BIG NEWS: BA moves to revenue-based tier status for Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold Guest List

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• vlcnc says:

  1 Jan1 January 15:19

  A loyalty scheme that doesn’t reward the loyal at all. We really are through the looking glass.

  • RC says:

    1 Jan1 January 15:38

    The new form only rewards the either ultra loyal or ultra price insensitive (or ultra profligate with other people’s money).
    McKinsey/BA have failed to account for the likely highly profitable small company owner, road warriors (who may now not even hit bronze), haven’t understood the loss of psychological halo effect, don’t understand how corporate travel works (someone with no status will no longer argue their US trip has to start in San Diego to force the LLF onto BA).

    Compared to the US , U.K. credit cards are much lower margin so there isn’t the deep untapped money base to be found.

    Worse and tellingly, airlines that can carry offer (more nuanced) versions of this either have excellent product (Delta, Finnair), or a much improved and improving one (United).
    BA in contrast is appallingly unreliable, unpunctual, with dirty planes and nowadays dreadful long haul premium cabin F&B. Unlike Delta it is staffed by young, often clueless flight attendants.
    BA might think it’s close to Louis Vuitton in quality but the reality is still more Asda. And that’s the problem. When you remove the ‘fences’ to previous repeat customers swapping to better products, then you are in trouble. American found that out the hard way. Like AA, who are by far the worst consumer ranked of the US3, BA is by far the weakest product, network, and service of the European big 3. BA looks likely to follow AA’s mistake.

    What will be fun to watch is how they back down on this – like BA claiming tte NPS (and revenue) disaster that was brunch was just a ‘trial’. Hard to spin that on this one.

• Clive says:

  1 Jan1 January 15:48

  I imagine that many of us are coming back to see the latest comments, as well as having further thoughts. Throughout 2024 there were a number of comments in reputable newspapers and journals about how, post-Covid, leisure travellers were trading-up to WTP or CW and how welcome this revenue was to all airlines. These are exactly the type of discretionary purchasers who are likely to lose most from this singularly ill-judged move by BA, and who are likely therefore to shop elsewhere, often getting a much better experience. I really don’t think that savings on lounges, even if closure of a lounge at LHR were practicable, can possibly make up for the loss of this revenue that I think likely. I also repeat my earlier comment, that it is going to be extraordinarily difficult to plan enough flights to ensure achieving or retaining a given level, as I don’t know now what fares will be on a given route a few months hence, especially as the award will exclude taxes and charges. Bluntly, this hasn’t been thought through. I’m still trying to decide what BA actually want to achieve, but I do think that they will have under-estimated the business that will be lost.

  • vlcnc says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:02

    I agree – this has hasn’t been thought through at all, and feels like it’s got the hands of solely bean all over it like the ill-fated brunch service. I already don’t fly with BA long-haul because of poor product flying east, and now even less committed to fly with them short-haul now silver is basically not attainable. They really have overestimated how good their own product is for people are to endure this.

    • vlcnc says:

      1 Jan1 January 16:03

      *bean counters

      • meta says:

        1 Jan1 January 16:24

        Based on my small sample of people around me
        who don’t collect Avios or use Avios to reduce cash cost and don’t chase status (yes there are a lot of those!) and fly business on cheap fares
        or via cash upgrades. Lounges might still be completely rammed.

        Like Amex Plat, BA has lost the plot and they are trying on a lot of things and only thinking short to medium term rather than long term.

  • Aaron says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:44

    As well as writing off the leisure travellers, they seem to be banking on enough of the ‘scrapers-together’, i.e work travellers like myself who only barely generated enough tier points for gold each year, dutifully swallowing the downgrade to silver without taking our business elsewhere or cutting back on spending. If I can only get silver without spending a lot more, then I for one am likely to spend about £3k less with BA annually (although admittedly I am not likely to abandon ship altogether). Of course that won’t keep BA up at night, but a key question as far as I can see is: how big of a group are we, the ‘business scrapers-together’, and will lost revenue from us be outweighed by additional earnings from business travellers at the other end of the 20k scale shelling out more to keep their gold? If yes, then it’s a shrewd business move by BA.

    • vlcnc says:

      1 Jan1 January 17:21

      I don’t think this is going to make anyone shed out more to keep gold, you get most of the useful benefits with silver already. And things like the Concorde Room are really extra ice to haves – most people value fast track security and lounge access on its own, that’s enough for most people. The big problem as Rob has highlighted is that people traveling in business class are already getting those benefits by travelling that class anyway, so what’s the incentive in having status?? Status is more valuable if you travel economy but now that is basically impossible.

    • Matt B says:

      2 Jan2 January 10:44

      The “scrapers-together” are, I would wager, a huge number of people. I said this on the thread a couple of days ago: lots of people have to travel economy (or perhaps premium economy in exceptional circumstances) for work, and then work around that to try to maximise the tier points. Personally, I just about get silver every year (or have done for a decade) by regularly upgrading short-haul European flights to CW with my own money and long-haul economy tickets to premium economy, sometimes occasionally treating myself to a £500 CW upgrade from premium economy when it’s on offer through the app, especially if I need the TPs. I now have no incentive to do this anymore. No point chasing status if you know at the start of the year you aren’t going to get it, and no point transiting through Heathrow, ever, whether travelling short- or long-hail (I live up north) . So, while not BA’s biggest customer, my £10-15Kish annual spend on work and personal travel — 6-8 long-haul flights, 3-4 short-haul ones — will be directed to wherever is cheapest and most convenient from now on.

• Points Hound says:

  1 Jan1 January 15:52

  I know it doesn’t guarantee anything and it’s still likely to change, but BA on Twitter have just said to me that “As things currently stand, yes. We’ve been advised that ‘soft landings’ will remain in place even after the new Club is launched on 01 April 2025. Kelly”.

  • Paul G says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:04

    I do hope so. I am 1 holiday away from getting gold this year. A soft ride down through silver next year would be nice. I won’t ever be able to get status again with BA.

  • Andrew J says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:07

    Let’s hope that is the case, at least for the first year.

  • Tom says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:16

    I doubt BA would change anything like this until the current cycle has run its course i.e. at the end of 26/27
    Any sooner would be unfair to those who have achieved gold in the run up to end March 25.

  • Simon R says:

    1 Jan1 January 18:22

    They have confirmed the same to me ”We have no plans to change the soft landings proposition. Julie”
    They did not confirm when the FAQ’s would be updated though.

    • Rob says:

      1 Jan1 January 20:00

      This is the (un)official position, it seems:

      “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.”

      Also note, for corporate travellers:

      “Account managers will be given a stash of Silver cards to incentivise corporate travellers who are likely to defect. They are more frightened of United than anyone else at the moment so if this is you, threaten to move your business to them.”

      • Points Hound says:

        1 Jan1 January 21:40

        I’m not having the rug pulled twice, so on this basis I’m now definitely out 😞.

        Properly tipping salt in the wound deliberately allowing their PR arm to continue spouting BS about soft landings to try and keep us spending, when in reality the decision has already been made to sack us off regardless.

• ChasP says:

  1 Jan1 January 15:54

  just a reminder that 2 UC returns (which can be rewards) or even ONE flexible return gets you silver on Virgin ( and of course Skyteam)

  • Throwawayname says:

    1 Jan1 January 16:03

    No lounge access with silver though (albeit you do get free baggage with all fares, so it’s not useless like OW Ruby). Absent any status matching, those primarily travelling short haul should probably look to AFKL or Air Europa for status.

  • Tim S says:

    1 Jan1 January 18:49

    Just done some trial bookings and 2 UC returns can, depending upon destination, cost you £8000

    So barely any different from BA’s £7500 (less taxes), for Silver status that doesn’t give you lounge access.

    I don’t see that as a compelling equivalent offer.

    • Mr. AC says:

      2 Jan2 January 02:54

      You earn TPs on points bookings with Virgin though…

• Fan of CR says:

  1 Jan1 January 16:11

  Interesting point. I do ~40 CE trips a year earning ~3200 TP and spending ~£15k (now £40k needed I think) and kept GGL. Most trips to Germany and LHR more convenient. No real LCC alternative and don’t want an airport change on a 90 minute flight. Just checked January direct business flight to Hamburg BA £223, Eurowings £390 and LH £570. So still BA. If CE fare above £350 going forward will probably fly BA economy. Also with BA CE free change on the day which is valuable for me and keeps cost down. I like being front of plane as no EU passport and first off helps with passport control especially if Turkish Airlines or Emirates just landed.
  Loss of CR disappointing from April 2026.
  Enjoy being Group 0 but not a must have.
  Whilst leisure flying F to US (two4one BAPP – £900 and some Avios) is nice – having Marriott Titanium status and getting upgraded to a 1 bedroom 2 bath suite (even after paying with points) is much more valuable for me – 11 days and nights versus 20 hours at the front of a 25 year old tin can with beef neck and some champagne.
  If BA keeps their pricing competitive (talking about CE) then can’t see pax numbers dropping much as why pay double with LH just because you have hurty feelings from losing some status.
  I used to bank a few TP runs each year just to be safe (2024 10 CE sectors) when I found good prices ~£150 return CE (MAN/NCL/DUB) – now not necessary.
  On 4,070 TP now so might try for 5,000 as a last hurrah to get some extra upgrades.
  Times change – used to need 5,000 TP for Concorde Lounge and had separate Concorde card but BAEC then included CR access in 3,000 TP GGL renewal – nice touch – no complaining.
  For a number of years you could get BAEC Gold for 800 TP as a Stockholm resident – up to 2004 I think.
  Used to be able to self pour Johnnie Walker Blue Label in the Gold Lounge maybe ten years ago.
  Memories.
  Singapore Airlines MAN to Houston anyone?

  • Aaron says:

    1 Jan1 January 17:08

    The travel and spending pattern you outline above must be one of the absolute hardest-hit by these changes. Not only do you lose GGL as things stand, but gold too. From the CR every trip to silver and prosecco upstairs :(. However your last point is very true – times simply change. Seismic shifts happen, and in the grand scheme of things this one will probably be less annoying for frequent CE travellers with a UK passport than B*exit (apologies to everyone for bringing that up!)

    • Paul says:

      1 Jan1 January 17:33

      I agree. Brexit is far worse than this. BA won’t miss my long haul bookings as I don’t use them but those ET tickets, around 12 a year won’t be upgraded. If the only one who does this BA won’t notice. If everyone did that a very different proposition. I never understood CE as no one books it for the catering or the seat

    • Throwawayname says:

      1 Jan1 January 17:55

      The (thoroughly unsurprising) data point suggesting that LH have so much pricing power over BA that even their low-cost arm can sell tickets at a price that’s 70% (or whatever) higher means that having a less attractive FFP is likely to further undermine BA yields because anyone who would consider using a less convenient airport and/or buying up to business in order to chase status, use the better lounges or whatever will no longer have any incentive to do so. If/when those fares dry up, there will be fewer viable short haul routes/frequencies, resulting in cuts which will then affect the long haul operation.

      While I can’t see this being a true Ratner moment, I’m convinced that it will do real damage to IAG in the medium term.

    • Fan of CR says:

      1 Jan1 January 18:19

      Aaron, thanks for your reply- fortunately I enjoy Prosecco!
      On a positive note I had always had a dream to fly long-haul First on a Flag Carrier and it was BA (in conjunction with Amex and Tesco) that made it all possible in 2007 for 150,000 Avios and £300 going in a 747-400 to SFO. So a genuine thank you to BA for making that first First holiday and those lifelong memories possible.

      • AlexofActon says:

        1 Jan1 January 21:15

        Don’t tell everyone, but you can actually get champagne in the Club Rooms if you ask the servers for it.

  • lcylocal says:

    1 Jan1 January 20:01

    I don’t expect on a public forum for you to say exactly where you live. But I’m always interested in the idea that Heathrow is the most convenient option for many, and that insulates BA’s market position. From central London Gatwick is essentially just as convenient. It is generally better for anyone in London south of the river. Much of Surrey is fairly even along the M25 to either.

    As an aside same day change is also available on BA’s economy plus short haul tickets.

    • Throwawayname says:

      1 Jan1 January 20:34

      It’s also got to do with public transport options. For example, anyone masochistic enough to want to go without a car from Birmingham to a London airport is better off with LGW (single change at Reading station) than any of the others.

    • Fan of CR says:

      1 Jan1 January 21:53

      Thanks – didn’t know about economy plus and same day change – been a long time!
      Live Surrey and can do door to T5 lounge in less than 90 minutes via Train and Woking RA2. Gatwick via GWR train need at least two hours (also reliability and frequency not good) so never bothered.

• The Original Nick. says:

  1 Jan1 January 17:12

  For flights booked before 1300 GMT 30 December 2024 for travel from 1 April 2025, that are marketed by British Airways, American Airlines or Iberia, Tier Points will be awarded based on a conversion of the existing method.
  I have flights booked on UL for April. AUH – CMB – CGK return in Business.
  I wonder what will happen with the 540 Tier points I should (and will @BA) get for those flights which I’ll be crediting to my BAEC account.

  • GARETH says:

    1 Jan1 January 19:20

    I’m in a similar boat with QR. Not good news as I read it. See https://www.britishairways.com/content/executive-club/avios/collecting-avios/flights#others

• Autofocus says:

  1 Jan1 January 17:16

  for those who get the Highlife magazine through their door – we should all do a ‘return to sender” !!

• patrick says:

  1 Jan1 January 17:22

  I am currently @ SJO where there are 3 lounges – One World boarding pass, PP and Dragon allow access respectively. There are lifts to them all which have staff standing at the entrance not letting anyone enter as they are full. Once I had found a way in, the one I chose is a hideous, heaving mass of screaming children. The Flounge feels like a most attractive proposition at the moment.

  • The Original Nick. says:

    1 Jan1 January 17:40

    I’ll be there on Saturday for my flight back to Madrid so thanks for the information.

  • Throwawayname says:

    1 Jan1 January 18:01

    One of those is the supposed COPA club, which I entered when flying them the other week. Must have been the worst lounge I have ever visited, and I’ve been to some pretty poor ones. Not only was it overcrowded, but the offering was comical – they had some dismal snacks and charged for absolutely everything other than water and soft drinks. When I realised that I’d have to pay for coffee in a lounge that I’d paid for twice (as a *G business class ticket holder), I went to get myself a diet coke, only to be told they’d run out!

    Stick to the gate area, it’s a much better environment.

    • NorthernLass says:

      1 Jan1 January 19:09

      So much for it being the Switzerland of the Americas?!

      • Throwawayname says:

        1 Jan1 January 20:38

        Well, the prices of everything other than the hotel, car rental, and urban bus did remind me of Switzerland. It was like £30 for a kilo of almonds at Walmart (Lidl sell them for £8.50 I think), $18 for a cocktail, and $320 for a wheeled bag on sale for $102 in Panama.

        I only stayed there for a couple of days as a way of optimising my flight schedule, but I won’t be returning in a hurry.

        • patrick says:

          2 Jan2 January 11:26

          I shall never return, that is for certain!

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