MSE News: Avios rewards programme to close - customers to be transferred to the BA Executive Club

Voyager2002

oldsinger wrote: »

the message I had about this change stated that the 3 people in our household who currently pool Tesco Clubcard points into one AVIOS account - will NOT be allowed to pool their points in future but will have to have 3 separate BA Executive accounts - which makes the scheme much less useful

Check whether points in the three BA EC accounts can be pooled through what they call a Household Account -- that always used to be possible.

Doc_N

oldsinger wrote: »

the message I had about this change stated that the 3 people in our household who currently pool Tesco Clubcard points into one AVIOS account - will NOT be allowed to pool their points in future but will have to have 3 separate BA Executive accounts - which makes the scheme much less useful

I'm not sure that's quite the case, on the strength of this:

Don’t worry, we’ll sort out everything for you

Your Avios balance is secure and any existing bookings and pending transactions are safe. Your Avios household account balance will be divided equally and transferred over to new British Airways Executive Club accounts.

Here’s how your household account will be divided

The British Airways Executive Club offer a different set up for household accounts, so we are unable to move your household account across in its current form. As a result, your account will be divided and the Avios balance shared equally between the accounts that make up the household.

If your household account has duplicate membership names and you would like to combine your accounts, or you wish to divide the account balance differently, call us on 0344 49 333 49 or visit avios.com/household before 20 May 2018.

Your new accounts

Your new British Airways Executive Club accounts will be set up for all the accounts listed above unless you’ve already contacted us to combine them prior to moving.

Please note your balance will not transfer over into your new accounts until the Avios Travel Rewards Programme officially closes. We will be in touch to let you know when this is happening.
Should you then wish to create a household account, you can online at ba.com/household

There does seem to be a way to merge accounts - though I don't doubt that the new scheme will be inferior to the old. These schemes never, ever, get better (except for the promoters) - they always get worse.

alfista

I contacted the Avios call centre last week. They were very helpful, moved my Avios over to a couple of BA exec accounts - these accounts are my BA household account, so in effect everything works as before.

Chomeur

Just looking at the BA Exec scheme and isn't it way inferior to the avios one? For instance a flight with each London to Paris costs 8000 points but avios charge you £35 on top, BA £80. And availability of flights seems much less.

I have about 13,000 avios which are due to be transferred over the the BA scheme shortly. I'm thinking I'd be better off spending them on wine or a hotel on an upcoming trip than letting them get transferred over.

PeacefulWaters

Chomeur wrote: »

Just looking at the BA Exec scheme and isn't it way inferior to the avios one? For instance a flight with each London to Paris costs 8000 points but avios charge you £35 on top, BA £80. And availability of flights seems much less.

I have about 13,000 avios which are due to be transferred over the the BA scheme shortly. I'm thinking I'd be better off spending them on wine or a hotel on an upcoming trip than letting them get transferred over.

BA charge taxes, capped at £35 on a single Reward Flight Saver. EDIT, note comment on qualifying flights in comment below.

The £35 is usually lower for the return fare from Europe. Either there's a fault or you're doing something wrong.

I'd call them.

jpsartre

Chomeur wrote: »

Just looking at the BA Exec scheme and isn't it way inferior to the avios one? For instance a flight with each London to Paris costs 8000 points but avios charge you £35 on top, BA £80. And availability of flights seems much less.

Sounds like you might not qualify for Reward Flight Savers at BAEC. Then you are charged the full amount of taxes. To qualify for RFS you need to have collected at least 1 Avios in the last 12 months.

Chomeur

Thanks. As Tescos convert my points into avios, I suppose that once the transfer has happened I will start earning some BA avios and all will be well.

Rob_ODonnell

Be aware!!!! I transferred 80,000 miles from Avios to BA Exec club on 13th June, on the 14th all 80,000 EXPIRED! I had an existing BA Exec account that I hadn't used for some time, so due to "inactivity" Exec club wrote them all off! I've called and should see them re-instated within 3 days, however that's a right pain as I was about to book flights with BA!! Another 3 day delay before I book!

Be careful!!!!

Chomeur

Chomeur wrote: »

Thanks. As Tescos convert my points into avios, I suppose that once the transfer has happened I will start earning some BA avios and all will be well.

Edit, no it seems you have to instruct Clubcard to do this. Otherwise they carry on going to the old avios. Just done it through their website.

singhini

I'm pulling my hair out with this new BA executive account. All I want to know is how long do I have to use my points that were recently transferred over from my old Avios account (I know I have 36 months, but from when)
1 - is it when my new BA account was set up (I never had an existing account with them)
2 - is it from the date they were transferred over to the BA account from the old Avios account
3 - is it from the last activity on my old Avios account (they have been sat there for 33 months with no activity)
4 - is it some other date


Anybody know please?