[MartynSinclair]

It also provides more seat availability for avios reward flights (for bookings within Europe)…

[SimonS1]

Very true Mr Michael. Shareholders everywhere should be grateful to those who slavishly collect their TPs and Avios.

The BA board on FT is always a good read, people moaning incessantly about everything from the state of the bogs to the quality of champagne and the all economy seating on short haul.

Long may it continue, the share price is doing quite well really.

[MrMichael]

Interesting Martyn that you seem to use your Gold status more for the Avios perk than the Gold. Correct me if I am wrong but you use BA long haul as it gives you free BA short haul. As you live in SE England then BA for you has everything you seem to need, reasonable quality, reasonable price, excellent route network……and your after the Avios more than the status. It is those just after the status, getting it, then moaning about it that puzzle me.

[MartynSinclair]

MrMichael – correct. Each of my langhauls to Asia, earn me approx. 36,000 avios due to my routing. That equates to 8 sectors in Y or 4 in J (at standard redemptions).

I now book Club Europe using reduced miles + cash (ca. Euros 75), if row 1 is available, which it always has been (Gold status benefit).

2015 I booked 34 sectors, mostly in Club Euope using avios. I haven’t got the historical stats to show which class I flew for the 34 avios bookings, but I would estimate 75% were in Club Europe.

I am convinced for me BA provides the best value (albeit with only a satisfactory product experience)..

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve found Silver status with any airline virtually worthless. I’ve had silver with BA, KLM, QR and Mrs. LP with Swiss. There are no tangible benefits with lounge access only being given to the cardholder and some extra points / miles.

When I was BA Gold I found the helpline useless. I flew BA as I knew the Swiss station manager personally and had direct numbers to their office. He gave me Gold with just 2 cheap European flights under my belt but warned I’d have to keep it as he could not renew it. I did for 3 years flying BA F and Business and nothing was too much trouble. Cheap tickets changed FoC, flight delays or changes in schedule handled promptly and efficiently and some great deals on tickets. Where there were promotions on the routes I flew I’d get a call informing me before they went on general release so I could secure one.

That was service and the way it was with other airlines in the past. Regrettably he was moved elsewhere and I’m not even sure the office exists anymore. After a year and a bit I concentrated my business with Swiss as BA service was nil and rapidly fell through the ranks down to Blue where I am now.

[CathayLoyalist2]

Most of the airlines have revamped or will revamp their programmes to reward premium cabin travelers. The days of the ‘better frills” across the board are gone. CX are the latest w.e.f. April 2016 but they have done in it a way that doesn’t rub peoples ‘noses in it’. i.e. a sliding scale of points based on the ticket class booked. If you want to see a loyalty programed stripped out except for their ‘top travelers’ look at SQ.

[Author]

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