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I have avoided this airline whenever possible for over twenty five years, although can be tricky if you travel from London. Will continue to do so. Service has never been world class and their attitude is always that they are doing you a favour letting you fly with them. Whatever the cabin class you are in, and I have flown in all of them at various times. All loyalty schemes of this type are a little immoral. Many people are flying on business and do not pay for their own tickets. So the idea is to encourage you to fly BA with your employer’s or client’s money even if cheaper options are available. A pure revenue based system just makes this intention even more transparent by creating less incentive to save money. Classic moral hazard. “Oh, I need a flexible ticket…..”. Low cost airlines get a bad press but the model is far more honest. I have been Silver on BA (never Gold) and Gold on Virgin but I seriously question anyway the value of the status perks. Boarding early is nice (so you can stow cabin bags) but the lounges are typically appalling and the available food is very low quality, cheap carbs. Not sure any of this really matters. Happy to choose the best airline for whatever specific itinerary I am flying rather than being influenced by BA’s “Club”.

The rules are that they can change the rules. The new system is rewarding true loyalty and customers need to spread their activity other than just flying.

Appreciate comments on my understanding of the proposed changes comparing old with new: 1. To earn Silver status, I currently need to fly a minimum of 15 Business Class trips a year i.e. 15 x 40 = 600 points. Now, at approximately £200 per flight, to achieve 7500 tier points I will need to fly 38 flights at £200 a flight. This represents a 253% increase!?! 2. To earn Gold Status, I previously needed to fly 38 flights a year but now to achieve the 20,000 tier points required will need to fly 100 flights at £200 a flight, that’s almost two flights per week!! This is a 263 % increase!?! 3. Equally Lifetime Gold requirements bears no comparison between the BA Executive Club and the BA Club Could be wrong…..

such a joy to see your highlights!

Avios redemptions still work well for me but, since many of my Avios come from redeeming Amex Rewards points and then boosting them with cash, I’ll be a lot more reticent in future about when I do the transfer. Who knows what stunts BA will pull next with regard to redemptions! Those reacting emotionally to this need to give themselves a reality check. The Exec Club programme has never been about the customer, only about revenue. Fair enough, they’ve done a good marketing job at pushing the aspirational nature of Status (clue is in the name). I am guilty of being a bit of a fan-boy myself with some brands (cough - Landrover, Apple - cough) but, looking at it objectively, I think the answer is to take a fresh look at what you most value in air travel, and think creatively about the most cost-effective way of achieving it, with or without BA. Figuring out how to continue playing BA’s game with their new made up rules is NOT the answer IMHO. As Keynes said; “When the facts change, I change my mind”. Personally I’ll continue to fly BA Club Europe. It’s a cost-effective way into the on-ground business class experience and I do find that empty middle seat gives an extra sense of space for, sometimes, not a lot more money. I hope all you tier-point oriented TH-camrs are going to be able to mine a rich seam of potential new content focussing on alternative ways to enjoy flying without breaking the bank.👍

Did you actually find £728 *return* for New York in WT+? In my experience that's a more typical one-way price.

BA has just said goodbye to thousands of loyal customers .

I have never had status, but had planned to go for Silver, as a leisure traveller. That will not be possible now, so instead I will simply look for the best value fares (instead of paying a premium or go out of my way, to fly BA). I do like BA, because they have been flexible, and looked after me when I have needed some changes or support, but I am now 'free' to look at Star Alliance, SAS, or...Easyjet.... to get me where I want to go. I'll probably grab a Priority Pass for a year, which would give access to lounges when I want (not need) it. Extra bags, seat selection? No issue for me.

A very sad decision by BA. One of the signs that their marketing and PR team is incompetent is the way the new system was announced. Even the small word choices like “ Chainging the way you earn point”. No company would use the word “Change” when presenting something like this, but rather use the word “Update” instead. People don’t like change… and clearly not thinking this through it shows on customer reactions. I also feel for the crew, because now they will be even under more pressure to keep BA afloat, while the very company they work for just gave them more work to uphold that status of BA. BA will loose this battle against budget airlines, since EasyJet, Ryanair, WizzAir offer way lower prices for not much of a drawback and for long haul they are competing with Virgin and Emirates which also offer better experience. Flying BA was never a rational decision, but an emotional. Making it revenue based just makes everything transactional where BA will lose to EasyJet Holidays.

Thanks for the clear info

Are points going to be shared with all travellers? As an example, I’m booked for 4 nights in Copenhagen for 5 of us (3 kids). Will the points be split between my wife’s and my account or all 5 of us?

The airline giveth, the airline, the taketh away. If they have messed up, it will be adjusted in time, however it seems that the management team has decided to clear out the lounges of lower spending customers. I was BAEC gold until about 4 years ago, became increasingly disillusioned with the airline and my perception of falling standards, so walked away. This has been a liberating experience, allowing me to buy what I need, from the best value source.

I booked tickets for myself, my wife, and my adult son to fly LHR to HND in May, flying out first and back in Club. Cost me just under £13k. Me, cost me that money. So in theory I should get Silver, right? Well, no, because it splits it between the 3 of us, so we all get bronze despite the whole booking being on MY BA Amex card. I suppose the one good thing to come out of this is that I can now actually dump my BA Amex Card, which will save me some money.

BA realised that it had become too easy to get Silver and to a lesser degree, Gold. This diluted the service that premium fare paying passengers and very frequent flying passengers were receiving, putting at risk retention of those passengers. This off airplane enhanced service is particularly important as BA's premium cabins are generally not as good as some of the competition. The whole system was also too complicated. Most loyalty schemes in other industries are simple - the more you spend the more you get! BA risks losing some of those passengers who chase tier status as a goal in itself but maybe there are fewer of those than people who watch reviews like this might think?? I think most holiday travellers just look at price and convenience so BA has primarily to compete on that basis As a long time BA traveller I do understand the 'BA Family' factor but again, I am not sure how many people feel that these days? Anyway, I have been a 'Gold for Life' member since I retired but if I now lose that, I will quickly adjust as it doesn't seem that exclusive these days. I think Avios are more important than tier status to me and I do everything I can to grab them, plus upgrade vouchers? Being in a premium cabin on the plane at the lowest total cost is by far my highest priority

Your conversion method doesn’t work because it really depends on what someone would spend to get Gold previously. If someone was doing it for 3000 pounds, now it’s 20000 pounds if spending so that’s an increase of almost 700% excluding the spending on taxes. For most customers I suspect it’s at least 100 - 150% more in spend than before, not 33.3%.

I don't feel "deflated" is an accurate term. I feel BA simply kicking out Econ and Pre. Econ passengers out of "The Club"

Since it was pretty easy to get to silver, it wasn’t too bad that SP or Business tickets didn’t come with free seat selection (since Silver covered it). That now seems like a real scam… to be paying thousands for a seat and potentially another few hundred for up front selection?!

Stop complaining 😂 You need to spend more on United to get 1k on United vs Gold. It was way too easy compared to US carriers.

I travel for work a lot. This year 2024, I’ve done two Hong trips both business, LA PE, and holiday in Barbados business class, I’m flying to Iceland in 10 days to push me over to gold, current;y sat at 1400 points. I’ve never been gold, and it looks like I’m going to have 1 year of it, and never again. Luckily my Hong Kong trips twice a year, come in at around 3.4/4k return top that up with a PE visit to the USA, I should be able to keep sliver, but what they have done is wild. The lounges were getting a bit out of hand busy last year I have to say.

Is there much of a backlash to these changes?

Wouldn’t be so bad if they ran a 5 star service

Too many people have status they don’t deserve because it was too easy to obtain. That’s the only reason many are angry.

British airways just don't tell the truth , when they changed and reduced the choice on meals on long haul flights , gave cheaper options , they said it responding to customer feedback, its just a straight lie , who says less choice cheaper options but please charge me more , the changes to the executive club " we are responding to our customers " lie who on earth says please make it much more difficult for me to get a silver or gold card the airline is becoming a world wide joke

Totally agree 💯

Completely agree with your points but your conversion of spend to points isn’t correct. The tier points achieved are LESS taxes so even if you spent c.£6900 in 2023 that wouldn’t even be 6900 points - it would be minus the taxes.

Dinosaur Ridge great to hie with dinosaur foorprints

Lookout Mt should be seen

There is the Bustang run by CDot $5 each way from Union Station with phone charging and Wifi and bathrooms

Wait till you see the Pikes Peak Hill climb...think the record is 8 min+ up to of Pikes Peak

Manitou Springs outside Colorado Springs...even if you dont hike the Incline. Boulder is great if you forget about their politics.

Arvada or Golden....North and South Tables in Golden. Light rail and buses are great to get around. Cental City for gambling

So hints on where to buy decsnt smck? Pretty uselss then

@3:29 - that second entrance (the original one) does have a purpose, its for the many connecting passengers through T5 who do not clear UK Immigration. I have accessed the lounge via both entrances, so a tip: If connecting through Heathrow (and you have clearance into the UK) CLEAR IMMIGRATION - go back upstairs and access the First Wing (as per the video) its quicker. There is no First Class lines for transfers, which is crazy...so you waste a lot of time cramming through this tiny line, it takes forever, then you have to go through Economy security - its ridiculous. THEN you have to walk through the whole terminal down to the end where the lounge is. Enter the UK and head back up to the First Wing.

LOL, I enjoyed an outsider's view of the city where I lived for 15 years. A lot has changed since I left. The homeless situation has gotten so difficult since then. The area at Civic Center Park and the state house was wonderful when I moved there. The walking mall, 16th Street, has been a mess since they decided to redo it. It's a city in the midst of a kind of crisis. It grew quickly from the mid '90s to 2015, then struggled to find its way. Yes, the sports events are great. Baseball is a bargain, you can see a game in a great park for under $10 and the area around the park is filled with bars and restaurants. There are pretty much no taxis downtown now, you'll need Uber or Lyft.

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Traveltrix doesn't know East from West.

Love the image 😄

BA’s seat is comfortable, but their food tastes like a defrosted Iceland TV dinner.

Excellent information.

Very nice. The few times we have flown business class was heaven.

Good points

I have just arrived in Thailand via the winter-only BA direct Gatwick-Bangkok, premium economy. The recline is very generous. Its tricky to get out when the seat in front is fully reclined,, however thats what we all paid for. Great crew. Food fine. I do think the plane needs more toilets though - the competition such as EVA has more loos however it costs a lot more to fly EVA. Overall a good flight.

Excellent

Nice video. Thanks. Would have been good to see the recline. Was it ok when the passenger in front of you reclined? I always have this paranoia that I might bother the passenger behind…

The only place public rail doesn’t reach is khaosan and the area. Minus the tuktuks and “scamming” by the street sellers that are walking around - absolutely loved Bangkok

I love public transport in Bangkok

Flew BA once - NEVER AGAIN

London pelicans, swallowing pigeons live that get too close 😮 I think it's Green park that green parrots will eat out of your hand & St James's for sparrows doing likewise 🤔

Best way to save money in London as a tourist: Don't go. It's like any other city in any other country in the world (plus you're liable to have your wallet/phone stolen anyway). Go to the countryside, that is the REAL Britain

Great tips. I’m a 30 year flight attendant and I couldn’t have given any better tips than those! 😊