Virgin Atlantic targets BA frequent flyers after loyalty scheme changes

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Virgin Atlantic is targeting frequent flyers lost by controversial changes to British Airways’ loyalty program, in the latest salvo in a decades-long rivalry between the two carriers.

The airline, which is majority owned by billionaire Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, said it would match the status of BA’s “gold” and “silver” executive club members if they switch to its loyalty

The changes “make it easy for customers who don’t feel loved by their existing airline to experience Virgin Atlantic’s award-winning hospitality,” said Anthony Woodman, executive in charge of the Flying Club loyalty program. of Virgin.

In a bid to target disaffected BA customers, Virgin has said that until February 14 it will give five customers who “follow the status” 1 million of their air miles, enough to fly from London to the east coast of the United States 10 times.

B.A raised criticism from many customers last month when it announced radical changes to its loyalty points system in which passengers earn rewards such as free seat selection and access to the airline’s lounge.

Under the changes, which will be introduced from April, ‘tier’ points will be awarded based on the cost of flights or package holiday bookings rather than the class of travel and length of journeys.

To achieve the coveted ‘gold’ status, passengers now have to spend around £20,000 a year to fly with BA.

The level points system is separate from the Avios loyalty currency which can be spent on flights and holidays.

Many frequent flyer experts said the changes meant that BA was effectively pricing out the majority of leisure travelers from the higher tiers of its loyalty program.

But some customers have welcomed the move, which will put BA in line with many of its rivals and better reward passengers who spend more with the airline.

With 45 planes, Virgin is a much smaller airline than BA, which has more than five times as many. But Virgin focuses its flight on the transatlantic market, which is also BA’s main profit driver.

Its offer is extended to customers in the first level of 11 airlines, which includes American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Lufthansa.

BA and Virgin have sparred since Branson’s carrier launched in the 1980s, and Branson successfully sued BA in the early 1990s for a “dirty tricks” campaign to win customers.

The rivalry, though still intense in the trade, has been less heated in recent years and the two firms have worked closely together during the pandemic to push for an end to government travel rules.

BA said matching status was common practice in the travel industry. “Our customers who switch to other airlines retain their status with us and continue to enjoy the benefits we offer such as lounge access and priority boarding, seat selection and bonuses I had.”