British Airways

[John R]

Indeed. For some people the TP on hotels (and car hire) will be worth more than the old offer of double TP on the whole booking, especially if you book higher end hotels. A Club World flight to the Caribbean with 2 weeks in a 5* hotel is going to get you some way to Gold.

I’m not so sure about that. I have a booking in April to Washington, First Class both ways and reasonably upmarket hotels for 7 nights for 2 people. Under the new basis I would get around a third of the credit I will actually receive by virtue of having booked before the announcement. (Don’t forget the total holiday cost is shared between those on the booking.)

Fortunately that booking alone will give me silver for the next two TP years, but after that I’m out, and as others have said will base my choice purely on cost and quality, together with the convenience that my local airport brings.

 

[Butts]

Does anyone know what the requirements are for the equivalent of BA Silver on whichever Group Air France/KLM belong to ?

I can connect to Amsterdam/Paris CDG from Edinburgh almost as easily as BA at Heathrow and additionally from Birmingham.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2025 ==

Was going to say that if you book it as a flight then on the last screen add the hotel it still tracks as a BA Holiday but it lets you mix the cabins.

Also if you go through the BA Holidays Matrix it suggests Flights and Hotels which you can individually alter for further options at the end of the process.

In my case I have 4 Flights and 3 Hotels in LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas with the option to alter each individual element.

£350 deposit on a 6K Holiday with the balance due a few weeks before it's a competitive offering albeit Tier Points wise not as good as it was.

 

[nlogax]

Does anyone know what the requirements are for the equivalent of BA Silver on whichever Group Air France/KLM belong to ?

I can connect to Amsterdam/Paris CDG from Edinburgh almost as easily as BA at Heathrow and additionally from Birmingham.

If you're BA Silver could you not just status match to KLM Flying Blue at Gold level?

https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/faq/#matrix

Get more out of your Flying Blue membership

Compare tier benefits​

Looking for your tier benefits? or want to compare your benefits with other tiers? Here’s where you can discover a summary of benefits at a glance.

To retain Gold it looks like you'd need 180 XP during in your post-match year.

https://www.flyingblue.com/en/programme/more-info/status?country=UK

You need to have the minimum amount of XP corresponding to your status to maintain it (Silver = 100 XP, Gold = 180 XP, Platinum = 300 XP). Your membership period at this level will then be renewed for 12 months.

For example:
You're a Silver member with 122 XP. At the end of your 12 months, you haven't gained the 180 XP needed to move to Gold during the qualification period, so you remain Silver. The 100 XP for Silver are deducted from your XP balance, and the 22 surplus XP are a springboard towards the Gold level.

If you are an Elite member, your new qualification period will start with any surplus XP you gained.

If you don’t reach the minimum XP required to maintain your current level by the end of your qualification period, your status will drop by one level (if you’re an Explorer, we’ll reset your counter to 0 XP). The XP threshold for the lower tier will be deducted from your XP counter. Your membership period at this new level will last for 12 months.

If you’re a Platinum member, you’ll downgrade successively to Gold and then Silver before becoming Explorer. The higher the tier, the longer you are guaranteed to stay Elite.

 

[Butts]

If you're BA Silver could you not just status match to KLM Flying Blue at Gold level?

https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/faq/#matrix



To retain Gold it looks like you'd need 180 XP during in your post-match year.

https://www.flyingblue.com/en/programme/more-info/status?country=UK

Thanks will look into it

 

[camflyer]

The video itself is a year old, so I'm sure it was aired internally long before the article picked it up. There are a few people doing this sort of content on YouTube; I enjoy Matt's Planet who does similar tier point analysis and optimisation, but less smug and has a lot more about him and his channel. His reaction video is also a lot more pragmatic than My Grey Gap Year, who seems to have decided making gold cheaply and publicly was his one goal after his redundancy!

To be fair, if I was made redundant then I would also would have found chasing BA Gold to be an interesting hobby (though clearly less so now). Perhaps post-COVID there were a lot of middle aged people with cash to spend and time to burn.

I don't mind the Grey Gap Year channel but Matt's Planet is much better in terms of quality of information and presentation style.

 

[Tetchytyke]

As a shareholder as well as a frequent flyer, though, I'm very concerned that they have totally misjudged the elasticity of the market. Few of us fly BA simply because we love BA, and they should appreciate that BAEC stalwarts like me do elect to fly them with the FFP as a main or the main decider.

BA Silver was one of the easiest mid status elite levels of any major airline, we all knew that, and the more pragmatic commenters knew spend-based was coming, but the haste and the very high bar is, I think, misjudged and leaves a bad taste.

My opinion is in two parts really: I think moving to a revenue-based model makes much more sense, but I also think that BA have overshot with the thresholds they have chosen.

I know I'm an edge case: I choose BA because they offer through tickets from IOM connecting through Heathrow and City to a wide range of destinations. The extra cost on BA is offset by not having to travel the night before and get a hotel when booking my off-island flight separately. I would benefit from a revenue-based model here as the Loganair flights are economy-only and so, even when I'm paying £150+ each way for the Loganair element, only offer 5 or 10 TP each way. With Mrs Tetchy we've spent the thick end of £7000 on BA Holidays this year and yet we only have 150 TP each, even with the double TP. Under the new scheme we'd be about 85-90% to Bronze.

But the thresholds for Silver and Gold are insane, Gold especially. Yes I know two return flexible business returns to New York will get you Gold- and there are business people who will buy those- but most people aren't in that position, even business customers increasingly have an economy-only travel policy.

I strongly suspect that they will need to do something about those thresholds, perhaps by applying a small multiplier to the TPs once someone hits Bronze.

True, but I suspect someone at BA was enraged at the article.

Rumours on ExpertFlyer suggests that McKinsey consultants were behind the change. I sincerely doubt anyone at BA was really enraged by the skipleggers or the TP tourists, although I'm sure some managers would rather they weren't a thing. I suspect it is morer that the consultants have persuaded BA that moving to a revenue-based model will work better for them overall.

I think they've got the thresholds wrong because credit cards, etc, don't and won't generate the ancillary revenue that they do in the US, and so the spend will need to mainly be on airfares. US consultants often don't understand that our laws on merchant fees and hidden commissions are a lot more strict. You can get 2,500 TP from credit card spend under the new scheme and I suspect you'll need to put at least £25,000 on your American Express to get the maximum.

 

[eoff]

If you can't work out how to book a particular itinerary then I expect BA Holidays will either tell you how to do it or do it for you and not charge the offline booking fee. I was able to make a free change because originally I could not work out how to do an overnight stop with a booking.
I don't see how anyone should feel bad for taking advantage of the BAH 2x tier offer, by definition it was incentivising use of BAH with the carrrot of more tier points, why would you do that if it did not help you gain or maintain status?
I do agree that people putting together long chains of flights purely to get tier points could have been something they looked at more closely.

 

[RailWonderer]

I'm not sure I want to or even am able to slog all those hard miles for an increasingly poor hard product and inconsistent/unremarkable soft product, and a shrinking route network. They don't even fly to mainland China right now, which will be two of my trips this year.

BA169 to Shanghai is still flying daily.

Lounge crowding isn't the main reason for this anyway, I am sure. It's revenue. As a shareholder as well as a frequent flyer, though, I'm very concerned that they have totally misjudged the elasticity of the market. Few of us fly BA simply because we love BA, and they should appreciate that BAEC stalwarts like me do elect to fly them with the FFP as a main or the main decider.

I think if BA increases the perks with bronze, silver and gold and the standard of service and interiors in lounges etc, then it will be still worth it to passengers.

 

[Royston Vasey]

BA169 to Shanghai is still flying daily.

Looks like they've reinstated it through the rest of Q1, but it's not daily after this week; they originally cancelled it completely for Q1 back in October (source). I had a booking on it in November that needed to move to March, and there were no flights at all I could move to at that point - and the current Monday Friday Sunday pattern wouldn't work for my trip anyway. In the end I converted the booking to a return to the USA to make use of the value and rebooked on Cathay and Finnair (which I am very much looking forward to, unlike my original BA itinerary!).

Looks like the 169/168 is back daily from Q2, as was always expected.

I think if BA increases the perks with bronze, silver and gold and the standard of service and interiors in lounges etc, then it will be still worth it to passengers.

These are somewhat restricted by Oneworld norms, but Qatar do have a "Silver Lounge" (for their Silver/OW Ruby members) in Doha only, and only for their own Rubies. A dedicated T5 lounge for Bronzes (once the new BA Club settles down) would be a nice touch, there's nothing really stopping them doing this, but since "cost cutting is in our DNA" I can't see them doing so, and there will be a lot of people spending enough for Bronze but not Silver, so it may be swamped!

Personally, I have decided to convert to Qatar's Privilege Club as soon as I renew my BA Silver, which retains a distance and class based calculation, and a favourable rolling 12/24 month qualification period.

 

[camflyer]

These are somewhat restricted by Oneworld norms, but Qatar do have a "Silver Lounge" (for their Silver/OW Ruby members) in Doha only, and only for their own Rubies. A dedicated T5 lounge for Bronzes (once the new BA Club settles down) would be a nice touch, there's nothing really stopping them doing this, but since "cost cutting is in our DNA" I can't see them doing so, and there will be a lot of people spending enough for Bronze but not Silver, so it may be swamped!

Personally, I have decided to convert to Qatar's Privilege Club as soon as I renew my BA Silver, which retains a distance and class based calculation, and a favourable rolling 12/24 month qualification period.

Doha can be confusing if you've never been there before as BA Silver cards get you into the Gold lounge, a Gold card gets you into the Platinum Lounge and neither gets you into their Business lounge unless flying with them in that class.

 

[Watershed]

Doha can be confusing if you've never been there before as BA Silver cards get you into the Gold lounge, a Gold card gets you into the Platinum Lounge and neither gets you into their Business lounge unless flying with them in that class.

Not all that different to Heathrow T5 in a sense, where Gold card holders go to the First lounge and First class passengers go to the Concorde Room

 

[Royston Vasey]

Doha can be confusing if you've never been there before as BA Silver cards get you into the Gold lounge, a Gold card gets you into the Platinum Lounge and neither gets you into their Business lounge unless flying with them in that class.

The Gold and Platinum lounges are also really poorly signposted, at least they were when I last visited last year!

They are better than the old "Business Class Lounge" (actually a Sapphire lounge) and "First Class Lounge" (actually an Emerald lounge) up the escalator. I used to find that once you'd passed the staff member at the bottom of the escalator and gained admittance, the people behind the desk were usually busy with passengers and nobody checked or noticed if you walked left into the Sapphire lounge or right into the Emerald lounge!

 

[Mojo]

The Gold and Platinum lounges are also really poorly signposted, at least they were when I last visited last year!

They are better than the old "Business Class Lounge" (actually a Sapphire lounge) and "First Class Lounge" (actually an Emerald lounge) up the escalator. I used to find that once you'd passed the staff member at the bottom of the escalator and gained admittance, the people behind the desk were usually busy with passengers and nobody checked or noticed if you walked left into the Sapphire lounge or right into the Emerald lounge!

At the risk of dragging things off topic, which lounge would you recommend? BA Gold, travelling Qatar Business class on a connection. The connection is between midnight and 2am if that makes a difference, so I’ll be in and out quite quickly.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I've used the Platinum lounge and it's alright, very smart, nicely designed, but the Al Mourjan is far superior by all accounts. The status lounge is a bit of a token effort in comparison, with a reasonable but limited F&B offering. It also gets very busy at that time.

Two hours is absolutely loads at Doha, enjoy the lounge!

 

[camflyer]

The Gold and Platinum lounges are also really poorly signposted, at least they were when I last visited last year!

They are better than the old "Business Class Lounge" (actually a Sapphire lounge) and "First Class Lounge" (actually an Emerald lounge) up the escalator. I used to find that once you'd passed the staff member at the bottom of the escalator and gained admittance, the people behind the desk were usually busy with passengers and nobody checked or noticed if you walked left into the Sapphire lounge or right into the Emerald lounge!

I've been through DOH enough times now that I know where the lounges are and which one I can use but for a first time, jetlagged (and maybe slightly tipsy), traveller is must be really confusing.

The proper Business and First lounges are upstairs (escalator by the bug teddy bear) but there is is a Lounge Dragon at the bottom telling people who aren't entitled to go elsewhere.

 

[Butts]

I've been through DOH enough times now that I know where the lounges are and which one I can use but for a first time, jetlagged (and maybe slightly tipsy), traveller is must be really confusing.

The proper Business and First lounges are upstairs (escalator by the bug teddy bear) but there is is a Lounge Dragon at the bottom telling people who aren't entitled to go elsewhere.

Is there a smoking area anywhere in close proximity to any of these Lounges ?

 

[Iskra]

I was meant to be on the 0900 from Manchester-London Heathrow this morning for an onwards flight. An email received overnight advised of a 15 minute delay. I looked at the reliability of the flight all week and it has been poor. It’s now estimated to depart at 1041.

Luckily, I organised a taxi from West Yorkshire to Heathrow instead and I’m now safely at Heathrow after a nice run down.

The Manchester-London flight always seems to be the first to be cancelled, or disrupted. This seems somewhat backwards in terms of logic considering the route is likely to be conveying mainly passengers with important onward connections. My taxi driver was telling me people are abandoning that air route due to the poor reliability. Should BA just end the route if they can’t run a reliable service? I won’t be booking on this flight ever again.

 

[Failed Unit]

I was meant to be on the 0900 from Manchester-London Heathrow this morning for an onwards flight. An email received overnight advised of a 15 minute delay. I looked at the reliability of the flight all week and it has been poor. It’s now estimated to depart at 1041.

Luckily, I organised a taxi from West Yorkshire to Heathrow instead and I’m now safely at Heathrow after a nice run down.

The Manchester-London flight always seems to be the first to be cancelled, or disrupted. This seems somewhat backwards in terms of logic considering the route is likely to be conveying mainly passengers with important onward connections. My taxi driver was telling me people are abandoning that air route due to the poor reliability. Should BA just end the route if they can’t run a reliable service? I won’t be booking on this flight ever again.

I think that is a general theme about all the domestic flights. Back in the days of when BMI operated the routes as well you were more likely to get a flight.

For simple maths if BA are told by air-traffic control they must cancel 20% of their flights, the domestic ones are first to go so they can protect the long haul routes. Ironically next to go from my understanding are the high frequency long hauls.

 

[Iskra]

I think that is a general theme about all the domestic flights. Back in the days of when BMI operated the routes as well you were more likely to get a flight.

For simple maths if BA are told by air-traffic control they must cancel 20% of their flights, the domestic ones are first to go so they can protect the long haul routes. Ironically next to go from my understanding are the high frequency long hauls.

It gets worse; the flight got to the end of the runway at Manchester when I last saw it, and is now back at the Terminal building at Manchester. It’s now taxiing back to the runway now to try takeoff again so I wonder what has gone on there?

I would have definitely missed my 1400 Virgin Atlantic to Miami if I’d have not gone for the taxi option this morning.

 

[Mojo]

To be fair looking at the departure board for Manchester this morning it seems that almost every single flight is at least an hour late.

 

[cactustwirly]

It gets worse; the flight got to the end of the runway at Manchester when I last saw it, and is now back at the Terminal building at Manchester. It’s now taxiing back to the runway now to try takeoff again so I wonder what has gone on there?

I would have definitely missed my 1400 Virgin Atlantic to Miami if I’d have not gone for the taxi option this morning.

Surely it would have made more sense to book the BA Miami flight as a through ticket?

 

[Iskra]

Surely it would have made more sense to book the BA Miami flight as a through ticket?

Agreed, unfortunately the flights were not booked by me, and the Virgin Atlantic flight time was brought forward after the booking was made, exasperating the issue. Still a 3+ hour delay on a 35-minute flight is impressive.

 

[DanNCL]

I think that is a general theme about all the domestic flights. Back in the days of when BMI operated the routes as well you were more likely to get a flight.

Not my experience on the Newcastle route. They might often be late but 99% of the time they operate.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I would assume that the consistent delays of about one hour to departing aircraft will be because they require de-icing. Flightradar24 says the current temperature at Manchester is -3. At 9am this morning it was -8.

The forecast for tomorrow morning at Manchester is freezing fog. Should be fun.

 

[nlogax]

New update on Flying Blue status matches if you're considering going in that direction after the recent unpleasantness.

https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/ba/?fpr=afklba

Apply for a Flying Blue
Status Match

Exclusive offer for UK based BA members

£99 to match from BA Silver to FB Gold or from BA Gold / GGL to FB Platinum. Worth considering I think.

 

[camflyer]

New update on Flying Blue status matches if you're considering going in that direction after the recent unpleasantness.

https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/ba/?fpr=afklba



£99 to match from BA Silver to FB Gold or from BA Gold / GGL to FB Platinum. Worth considering I think.

Tempting but probably not worth me doing now. Could well be worth it (if the offer is still running) when my Silver card runs out.

Priority for me this year is to burn my 200,000 Avios before they inevitably get devalued (or "enhanced" in BA-speak). Just book a flight to Lanzarote for 30,000 Avios and a quid. Not fantastic value but I will take it.

 

[Butts]

Funny old world in BA Club Europe from Edinburgh to Bucharest via LHR !!

On the EDI to LHR I was in Row 1 with A &C to myself ..

On the LHR to OTP leg I had row 11 ABC -it had no divider and with the arms raised I could lay across three seats.

The curtain was row 12 so CE extended to include both the exit rows.

That's my Silver in the bag with 480 points coming and I preferred row 11 to myself rather than row 1

 

[RailWonderer]

The curtain was row 12 so CE extended to include both the exit rows.

Impressive (annoying for me) to see that many rows of Club Europe. Outside the summer season I've never seen more than six or seven rows of CE.

 

[Butts]

Impressive (annoying for me) to see that many rows of Club Europe. Outside the summer season I've never seen more than six or seven rows of CE.

Favourite Tier Point Run Destination ?

Really annoying if you are in Y and get kicked out of the Exit Rows (has happened to me)

Coming back this morning I was in 2D on both flights and it really is crap the amount of legroom for Business Class out with Row 1 particularly for a 3 hour flight.

I'd rather be in 10 or 11/12 or 16 flying Y and getting a takeaway from the Lounge ?

 

[cactustwirly]

Impressive (annoying for me) to see that many rows of Club Europe. Outside the summer season I've never seen more than six or seven rows of CE.

Some of the routes out of Gatwick have 14 rows on a A321