I spent the weekend in Manchester, on a training course. I flew IOM-MAN return with BA, on a ticket costing over £200 for a 30 minute hop.
When I checked in for the return leg using the ATM-type machine, my boarding card said “Club Europe”. The class code was “C”.
Given the high price I had paid, plus given that I buy 10+ return tix a year just on that one route alone, I figured BA had given me a treat.
I went through to T3 Departures and climbed the steps to the BA Lounge.
Result: turned away, told that I need Silver FF card to enter the lounge. A Club boarding pass is not enough if you’re only going to the Isle of Man.
What do you all think?
By: mongu - 4th December 2004 at 22:53
Just so you believe me when I say I was confused, here is a photo of the offending boarding pass. The other 2 below it are today’s passes which don’t say Club on them, but do show the class as “C”.
By: mongu - 4th December 2004 at 22:53
Just so you believe me when I say I was confused, here is a photo of the offending boarding pass. The other 2 below it are today’s passes which don’t say Club on them, but do show the class as “C”.
By: mongu - 3rd December 2004 at 20:42
I agree, I knew I didn’t have a club ticket, but I assumed I was upgraded at check in.
Just to show no hard feelings, I’m doing an IOM-MAN daytrip again tomorrow morning.
By: mongu - 3rd December 2004 at 20:42
I agree, I knew I didn’t have a club ticket, but I assumed I was upgraded at check in.
Just to show no hard feelings, I’m doing an IOM-MAN daytrip again tomorrow morning.
By: Mark L - 3rd December 2004 at 10:33
If the boarding pass says “club” then that is exactly what it is. You can’t say that “club” only means “club” on certain routes!
You have to admit that it is, at best, very misleading? Actually it’s worse: if this problem has been around for ages, it isn’t misleading so much as fraudulent.
I’m not expecting something that I didn’t pay for, but why make someone walk all the way to the lounge – why not print “no lounge access” or something on the boarding pass?
I’m sure the terms and conditions are crystal clear, but who on earth reads such things?!
I do have Silver status with another airline (SQ) and would like Silver with BA, but I just can’t justify using BA for longhaul because LHR is quite hard to get to from the IOM!
I think I have to agree there, whilst I don’t see how you could be mistaken for buying a club ticket in the first place, as the website won’t sell you one, printing Club on the ticket is a bit off.
By: Mark L - 3rd December 2004 at 10:33
If the boarding pass says “club” then that is exactly what it is. You can’t say that “club” only means “club” on certain routes!
You have to admit that it is, at best, very misleading? Actually it’s worse: if this problem has been around for ages, it isn’t misleading so much as fraudulent.
I’m not expecting something that I didn’t pay for, but why make someone walk all the way to the lounge – why not print “no lounge access” or something on the boarding pass?
I’m sure the terms and conditions are crystal clear, but who on earth reads such things?!
I do have Silver status with another airline (SQ) and would like Silver with BA, but I just can’t justify using BA for longhaul because LHR is quite hard to get to from the IOM!
I think I have to agree there, whilst I don’t see how you could be mistaken for buying a club ticket in the first place, as the website won’t sell you one, printing Club on the ticket is a bit off.
By: bmi-star - 3rd December 2004 at 08:31
bmi are best for points. One guy flew with them weekly return (first/business class) from MAN to ORD and got so many bmi points they flew him and his wife to Scotland first class, had a helicopter meet them at the airport and flew them to Gleneagles hotel for a all inclusive long weekend where they picked up the tab. They didnt even deduct any points from his balance!
My dad has enough bmi points now for several trips to America for all four of us several times and he only flies the BHD to LHR route!
I’m a member of the diamond club, and i’ve collected 1000 miles in my 1st month of being a memeber! With a New Economy ticket, and miles to redeem in the US next year, i should be Silver level in No Time! 😀
It isn’t as good as it was back in the 90’s, as they offered even more miles!
By: bmi-star - 3rd December 2004 at 08:31
bmi are best for points. One guy flew with them weekly return (first/business class) from MAN to ORD and got so many bmi points they flew him and his wife to Scotland first class, had a helicopter meet them at the airport and flew them to Gleneagles hotel for a all inclusive long weekend where they picked up the tab. They didnt even deduct any points from his balance!
My dad has enough bmi points now for several trips to America for all four of us several times and he only flies the BHD to LHR route!
I’m a member of the diamond club, and i’ve collected 1000 miles in my 1st month of being a memeber! With a New Economy ticket, and miles to redeem in the US next year, i should be Silver level in No Time! 😀
It isn’t as good as it was back in the 90’s, as they offered even more miles!
By: Bmused55 - 2nd December 2004 at 21:56
Interesting fact of the day number 1. 😉 Makes sense I suppose, all those people travelling on business.
Indeed, I just learned something new
By: Bmused55 - 2nd December 2004 at 21:56
Interesting fact of the day number 1. 😉 Makes sense I suppose, all those people travelling on business.
Indeed, I just learned something new
By: RIPConcorde - 2nd December 2004 at 21:45
Furthermore the route with the highest ratio of Premier and Gold card holders is LHR-EDI and the most used lounge in Europe (outside London) is EDI
Interesting fact of the day number 1. 😉 Makes sense I suppose, all those people travelling on business.
By: RIPConcorde - 2nd December 2004 at 21:45
Furthermore the route with the highest ratio of Premier and Gold card holders is LHR-EDI and the most used lounge in Europe (outside London) is EDI
Interesting fact of the day number 1. 😉 Makes sense I suppose, all those people travelling on business.
By: mongu - 2nd December 2004 at 21:39
If the boarding pass says “club” then that is exactly what it is. You can’t say that “club” only means “club” on certain routes!
You have to admit that it is, at best, very misleading? Actually it’s worse: if this problem has been around for ages, it isn’t misleading so much as fraudulent.
I’m not expecting something that I didn’t pay for, but why make someone walk all the way to the lounge – why not print “no lounge access” or something on the boarding pass?
I’m sure the terms and conditions are crystal clear, but who on earth reads such things?!
I do have Silver status with another airline (SQ) and would like Silver with BA, but I just can’t justify using BA for longhaul because LHR is quite hard to get to from the IOM!
By: mongu - 2nd December 2004 at 21:39
If the boarding pass says “club” then that is exactly what it is. You can’t say that “club” only means “club” on certain routes!
You have to admit that it is, at best, very misleading? Actually it’s worse: if this problem has been around for ages, it isn’t misleading so much as fraudulent.
I’m not expecting something that I didn’t pay for, but why make someone walk all the way to the lounge – why not print “no lounge access” or something on the boarding pass?
I’m sure the terms and conditions are crystal clear, but who on earth reads such things?!
I do have Silver status with another airline (SQ) and would like Silver with BA, but I just can’t justify using BA for longhaul because LHR is quite hard to get to from the IOM!
By: OneLeft - 2nd December 2004 at 21:19
You’re absolutely right Mark L.
Full fare domestic tickets are known as Business UK fares and show up on boarding cards as C class. This has been discussed in previous threads and is due to the way the fare is structured being the same as Club Europe.
I think the Emerald fare quoted would be for a non-changeable/non-transferrable/non-refundable ticket, so can’t be compared for price to a fully flexible ticket.
I appreciate Mongu that you are disappointed that you didn’t get what you felt entitled to, but qualifying fares and lounge entitlement are quite clear in Executive Club guides and BA and Oneworld airline websites. Furthermore the route with the highest ratio of Premier and Gold card holders is LHR-EDI and the most used lounge in Europe (outside London) is EDI, so the benefit must be there.
Maybe a chat with one of the Executive Club helplines would clarify the matter.
1L.
By: OneLeft - 2nd December 2004 at 21:19
You’re absolutely right Mark L.
Full fare domestic tickets are known as Business UK fares and show up on boarding cards as C class. This has been discussed in previous threads and is due to the way the fare is structured being the same as Club Europe.
I think the Emerald fare quoted would be for a non-changeable/non-transferrable/non-refundable ticket, so can’t be compared for price to a fully flexible ticket.
I appreciate Mongu that you are disappointed that you didn’t get what you felt entitled to, but qualifying fares and lounge entitlement are quite clear in Executive Club guides and BA and Oneworld airline websites. Furthermore the route with the highest ratio of Premier and Gold card holders is LHR-EDI and the most used lounge in Europe (outside London) is EDI, so the benefit must be there.
Maybe a chat with one of the Executive Club helplines would clarify the matter.
1L.
By: andrewm - 2nd December 2004 at 15:07
he was complaining on points system overhaul if you look at it (see 2nd post)
By: andrewm - 2nd December 2004 at 15:07
he was complaining on points system overhaul if you look at it (see 2nd post)
By: Bmused55 - 2nd December 2004 at 14:15
bmi are best for points. One guy flew with them weekly return (first/business class) from MAN to ORD and got so many bmi points they flew him and his wife to Scotland first class, had a helicopter meet them at the airport and flew them to Gleneagles hotel for a all inclusive long weekend where they picked up the tab. They didnt even deduct any points from his balance!
My dad has enough bmi points now for several trips to America for all four of us several times and he only flies the BHD to LHR route!
I would hardly count BMI first Class MAN-ORD and a comparable route and service to IOM-MAN where only economy is avaiable.
You cannot base a “better for points” argument on those grounds.
By: Bmused55 - 2nd December 2004 at 14:15
bmi are best for points. One guy flew with them weekly return (first/business class) from MAN to ORD and got so many bmi points they flew him and his wife to Scotland first class, had a helicopter meet them at the airport and flew them to Gleneagles hotel for a all inclusive long weekend where they picked up the tab. They didnt even deduct any points from his balance!
My dad has enough bmi points now for several trips to America for all four of us several times and he only flies the BHD to LHR route!
I would hardly count BMI first Class MAN-ORD and a comparable route and service to IOM-MAN where only economy is avaiable.
You cannot base a “better for points” argument on those grounds.
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December 1, 2004 at 9:15 pm