Where has all British Airways First Class Avios flight availability gone?

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• Joeaj says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:24

  How were / are people getting first class Avios redemptions? I’ve used the companion voucher in club world purely by booking as the seats are released. Never come close to seeing any first availability!

  • JonTY1 says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:31

    Planning is the key. Weeks before I wanted to redeem, I’ve had to get up for an entire week to see how many first tickets are released on which days. You then know if they are going to be available when you want to go. If you wait til the morning, they tend to be gone (except to NYC, BOS, etc).

    • Chris says:

      2 Apr2 April 10:10

      This is my strategy too! ????

  • Rob says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:33

    There is loads of F but only on certain routes. We got 4F back from Beijing last Easter, and 4F from Dubai has rarely been an issue (although my kids school terms do not align with most schools). You don’t see it at 355 days out though.

    baredemptionfinder shows that virtually every day in August has 4F out to New York for example. June, July and August has 4F to Beijing on roughly 50% of days, same with Dubai (plus a few days in November).

  • Lewis King says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:33

    Going to less popular routes worked for me. I had a great time in Mumbai last year on a F 241.

  • Mr Cinnamon says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:54

    We have flown in F several times to Tokyo using BAPP. They often have up to 7 F seats available for Avios redemptions. As Rob says, they have all gone now for 2019. When I last booked in February for next January there were a fair few F seats available.

    We have flown to LAS in F and are off to Vancouver in F this month (Club back on the Upper Deck as may be our last ever 747 flight & OH has never flown in the Upper Deck, so chose that option).

    Personally I would never pay for BA F (or any other F I expect as not vfm). If this ends my First Class flying, hey ho, it was fun whilst it lasted.

    • mradey says:

      2 Apr2 April 10:44

      Maybe not full price but in the sales, West Coast F return for around 2K is acceptable for me.

    • Polly says:

      2 Apr2 April 13:46

      There was lots of F to and from HKG, odd one KUL. We booked out HKG back KUL next Feb. Ending up arriving there in CNE so had trouble booking a hotel. Just using it as a jump off to Bali tho. Will be a shame if F goes.

• ZumoDeNaranja says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:30

  As a GGL usually earning over 3500 Tier Points p.a., I value highly the GUF benefit, especially in the sweet spot of (exEU CW value fares + GUF = supercheap F).

  If F redemption vanishes (unless booking via a TA, and who knows how long THAT will last), there is no point me favouring OW spend over other alliances / carriers. I would probably spend just enough to keep Gold, but the remaining £2-3k is up for grabs.

  BA won’t care I’m sure, but it’s a slightly puzzling way to treat some of your most profitable customers !!??

• Craig Strickland says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:35

  Managed F to Mumbai last week, better than CW without a doubt. However, the lack of F for me won’t make that much difference. We manage just enough Avios for two return CW redemptions a year, the extra for one leg this time was a fluke. What would be nice is some way of looking for any availability in F/J on certain dates.

  • Lewis King says:

    2 Apr2 April 09:54

    I loved Mumbai! Have a great time! (We did F out CW back)

    • Craig Strickland says:

      2 Apr2 April 10:07

      Down in Kerala at the moment, lovely but hot hot hot! Three days in Mumbai coming up at the end of the trip, lovely city but crazy.

      • Lewis King says:

        2 Apr2 April 11:23

        So crazy! I was planning on doing another F redemption to Mumbai next year and then flying to Kerala… Maybe not possible now 🙁

      • Craig Strickland says:

        2 Apr2 April 16:32

        Kumarakom Lake Resort is every bit as good as people say it is.

• James Black says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:39

  I have downgraded BAPP already, no interest in BA anymore, now I found my decision is correct.

• Mr Dee says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:39

  If F goes then so do my Avios collecting nevermind BAPP

• Ruth4325 says:

  2 Apr2 April 09:56

  Did my first F this year to Tokyo thanks to a 241, and I’ve just earned my second voucher. Knew something was up when I saw no F availability to Tokyo or New York next year…I only use BAPP for the ability to use the voucher on F. Seems pointless otherwise. Oh well. Hope all will be revealed soon.

• JPV says:

  2 Apr2 April 10:07

  Gutted to read this. I’m still fairly new to the hobby but have been stockpiling avios for a 2x F redemption with the 2-for-1 which came through last month. Planning our honeymoon for next summer and were really hoping this could be part of it. F is unachievable for us otherwise.

  Even as a newbie, it feels a bit like the landscape is changing – rumours of amex tightening up churn rules, cards being withdrawn due to fee cap, it becoming increasingly difficult to pay HMRC on point-earning cards.

  I guess I should count my blessings though – had a great couple of nights in the Conrad thanks to rob recommending the (now withdrawn) hilton card, and lots of fringe benefits.

  Huge thanks for all the info over the last year, from a grateful lurker 🙂

  • Bonglim says:

    2 Apr2 April 12:03

    I think people 20 years ago would always have been complaining that the landscape is changing.

    Basically when the economy is doing well, this hobby gradually gets worse.
    Then when there is an economic downturn, things improve a lot.

    I also think that there are upsides that we underestimate. This year I have put through thousands and thousands through amex credit cards that I could not last year because of the extra charges. Oil, flights (inc BA taxes) and many other bills can go through amex.

    Tax bills for example have banned credit card spends (which is miserable, but that included a fee) but now we are able to get up to 15k of visa/ master card spend through the curve card. The much anticipated virgin card may fall be eligible for that in the next round of tax.

• LJB says:

  2 Apr2 April 10:07

  Nooooo, it has taken me ages to get enough miles to fly LHR to KUL or SIN. Was going to try to get 2 x F using 241 for April 2019. It will be the first time I have used Avios to travel and first time I have tried to use a 241 voucher. Reading the article and everyone’s subsequent comments, sounds like that is going to not be possible.

  • Leo says:

    2 Apr2 April 10:17

    Don’t fret too much they would be difficult F destinations in any event!

    • LJB says:

      2 Apr2 April 10:27

      Okay….thanks for the tip. I didn’t realise that as it will be the first time try I am trying to get any redemption seats. Any suggestions on routes to Asia where availability is easier?

      • Clive says:

        2 Apr2 April 10:33

        Tokyo tended to have loads of availability spread between the two airports – NRT and HND – until the F seats for 2019 disappeared

      • Darren says:

        2 Apr2 April 11:16

        Hong Kong has better availability

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