MSE News: Costs to soar in Airmiles revamp: use points before they devalue

Avios_company_representative

annpick wrote: »

I have £200 worth of tesco vouchers that I want to change to airmiles, would I be better off changing them to airmiles now or wait until they change to Avios? :think:

Hi annpick,

The best way to use Airmiles depends on when you want to use them and where you're travelling to.

To protect your privacy and to discuss your query in more detail, you might like to give our Customer Contact Centre a call on 0844 49 333 49.

Thanks,
Stefanie

Avios_company_representative

tgt wrote: »

I am alarmed by this statement in MSE guide - "Points on all three schemes will expire after three years of no collection or redemption activity".

With BA Miles, used to be that they are lost if there is no movement, either debit or credit, within a year. I am saving them up for future use, and keep my account active by converting Tesco vouchers to top up occasionally. This I have done for several years, haven't spent any miles for ages.

Another rule change?

Hi tgt,

As you may have seen from other posts in this forum, I'm Stefanie from Airmiles.

I just wanted to get in touch about the query you posted earlier this morning regarding account inactivity.

Under the new terms and conditions, we've extended the time period before account expiry to 36 months - a year longer than under the current terms.

It sounds like your account is active due to your Clubcard voucher exchanges.

Let me know if you have another specific question.

Thanks,
Stefanie

look_after_the_pennies

I'm another affected by this I've been saving airmiles for two flights to New York but only have enough points for one flight so far. There is no way I can accumulate enough miles before the cut off point and as people on here have already pointed out, saving airmile points for longhaul flights will no longer be worth it. Shame. I will stop collecting airmiles with Tescos now and use my Tesco points for restaurant vouchers. The airmiles I have already accumulated, I'll spend on European flights.

dazza.mk

Stefanie-Airmiles wrote: »

Hi tgt,

As you may have seen from other posts in this forum, I'm Stefanie from Airmiles.

I just wanted to get in touch about the query you posted earlier this morning regarding account inactivity.

Under the new terms and conditions, we've extended the time period before account expiry to 36 months - a year longer than under the current terms.

It sounds like your account is active due to your Clubcard voucher exchanges.

Let me know if you have another specific question.

Thanks,
Stefanie

Stefanie,

I suggest you email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com as you are breaching the Moneysavingexpert forum rules related to posting as a company representative without initial validation:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/forum-faqs#companyrep

tarka33

I get that Airmiles can change the scheme at any time, and costs are increasing etc etc. They've given us notice and will allow booking up until Dec 15th using current Airmiles, BUT

What REALLY annoys me is that suddenly there are no Airmiles slots on any of the flights!!! I don't mind having to book now, but can they really tell me that everybody on the Airmiles scheme now wants to travel from London to Toronto on the exact same dates as me next year??? (Which yes, I've been saving up for for years to take the family.) And what makes me even angrier is that they will offer you a paid flight but not an Airmiles paid flight. As it's not my fault that they are changing the scheme, the least they could do is actually offer flights for Airmiles customers, instead of locking us out.

theexplorer

tarka33 wrote: »

I get that Airmiles can change the scheme at any time, and costs are increasing etc etc. They've given us notice and will allow booking up until Dec 15th using current Airmiles, BUT

What REALLY annoys me is that suddenly there are no Airmiles slots on any of the flights!!! I don't mind having to book now, but can they really tell me that everybody on the Airmiles scheme now wants to travel from London to Toronto on the exact same dates as me next year??? (Which yes, I've been saving up for for years to take the family.) And what makes me even angrier is that they will offer you a paid flight but not an Airmiles paid flight. As it's not my fault that they are changing the scheme, the least they could do is actually offer flights for Airmiles customers, instead of locking us out.

Hi, it is not always the case that they can change the scheme any time they like just because it is in thier T&C's T&C's can be chaleged in law if thy are unfair as these certainly seem to be.

If you get in toucj with consumer direct through theire website highlighting what has happened, i think you will be pleasntly surprised

theexplorer

SaveTheEuro wrote: »

I give up. Send me to the furthest destination my Air Miles will take me.

Australaia

theexplorer

annpick wrote: »

I have £200 worth of tesco vouchers that I want to change to airmiles, would I be better off changing them to airmiles now or wait until they change to Avios? :think:

It depends on what you are going to use them for, if it is for long haul flights, kit is not worth canging them at all unless you are looking to have an upgraded flight. It also depends on the time of year you travel. For example if you want to fly to New York, it will cost you £200 in vouchers plus £300 in tax making it £500. For a lot of the year, you can get the same flight from the BA website for £396 During summer the BA flight does increase in price. It is a similar scenario for the rest of the world with taxes increasing up to £600 for Austrlaia.

If however you want to fly shorhaul, the new scheme may benefit you as the zones have changed and the tax has been capped at £27

I am not sure if you Tesco vocuhers have an expiery date on them, if they do and it is a long expiry date, i would wait to see what you want to use them for and research your options regarding where and when you want to go

Apart from that, it dosnt matter when you exchange them because you will end up with the same amount of Avios points after they change the scheme anyway

malkie76

For a lot of the year, you can get the same flight from the BA website for £396

As highlighted above this is incorrect. Just did a dummy booking, and the "same" flight is £1300. Why do you continue to post mis-information and compare apples with oranges ?

theexplorer

malkie76 wrote: »

As highlighted above this is incorrect. Just did a dummy booking, and the "same" flight is £1300. Why do you continue to post mis-information and compare apples with oranges ?

oh right, and which flight was that then? considering that no flight was mentioned your post has no value.

I am correct in what i say as flights can be had from £396 but increase in summer. Please make sure of your facts before you post, you may mislead people