After a difficult year, British Airways has decided to review and overhaul its Executive Club frequent flyer program, the Times Online reported.

Martin George, director of marketing, told the Times, “We are going to make it much more simple and more rewarding for people who travel with us. We are looking to encourage loyalty.”

The program has grown to enormous proportions, with a membership of one million. Four variations of the program operate worldwide, and at present, membership is regulated by a cumbersome set of over 26,000 rules.

BA’s changes will focus on rewarding their top travelers — Premier status — and possibly reviewing the benefits allocated to less-frequent travelers.

George told the Times, “There has to be some recognition of the fact that if some people are not travelling as much as they used to, then the airline can’t justify giving them the benefits they have been used to.”

Just 1,600 members qualify for Premier status. Gold Card members number about 60,000.

BA plans to make the changes toward the middle of 2003, according to the Times.