Has British Airways Lost the Plot?

While most of us were busy trying to find a beach towel or perfecting our mulled wine recipes this winter, British Airways quietly dropped a bombshell. And no, it’s not a new in-flight menu or improved cabin experience. This is a seismic shake-up of their Executive Club, BA’s loyalty program, that’s left frequent flyers wondering: have BA officially lost the plot?

If you’re not familiar, the Executive Club is where BA loyalists track their frequent flyer status, earning Tier Points for flights (not to be confused with Avios, which acts like travel currency). Tier Points are doled out based on factors like the fare class and whether your trip is long or short haul. Rack up enough, and you climb the status ladder: Blue → Bronze → Silver → Gold. Think of it as Monopoly, but instead of a hotel on Mayfair, you’re aiming for lounge access, priority boarding, and the occasional bow from the cabin crew.

For years, it’s been relatively straightforward for the savvy traveller. Spend around ￡7k annually on BA flights (or less, even as low as ￡3k if you’re into “Tier Point Runs” - strategic flights for points rather than purpose), and Gold status could be yours. Gold got you into First Class lounges, Group 1 boarding, and a dose of VIP treatment. Silver wasn’t too shabby either, granting lounge access and free seat selection. Sure, the lounges were getting crowded, but that’s a high-quality problem, right?

Apparently not. BA has decided to address overcrowding not by expanding lounge capacity but by slamming the brakes on status upgrades for leisure travellers. Enter the new rules: instead of earning status through Tier Points, it’s all about how much cold, hard cash you spend on flights - before taxes and fees. And the numbers? Eye-watering. Silver now requires ￡7.5k, and Gold? A staggering ￡20k.?Per person.

Here’s where it gets messier. If you’re traveling with a partner, as many do, only?your?spend counts toward your status. So that ￡20k Gold requirement? Double it for a couple. Yep, ￡40k. Forget tier hopping; we’re talking bank-account draining.

BA’s pitch? They’re rewarding their most valuable customers. But here’s the thing: BA isn’t exactly the Beyoncé of airlines. Their "hard product" (airline-speak for seats, cabins, and in-flight experience) is more Radio 2 than Grammy-worthy. Frequent flyers have long tolerated BA’s mid-tier service in exchange for decent loyalty perks. Take away the perks, and suddenly, the idea of flying Qatar Airways, Emirates, or Virgin Atlantic starts to look mighty appealing. And those customers who fly like crazy on their corporate accounts? Well they’re probably flying Business anyway, and so the Tier system becomes rather pointless.

And the backlash has been swift. Frequent flyer forums are ablaze with tales of betrayal, and “#ByeByeBA” is the sentiment du jour. But here’s the twist: BA won’t feel the heat just yet. Those who hit Gold last year will keep their shiny status until March 2026, soft-landing to Silver the year after. So for now, they’ll stay loyal to enjoy the perks.

But come 2027? A mass exodus seems inevitable. With loyalty gutted, travellers will shop around for the best seat at the best price, rather than sticking with an airline that no longer values them.

So, has BA lost the plot? It certainly seems like it. For now, they might be flying high, but turbulence is inevitable….. and they might just find themselves on a very bumpy landing.