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

Avios_company_representative

Doc_N wrote: »

Two or three years back it used to be possible to get 'free' BA flights between London City and Amsterdam. That's not been possible for some time now, and all you ever get, no matter how far ahead you try to book, is this:

There are no full miles prices available for the dates you have chosen. However, a list of cash prices for flights on your chosen dates are shown below.


Why are these flights no longer available please?

Hi DocN,

Unfortunately we don't offer flights using Airmiles on this route. You can though use Airmiles for flights to Amsterdam from other London airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow.

For more information on how to use your Airmiles, do feel free to contact our experts at our UK Customer Contact Centre on 0844 49 333 49.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
Stefanie

leadhead

Airmiles_company_representative wrote: »

For more information on how to use your Airmiles, do feel free to contact our experts at our UK Customer Contact Centre on 0844 49 333 49.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
Stefanie

Hi Stefanie.....Its good to have a representitive of the company on here, knowing the correct answer will be given, rather than someones opinion(although I am not knocking opinions, as they have helped me greatly where no rep was available)..

Ive managed to accumulate around 67,000 Airmiles(to verify, yes Airmiles)

I was hoping to use these in 2013 and 2014 on 2 long haul holidays, to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary, hopefully with some to spare

Ive spoken to one of the reps at your Customer Contact Centre, and have realised that I have over estimated the value of these miles and wont(even without the fuel charges) get the holidays I was hoping for...

When I exchanged my Tesco Vouchers for miles I over estimated the value of the miles, as at the time we were getting 4 times the value at Motorpoint, so automatically thought Airmiles would also be around 4 times the value, actually even greater than that, as I exchanged during the double offer.

I have since found out that my 65,000 airmiles is possibly only worth around £3400, and in the light of this we have decided to avoid long haul and stay in Europe and its Islands...

We have always fancied Madeira, so have decided that this should be our first "Airmiles" adventure...

Can you advise me whether we would be better off booking (a fortnight half board(3* will suffice) anytime** in 2012, from either Newcastle Leeds or Manchester), before the changeover, or would it benefit us to wait until Avios take over. What would the tax/fuel charges be if I wait, and would I be able to book using Airmiles flight/hotel, or would it be a package holiday.

**We did think of June, but it could be any month.

I would hope to pay 100% with Airmiles as we dont have cash to spare.

Or..is it too late to book for 2012

Thanks in anticipation...

Avios_company_representative

leadhead wrote: »

Hi Stefanie.....Its good to have a representitive of the company on here, knowing the correct answer will be given, rather than someones opinion(although I am not knocking opinions, as they have helped me greatly where no rep was available)..

Ive managed to accumulate around 67,000 Airmiles(to verify, yes Airmiles)

I was hoping to use these in 2013 and 2014 on 2 long haul holidays, to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary, hopefully with some to spare

Ive spoken to one of the reps at your Customer Contact Centre, and have realised that I have over estimated the value of these miles and wont(even without the fuel charges) get the holidays I was hoping for...

When I exchanged my Tesco Vouchers for miles I over estimated the value of the miles, as at the time we were getting 4 times the value at Motorpoint, so automatically thought Airmiles would also be around 4 times the value, actually even greater than that, as I exchanged during the double offer.

I have since found out that my 65,000 airmiles is possibly only worth around £3400, and in the light of this we have decided to avoid long haul and stay in Europe and its Islands...

We have always fancied Madeira, so have decided that this should be our first "Airmiles" adventure...

Can you advise me whether we would be better off booking (a fortnight half board(3* will suffice) anytime** in 2012, from either Newcastle Leeds or Manchester), before the changeover, or would it benefit us to wait until Avios take over. What would the tax/fuel charges be if I wait, and would I be able to book using Airmiles flight/hotel, or would it be a package holiday.

**We did think of June, but it could be any month.

I would hope to pay 100% with Airmiles as we dont have cash to spare.

Or..is it too late to book for 2012

Thanks in anticipation...

...


Hi leadhead,


Thanks for getting in touch.

I think the best thing for you to do would be to give our Customer Contact Centre another call. Our Sales Team would be happy to advise you on booking your trip to Madeira next year, or discuss any other options you have in mind. Our phone number is 0844 49 333 49, and we're open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm , Sunday 10am-4pm.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
Stefanie

inflationbusting

I had a question.

Currently I pay part-miles part-cash. So for a zone 2 flight it is 375 miles and £32.50 each way, I think.

I did notice that on the Avios site they say you can pay Avios + Money but what is the money component, is it a fixed cost on top of the £27 admin charge?

no_name_5

Some questions for the AirMiles rep here. If the reason for the change is due to the increase in taxes, then surely the price of flights in Avios points should decrease from the equivalent Miles price, as that part of the ticket no longer covers the associated taxes and charges.

For example, a return flight to a European destination costing 1500 AirMiles. For the sake of argument, let's say that half the cost of this flight, if paying in cash, was in taxes and charges. Surely, now the taxes and charges aren't included in the Avios price, that flight should only cost 750 AirMiles (or 7500 Avios points), or whatever the equivalent would have been less the proportion covering the taxes/charges?

The AirMiles website states that "For 70% of destinations, you'll need fewer Avios (compared to equivalent Airmiles) – with airline taxes, fees and charges or our Reward Flight Saver on top", but surely that should apply to 100% of destinations now that the tax doesn't form part of the miles/points payment, or am I missing something here? As I travel to one of these other 30% of destinations, am I now paying a tax/charge/fee on top of the price that previously included taxes/fees/charges?

I'm sure it was considered, but wouldn't a fairer option have been (given the increased cost of flying from the UK after the increase in Air Passenger Duty and other taxes) to proportionally increase the miles required for each flight rather than introducing these £27+ surcharges across the board? At least that way people would have had the option of covering the additional cost with more of their miles, or paying the difference in cash if they wanted to?

Also, final question now, if this is due to the UK's air passenger duty, but other EU countries have kept this at or below the quoted average level, and if we're now able to fly one way, why are passengers now having to pay extra on a flight that isn't subject to UK Air Passenger Duty (for example, a one way flight into the UK?) It seem quite easy to blame the UK government for this change as most people can relate to the goverment's cuts in some way, but it's odd that that's the only concrete reason quoted on the AirMiles website, and suggests to me that the "other" reasons were just for protecting IAG's profits.

I appreciate the efforts you have taken in answering posters' questions here, and that you probably won't be able to answer all of mine, but I would appreciate your feedback as I'm sure I speak for quite a number of posters on here when I say that I've been left just a little disappointed by these changes.

Roger1

no_name wrote: »

For example, a return flight to a European destination costing 1500 AirMiles. For the sake of argument, let's say that half the cost of this flight, if paying in cash, was in taxes and charges. Surely, now the taxes and charges aren't included in the Avios price, that flight should only cost 750 AirMiles (or 7500 Avios points), or whatever the equivalent would have been less the proportion covering the taxes/charges?

Not necessarily accepting your calculation nor justifying the changes (which for Airmiles collectors in general are bad news), I'd point out that a 1,500 Airmiles (= 15,000 Avios) redemption all in will from tomorrow be 9,000 Avios + £27 towards fees, charges, surcharges and the captain's cheese sandwich.

That's a redemption I make quite often, and the new rate will be a lower overall cost for me as £27 is far less than the difference of 6,000 Avios.

I accept that that is my bag, and that many other redemptions will cost more. I was just commenting on your example.

SparciaM

Am I the only one that's actually looking forward to Avios?

I can't use my Airmiles before the switch over, so I decided to just deal with the fact that it was changing. However, when I check the details of Avios, it's quite a good deal for short-haul european holidays.

When I went to Paris with Airmiles in March, I had to travel down to London from Manchester to get the 750 miles rate. Which was a pain and costly indeed.

Whereas now, I can travel from Manchester for all destinations. I can also go to Prague and Moscow at a rate that is lower than Airmiles. Yes, I'll need to pay £27, but that's nothing to Moscow really. I think I'll use Avios more for weekend breaks in Europe and save my money on the big holidays.

Felixmoore

BA say that Air Miles users have always had to pay taxes and charges... I tried today to make a phone booking before the Avios change.

Doc_N

Felixmoore wrote: »

BA say that Air Miles users have always had to pay taxes and charges...

They would, wouldn't they? The only slight problem is that it just isn't true. But why would a little detail like that concern BA?

richardw

Felixmoore wrote: »

BA say that Air Miles users have always had to pay taxes and charges... I tried today to make a phone booking before the Avios change.

or do you mean BA miles users?