Avios: have BA become less Dilbertian?
Oct 24, 2011, 11:42 am
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
Avios: have BA become less Dilbertian?
For years, BA have been the undisputed champions of Dilbertism in the global airline world. One could say, using the infamous Atlantean expression, that they have been :-: best in class :-:
But change is possible even in the most Stalinist regimes. And a new era has dawned.
It means, I'm going to book BA for the next few intra-EU itins. Again. Yes, I'm StarG/DL zinc and could fly LH or even AZ for about the same price. But I don't get miles on low fare classes on LH in any Star program I belong to. I don't care about the LX or LH lounges. It would be nice not to have to connect from BUD or OTP to LHR via MUC or VIE or FCO or MXP. I don't want to have to battle AZ about ST E+ luggage allowance at FCO like I did last time. AF don't offer any meaningful one-way fares in markets like this, but, gasp, BA do. EZ are only slightly more expensive and in old days, anything to avoid the Imperial Cult. Now, however, BA can compete effectively against EZ even in these markets. And they give me a free checked bag and sometimes even hot food. OK, small morsels but still, this product is competitive.
And now on BA, I will receive 100% RDMs! And so now they'll be Avios miles, which sounds vaguely Delll-ta like, but I'm hoping I can at least redeem them for value in WT+ during the occasional promotional redemption rate period.
I won't be able to access the lounge as I did at TXL last time to denounce BA using their own Internet system. But maybe I don't need to anymore.
The BA board dread this development. In era of shark censorship and the triumph of cultural imperialism, they were hoping to never see the notorious redtail bandit colonizing the Terraces or their aircraft. They falsely believed the shark was gone from the Imperial Airways waters. But now, they will know that anything is possible.
I admit that recent BA experiences have been good. There appears new glasnost and perestroika. The effective acknowledgement of agent malfeasance at the Terraces and the call to membership is a fresh start. They have beaten back the Gaullist 772s from LHR and at least for the moment, the tables are turned. Will AFKL artifacts be removed to the BA Heritage Center in Waterworld? Well, it's too soon for that, but things are different than they were in 2008.
The real test will be the first irop event. Will tens of thousands of Avios points be sufficient recompense for the normal indignities and unhelpfulness? We'll see.
OK so I'm not at the point of actually making status runs on BA but then 1W is my tertiary alliance and the fact I'm going to book intra-EU BA instead of my primary alliance is certainly a significant change in habit. I haven't willingly booked BA tickets for almost twenty years.
Degradations in other alliance benefits, combined with BA glasnost and perestroika, with better service, prices and benefits than locos, well, now we know anything can happen.
But change is possible even in the most Stalinist regimes. And a new era has dawned.
It means, I'm going to book BA for the next few intra-EU itins. Again. Yes, I'm StarG/DL zinc and could fly LH or even AZ for about the same price. But I don't get miles on low fare classes on LH in any Star program I belong to. I don't care about the LX or LH lounges. It would be nice not to have to connect from BUD or OTP to LHR via MUC or VIE or FCO or MXP. I don't want to have to battle AZ about ST E+ luggage allowance at FCO like I did last time. AF don't offer any meaningful one-way fares in markets like this, but, gasp, BA do. EZ are only slightly more expensive and in old days, anything to avoid the Imperial Cult. Now, however, BA can compete effectively against EZ even in these markets. And they give me a free checked bag and sometimes even hot food. OK, small morsels but still, this product is competitive.
And now on BA, I will receive 100% RDMs! And so now they'll be Avios miles, which sounds vaguely Delll-ta like, but I'm hoping I can at least redeem them for value in WT+ during the occasional promotional redemption rate period.
I won't be able to access the lounge as I did at TXL last time to denounce BA using their own Internet system. But maybe I don't need to anymore.
The BA board dread this development. In era of shark censorship and the triumph of cultural imperialism, they were hoping to never see the notorious redtail bandit colonizing the Terraces or their aircraft. They falsely believed the shark was gone from the Imperial Airways waters. But now, they will know that anything is possible.
I admit that recent BA experiences have been good. There appears new glasnost and perestroika. The effective acknowledgement of agent malfeasance at the Terraces and the call to membership is a fresh start. They have beaten back the Gaullist 772s from LHR and at least for the moment, the tables are turned. Will AFKL artifacts be removed to the BA Heritage Center in Waterworld? Well, it's too soon for that, but things are different than they were in 2008.
The real test will be the first irop event. Will tens of thousands of Avios points be sufficient recompense for the normal indignities and unhelpfulness? We'll see.
OK so I'm not at the point of actually making status runs on BA but then 1W is my tertiary alliance and the fact I'm going to book intra-EU BA instead of my primary alliance is certainly a significant change in habit. I haven't willingly booked BA tickets for almost twenty years.
Degradations in other alliance benefits, combined with BA glasnost and perestroika, with better service, prices and benefits than locos, well, now we know anything can happen.
.
Oct 25, 2011, 12:15 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,478
Oct 25, 2011, 12:25 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
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Posts: 28,710
I've noticed that redtailshark rarely fails to get his favourite catchphrase, :-: best in class :-:, into each post. Though I'm more accustomed to seeing it applied to Delta.
Oct 25, 2011, 12:33 am
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Poetic 
But how is a 772 Gaullist?
Gaull·ist /ˈgoʊlɪst, ˈgɔ-/ Show Spelled[goh-list, gaw-] Show IPAnoun
1.a supporter of the political principles of Charles de Gaulle.
2.a French person who supported the French resistance movementagainst the Nazi occupation in World War II.
But how is a 772 Gaullist?
Gaull·ist /ˈgoʊlɪst, ˈgɔ-/ Show Spelled[goh-list, gaw-] Show IPAnoun
1.a supporter of the political principles of Charles de Gaulle.
2.a French person who supported the French resistance movementagainst the Nazi occupation in World War II.
Oct 25, 2011, 1:48 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Getting full miles on basement economy fares has been around for a good few years hasn't it?
I'm happy to see that the Dilbertianess quotient that you apply to airlines is completely based on how it affects you and not others! You're the only American slightly happy with the change, I can only assume you don't fly to the Far East or S America much!
Glad to see that Dilbertianism is based completely on selfishness, who would have ever thunk it?!
I'm happy to see that the Dilbertianess quotient that you apply to airlines is completely based on how it affects you and not others! You're the only American slightly happy with the change, I can only assume you don't fly to the Far East or S America much!
Glad to see that Dilbertianism is based completely on selfishness, who would have ever thunk it?!
Last edited by Cap'n Benj; Oct 25, 2011 at 2:17 am Reason: iPhone errors!
Oct 25, 2011, 1:53 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
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