[Anonymous]

[action09]

I currently need 240 points to reach 600 and ths gain a Silver Card. My year end is 8th March, I have a club flight booked to Houston on 4th March and returning on 11th…this will get me 280pts BUT as the return date is after my year end will I miss out of Silver status??

[DerekVH]

Yes I am afraid so, this has happened to me twice!

[flier74]

Unfortunately I think yes as the points for your return would be credited after your “Year end” so unless you fly somewhere else before to make some points I believe you will miss it. But I happily stand corrected

[VintageKrug]

You should receive the 120 TPs on the outbound within your current membership period, but as you set out the inbound 120TPs will credit to your new membership year.

I think it’s a typo, but just to be clear an exLHR Club World rtn credits 240TPs not 280TPs unless I am missing something re: a European or (more likely) a Domestic connection.

Strictly speaking, you therefore should not qualify for Silver this year.

HOWEVER you have two options:

1. Call BAEC (best to do this on a quiet midweek morning, and best to do so before this Friday when the BA Strike Ballot is announced) and ask them if they might allow one week’s “grace period”. It is by no means guaranteed this will be permitted, but it is not unknown for such a facility to be offered to those who already hold at Silver card (I am not certain it would be offered to those who have yet to qualify). The drawback of this situation is that you have nothing in writing to confirm any agreement you may have made, if you request is accepted.

The reason I suggest a morning (8am-ish) is that the callcentre staff are generally more able to address more complex queries when less busy, and if it is necessary to refer your request to a supervisor I have found them more available on a weekday, not a weekend. AVOID Friday/this weekend at all costs, which will be exceptionally busy!!

2. Move you account to a European Address, where the threshold for silver is 400 TPs. This is easily done online, the only risk being you need to be able to get your physical card forwarded to you, you cannot move back for six months, and would be unable to redeem any BA Amex 2for1 vouchers during your stay abroad. You also lose your ability to credit BA Miles earned on your BA Amex while resident abroad.

[continentalclub]

It would certainly be worth calling your Executive Club Service Centre. Although it is not a published policy, it has been known for one week extensions to be granted to the membership year to cope with exactly this type of scenario.

Contact details can be found here:

http://bit.ly/eFewwh

It would definitiely be worth following VK’s tactics in doing so, too!

Good luck.

[action09]

Thanks for info, and yes VK there is a domestic connection hence the 280pts..

I’ll give them a call.

[Cwyfan]

I was similarly worried about this, as my year end date was 8th February, and my next flight was straddling it, but I was fortunate enough to make a flight that took me over it at Christmas, first plane into JFK after their snowstorm!

Anyway, what I found interesting was that as soon as I reached silver, they reset my tier points to zero, and reset my year end to Feb 2012, meaning all of tier points from my next flight will be counted in my trying to retain silver.

I was impressed by that customer friendly touch

[stevehilleard]

This has happened to me twice. On both occasions Exec Club customer service staff were very understanding when I phoned and allowed a slightly extended membership period.

[Potakas]

You could tell them that you need this extra week because of the possible strikes. I think this one would be the best excuse. If this won’t work (which i doubt) remind them the volcano and the strikes last year.

[LuganoPirate]

It’s an interesting thread and I’m sure the same dilemma would apply to members of other airline alliances. Do let us know Action09 how you get on and BA’s response.

[action09]

Spoke to a very helpful bloke last night in the EC, explained it and without hesitation he said they would extend the year end by 2 weeks, and to call after the inward flight just in-case it reset the year.

[SBingham]

Can someone tell me i have reached silver, do i have to wait until my years end to receive the benefits?

[continentalclub]

Benefits become available immediately upon your qualifying flight posting. Your online account will reflect your new status at that time and your tier points balance will reset to zero.

Your status will be visible to reservations, check-in and British Airways directly-operated lounge staff.

Should you be at all concerned that you may be visiting a lounge which is shared, thirdy-party operated or not able to access the BA system, then simply call your BAEC service centre and request a so-called lounge letter, which will be faxed or emailed to you and which can be used as authority until your new card arrives, or if for some reason your new status is not showing on your boarding pass.

[SBingham]

Thanks for that continentalclub

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