Heads up about program changes

[eastwest101]

Does IB have a lifetime Plat equivalent and a 'soft landing' set up?

I found the Iberia Plus general t&c's here ozbeachbabe - I haven't read it fully yet but have been able to figure out that Elite Points = SCs and dictate your teir Plat/Gold/Siver etc and Avios points earn exists although I would think that it would be tricky to earn Avios for Australian based customers?

Conditions of the Iberia Plus Programme

 

[Himeno]

Does IB have a lifetime Plat equivalent and a 'soft landing' set up?

The IB program website is confusing. It suggests that you only earn status points when you fly on IB, BA and AA codes.

 

[dajop]

The details on partner earn for Iberia Plus can be found here and clicking the "View earning table". This shows the amount of avios earnt on one world partners and number of elite points earnt. Iberia Plus is not really a good program for achieving status, for example MEL/SYD to SIN/KUL return in business gets 400 elite points - or 17.8% of the 2250 required to achieve OW Sapphire. By contrast, on BA you would get 280 tier points - or 46.7% of the 600 required for OW Sapphire.

If scared that BA could shut down an Exec Club account, you could earn Avios through BA, and warehouse them in IB, until you want to use them and then transfer them back, as you can transfer them freely between two accounts in the same name.

 

[ketsuzei]

If scared that BA could shut down an Exec Club account, you could earn Avios through BA, and warehouse them in IB, until you want to use them and then transfer them back, as you can transfer them freely between two accounts in the same name.

Just to help me get my head around this: why would you need to transfer them back at the time of redemption? Is it better value redeeming with BA than with IB, or would it be so that you could use the status you've reached at BA?

 

[dajop]

Just to help me get my head around this: why would you need to transfer them back at the time of redemption? Is it better value redeeming with BA than with IB, or would it be so that you could use the status you've reached at BA?

The redemption tables are different between the two airlines, so you'd have to look at which requires the least avios (and SURCHARGES)! I said "transfer back" as generally I find BA has better value (eg. SIN-SYD business class return, 80,000 booked through BA but 94,500 booked through IB), although there are exceptions (eg. when using Iberia flights better to book from Iberia Plus).

 

[Himeno]

The details on partner earn for Iberia Plus can be found here and clicking the "View earning table".

That link doesn't work.

Don't the BA (and CX) programs reset the status earn and member year each time you go up a level? So to get BA Gold, you'd really have to get 2400 Tier points, not 1500.

 

[dajop]

That link doesn't work.

Don't the BA (and CX) programs reset the status earn and member year each time you go up a level? So to get BA Gold, you'd really have to get 2400 Tier points, not 1500.

Oh sorry about the link, it did work, IB site is a bit temperamental. You get to it by selecting "Iberia Plus" > "Iberia Plus Partners">"Flights" then clicking on oneworld.

With BA it's not additive, just what you need to accumulate within a membership year, like QFF. From their FAQ:

Once you earn enough Tier Points for the next membership tier, you'll be awarded that status straight away. It lasts for the rest of your current membership year and for the full following membership year — unless you reach the next tier in the meantime.For instance, if you start your membership year as a Blue Member and earn 300 Tier Points, you'll become a Bronze Member with all of the benefits.
You will continue to earn Tier Points when you fly and if you reach 600 within the same year, you'll become a Silver Member.
Once your Tier Points reset to zero at the end of your membership year — the anniversary of when you joined — you will stay as a Silver Member for the next membership year.

 

[Himeno]

Oh sorry about the link, it did work, IB site is a bit temperamental. You get to it by selecting "Iberia Plus" > "Iberia Plus Partners">"Flights" then clicking on oneworld.

. It would be nice if they had put that on the "how to obtain Elite Points" page... Cómo obtener Puntos Elite

With BA it's not additive, just what you need to accumulate within a membership year, like QFF. From their FAQ:

Did they change that recently?

 

[ChrisDPom]

But there is the ability to fly from those ports to LHR using QF, one option is via codeshare, the other is through connecting via MEL or SYD. There are people who do this.

Me for one as I was more worried about decent seat selection from Oz to LHR than travel time after the PER-SIN-LHR route was abandoned and PER-DXB-LHR came in and only fly cattle class as personal trips.

Since last May I have done 4 trips PER-SYD or MEL -DXB-LHR to go Qantas metal all the way. Only have to worry about lack of legroom on domestic leg which I can live with for a few hours.

Last return QF2 on 23/6 took 25 odd hours flying and 31 hrs all up.

Next flight on 3/8 is EK PER-DXB then 4hrs in lounge and pick up QF1 for DXB-LHR. Total flight time 17 hrs and transit of 21 hrs.

Downside is lack of lack of ability to guarantee leg room on EK sections as they apply emergency exit seats on checkin and merit (going to turn up 3 hours before flight and grovel as 195cm tall). Got 80K booked for both QF1 & QF2 return.

Other option is to chop 30cm off my legs to avoid legroom issue.

The joys of the code sharing with Emirates and QFi's disdain for PER & ADL customers!!

Will post the outcome next month.

Chris

 

[katiebell]

The other IAG owed airline, Iberia, which also use avois as the ff currency, has no such restrictions. IAG owns BA and Iberia.

Do you actually have to fly IB? My experience is one of abysmal safety on board and a poor J product (a minor issue compared with lack of safety).

 

[katiebell]

...

If scared that BA could shut down an Exec Club account, you could earn Avios through BA, and warehouse them in IB, until you want to use them and then transfer them back, as you can transfer them freely between two accounts in the same name.

the non-transferable risk is loss of OW status and this is my major concern

 

[Himeno]

Oh sorry about the link, it did work, IB site is a bit temperamental. You get to it by selecting "Iberia Plus" > "Iberia Plus Partners">"Flights" then clicking on oneworld.

I asked IB about it. At first they gave a reply about Avois, which I didn't ask about having said "Elite Points". Then they said that it was on the page I had linked to (which states "Flights with an IB code operated by other companies").
When I mentioned the oneworld earn was on another page, that was hard to find when looking for program info, they shrugged it off.
Not completely sure if it was due to an English > Spanish translation error on their end, or they have disinterested CSRs.

 

[Himeno]

Do you actually have to fly IB? My experience is one of abysmal safety on board and a poor J product (a minor issue compared with lack of safety).

The only times I've had baggage problems have been when IB was involved. Every single time I've made a connection on IB, they've stuffed up my baggage. Either the system wouldn't let them check it through (on the same ticket to another IB or BA flight) leading to my having to collect and recheck at MAD. When they did a manual baggage check in BCN, it made the connection at MAD, then they never got it to BA at LHR and it was left behind.

(Only other baggage problem I've had was with AY at BCN, with their check in staff not understanding that AY contracts Flybe to operate some shorthaul flights out of HEL and they claimed it wasn't an AY flight and refused to check it to the connection. ie, thats like QF refusing to check through to QFLink.)

 

[amaroo]

the non-transferable risk is loss of OW status and this is my major concern

I have the same fear with QF

 

[dajop]

The only times I've had baggage problems have been when IB was involved. Every single time I've made a connection on IB, they've stuffed up my baggage. Either the system wouldn't let them check it through (on the same ticket to another IB or BA flight) leading to my having to collect and recheck at MAD. When they did a manual baggage check in BCN, it made the connection at MAD, then they never got it to BA at LHR and it was left behind.
.)

Getting way OT, but when has that stopped anyone ... Funny that you mention baggage. When you mentioned in earlier post about disinterested CSR, that would sum it up I think. Last month, we rather foolishly flew IB from BCN to MAD, it was 3300 Avios and about $35, whereas the train around the time we wanted to travel was 110 euro. Train would have been much quicker, as for some reason our baggage didn't make the flight (I think we got to the airport a bit late, we got there only an hour before departure, cutting it quite fine as baggage cutoff is 40 mins for domestic flights ;-). ).

At MAD we joined the carousel with about a dozen other people. About 30 mins after landing the 14 pieces of luggage came out. Ours was not in amongst them. So we waited until the carousel stopped and proceeded to customer service area. First - extremely disinterested agent said there were only 14 items of luggage checked to MAD on the flight, just go back to the carousel and wait 15 mins as they might send more luggage out. (Translation ... Hopefully by the time you get back someone else can serve you). So one of us waited whilst the other circled all carousels, checking the not insignificant amount of "stray " luggage littered throughout the airport.

Anyway, so we went back and had a different (equally disinterested) agent this time, who said,go back to carousel and wait 15mins, which we refused so she grudgingly filled in a lost luggage form, and said the system showed no indication where the luggage might be. By now the next flight from BCN was only 30 mins from landing, so we decided to wait, as we had a hunch it would be on that flight. That 30mins and the 30mins it took for the bags to reach the carousel. And sure enough there were our bags, so off we went 90mins later. But to sum it up my dealings with IB have been very ordinary (right down to the rather odd ushering forward of some passengers from Y to J upon reaching cruise, both times I have flown them between MAD and South America)

 

[katiebell]

The only times I've had baggage problems have been when IB was involved. Every single time I've made a connection on IB, they've stuffed up my baggage. Either the system wouldn't let them check it through (on the same ticket to another IB or BA flight) leading to my having to collect and recheck at MAD. When they did a manual baggage check in BCN, it made the connection at MAD, then they never got it to BA at LHR and it was left behind.

()

My problems with IB:

bags nt making connecion BCN-MAD-GIB: arrived on Sunday afternoon without essentials, no shops open and no help from IB's ground agents (this could reflect attitudes of Gibraltans to Spain).

The squab of my J seat was missing on boarding , replaced with a streamer stating unserviceable.

Luggage left lying atound the cabin on all take offs and landings, pax standing up and walking around during taxi (crew did nothing).

Liquid food tipped over my jacket in the MAD IB lounge.

Smoiking in the showers and toilets: staff did not cre (maybe they were the smokers?)

On the good side, I left with a miniature or two of every sherry on board.

All in all, an airline to avoid and not a solution to the QFF debacle

 

[eastwest101]

...
Luggage left lying atound the cabin on all take offs and landings, pax standing up and walking around during taxi (crew did nothing).

Liquid food tipped over my jacket in the MAD IB lounge.

Smoiking in the showers and toilets: staff did not cre (maybe they were the smokers?)

All in all, an airline to avoid and not a solution to the QFF debacle

Sounds a bit like Olympic Airlines back in the 1990s!

 

[JohnK]

Tomorrow is the big day.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Tomorrow is the big day.

Dramatic pause, followed by a classic John Williams score and QF exit stage left .

 

[wandering_fred]

Dramatic pause, followed by a classic John Williams score and QF exit stage left .

Would that be a permanent or temporary exit? At least in the minds of the QFF program members?

Happy wandering

Fred