[VintageKrug]

It makes total sense, it’s far from a small commercial cost, the issue wasn’t just a problem at Gatwick, and other airlines (eg Qantas and Singapore) have removed similar perks within the past few years.

I do wonder whether it’s worth dignifying these pages with properly constructed reasoned posts as you plainly haven’t bothered to read any of the points I have set out.

Plenty of people will have a moan, and then get back on the pony.

[FlyingChinaman]

Binman62:

I am seeing a lot of discontentments from the UK based BAEC memebers, except ONE!

It seems to me that BA mangement takes on blunder after blunder with their most loyal and their best financial contributors. I often wonder how long these poor customers will continue to bear and grin and suffer in silence! It is the Rip-off Britain tactic – Take everything and Give nothing! I am glad I am not based in the UK!! There could come to a time where enough is enough!

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“The policy encourages customers (even loyal ones) to choose a non BA flight, and particularly cheaper LCC flights, where one exists from the same terminal.”

VK, I must admit that I sometimes wonder about your IQ level.

As Binman wrote earlier, this privilege has to be earned by a considerable spend.

And it was a competitive advantage, let’s be honest no one in their right mind would spend good money on Club Europe and at LGW BA don’t even put up much of a fight on short haul, clapped out 737s that look as if they need fumigating, versus new and clean orange metal.

BA may at least try to hold on to the long haul premium business by offering the ability to stay in the club, even when flying loco.

And on some routes, BA don’t offer flights at all, so the anytime access was valuable, e.g. if I used easyJet from Malta, then connected at the North terminal to BA long haul.
I’ve just booked a business class flight from Malta to a regular destination the middle east, late booking (by ME premium standards, as the higher cabins sell out first) made on Wednesday last, to fly in a month – BA doesn’t even offer a codeshare connection.

So I’ve booked with Etihad (via London), who have now put in place an agreement with Air Malta – 1,450 euros return, versus BAs quote of more than that in premium economy, ex Europe, but needing me to add 300€ more for connecting flights.

I don’t think I’ll be back on that route.

But the great thing is that my card will drop to silver, which I can support on other routes and there will be no difference (that I value) from Gold.

[Swissdiver]

@VK: It is not really a competitive advantage, it was the optimisation of one: a great network of lounges. Now angering members around the world to resolve one or two local issues does not make sense at all.

Now think: if I fly from GVA to FCO or IST or DOH: does it make sense to go through LHR when a direct flight is available? By no mean! This is where, among all the others, I am punished…

DoS is right furthermore. Why bothering getting Gold now?

@FlyingChinaman: Being premium on the other alliances helps … when using them! But when flying QR or F7…

[stevescoots]

Whilst I often find Vk’s love for BA bizzare at at times, I understand what he is saying and agree with it..from a business point of view. It is an expensive cost to BA and i would do the same if I were them.

lets face it, most Ex-UK people fly them for thier routemap, BA will not entice people away from sleazy et al by cutting lounge access. people fly low cost because..its low cost. BA have identified an area to cut cost and I agree with them. lets face it, its cheaper to have your PP pass annually than to keep flying BA to get tier status so you can use the lounge when not flying BA.

As for thier market research comments, utter tosh. unless they asked me on a bad day when the lounge was full, which they didnt

Yes its a perk reduction, yes i fully understand consumers not being happy. However, as a business owner always watching the costs I also see BA’s perspective.

[NTarrant]

I quite agree with VK and Steve, I have been gold for over a year now and have never used it, but that is probably because of the routes I use.

However from a pure business point of view, why would you give something to a person who is not buying from you. The argument that they are loyal customers doesn’t stack up as clearly they are not loyal at that stage.

Having said that the email was poorly worded

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

NTarrant

May I ask if you are an accountant? I don’t mean any disrespect, as it is an honorable profession, but not one noted for ranking customer experience over cost.

When you say “However from a pure business point of view, why would you give something to a person who is not buying from you. The argument that they are loyal customers doesn’t stack up as clearly they are not loyal at that stage.”

You miss the point that the benefit is based on heavy buying patterns.

I’ve made it clear why this benefit may be used by people for the right reasons, say I travel to LGW in NCW and then decide to connect to Malta via easyJet.

I don’t have a BA or even a Oneworld option.

So if BA decides not to let me use anytime advantage, I’ll just move to another airline with alliance connections (e.g. Star or Skyteam) and that will be the end of that.

That is the business driver for such access. Now BA has made a decision based on a calculation and we will see if it makes sense in the longer term.

But they have just lost the bulk of my middle eastern business to the new Air Malta/Etihad codeshare service, I spent 30,000€ or so on that route last year.

Not a big amount for an airline, but straight off the bottom line.

[NTarrant]

Disgusted – I have no problem with people disagreeing with what I say and create debate, but this is not the first time you have singled out what I have said even though others have made simular comments.

Heavy buying patterns as you call it have little influence in this issue. You say you are a gold card holder, so am I, but when I go into the F lounge at LGW I don’t want to be pushed out by you travelling Easyjet, when I am travelling BA.

I think you are looking at this from a personal point of view, which is justifiable, rather than a business one. There are many people who have lost their BA service to various locations and airports over the last few years who will be in the same position.

So now you have a new service between Malta and the Middle East. I don’t see how you can moan at BA when another carrier is providing something right on your doorstep. Yes it is a loss to BA but isn’t Easyjet going to loose out as well?

[Swissdiver]

@NTarrant: the point here is to solve a local situation, LGW, BA is punishing all its Gold members. Does it really make sense? In addition, if Easyjet passengers are BA Gold, it might well be because they are good clients all together!

[flyingpenguin]

I totally agree with you.

I often fly out of LGW with both Easyjet and BA. It was THE main factor for me to aim for the Gold card. Now that this perk is removed, it makes NO sense whatsoever for me to have Gold.

As you said, there’s not much difference between Gold and Silver, I care little about the First lounge in LHR when the Club lounge is good enough for me. So Silver happily I’ll go, and less business for BA!

[NTarrant]

There is a nice new Priority Pass/Serviceair lounge just opened at LGW North in the former BA lounge, as an aside.

Swiss and Penguin, when you travel out on Easyjet from LGW, when you return what lounge do you use?

[flyingpenguin]

Interestingly for work reason, I always fly back into LGW in CE with BA, so I have access into the Club/First lounge.

[NTarrant]

So why don’t you travel outwards on BA in CE or Euro Traveller?

[flyingpenguin]

company policy

[Swissdiver]

@NTarrant: I don’t fly Easyjet. Contractual clause! 🙂

[Author]

Posts