America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - Summer 2002 Award travel on BA

Last week I emailed FlightFund to inquire of availability to London next summer departing Phoenix end of July and returning mid-August.

Received a call from FlightFund advising that BA has embargoed award travel during the summer.

I cannot find mention of this on the HP website.

They've offered Virgin Atlantic flights in Upper Class ( I requested a FC redemption - 2 seats ).

Anyone heard of this embargo?

Thanks

BA may have embargoed FlightFund award redemption during the summer, but there are loads of BA award seats available if you use BA Executive Club miles... just look at the BA website.

Sounds like they're choking HP off. Maybe BA is betting that HP won't be around by the summer... or, sooner than that, won't be able to compensate BA for award seats.

This past spring, I was speaking with another traveller in the bar at the Las Vegas America West Club. We were discussing the wonderful value of the 80,000 biz/100,000 first BA awards. He and his wife wanted to fly on the Phoenix nonstop to London/Gatwick in Club World (business class) for a weeklong vacation in summer. They were very flexible with their travel dates, but finding redemption impossible. He was very frustrated and sent a letter to Bill Franke. He received a call from a customer service agent who worked out the details for him and as a goodwill gesture, booked two British Airways First class seats at the business class price (2@80,000). He was quite pleased.

My guess is that having problems redeeming premium BA awards during peak is routine. I'm not sure how much business you bring to America West, but if it is significant $$$, you may wish to seriously consider a letter to Douglas Parker. Even if it isn't, it's still probably worth a shot.

Virgin UpperClass is a great product, but certainly isn't a great value at 100,000 miles when you could be flying BA First. Continental BusinessFirst is a terrible award at 100,000.

I'm planning on trying to do a BA First award next summer, too. I may decide to hold off until I accrue 200,000 miles, so I can bring along a companion. Hopefully everything will work out.