[VintageKrug]

Are you registered on mainland Europe, STORMIN’?

BA doesn’t seem to focus so much on non-UK members.

UK members do have several tiers beyond simple Gold with added perks at each stage (most of which are rather irrelevant as you are probably flying F anyway and have enough dosh to pay for F whenever necessary if you have an all premium regular travel pattern).

These additional tiers should also be offered to EuroPeople, but I think the tier levels are different (or were before the recent changes). It should be remembered that EuroGold at 800TPs required significantly less loyalty than UK Gold did.

I had several upgrades when Silver and although I get my fair share now, I think it does seem sensible to offer those lower down the programme a taste of what’s up front, when otherwise they may not have sampled it.

Upgrading a Silver is more likely to build loyalty vs. a J to F upgrade for a Gold cardholder of many years standing who is jaded by whatever cabin they are placed in, and have an expectation of an upgrade as a matter of course, rather than being delighted by a glimpse of something they otherwise would not have experienced.

On the point of lifetime Gold status, it is strongly rumoured that this is on its way, though the form it will take and the assessment criteria are not yet known:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Lifetime-BA-Executive-Club-Status

[STORMIN']

VK – I’m UK / London based.

My travel bio is Club long-haul / WT+ mid-haul (ME and US East / Mid) and EuroT Europe. No First – I wish! So, just run-of -the- mill Business Travel but a hell of a lot of it. I have on occasions been upgraded J/F but never, ever W/J.

Good to hear that Lifetime Gold is being considered – this is long overdue, in my opinion

[VintageKrug]

I’m somewhat suspect of lifetime status – it’s only really the lifetime of the airline, after all (as bmi people have found to their cost recently) and with such a high volume of premium travellers, BA may be at risk of opening itself up to a long term liability as retirees crowd into the premium lounges and diminish the experience for current business travellers on their way up the ranks.

[STORMIN']

Doesn’t seem to happen with Air France / KLM. Their Lifetime membership arrangements have been in position for a few years now. I am regularly in the KLM Lounge at AMS and whilst it can get busy at times, like the BA F Lounge at T5, it’s never been over-crowded.

I would suspect that retirees would only be occasional travellers in any event so that they are unlikely to make a significance difference

[TableTop]

As others have said, it’s 3000TPs for two consecutive years or 5000 TPs in one year to get Gold Guest List.

I have a Concorde Room Card as well as I get over 5000TPs per year which is nice but not a major benefit. It doesn’t equate to any higher tier within the Exec Club.

It has made no difference whatsoever to my upgrade frequency, which remains very low.
As others have said, it’s only the guaranteed redemptions which make the tier worth having. Otherwise I wouldn’t get too excited about getting to this tier. Even the card looks almost exactly the same as a regular Gold Card!

[MartynSinclair]

“I think it does seem sensible to offer those lower down the programme a taste of what’s up front, when otherwise they may not have sampled it”

Do BA offer “taster upgrades”? I thought Upgrades were not enjoyed only for operational reasons and there is a strict hierachy which is based amongst other things on the colour of card held. Are BA’s marketing machines that slick that the computers can ID a Silver/Blue card holder that needs a “taster”.

I was very grateful for my Upgrade the other day from a backwards facing upstairs seat to a forward facing F seat to BKK.

[VintageKrug]

I actually enjoy travelling in a rearwards-facing seat; very comfy.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/club-world/public/en_gb

Op ups are usually for operational reasons only, but you can get a wildcard sometimes so there’s no reason a Silver wouldn’t be upgraded above a Gold (say, for instance, the Golds were in a large group, travelling with a child, refused to move, were late boarding, had ordered special meal, hadn’t OLCI’d etc.).

Rude, ugly or otherwise NSFU Golds might also be passed over….

[MartynSinclair]

I shall take that to mean I am considered, polite, handsome and suitable, by BA! My late mother should still be proud…..!

[millionsofmiles]

Apart from liking or disliking the rules and apart from the impressiveness of the bebefits and ounges…..
BA has the rules very cearly defined and laid out. So everyone should be able to make up his/her mind about which program to focus on.

[Foreignescape]

A change I have noticed from last year are additional benefits not listed when you pass 7,000 and 8,000 tier points. A choice of guest list redemption, upgrade for 2 or 50,000 avios.

Anyone know what the benefits are for passing higher thresholds?

This membership year has been busier than most. I will pass 10,000 tier points over the next month, 7 months into the membership year.

[Author]

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