Why BA (Executive Club)?

TonyHancock

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So what has driven me to the fickle mistress that is BA? :?:

Well......where do I start? First up QF has played a big part, the changes last year really knocked me for six. I used the mASA extensively and also traveled on OW airlines. Whilst relatively minor the lack of Lifetime QF Platinum also played its part.

That is all very well I hear you say but why BA and not AA? The redemption rates with AA are much better I am told.

Whilst redemptions do matter they are not the most important thing for me. My travel is booked the best part of 12 months out and is primarily to the UK, 5-7 times per year. In order to maximise the benefits of status I like to fly with the airline I hold status with. I have been P1 with QF for four years and enjoyed the benefits associated with it.

The use of mASA's with QF, alongside two or three paid J fares allowed me to average about $5k per UK trip in J. This also allowed me to maintain P1 status and reap the rewards of multiple complimentary upgrades and excellent service recovery when things went, or looked as though they might go wrong.

I worked out that if I could hit GGL in year one, 5000 TP's, I had a shout at maintaining that level in subsequent years. (3000 TP's per year) Why did GGL matter I hear you ask? Well on the way to that level one picks up upgrade vouchers and upon reaching GGL one collects "jokers" that allow redemptions into revenue buckets. In some respects this will give me similar opportunities as mASA's. :idea:

What I did not realise is just how inexpensive some ex Europe fares could be, and by using MH/UL for positioning into the UK I could book a series of returns from Norway for under $5k per flight in J. :D Of course there is a bit of faffing about, four hours of unnecessary flying and the associated time on the ground.

So for the foreseeable future I have a sustainable means of flying J and maintaining status. As with all FF schemes there is always the spectre of devaluation lurking in the background but for the time being I am happy with my lot.

I hit GGL in just over ten months and in the penultimate flight to make GGL received an op up to F on a LHR-SIN sector.

Three of my UK/US work colleagues are particularly happy as I was able to gift a gold status and two silvers. :cool:

So for the next nine months I will be a QF P1 and a BA GGL..........but it is the P1 that will go by the wayside.
 
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An interesting summary, I wonder how many people there are contemplating a similar change.

Hopefully it doesn't take long until BA KWYA!
 
Thanks TH and great insight the inner workings of the BA program.

The op-ups are no accident... BA have invested heavily into identifying members who show typical behaviour of someone who is about to be valuable to the program. 'Blue Rocket' is a term that has been used...

What about creating a guide on how other frequent flyers can move from their program to BA. There are a lot of displaced QF/CX flyers who may want to move but not sure how...
 
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I've been BA Gold for over 2 years. As a UK local, Qantas showed zero loyalty, and I showed zero loyalty back as a result.

The BA scheme has been 'enhanced', but overall I find it more suitable for my requirements, particularly as I fly BA a lot.
 
Nice find on Norway - I had not considered that. Any other quirks?

If you do try the Norway option go for BGO or SVG - it makes a "back to back" much easier. You get off the plane and wait in the same area to reboard to get back to LHR. OSL can be tricky if the airport is busy.

Keep looking for ex EU fares. DUB and HEL have been good in the past.
 
I just did LHR-SVG return, albeit with a day in between. Twice daily flights but note that the evening one misses QF2 by minutes if you plan on doing that return.
 
I just did LHR-SVG return, albeit with a day in between. Twice daily flights but note that the evening one misses QF2 by minutes if you plan on doing that return.

To be honest I hadn't even thought of that. My primary goal is to maximise the ex Norway J pricing BA is currently offering. I just booked BGO-LHR-SIN-MEL-HKG-LHR-BGO for AUS$4700 in J. (I'll use points to get up to BGO and back) Obviously one needs to be in a position to know itineraries some way out and have a pretty consistent travel schedule to be able to make the most of ex Norway returns.
 
To be honest I hadn't even thought of that. My primary goal is to maximise the ex Norway J pricing BA is currently offering. I just booked BGO-LHR-SIN-MEL-HKG-LHR-BGO for AUS$4700 in J. (I'll use points to get up to BGO and back) Obviously one needs to be in a position to know itineraries some way out and have a pretty consistent travel schedule to be able to make the most of ex Norway returns.

Interesting, my trip to SVG could turn into an annual event if things go positive, will have to keep this in mind.

Are you booking this through BA or has Griselda got some tricks up her sleeve?

As with any positioning flight, it adds one more element of risk. My LHR-SVG flight ran two hours late due to a lack of crew..

The lesson is, keep plenty of float!
 
Griselda books through the BA site. :p

It's quite funny really because I'm actually trying to not have any float on the LHR-SVG, LHR-OSL, LHR-BGO positioning flights. I deliberately want a back to back experience. That way if the LHR-Norway flight is late I know I won't miss the return flight to LHR because it is the same plane.

The Norway to LHR flight is the first sector in my trip to MEL so if it is late into LHR then it will be BA's responsibility to fix things up. Having GGL status offers some further protection and hopefully will mean that I'll be near the top of the list of pax who get looked after.

...of course one of the problems and I....errr.errrr Griselda was pretty dim on this, is OSL. She dived in and booked three trips via OSL when I should have opted for BGO or SVG. OSL can be tricky on a back to back BGO and SVG are apparently straightforward off and back on hobbies.
 
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Griselda books through the BA site. :p

It's quite funny really because I'm actually trying to not have any float on the LHR-SVG, LHR-OSL, LHR-BGO positioning flights. I deliberately want a back to back experience. That way if the LHR-Norway flight is late I know I won't miss the return flight to LHR because it is the same plane.

The Norway to LHR flight is the first sector in my trip to MEL so if it is late into LHR then it will be BA's responsibility to fix things up. Having GGL status offers some further protection and hopefully will mean that I'll be near the top of the list of pax who get looked after.

...of course one of the problems and I....errr.errrr Griselda was pretty dim on this, is OSL. She dived in and booked three trips via OSL when I should have opted for BGO or SVG. OSL can be tricky on a back to back BGO and SVG are apparently straightforward off and back on hobbies.

Being looked after is certainly on of the benefits of being on single tickets, yes. SVG reminded me of regional airports in the USA, well spaced, functional but not overly complicated. If you can, avoid the taxis in SVG. a 15min ride came to be over AUD$75!
 
If you can, avoid the taxis in SVG. a 15min ride came to be over AUD$75!

Norway and Sweden can be expensive, but I won't be going outside of the airport. I am just using Norway to get the cheap fares and trying back to backs as much wherever I can. It is a waste of four or five hours each way but for just about half price J compared to MEL-LHR I'll wear it. :)

That lack of complication is what is driving me to SVG and BGO and away from OSL.
 

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