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British Airways removes Qatar ‘R’ business class from tier point and Avios earning

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This week saw the launch of the British Airways / Qatar Airways revenue sharing deal on routes from the UK to Doha which I discussed here.  This means that BA and Qatar are effectively operating as one airline on these routes with the revenue being shared out between them, irrespective of carrier used.

Regular Head for Points readers will know that Qatar Airways regularly has incredibly cheap business class sales from Europe which credit to British Airways Executive Club and make requalification for Executive Club status very easy.  One £900 return ticket to Bangkok would get you over 90% of the way to a BA Silver card.

No longer.

It seems that, as part of the revenue sharing deal, British Airways will now refuse to credit heavily discounted Qatar Airways business class tickets to Executive Club.  You will not receive ANY Avios or tier points at all.

They do NOT appear to be giving any leeway for tickets booked before this week.

Here is the key page of the Executive Club website:

British Airways Qatar Airways tier points

Note that ‘R’ is missing next to ‘Business’.

This is not a mistake, based on various Twitter and call centre conversations reported on Flyertalk.  That said, ‘R’ class flights do still show up in the Avios miles calculator tool.

Oddly, Qatar Airways ‘R’ class DOES still appear as an earning miles and status points in Iberia Plus as at 5am today and, of course, all other oneworld frequent flyer programmes continue to offer credit for ‘R’ class Qatar Airways tickets.

If you have an ‘R’ class Qatar Airways ticket booked, do not panic immediately.  Some clarity on what is happening should emerge over the next couple of days.  If the worst comes to the worst you can credit the flight to a different frequent flyer scheme – possible even Iberia Plus to earn Avios – although that won’t help you earn BA status of course.

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Category

British Airways and Avios, Iberia and Iberia Plus, Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

Comments (143)

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

  • Laurence says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:29

    I sincerely hope that BA do honour bookings prior to the announcement. I’m off to Auckland in April and an due to net 600 tier points and about 30,000 Avios for this trip. It seems bizarre that they aren’t offering anything at all on these fares. Another nail in the Avios coffin?

  • Highland Traveller says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:30

    I have a R class ticket booked EDI-DOH-SYD return

    I was relying on it for silver re qualification but assuming they don’t pay Avios or Tier Points on it, what are my quickest options to equivalent one world status which make best use of the trip?

  • Genghis says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:42

    Surely pax doing one ex-EU QR to Asia and then a few BA/IB sectors for BA silver to use then For up to two years was not a sustainable model. Perhaps it will be easier to find a seat in the LHR lounges?

  • Stu R says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:42

    BA really are a bunch of £ hungry w**ks – my camel’s back has so many straws resting on it right now, it may soon break!

    I’m seriously considering now whether I’ll even bother collecting Avios after I’ve used my current 2-4-1 and stockpile of points …. the benefits disappear on an almost daily basis and with QR’s constant sales, who wants to fly BA anyway!

    I’m lucky enough to have an R to NZ from Pisa in the spring – but my instant BA silver and nearly 60,000 Avios between us just went down the pan!

  • Adam says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:43

    I’ve just looked on the Ba website (5:42am uk time) and R class is still showing on the BA calculator for tier points and avios. Maybe they updated it incorrectly and have now put it right?

    • Rob says:
      3 Nov3 November 05:45

      I said in the article that it is in the calculator, still. However the main chart has been specifically updated this week.

  • Adam says:
    3 Nov3 November 05:47

    I also have a LHR-DOH-DUB booked for April next year. It’s booked in R however the DOH-DUB is first class as they don’t run business class ok that segment. If this does still stand, I’m assuming that as my first class segment is A class, I’ll still get tier points and avios for this leg? These were all booked at the same time as part of he same booking however they clearly state A Class.

  • Polly says:
    3 Nov3 November 06:01

    Saw this Asia time hours ago, what a disappointment. However if it’s still in the calculator, it’s not wiped completely…feel they should/ will honour flights already booked? Even if it’s not a sustainable model, at least honour bookings made before today. What a shambles. Our QR flight was such a treat, and helpful for us in retaining our silver status.
    Just thinking, BA are only sharing the LHR DOH route. What about the DOH HKT legs, wonder if they would still credit them to BA? Still waiting to see ours credited from last Friday. The LHR DOH leg has been fully credited. Watching with bated breath here.
    May have to resort to status matching again.

    • AndyR says:
      3 Nov3 November 06:14

      How can they award something for the lowest economy but nothing for R coded Business? This is such a kick in the nuts.

  • Phil G says:
    3 Nov3 November 06:23

    We have booked a few Qatar ‘R’ flights as they are a one world carrier and have vowed never to book BA again as the service and quality is terrible and reduces on a daily basis.
    So going forward who shall we use ?
    For a mixture of flights east & west what rewards scheme is best ?
    Are Emirates or Etihad best for collecting rewards for flights east ?

    As soon as middle east carriers get the atlantic routes BA are finished.

    • Genghis says:
      3 Nov3 November 06:28

      “For a mixture of flights east & west what rewards scheme is best?”
      If you wanted both, surely it would have to be a European carrier? Also depends who’s paying for your flights. Eg ME3 often cheaper than Lufty

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