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British Airways still offering £250 / 50,000 Avios for ‘old First’ – as I found out

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Back in December 2013 I highlighted the new British Airways policy for people who find themselves in ‘old First’.

British Airways had launched a generous (in my view) compensation scheme. On most routes, you were being offered a £250 British Airways voucher or 50,000 Avios points as compensation.

For reference, this is the new BA First Class seat:

British Airways new First Class seat

However, there still a chance that you may end up with this:

British Airways old First Class seat

Yesterday, that is what I got on my way back from Las Vegas.  I took the 50,000 Avios points, in case you were wondering.

I was also given this:

British Airways compensation

…. as additional compensation!  The Grand Siecle alone (far left) is £100 per bottle at your local Majestic Wine.

What was a little disappointing was how the other passengers in the (full) First Class cabin were treated.  I told the guy next to me in 1K what I was doing and he did the same (but he didn’t get the champagne).  The guy by the window in Row 2 had a mild fit when he saw the size of the TV screen, called for the Customer Services Director and made his feelings known – he also got compensation (but, again, no champagne).

However, no-one else got anything.  Whilst we were all waiting for the transit from T5B to T5, I did a quick survey of the other First Class passengers and they had not been pro-actively offered compensation.  To put it mildly, they were a little surprised to realise it was available.

The lesson appears to be that, if you find yourself sitting in the old First Class seat, speak up as quickly as you can.  I recommend doing it whilst you are being shown to your seat so that you can get the paperwork filled in early.

Whether you decide to educate the rest of the cabin on what is on offer is up to you …..

This problem will naturally go away by itself in a few weeks.  From late October, the old First Class seats will be sold as part of the Club World cabin.  No First Class seats will be sold and Club World passengers will be able to book directly into the old First Class seats – which is not a bad deal.  Selected flights to Cape Town, Vancouver, Phoenix and Las Vegas will be impacted.

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Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (59)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Barry smith says:
    23 Sep23 September 13:18

    @raffles, you mention above that this will affect Cape Town route? I am due to take a first class flight from Cape town to london on 5th Jan next year – how do you know if this route is likely to have the old first class?

    • Rob says:
      23 Sep23 September 14:53

      It is BA43/42 for the Winter timetable which will have old First. If you are booked on that, you should have been contacted and either offered a partial refund or rebooked.

  • uk1 says:
    23 Sep23 September 14:16

    My fantasy is having old First on one of our twice a years Amex 241 trips LHR>SIN>LHR both ways. 2 times 50k times out and back would make a 210000 trip down by 200000 ie 21k all in. It will of course never happen

  • Ian says:
    23 Sep23 September 14:53

    I had a very different experience flying on old first to San Francisco last week. When we got to the lounge I asked if they knew whether the plane would be old or new first and got told it was old first and was given an apology. I then asked if they were still giving compensation for getting old first and was told that they were and that a form woe be brought round on the flight. Sure enough, on the flight the cabin crew went round asking everyone what they wanted and apologising. In fact, the cabin crew member told me he was ‘mortified’ that we’d been given old first which was a bit OTT (especially since I was hoping for old first in order to get the miles). The miles posted in a few days to my and my wife’s accounts. Considering that we were flying on a 2-4-1 companion voucher, we almost broke even for the flight!

    • Rob says:
      23 Sep23 September 16:42

      To be honest, I did very well out of it too. It was an overnight flight which departed at 9.20pm – it made very little difference to me. My seat did work, though!

  • Ian M says:
    23 Sep23 September 17:31

    Wife and I booked in OF Cape Town to LHR in November. already had the 50k refund with seats confirmed as 2A & 2K – when i look online we appear to have the only 2 seats allocated with all of the others free. Adult son booked into BUsiness and tried to get him with us but no luck. Another in PE hoping for more reward seats to be opened up and the OF seats released so we can all travel together.

  • Simmo says:
    25 Sep25 September 11:37

    Just had my LGW-LAS flights for May next year cancelled, and rebooked on the LHR – LAS flight.
    We are Club World, but unfortunately it looks like the ‘Old First’ Front is sold out or unavailable to select seats.

    • C77 says:
      25 Sep25 September 13:20

      Wonder if these are being reserved for gold card holders until online check in opens at T-24?

    • Rob says:
      25 Sep25 September 14:17

      I think First only opens up when Club World hits a certain level of occupancy, so I would keep checking back.

  • David says:
    25 Sep25 September 22:07

    Any idea when all OF will be upgraded and this situation will be no more?
    Thanks

    • Rob says:
      25 Sep25 September 22:27

      From the end of October, all old First planes will be sold as Club World. Anyone booking F will get new F.

  • Mike Hennings says:
    25 Sep25 September 22:38

    Hi There
    My wife and I are flying from PHX to LHR on Oct 7th 2014 in first class. Will the seats be the old or new seats. If old seats, when would it be best to ask for the compensation? We return on Oct 21st (LHR to PHX) in first. Any idea if these seats would be the old or new?
    thanks for your time
    Mike

  • Al says:
    26 Sep26 September 05:13

    Any chance of OF on a BA16 77W? 🙂

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