the complaint that I sent in. I am sure it will be ignored, but I want them to understand that this is not driven by customer feedback, and understand the demographics of the type of customer they've chosen to willingly push away as a result of this change.
I have been a BAEC member since 2003, I have continuously held Silver or Gold status since 2012 and on average spend up to Ł10,000 per year, choosing to prioritise flying with British Airways and OneWorld partner airlines over other airline alliances to retain my membership status.
My wife and I do not have children, we are in high earning roles and are lucky enough that we can afford to pay to fly in First or Business for leisure, or business for short haul several times per year. We usually book our trips via BA Holidays and we have flexibility in our routes, timings and choice of airline, but for years we have chosen to stick with BA. This is despite an increasingly average service offering, and the notably declining ‘soft’ product available to customers. The reason we stuck with BA is because we valued the BA Executive Club status it offered. But, by choosing to make the new threshold for both Gold and Silver status so high, and with such complex carve outs, I cannot see any way that I can fund retaining my Gold, and will struggle to make Silver status.
I will not resort to hyperbole and say that “I will never fly BA again”, but what I can assure you is that whereas before, our holiday booking options were automatically BA / One World carriers, without even looking at competing airline alliances, we will now fly with whichever carrier / alliance suits our needs. What you have managed to achieve here is ensuring that two decades long high-income customers, who were utterly brand loyal to BA and willingly paid a premium to fly your products over competitors due to your loyalty scheme, are now so angry at these changes made and the manner in which they’ve been communicated, that you have, in one press release, managed to lose our hard won loyalty and open our eyes to your competitors products. If this was a move designed to benefit the revenue of your competition, you’ve done a brilliant job of helping their financial revenues, albeit at the cost of your own. I long for the day when British Airways is once again an airline that remembers its customers matter, and that loyalty flies in both directions.
I have been a BAEC member since 2003, I have continuously held Silver or Gold status since 2012 and on average spend up to Ł10,000 per year, choosing to prioritise flying with British Airways and OneWorld partner airlines over other airline alliances to retain my membership status.
My wife and I do not have children, we are in high earning roles and are lucky enough that we can afford to pay to fly in First or Business for leisure, or business for short haul several times per year. We usually book our trips via BA Holidays and we have flexibility in our routes, timings and choice of airline, but for years we have chosen to stick with BA. This is despite an increasingly average service offering, and the notably declining ‘soft’ product available to customers. The reason we stuck with BA is because we valued the BA Executive Club status it offered. But, by choosing to make the new threshold for both Gold and Silver status so high, and with such complex carve outs, I cannot see any way that I can fund retaining my Gold, and will struggle to make Silver status.
I will not resort to hyperbole and say that “I will never fly BA again”, but what I can assure you is that whereas before, our holiday booking options were automatically BA / One World carriers, without even looking at competing airline alliances, we will now fly with whichever carrier / alliance suits our needs. What you have managed to achieve here is ensuring that two decades long high-income customers, who were utterly brand loyal to BA and willingly paid a premium to fly your products over competitors due to your loyalty scheme, are now so angry at these changes made and the manner in which they’ve been communicated, that you have, in one press release, managed to lose our hard won loyalty and open our eyes to your competitors products. If this was a move designed to benefit the revenue of your competition, you’ve done a brilliant job of helping their financial revenues, albeit at the cost of your own. I long for the day when British Airways is once again an airline that remembers its customers matter, and that loyalty flies in both directions.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:33 am
#1334
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Isle of Man
Programs: BA Blue, IHG Gold, Radisson Premium, Clan Loganair, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 942
You'll note that they are only going to offer TPs on the Premium Plus Amex. That one has an annual fee of Ł300. And even then they're capping the TPs at 2,500.
Dec 31, 2024 | 6:33 am
#1335
Join Date: Nov 2024
Posts: 374
I just called BA to ask if I could cancel 5 of the 6 holidays booked into 2025 and asked that given the change in the BA Club terms, they'd be happy to offer a full refund. Agent put me on hold to talk to his supervisor. Unsurprisingly came back to say it will be cancellations based on Terms and Conditions, which is pretty much what I expected. The real intent was to find a means of creating a data point to support the level of anger and future intent. Not a boycott, but going forward, I'm only booking a BA Holiday/flight if it proves to be extraordinary value over the competition, so I will be less profitable for BA.