Any Avios on Speedbird tickets?

cooling1 · Jan 11, 13, 5:10 pm

Has anyone flown on a Speedbird ticket in I-class and earned avios for it. I know I is a Avios earning fare bucket but does BA have such sophisticated systems that they can discard Avios earnings based on farebasis of the ticket even if booking class is eligible?

Flythe96flag · Jan 11, 13, 5:42 pm

On BA flights booking class I is most definitely eligible. (at least IME)

HIDDY · Jan 11, 13, 7:55 pm

I've never heard of a Speedbird ticket before...what is it?

cornishsimon · Jan 11, 13, 8:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HIDDY

I've never heard of a Speedbird ticket before...what is it?

Agreed
Good question HIDDY

cs

Steve Oh · Jan 11, 13, 9:18 pm

I've heard it a mention a few times on the radio while driving around airside, but can't say I know what it is either..

I will try and find out for you.

Steve Oh · Jan 11, 13, 9:22 pm

Right.

'Speedbird' is what any airbourne BA flight is referred to by ATC.

As opposed to a Virgin flight being called Virginxxxx, or Air France being called Air France xx - the BA flight will be Speedbird xx.
Where xx is the flight number.

As quoted by ATC over the road

EDIT: After a quick google, it would appear that BA also have a club named Speedbird - I presume this was named after their callsign.

jerry a. laska · Jan 11, 13, 9:50 pm

Is the OP possibly referring to a hotline ticket?

angatol · Jan 11, 13, 9:56 pm

I believe the OP is referring to the BA speedbird club which is a portal for TAs. They occasionally offer special fares to TAs. See http://speedbirdclub.com

DWFI · Jan 11, 13, 10:11 pm

Yes, it is an industry discount ticket. Formally known as AD/ID. I do not know enough to answer the question, but would expect the answer is no points or miles.

Steve Oh · Jan 11, 13, 10:42 pm

I'd be inclined to agree.

I have booked flights with BA but via a third party (before I saw the light) and didn't get any points, even though I was asked for my BAEC number.

I have since had the points added though, which was nice.

angatol · Jan 11, 13, 11:05 pm

The current cost of an I ticket from FCO-NYC via speedbirdclub is 1380 euro compared to 1640 via ba.com, so a saving of about 16%. A hotline ticket would be 1360 and that does earn avios and TPs. My guess is that the speedbirdclub ticket does earn them, but I don't know.

Royce · Jan 12, 13, 1:45 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Oh

'Speedbird' is what any airbourne BA flight is referred to by ATC.

Not necessarily. Speedbird 192 will request pushback, not G-CIVK. They won't be G-VK until wheels up, then suddenly Speedbird 192 once off the ground. Any aircraft that has filed a flight plan will be known as either:

* The ATC callsign and a flight number as filed in the flight plan
* The registration
* Very occasionally the ATC callsign and an abbreviated registration

And it will be gate to gate.

Also, BA's domestic aircraft are SHUTTLE, and BA Limited are GHERKIN. BA Cityflyer operate with callsign FLYER

cornishsimon · Jan 12, 13, 3:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royce

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Oh

'Speedbird' is what any airbourne BA flight is referred to by ATC.

Not necessarily. Speedbird 192 will request pushback, not G-CIVK. They won't be G-VK until wheels up, then suddenly Speedbird 192 once off the ground. Any aircraft that has filed a flight plan will be known as either:

* The ATC callsign and a flight number as filed in the flight plan
* The registration
* Very occasionally the ATC callsign and an abbreviated registration

And it will be gate to gate.

Also, BA's domestic aircraft are SHUTTLE, and BA Limited are GHERKIN. BA Cityflyer operate with callsign FLYER

Didn't BA also have Santa as an atc call sign at one stage ?

cs

cooling1 · Jan 12, 13, 4:48 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooling1

Has anyone flown on a Speedbird ticket in I-class and earned avios for it. I know I is a Avios earning fare bucket but does BA have such sophisticated systems that they can discard Avios earnings based on farebasis of the ticket even if booking class is eligible?

Sorry for not being more clear. Speedbird Club is a club for travel agents and they offer discounted tickets to registered travel agents. These tickets book into normal avios earning booking classes but I am thinking that maybe BA has a sophisticated robot in their reservation system that can read the fare basis of a booking and from that make sure avios are not earned on these tickets. I have asked BA as well but get different answers from different people so only way I will find out is if someone has actually travelled and had avios credit.

Royce · Jan 12, 13, 11:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornishsimon

Didn't BA also have Santa as an atc call sign at one stage ?

cs

Yep! I believe it was used for their (charter?) flights to Lapland in the winter, but it's not in the latest ICAO Doc 8585, so I guess they let it expire.