Avios- Is there a better alternative

rimalshah

I think BA are deliberately loading carrier charges onto their fees, taxes etc total to make more money from folks using Avios to book long haul flights. Around 60% of these extra charges are attributed to carrier charges, which basically is what BA is charging. Surely these carrier charges should be in their normal price?

Another disadvantage to the passenger is that if you cancel, these carrier charges are not refundable, whereas the government taxes are.

Surely this shoddy practice should be clamped down?

PeacefulWaters

rimalshah wrote: »

Surely this shoddy practice should be clamped down?

Are you saying the state should get involved?

They don't have to offer anything if they don't want to.

jpsartre

rimalshah wrote: »

Surely this shoddy practice should be clamped down?

Maybe people should just not use the system if they feel it's shoddy? Or would that be too easy?

budgetflyer

I think it has been a victim of its own success.
Its so easy between Tesco and Amex to collect upwards of 100k points in a year that many collectors think that it is their right to a long haul business class redemption, any time to any place.
Due to my wifes job, we are confined to school holidays. I however have always been able to get short haul redemptions to somewhere we fancy.

Malaga, Club Europe booked again for Easter Hols and am looking at a weekend in June to Nice. Cyprus in October possibly. No summer hol this year due to other reasons

BillLucas

You can collect points for EasyJet flights on the NatWest Your Points scheme but you obviously need to use a NatWest Credit card for the points which may not be the best option for everyone.

HarryLong

We use our NatWest credit card to collect points for use on EasyJet. Unlike Avios it is price dependent and not points dependent, so if you use Your Points when EasyJet first release their fares in the summer and winter you get a really good deal .it works for us

holidaysforme

Got all excited when I saw that feb flights for next year had started to appear on avios website.
Have been looking at any of the canary islands for feb half term '2015 but nothing seems to be available:(

InsideInsurance

BillLucas wrote: »

You can collect points for EasyJet flights on the NatWest Your Points scheme

You can also get them with the Coutts scheme too :beer:

marsman802

holidaysforme wrote: »

Got all excited when I saw that feb flights for next year had started to appear on avios website.
Have been looking at any of the canary islands for feb half term '2015 but nothing seems to be available:(

That is a shame however Avios flights do come available at short notice (e.g. the very day before flying in some cases - I used one last year to have a day out on the continent on a saturday in August lol) so just because they aren't there now doesn't mean they won't be there at all down the line.

Also - there are different availabilities depending on whether you use BA.com or Avios.com - you can move avios between the two for nothing which is nice

jpsartre

holidaysforme wrote: »

Have been looking at any of the canary islands for feb half term '2015 but nothing seems to be available:(

Not really that surprising. They can probably sell most, if not all, seats during that time.