Virgin Atlantic is targeting frequent flyers on British Airways after changing its loyalty scheme

Stay informed with free updates

Simply sign up Airlines myFT Digest – delivered straight to your inbox.

Virgin Atlantic is targeting frequent flyers lost out due to controversial changes to British Airways’ loyalty programme, in the latest salvo in the decades-old rivalry between the two companies.

The airline, which is majority owned by billionaire Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, said it would match Executive Club members’ “gold” and “silver” status on British Airways if they switched to its loyalty programme.

Anthony Woodman, executive director responsible for Virgin’s Flying Club loyalty programme, said the changes “make it easier for customers who don’t feel the love from existing airlines to experience Virgin Atlantic’s award-winning hospitality”.

In an attempt to target disgruntled British Airways customers, Virgin said it would, until February 14, give five customers with a “matching status” one million air miles, enough to fly from London to the US east coast 10 times.

Bachelor’s It sparked criticism from many customers last month when it announced sweeping changes to its loyalty points system where passengers get rewards such as free seat selection and access to the airline’s lounge.

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

To reach the coveted ‘gold’ status, passengers will now have to spend around £20,000 a year flying with British Airways.

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

Several frequent flyer experts said the changes meant British Airways was actually pricing most leisure travelers out of the higher tiers of its loyalty programme.

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

Gilbert Ott, of frequent flyer site God Save The Points, said a growing number of airlines were using status matches to grow their customer base, but Virgin’s was a particularly “strong offer”.

“When airlines smell discontent, they make these warm and fuzzy offers to customers looking for new love,” he noted. Blog post. As with convincing people to change banks, persuading discerning travelers to switch airlines was not easy, but “instant access to the ‘good life’ is a clever lure,” he wrote.

British Airways said status matching was common practice in the travel industry. “Our customers who have chosen other airline services retain their status with us and continue to enjoy the benefits we offer such as lounge access, priority boarding, seat selection and bonus Avios.”

With 45 aircraft, Virgin is a much smaller airline than British Airways, which has more than five times that number. But Virgin is focusing its flights on the transatlantic market, which is also BA’s main profit driver.

The offer extends to first class customers of 11 airlines, which include American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Lufthansa.

British Airways and Virgin have had disagreements since Branson’s launch in the 1980s, and Branson successfully sued British Airways in the early 1990s over… “Dirty tricks” Campaign to win customers.

Although the rivalry remains commercially intense, it has become less intense in recent years and the two companies have worked closely together during the pandemic to push for an end to government travel rules.