Well, there has been not too many complementary experiences about the BA Miles scheme, which was born this time last year, from the old Airmiles scheme. I have to say, I have been pretty pleased with my lot from BA, particularly, as I have done most of my flights for business and didn't have ... Read review
A review by helencbradshaw on British Airways Executive Club October 26th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Food Quality
Customer Service
Punctuality
Space
Value for Money
Advantages:
Use of Lounge, free Airmiles, Upgrade vouchers
Disadvantages:
You can lose your membership quickly, if you stop flying for any time
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Well, there has been not too many complementary experiences about the BA Miles scheme, which was born this time last year, from the old Airmiles scheme. I have to say, I have been pretty pleased with my lot from BA, particularly, as I have done most of my flights for business and didn't have to pay to earn my miles anyway. Can't grumble at that, eh?
I had been a memeber of BA Executive Club, collecting Air Miles for about five years or so, when the scheme was transferred to BA Miles last year. Yes, it was more expensive, to use them for domestic and short haul flights (13000 BAmiles now required), but BA compensated for that, by transferring miles collected under the old scheme, to the new scheme at a rate of 14 BA Miles for one old air mile. That gave me about 240000 BA Miles.
Now I had travelled a fair bit in the UK in that time, for about one year, and then went to Australia, where I was travelling most weeks, with Qantas. I was able to collect miles on these flights too, although not if they were cheaper tickets, as many were.
Well, I didn't think 240,000 BA miles was too bad, it has provided me with enough airmiles for 15 domestic journeys, or alternatively round tickets for two back to Australia. Not bad for nothing, in my book.
I was a 'blue' member when I went to Australia in 1998, but shortly after I finally had enough miles to get upgraded to Silver, and the following year Gold. I also finally collected enough Executive club points for an upgrade 'one class' anywhere in the world, for two people. This even included tickets which i had paid for with miles, which could be upgraded to Club World. So I duly booked a fantastic holiday to Canada, and used 50,000 miles for myself and 50000 for partner, for which we had the luxury of travelling to Vancouver business Class. A great start to our holiday.
I thought, I would lose my status altogether this year, as since my membership was renewed last, I have travelled about four times, all domestic flights, and thought I would be downgraded to Blue, or even kicked out altogether! However, last week, BA duly sent me next year's membership kit, stating they had renewed my membership at Silver, and in a separate mailing, I also received another voucher allowing me and a partner to be upgraded once more.
As I still have about 140,000 BA Miles left in my clutches, I am now deciding where I can go next, for free, before the voucher expires in one years time.
My only grievance I have had with the Executive Club, was when travelling back from Australia, back in 1998, although I had flown business class, I was not allowed into the lounge at Terminal one, to enable myself to refresh, prior to my final leg of the journey home. I felt that as the ticket had cost £4500 to my company, and it was 6am in the morning, any Customer Service Manager who deserves the title would have let me in the lounge. This happened on two separate occasions, until I got the much wanted Silver Card. Instead I was given the party ' If I let you in, I will have to let everyone in' line. Bad Service. (I am aware I could have used the lounge in the arrival's hall at Terminal 4, but I am one of those travellers who likes to get where she needs to be in good time, and didnt want to be rushing, particularly if I had to queue for a shower beforehand.
So all in all, I think I have done fairly well out of the BA scheme, and if the rewards were more generous than they are, in the end it is the consumer who is paying! I also collected 300,000 miles with Ansett Australia, but these are worth nothing, as the airline, the 2nd domestic airline in Australia, has recently gone pear shaped, and ran out of cash!
Advantages: On-line check-in, easy to use, you can choose your seat Disadvantages: None for me yet
I’ve discovered British Airways Executive Club one and a half years ago.
Until then, I’ve been flying with different airline companies, as Air France or Tarom (this is the Romanian company and I used it a lot, as I was born in Romania).
So, I’ve been flying from Bucharest to London and back for 10 times in the last 18 months. For the first 4 times, I used Tarom, as I thought it is the cheapest (these were personal flights, not business flights, ... ...the idea that British Airways was quite expensive (actually, it used to be, but they cut the prices recently, to keep up with the low-fares airlines). But one day I need to go from UK to Amsterdam for business and my company has a deal with BA. So I was going to Amsterdam with them. I was quite impressed by the service quality, the politeness of the crew, even the food was much better than any other airlines I’ve been flying with. I’ve been given ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Fair deal, easy to accumulate, straightforward Disadvantages: Not available on all flights
“The British Airways Executive Club isn't just another frequent flyer programme. It's been designed to recognise and reward business travellers with exclusive benefits every time they fly.” This was the advertisement which I saw whilst making my first business trip in 1994, travelling to Dulles Airport, Va., and not knowing what it was all about. I had boarded the BA 747 aircraft at LHR (London Heathrow Airport), and was travelling to the USA for ... ...but whenever possible I chose British Airways: the service is better, the cabin staff are much more attentive and sincere, and they love to use the “yes” word more regularly than those of the other airlines.
I have to admit to being a little perplexed when the BA points system was introduced a few years ago now, but by enrolling within the deadline and transferring all my “old” airmiles to the new “BA Points” the relationship has only improved. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Flown several times free, or up-graded. Disadvantages: Dates are difficult to come by.
...went back to England, on British Airways, I decided to sign up for their frequent flyer miles. I figured I would be visiting family at least once a year, so I might as well reap the benefits.
Both Len and I have the Blue Executive card. That is the bottom of the range, and I feel after 15 trips with them, that it is all that we will achieve. I assume business flyers obtain the Silver and Gold status. Basically it is the fare class that gives you ... ...and I use is the British Airways Visa card. This way, when we fly to England, we get the 4,416 miles each way, plus milage for paying with our card. This really helps them pile up. Not only do we use this card for trips, but anything we use a credit card for. They also have promotion around Christmas, giving extra miles for spending more. Now, who could resist that.
Want even more miles, then check out the Executive Club® British Airways guide to ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Accumulate lots of miles Disadvantages: Don't get a household account and try and spend them
BA Miles Household account is the biggest pain out.
I thought it would be a good idea to merge my BA miles with my husbands so we signed up for the Household account.
All was fine until I went to book tickets and then found out we can only get tickets for myself and my husband as the 2 members of the account. I didn't add the kids as they don't hold BA executive cards and there didn't seem any point in them having one either.
But apparently I ... ...this in the Rules and Regulations but those are as clear as mud. Even after having read them about 6 times it wasn't any better.
As this clearly isn't going to get me any tickets booked - I phoned to either get the kids added or to get rid of the Household account to be told we couldn't do it for 6 months as: "16.1.7 Once a Household Account is established, new member(s) may not be added or existing member(s) removed more than once every six months. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Points make prizes! (Well, flights actually) Disadvantages: Economy flights don't give as many points as you'd hope
I joined the BA Exec club when my company relocated to Scotland - so I was flying up and down every week. (They don't called it the "red eye" for nothing.....) As the company were paying and it was Business class, the points really built up. I had plenty of free flights over the next couple of years. Two free flights to Israel and lots of personal trips London to Edinburgh, plus a few to Dublin.
I soon became a "Silver" member, which gives you access ... ...when you are not travelling business class.
Now my job has changed and I don't fly so much, so straight back down to the "Blue" tier. This means that you can't get access to the club lounge facilities unless you are travelling business class. It made me realise how good I had had it before!
The Blue tier only allows you to collect points.
But I must say that the BA Exec Club website is excellent! It has everything you need - all your exec points ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Free flights Disadvantages: Lots and lots needed
...In October 2000, BritishAirwaysExecutiveClub launched BA Miles, which now exists alongside the more familiar Air Miles. They cannot be combined, so do you know the difference?
The Air Miles scheme is continuing as before but beware that flying with BritishAirways will now earn you BA miles instead of Air Miles. Some other Air Miles partners have also pulled out, for example Vodafone. Although it is early days for the new scheme, it appears to me that Air Miles will become the poor relation to BA Miles.
So what are BA Miles? Basically, they are the miles you now earn by flying with BritishAirways. You also earn them on qualifying expenditure with a variety of partners, mainly business expenditure, for example Avis, Hertz and many hotel chains. However, you can earn BA Miles at Sainsburys. One reward voucher (£2.50) earns...
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Advantages: Free Flights Disadvantages: Restrictions may be when you want to fly
...Just to clarify, "BritishAirwaysExecutiveClub miles", "BritishAirwaysExecutiveClub tier points" and "Airmiles" are three different beasties.
1: Airmiles is a simple application and no real requirements. Airmiles can be used to buy flights and other travel services from a wide range of suppliers though the Airmiles website. Each Airmile has a value of about 6.1 pence. Airmiles never expire. Family Accounts are available.
BritishAirwaysExecutiveClub needs you to fly upgraded at least once: unless you fly with BA several times a year there is little point in applying.
2: BAmiles can be used to buy flights and other travel services only from from BritishAirways. Each BAmile has a value of about 0.6 pence. Your BAmiles do not expire as such, but the account is closed if there is zero activity for three years. "Household...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: A good standard of service Disadvantages: Current cut backs in service provision.
...and even more so they should never be complacent because there are some decent airlines out there too.
Britishairwaysexecutiveclub.
If you fly regularly you can join Britishairwaysexecutiveclub where you earn points for each flight you fly. The different cabin classes offer different rates of points and you can get them through Britishairways patner companies for car hire, hotels and money exchange services to name a few. Once you have accumulated enough miles these can be exchanged for free flights or upgrades. There are various levels from basic membership to silver and gold. Once you have reached silver status this enables you to use the airport lounges throughout the world. Gold card members get preferential booking booking options and seat choice. It is worth joining if you tend to fly a lot.
Would I recommend B A...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
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