MSE News: Avios and BA to slash points earned on cheap economy flights

SW17

A change which would allow them to sell/spin off Avios more easily should they decide to do so, while still maintaining control of BAEC. Avios and its relationships have gone well beyond IAG, so quite possible they would part with it if that suited them financially and strategically.

Rostraynor

I am absolutely raging regarding the additional regional cost. Living in Scotland there are no direct flights to Europe provided by BA. This must count as racism! As a previous commentator mentioned London is not Britain! My fortnightly flights to London on business will now be with another airline, absolutely disgusted with BA!

PeacefulWaters

Rostraynor wrote: »

I am absolutely raging regarding the additional regional cost. Living in Scotland there are no direct flights to Europe provided by BA. This must count as racism! As a previous commentator mentioned London is not Britain! My fortnightly flights to London on business will now be with another airline, absolutely disgusted with BA!

You had me onside until the bolded hit.

dickydonkin

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

If you can't extract useable value out of Avios sitting in the posh seats of a BA transatlantic booking you're missing a trick.

Posh seats?..........:rotfl:

I take it you have flown in BA's 'enhanced' Club Europe cabin which is basically a cramped economy seat and far from being 'posh', although I appreciate that your reference was to Transatlantic flights.

Prior to the cynical ploy of releasing significant amount of redemption seats at the same time they announced the BAEC 'enhancements', you had to be pretty flexible to get redemption seats for a destination and schedule that was suitable to your needs.

Dirty premium cabins, abysmal food offerings and a reluctance to improve their business and first class product while competitors have done so, has resulted (in many peoples eyes) BA becoming a very moderate airline resting on their laurels.

These views were compounded by a recent trip to Asia on Qatar. The difference between the two in all aspects of the trip (price, service, cabins, lounges and food) were in a different league to BA. Factor in that tier points for this trip were double than what I would have earned for the same destination on BA.

That said, for me living in the regions, the best 'extraction of value' was using my Avios for RFS (Reward Flight Savers) where all of your taxes and fees are paid for by BA and your domestic connections are free. The latter will be removed in April with redemption fees and Avios requirements increasing for many trips.

Furthermore, as a BA silver member, my Avios earning capacity will be reduced by 50% so I have been impacted quite hard by the new changes - and mark my words, more will follow in the short term.

As a leisure traveller and as such, pay for my trips out of my own pocket, I always go for value and schedules and usually achieve Silver organically without having to make ridiculous 'tier point runs' - and with trips booked this year (mainly on Qatar and American Airlines) I will achieve BA Gold by the end of the year (based on a risky (very risky) assumption that status thresholds are not changed), however, this was not a factor in selecting my trips - it was just sales and promotion deals that was a major factor in selecting my flights (very good sales and promotions by the way) - not the lure of a shiny card.

For many, more Avios can be earned by not flying! It is crazy that a 'Frequent Flyer' programme member can earn more Avios shopping at Tesco and owning a selected bank card than they can by flying.

The new 'enhancements' are disappointing, but I will show the same loyalty to BA as they show to me. I will exploit every benefit that is available to me now as I suspect that many will not be available in the future.

Any

I cannot see any winners in this pansy change.
Typical BA..
LIving in Manchester, I found it beyond difficult to actually try to book any flight, even with connection as it is.
There is 1 direct flight from Manchester... To somewhere I didn't even know exists!! (Still don't remember the name of it)
Now having to pay double - ha ha ha, not happening!!! It would be cheaper just to buy a fly with someone else!!

And so far I have also failed to book flights with Monarch.. it never gives me any!! Or Iberia direct flights..

I think I will be ordering wine for all the Avios I have and tell them good bye.
Way to go..

budgetflyer

After April, RFS are out for me too.
100% of my Avios are via Tesco and Amex.
I will let the dust settle before making any rash decisions.
Iberia are starting Edinburgh to Madrid, so there's an opportunity right away.
We are doing Qatar BC in April too Larnaca in July.
Some of the CC Boost deals are great anyway, 4 or 5 to 1 i almost grudged converting to Avios.

It is pretty clear that Avios collecting was too easy.Trillions of Avios, unredeemed must have been a real burden on BA.

richardw

budgetflyer wrote: »

....Trillions of Avios, unredeemed must have been a real burden on BA.

The UK and EU politicians could help by taxing these schemes and also taxing empty seats on aircraft, watch the extra capacity needed forecasts disappear.

holidaysforme

As a fairly new collector of Avios, mainly through Clubcard and credit card bonuses, I'm dissapointed by these changes.
I have some clubcard vouchers that I was going to convert, but I'm not do sure now!
Does anybody think the reward flight saver fee will rise? I'm afraid this is going to happen. This would really make it a no no for me.

pollypenny

I've just joined Avios, with the option of using Monarch from Manchester.

Not much help, but 'every little.....' As they say.

PeacefulWaters

pollypenny wrote: »

I've just joined Avios, with the option of using Monarch from Manchester.

Not much help, but 'every little.....' As they say.

You'll love trying to find an available flight that suits your schedule!