Forget the Avios changes for now – just get booking!

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• Duncan S says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:18

  Having looked at the Business Traveller article detailing the changes, it seems like a big hit for people like me who have saved into the programme for a long-haul Business Class redemption – not something I’ll do often.

  Most of my redemptions are/will be short-haul flights to Europe, and as I’m in Edinburgh it’s going to make Avios redemptions for these routes pointless if I have to pay for the flight to London in addition. Clearly I’ve got into point collecting at the wrong time.

  • CV says:

    28 Jan28 January 19:51

    Yup, for those of us in the regions wanting to fly to europe its back to using easyjet and ryanair – at least its quicker than connecting through LHR.

    The kick in the teeth is on the premium long haul redemptions, as Raffles advise if you can book before the April deadline then do so. Reading the BA FAQs you can then change the booking after the changes and not pay the increased avios.

    • James67 says:

      28 Jan28 January 20:53

      What we need most in Scotland is AY to start flights from EDI. I think I will write them and draw their attention to possible APD changes and the large number of pax that fly from Asia to GLA with EK. EDI-HEL would be a dream come true for me.

• RIccati says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:20

  What a great way to get ‘the middle class’ of BAEC members to feel screwed.

  As always, be careful about giving all (or most) of your business to a single airline.

  • BallSack says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:03

    Yep, the loyal but ‘middle class’ fairly frequent users who don’t do loads of business trips but stay loyal to BA for their holidays & short trips away when they could go with the real low costers for 1/4 of the price.

• Jonathan says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:41

  I just hit Silver for the first time in over a decade of flying with BA and this is the news I am hit with. I wouldn’t of minded so much about the avios increase on redemptions, if my partner who was rewarded a 2 4 1 via the BA US visa card. Unfortunately the voucher has to be redeemed with a flight starting in the US and on BA metal. Ideally we wanted to use this with a flight starting in the UK for a special holiday flying in First.

  Does anyone know of a way round this? Could we combine avios accounts/switch hers to a UK account etc? Any thoughts or advice would be welcome

  • BallSack says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:05

    Hmmm…. Don’t know sorry. You could use the 2-4-1 on just the one-way flight from the US as a last resort I guess.

  • Pr99 says:

    28 Jan28 January 16:05

    They are not cheap, they are cheaper than the peak rates which are higher than the current rates.

• Paul Molyneux says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:43

  Just used companion voucher for open jaw redemption in Oct 15

  LHR – BOS First Class
  MIA – LHR CW

  110,000 miles….from April this would have cost 155000 miles.

  • BallSack says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:06

    Oh that’s just a f’ing disgrace. Come on. That’s almost a 50% increase.

• Justin says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:48

  Does anyone know if you can change a avios booking within 24 hours of booking without any charges?

  • Chris says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:18

    You can cancel (even Avios booking) within 24 hours for free and then rebook. Don’t think you can change for free though.

  • naf says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:19

    You can cancel with no charge within the first 24 hours, I have just done that. I had to phone as there was no option to cancel online.

  • Mike says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:26

    The fee for changes and cancellations after 24h is pretty low – £35 if I remember right.

• BallSack says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:55

  Having looked into these changes in a bit more detail the message seems to be……We want less of the common folk who fly low priced tickets to be able to redeem into higher class cabins as often as they do.

  Keep the poor where they belong !!

  With lower TPs & Avios earning in lower class cabins and on lower fare tickets combined with higher Avios redemption for higher class cabins.

  Definitely a case of ‘keep the hoy-poloy where they belong & the higher class cabins just out of reach from them but still aspirational’.

  Fair enough I suppose. Gits !

• sandgrounder says:

  28 Jan28 January 14:58

  Along with the increased prices for long-haul premium class flights, the axing of a free domestic connection on European flights leaves this scheme very unattractive for those outside the south east. I think it may be time to call it a day on Avios after I have used up my last 2-4-1. Hopefully I will get something decent for next Easter before the deadline and then I will probably shift over to Virgin…..

  ….unless we are going to see some real movement on long-haul fuel surcharges, which could offset the extra cost (not holding my breath though) 🙂

  • sandgrounder says:

    28 Jan28 January 15:34

    I have cooled down and had another look at this.

    Earnings- Little impact as I almost never fly BA for cash. I do fly Finnair to Latvia often enough but you get s*d all for this as it is.

    BA RFS- out (as I live near MAN). Unless I am planning way in advance and going for a reasonable amount of time. In that case, it’s possible, if it’s peak time (school hols etc) and flights from local airports are expensive, it will be worth the hassle of getting the train down to the Smoke (Its £10 each way booked early with our 2 together railcard.) which is better than taking the 18k hit for the two of us.

    Long haul economy- Never worth it, was it? (Except for one ways, no Sat night etc- in this case, it is still OK because no extra points. It might actually be cheaper)

    Long haul premium cabins- price has gone up BUT if this means I can actually get seats, it will be an enhancement- because at the moment it’s a b****y nightmare unless you want to go to NYC! My once-a-year trip with a 2-4-1 will cost a bit more, but I might get a choice of seeing a bit more of the world with it! Low prices are great, but if the shelves are empty, they are no good to anyone.

    Sunair franchise flights- My wife has family near BLL. These may actually be a bit cheaper now.

    On balance, I will probably try and hang on to Tesco and Amex points for longer rather than converting as default. But, I will be waiting to see how availability is impacted once the date has passed and all the fuss has died down before I send a letter of disgust and walk away for ever!

• Paul Molyneux says:

  28 Jan28 January 15:07

  Trying to book a redemption from NYC to MIA on ba.com and it says they do not fly between the two but going on skyscanner U.S Airways/AA flights are coming up. I thought you could book US/AA flights on ba.com

  • Pr99 says:

    28 Jan28 January 16:11

    Are you searching BA flights or partner airlines flights, if I remember they are different web pages.

    • DONE4 says:

      28 Jan28 January 16:51

      No they aren’t.

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