BA Changes Avios Rewards Programme

BA are changing their Avios rewards programme. Whilst there are some improvements for those who collect/use Avios (eg more seats available to "buy" with Avios), there are also some significant downsides eg:

- less Avios earned in economy
- Avios price increases for those seeking to use Avios for Club World and First
- Domestic connections will have to be paid for

Here is the full text of the email sent by BA explaining the changes:

"On 28 April, we’ll be making some changes to the Executive Club that will mean you’ll notice a difference to the way you earn and spend Avios with us. We’re making these changes to provide more opportunities for you to spend Avios on reward flights as well as to ensure that the Executive Club continues to deliver a competitive and rewarding loyalty programme for the future.

9 million reward seats will be available this year.

From 28 April we guarantee that more than 9 million reward seats will be available on our flights, with a minimum of two Club World/Club Europe and four World Traveller/Euro Traveller reward seats on all British Airways operated flights that are offered for sale on ba.com. This change will create over half a million extra reward seats including many to our popular destinations, which are available to book from today.

To do this we have needed to restructure the programme and you will find a summary of all the changes below. If you’d like more details on all the changes, you can find further information here. All bookings made before 28 April will not be affected by these changes.

Changes to how you earn your Avios.

We’ll make earning Avios on flights more aligned to the cabin you fly in and the different types of fares within that cabin. In practice this means that if you pay for a flexible ticket you will earn more Avios than the lowest priced ticket in the same cabin.

Our lowest priced tickets in Euro Traveller and World Traveller will award a minimum Avios of 25% per mile flown instead of 100%. In Club World/Club Europe and our First cabins the Avios you earn will either remain the same as it is now or increase up to 300% per mile flown depending on the cabin and type of ticket.

Changes to Silver Tier Bonus.

Silver Members’ Tier Bonus will change from 100% to 50%. Gold Members’ Tier Bonus will stay at 100%. Bronze Members’ bonus will stay at 25%.

Changes to the number of Tier Points.

The lowest priced World Traveller and Euro Traveller seats will now collect 25% of Tier Points rather than 50%.

Changes to the price of reward flights depending on the time of year.

From 28 April we will introduce different Avios pricing for reward seats depending on the time of the year, the cabin and zone. At busy times of the year we will have a standard Avios price and for less busy times less Avios will be needed.

So for two thirds of the year you will require less Avios than now to fly on reward seats in Euro Traveller and World Traveller. In Club World and First the Avios price will increase, the amount will vary depending on the time of the year. To see our Avios prices in more detail click here.

Reward flights with our airline partners will be one price all year round, with the exception of Iberia who will also offer seasonal pricing.

Changes to UK domestic connecting reward flights.

To bring the UK in line with the rest of the world, you will now be required to pay for any UK domestic connecting reward flights to and from your final European destination. This does not apply to connecting reward flights on long haul, which will remain included.

Changes to how we handle your Avios.

As part of an IAG group reorganisation involving British Airways Plc and Avios Group (AGL) Limited, British Airways has agreed that AGL will be responsible for issuing your Avios points. As a result, AGL will receive, store and process your data in connection with administering aspects of the Executive Club. This will be done with, but legally independently of, British Airways. Each will have their own responsibilities for separate aspects of the data processing involved in administering the Executive Club. We will continue to be in control of the operation and management of the Club and these particular changes will have no direct impact to you as a Member and your relationship with the Club as it is today.

More opportunities to upgrade.

By the end of the year, you will be able to upgrade using Avios from World Traveller and Euro Traveller commercial bookings, except the very lowest priced seats. That means there will be more opportunities to upgrade than ever before.

Combined together, all of these changes will allow us to continue offering a competitive rewards programme to our Members, improving the availability of reward seats across our entire network many of which will require less Avios than today.

Thank you for taking the time to read about these changes. If you still have questions, you can find many answers and additional details on ba.com."

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Advice To BA Re Your Inflight Entertainment System

The system is less likely to crash if you remember to turn it off between flights.

Once crashed, much like many other computer based systems, turning off and turning it on again is probably the best way to reboot it.

www.baisshite.com the latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

Cabin Pressure

Off to Beijing today, disappointed to learn that, despite increased demand for the route, BA have yet to roll out their new cabin.
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Punch Up On BA Plane

The Independent reports that there was a punch up and vomiting on one of their Heathrow bound flights after a series of technical faults caused delays and an unpleasant stop over in Riyadh.

BA has apologised to Heathrow-bound customers who twice had to return to a baking-hot Saudi Arabian airport due to a faulty plane.

There were reports of passengers being sick and of fights breaking out as one BA worker tried to deal with more than 300 passengers back at Riyadh airport.

Boeing 747 first had to turn back to Riyadh on Wednesday due to a problem with the wing flaps. Then when the same plane took off yesterday following repairs the same problem reoccurred and the aircraft had to fly back to Riyadh.

One passenger, Dean Jones, told the online Daily Mail that in the terminal at Riyadh there was “mayhem” as just one BA worker tried to deal with more than 300 passengers while other ground crew “hid' in a back office.

He went on: “Fights broke out and the military turned up.

“We were furious they put us back up in the plane when they knew there was a serious problem. BA customer relations have been useless.”

www.baisshite.com the latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

BA's Lock In At Marco Polo Airport

My sympathies to the 140 UK bound passengers who were forced to bed down for the night at Venice's Marco Polo airport.

As per the BBC:

 

British Airways has apologised after about 140 UK-bound passengers spent the night at a Venice airport because cabin crew had worked their maximum hours.

They slept on the floor of Marco Polo Airport without food and and drink after their flight to London Gatwick left with no passengers on board.

BA said it could not find hotel rooms for passengers or the cabin crew.

It said the passengers, who have now boarded a replacement aircraft back to London, would be given compensation.

Wednesday's flight had been due to take off shortly after 22:30 (20:30 GMT) but was delayed due to a technical fault.

This meant the crew had already worked their maximum hours for the day, even though the pilots were able to fly the plane back to London. 

The passengers, including a number of children, spent the night at the airport - with some suggesting that staff locked the doors and locked up their luggage.

Kat Davis, from Hemel Hempstead, was at the airport for 14 hours.

"It was a ghost town," she told BBC London radio.

"They locked up the airport. They told us just before the staff left that the airport was locked and we couldn't leave. 

"Our bags were all locked up. There were people who had medication in bags and they couldn't get to it. There was a young family who couldn't get to children's stuff in a suitcase as well."

Passengers say they have had no contact from the airline. 

In a statement, BA said: "We're very sorry for the disruption faced by our customers and will work with them to provide compensation. We always do everything we can to avoid an overnight flight delay, but when this happens we offer hotel accommodation to those travelling with us.

"Unfortunately, due to the volume of visitors to Venice we could not secure any rooms for our customers or cabin crew.

"The aircraft due to operate the flight to Gatwick was delayed into Venice because of a technical fault earlier in the day. Unfortunately this meant that the cabin crew responsible for the safety of our customers had exceeded their available working hours, and were unable to operate the flight back to London. The two pilots were still within their hours and returned the aircraft to London.

"We have sent a replacement aircraft to Venice this morning to carry those affected customers back to Gatwick."


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BA's Refugee Camp

Whilst BA and BAA argue with each other over who is to blame for the chaos at Heathrow caused by the current snowy conditions, BA have set up a "refugee camp" for stranded/delayed passengers.
 
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Branson Accepts Walsh's Bet

Richard Branson has just accepted Willie Walsh's bet of a "knee in the groin".

As per Branson's blog:

"Glad to see Willie Walsh's rather childish response to my bet proposal: rather than the losing company giving the winner's staff £1 million, he wants the loser to receive a knee in the groin.

It seems a very painful and foolish thing for Willie Walsh to propose; but I would be happy to accept. We've got used to BA hitting below the belt over the years, but I'm confident it would be the other way around on this occasion.

The terms of the bet (if he doesn't agree to them, let that be the end of it): if, as Willie Walsh predicted, the Virgin brand is gone from our airline in five years' time, then I lose the bet. If it's still there, he loses the bet.

The losing airline should also donate £1 million to a worthwhile charity of the winner's choice to ensure some good comes out of this bit of fun.

And let's agree the place this will happen is the HQ of the winner's airline. Look forward to Willie's visit in December 2017."

Cricket boxes all round!

www.baisshite.com the latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

Walsh Offers Branson A Knee In The Groin

Willie Walsh (CEO of International Airlines Group, the parent company of BA and Iberia) has responded to Richard Branson's public offer yesterday of a £1M bet, by instead offering a knee in the groin.

Walsh is quoted by the BBC:

"I don't have £1m, so a knee in the groin, maybe - that would be as painful to him as it might be to me."

Maybe a mollification of hostilites in the run up to Christmas is in order?

www.baisshite.com the latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

Branson Challenges BA

Sir Richard Branson has laid down a public challenge to BA over rumours that he is to give up control of Virgin, and that the Virgin brand will disappear.

Branson has publicly bet £1M that the brand will not disappear in the next five years.

As per Sir Richard's blog:

"Rumours have been spread in the press that I am planning to give up control of Virgin Atlantic and, according to Willie Walsh - who runs BA - that our brand will soon disappear.

This is wishful thinking and totally misguided. Will BA never learn? Let's see how much they believe this. Let them put their money where their mouth is.

The last time BA had to make a settlement to me for damages (in part for spreading not dissimilar false rumours) I split the money amongst our staff. Rather than suing them on this occasion, I will pay £1 million to their staff if Virgin Atlantic disappears within say five years. If not, BA pays our staff £1 million.

Virgin Atlantic was my baby 28 years ago when we set up with just one plane. Like all children, they never really stop being your babies and Virgin Atlantic is still much cherished. It has grown into a wonderful airline which has punched above its weight for almost three decades, giving much larger airlines a real run for their money.

We intend to carry on doing so for many years to come and, contrary to Mr Walsh's hopes, we have no plans to disappear. But since they are so confident, will BA accept our challenge?"

www.baisshite.com the latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

Customer Care - BA338 LHR-Paris

My thanks to a loyal reader who advised me of the problems encountered as a result of the cancellation of the 19:15 BA338 from LHR to Paris - Orly on July 11th:

"I was on a 19:15 flight to Paris, for which I was there several hours early, and they didn't announce the cancellation until the very last moment when it was supposed to board. 

We had to reclaim baggage, go back through immigration, and then we directed to a long queue where we continued to stand for several more hours. 

A few hours after BA customer service agents came out with some bullshit paperwork and informed us that the airport would be closing and they wouldn't be able to help people rebook/accommodate them in hotels for the evening because there were too many people. 

On this paperwork we were given a phone number to call which was a) busy b) you had to pay to call if you were like us had an international sim card, and a second phone number was only operable during regular business hours (it was nearing 10pm in the evening by this point). 

Additionally, this paperwork stated that the passengers had to pay for the rebooking, hotel stay, and any other expenses but that BA would "CONSIDER reimbursing" if we saved the receipts and sent them a letter by mail. 

No one had any clue when this reimbursement would take place. 

For people with hefty travel plans like myself and my partner, this was completely unreasonable and out of budget."

Did anyone else have a similar experience? 

Note, BA were asked to provide a response/comment to the above. However, as at the time of posting this, no response or answer has been forthcoming.

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