British Airways Frequent Flier Accounts Hacked

The Telegraph reports that some of BA's frequent flier accounts have been hacked:

"Hackers have accessed tens of thousands of British Airways frequent flier accounts. 

The airline said no personal information has been viewed or stolen, and it has frozen affected accounts for the next day or so while it resolves the issue. 

It means top executive club fliers may not be able to use their air miles until the issue is resolved. 

Airline chiefs said only a small proportion of its millions of customers are affected, and that their names, addresses, bank details and other personal information have not been accessed. 

The company apologised to customers and said it expects to have the system back up and running in the next day or so. 

It is not known who is behind the hack, but it is believed it was carried out by an automated computer programme looking for chinks in the armour of the company's online security systems.


A British Airways spokesman said: "British Airways has become aware of some unauthorised activity in relation to a small number of frequent flyer executive club accounts. 

"This appears to have been the result of a third party using information obtained elsewhere on the internet, via an automated process, to try to gain access to some accounts. 

"We would like to reassure customers that, at this stage we are not aware of any access to any subsequent information pages within accounts, including travel histories or payment card details. 

"We are sorry for the concern and inconvenience this matter has caused and would like to reassure customers that we are taking this incident seriously and have taken a number of steps to lock down accounts so they can no longer be accessed.""

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

British Airways Customer Failures - Avios

In August 2007 I had a wee battle with BA trying to make them credit some mssing airlmiles to my account:

"BA do not provide an answer that explains why our executive club numbers have not been tracked in the system for the flights:

"Dear Mr Frost

I am sorry to learn that your flights did not track to your account. This should automatically happen when you quote your Executive Club number at the time of booking or at check-in. This is providing that the name on your Executive Club membership card and the name on your booking, match exactly.

As advised earlier, the flight(s) you are claiming for were operated by a partner airline, we are unable to update your account without copies of the boarding passes and ticket stubs from the flight(s) in question. This allows us to verify the information before crediting your account.

Contacts details for your local Executive Club Service Centre can be found at:

http://www.ba.com/servicecentres

We always recommend you save your ticket receipts and boarding passes until the flights have been added to your account, in case of discrepancy.

Thank you for emailing us and we hope to resolve this swiftly for you.

Regards

British Airways Executive Club "

Here is my answer:

"Thank you for your email.

We did book in using our correctly registered executive account numbers etc.

Therefore, re my original question, why has the system not tracked our flights?

Re you not be "able" to update our accounts, without hard copy stubs, I find that a little hard to believe.

We are pre assigned seats when boarding the aircraft, you have records to show how many people are on the flight at take off, who they are and have records to satisfy security controls that show exactly who was on a flight.

You would not be allowed to operate or to fly to Spain, the USA etc without having such security controls.

Therefore you are well capable of verifying that we were on the flights.

If you need a little help, our flight booking was featured in The Times a while ago.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article1889980.ece

Do I really have to raise this matter with Walsh simply to get my miles added, something that your system should have done in the first place?

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

It seems that BA have learned very little from this as, almost five years later, Dennis Howlett has discovered:

"I am a BA Executive Club member. As such I can theoretically do many things on the site: book and manage flights, check my tier and Avios points, look at baggage allowances and so on. All standard fare. Except that in BA’s case it doesn’t always work."

Good luck Dennis, BA can be as stubborn as a mule but keep pushing them!


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

Executive Club Becomes Avios

Kudos to BA for its proposed change to the Executive Club Scheme, whereby as from 16th November it will be part of Avios.

According to a report on Citywire, if you are a BA Executive Scheme member the change is a massive thumbs up.

Well done BA!!

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

Free Airmiles

BA have launched a great new airmiles giveaway programme, where lucky travellers have the chance to win thousands of free airmiles.

Is there a catch?

Yes.

You have to have flown with BA via Terminal 5, not exactly a pleasant prospect in itself, and have suffered some form of inconvenience (eg loss of baggage).

The Daily Mail reports that some customers have been given an extra 10,000 BA Miles for relatively minor complaints, such as being denied an aisle seat.

The Daily Mail quotes an email from BA Customer Relations:

"We have had a high number of letters from our customers recently and we are concerned that we are keeping our customers waiting for a response."

It is reported that even Willie Walsh, who never responds personally to customer complaints, has set aside time to "personally review a significant number of customer letters and emails. Improvements happen as a result".

Needless to say, no matter how many millions of miles BA giveaway, if they can't sort out T5 they will have no customers left.

The good news for BA is that I will be testing out T5 next week, and look forward to blogging live from the terminal.

Missing Airmiles X

I looked into my BA Executive Club account today, and guess what?

Yes, that's right, our missing airmiles from our trip to Barcelona in July have finally been credited to our account. The countless emails to BA Executive Club finally paid off.

Funny though that BA Executive Club never wrote back to tell me that the miles had been credited?

Equally strange that they have never answered the question that I repeated several times.

Namely that, in this age of security alerts etc, there is no way that an airline does not keep records of their passengers and cannot identify who flew on a particular flight. Therefore why did BA Executive Club claim that they needed proof that we were on their flight before they would credit our miles, even though our Executive Club card numbers were registered with the flight when we booked it and when we checked in?

I guess I will never know the answer to that one!

Missing Airmiles IX

Sent to BA, still chasing the missing airmiles!

"I would appreciate an update as to the status of this please.

I am on the Beijing to London flight tomorrow 11th, and will follow this up by other means if necessary when back in UK.

Thanks

Regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles VIII

Sent to BA, still chasing them up over my missing airmiles:

"Just touching base with you on this.

I will be flying with BA this Saturday to Beijing (booking ref *****) and I would appreciate this matter being sorted out before I go away.

Thanks

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles VII

BA finally show some flexibility, by telling me that my itinerary will suffice. They of course still refuse to confirm that, had they the incilination, they could verify that we were on the flight (without the need for any domcumentation from me).

"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for your email.

For me to be able to look into crediting missing flights to your Executive Club account, I will need you to send copies of your boarding passes and ticket stubs, or a copy of your travel itinerary, to our Travel History Department at the following address:

British Airways Executive Club
Travel History Department
PO Box 111
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO10 2FB

Thank you again for your contact.

Regards


British Airways
Executive Club
Customer Services"

I duly emailed the itinerary:

"Here is the itinerary.

I would still appreciate an answer to my question though.

Thanks

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

They could not open it, and again ignored my question:

"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for your email.

I'm afraid I am unable to open attachments withins emails due to security reasons. Can you please send or fax a copy of your itinerary to me.

Thank you again for your help.

Regards


British Airways
Executive Club
Customer Services"

My note to them, as they of course had not advised me of a fax number:

"Please advise fax number, thanks"

Finally, on receiving the fax number, I faxed the itinerary:

"Faxed

Please confirm safe receipt.

Thanks"

Needless to say, I received no confirmation of the safe receipt of the fax.

Missing Airmiles VI

Received from BA:

"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for your e-mail.

I'm afraid I have been unable to add your missing flights to your Executive Club account, as I do need you to send your boarding passes and ticket stubs to the following address:

British Airways Executive Club
Partnerships Department
PO Box 111
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO10 2FB

Or fax me on 01787 881 405.

Once received I can update your account.

Thank you for your help.

Regards

British Airways
Executive Club
Customer Services"

My response:

"Thank you for your note.

Given that we both had our BA executive numbers registered at both legs of the journey (it was a BA flight and BA check in), and that your records will clearly show that we were on both flights, why are you unable to upload the miles?

Thanks

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

BA's response:

"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for your email.

I'm afraid I am unable to confirm that you travelled on your missing flights without you providing me with your boarding passes and ticket stubs. So without this information I will be unable to add your missing flights to your Executive Club account.

If you would like your missing flights added to your account, please provide me with the relevant information.

Thank you for your help.

Regards


British Airways
Executive Club
Customer Services"

My response to BA (of course they can verify that we were on the flight!):

"Thank you for your prompt response.

Does this mean that were there to be a request for information (such as passenger names) made by eg the security services/government, in relation to a security matter, that BA would be unable to provide them with that information?

You are required to keep records are you not, of the names of people on your flights?

Thanks

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles V

Sent to BA Executive Club:

"I am still waiting for an answer to this

Regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles IV

As if by magic, BA do not provide an answer that explains why our executive club numbers have not been tracked in the system for the flights:

"Dear Mr Frost

I am sorry to learn that your flights did not track to your account. This should automatically happen when you quote your Executive Club number at the time of booking or at check-in. This is providing that the name on your Executive Club membership card and the name on your booking, match exactly.

As advised earlier, the flight(s) you are claiming for were operated by a partner airline, we are unable to update your account without copies of the boarding passes and ticket stubs from the flight(s) in question. This allows us to verify the information before crediting your account.

Contacts details for your local Executive Club Service Centre can be found at:

http://www.ba.com/servicecentres

We always recommend you save your ticket receipts and boarding passes until the flights have been added to your account, in case of discrepancy.

Thank you for emailing us and we hope to resolve this swiftly for you.

Regards

British Airways Executive Club "

Here is my answer:

"Thank you for your email.

We did book in using our correctly registered executive account numbers etc.

Therefore, re my original question, why has the system not tracked our flights?

Re you not be "able" to update our accounts, without hard copy stubs, I find that a little hard to believe.

We are pre assigned seats when boarding the aircraft, you have records to show how many people are on the flight at take off, who they are and have records to satisfy security controls that show exactly who was on a flight.

You would not be allowed to operate or to fly to Spain, the USA etc without having such security controls.

Therefore you are well capable of verifying that we were on the flights.

If you need a little help, our flight booking was featured in The Times a while ago.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article1889980.ece

Do I really have to raise this matter with Walsh simply to get my miles added, something that your system should have done in the first place?

Kind regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles III

My response to BA:

"Are you saying that even though we had our executive club numbers registered both at departure and return, and the flight was a BA flight, you will not upload the miles unless I provide all the stubs?

Why take the executive number and record it on the face of the stub, if you don't then upload it to your system?

Regards

Ken Frost"

Missing Airmiles II

Response from BA:

"Dear Ken Frost

As the flight(s) you are claiming for were operated by a partner airline, we are unable to update your account without copies of the boarding passes and ticket stubs from the flight(s) in question. This allows us to verify the information before crediting your account. Their contacts details can be found at:

http://www.ba.com/servicecentres

We always recommend you save your ticket receipts and boarding passes until the flights have been added to your account, in case of discrepancy.

Thank you for emailing us and we hope to resolve this swiftly for you.

Regards

British Airways Executive Club"

All very well, but our executive club numbers were registered in the system with the ticket purchase.

Missing Airmiles

Sent to BA Executive Club:

"Please advise why the business class return flights that myself and my partner, made to Barcelona in July have not yet been uploaded onto our joint airmiles account?

Partner airline Iberia

Class Business

Gatwick outward bound to Barcelona 5 July
Barcelona inward bound to Gatwick 15 July

Thank you.

Kind regards

Ken Frost"