Overview
- IAG Loyalty, which runs BA’s rewards, disclosed Friday that a technical fault led some members to be told they kept their tier status even though they had not qualified.
- The company said fewer than 1% were affected, while industry sources put that at low‑digit thousands out of a scheme with more than 13 million members worldwide.
- Affected customers will be contacted in the coming days to receive an apology and a correction to their actual tier level.
- Status levels control real travel perks such as lounge entry, priority boarding, free seat selection and extra baggage, so unexpected downgrades can upend trip plans and add costs.
- The error came in the first renewal cycle since BA overhauled its programme in December 2024 to base status on money spent rather than distance, a change that has drawn heavy scrutiny on forums like Head for Points, Reddit and Flyertalk.