[Anonymous]

[Daytripper]

Announced today, Oneworld member Finnair offers lifetime Silver/Gold/Platinum status to members who have accrued huge numbers of tier points over many years of loyalty. Many leading US airlines do the same.

Over to you British Airways.

Some of us have contributed hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of Pounds to your coffers. It’s time that our loyalty was similarly rewarded.

[janrotterdam]

Dear Daytripper –

Also AirFrance and KLM (with their combined Flying Blue program) have lifetime Platinum status for those travellers that were 10 years – without interruption – Platinum cardholders!

Also valid for Kenya Airways.

[Daytripper]

Has anyone put the idea forward this to BA in any of the focus groups they periodically hold for ultra frequent flyers?

[TrolleyDolley]

No chance that BA will do the same. Not sure they see the value of loyalty in the long term.

With their recent take-over of bmi, bmiI’s lifetime gold card holders are advised that they will get a BA gold card for a minimum of one year (although that doesn’t really clarify anything – personally think there’s an issue with the use of English and what they are trying to say is ‘…for a maximum of one year’).

They also make it very clear they do not have a life-time status.

If Finnair (part of OneWorld) are doing it…….as Daytripper says: ‘ Over to you’. – or should one instead join Finnair rather than BA. A thought perhaps?

[RichHI1]

This is about loyalty management. Finnair have little competition on lighaul from Helsinki, similarly KLM has limited long haul competition at present. BA has great long haul competition and therefore lifetime makes little sense. Similarly AA does Not offer lifetime EXP ( emerald one world) for similar reasons.

[MartynSinclair]

……….and then Finnair leave Oneworld??

I realise that airlines need their individual ID, but its a shame that the One World members dont have similar “club” benefits and reward availability/offerings.

Same for Star as well, simillar offerings between member airlines.

[RichHI1]

I guess it depends on how one sees alliances. If one sees them as an intermediate step towards global consolidation that gets around local ownership rules then commonality makes sense.

If one sees them as a route to maintaining airlines profitability with flexibility for the traveller then diversity of offering makes sense.
The Joint Business model that AA, BA, IB, JL,QF are moving to would seem that the former is the model for 1 world but I think there will be a lot of blood spilt in boardrooms before we get common offerings and a really aligned business.

[VintageKrug]

Speaking to someone about this recently, it does look like lifetime status will be on its way to BA in due course; no firm date as yet.

How would you prefer lifetime status to be awarded?

I’d imagine the thresholds should be quite high. Perhaps:

– Equivalent of ten years at Gold= 15,000 TPs granting lifetime Silver

– Equivalent of twenty years at Gold = 30,000 lifetime TPs granting lifetime Gold).

Some sort of clause that ensures the lifetime benefits are exclusive to BA flights, not oneworld..?

Requirement of four qualifying BA flights per year to ensure lifetime status is renewed?

If you take (very rough) the rule of thumb that £1000 spent=100 TPs then £150k spend grants lifetime Silver status, £300k spends gets Gold that seems appropriate and suitable out of reach of all but the most loyal, premium customers.

What thresholds would you suggest?

[canucklad]

Are there not tax implications as well…..

[JohnPhelanAustralia]

QF has lifetime Silver and Gold, but not lifetime Platinum.

It also used to have lifetime Qantas Club membership – I have one – but these are no longer offered.

[SimonS1]

Tax implications? Why’s that?

[canucklad]

Hi Simon, might be talking through my arse…but

I seem to remember reading that frequent flyer miles were being considered as an extension to your income and thus taxable.

It actually might have been an American or Australian article, although could be closer to home.

So logically speaking, if you become a life long member than you must declare your asset?

[MartynSinclair]

The idea of “lifetime” status is generally to reward loyalty. In this case the loyalty of supporting BA over the years, when perhaps retirement is looming.

Therefore, rather than retaining a status level (Gold / Silver) for what effectively is lounge access and inflight recognition, why dont BAEC introduce a new “Executive Retirement” or “Executive Loyalty” (or similar) level. Rewards could be standardised….

* lounge access

*inflight recognition

*access for husband and wife (or other combinations) after all, retirement brings more leisure travel

Benefits could be geared towards retirement travellers

As long as it’s being used, it should be kept as an encouragement to fly BA.

It would have to be BA only as my understanding of Oneworld cards is they need to offer a standardised range of benefits across the alliance to be recognised by each.

About time BA reognised long term loyalty. I am only 1 year away from SPG lifetime plat after 10 years loyalty (and that card is well worth having).

[SimonS1]

Hi Canucklad – not in the UK (yet….). The HMRC has recent stated that miles are not considered a taxable benefit even where gained whilst flying on business.

Who knows if we will reach that point but breathe easy for now.

[Author]

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