'Head of brand at The Mileage Company Rahul Patel says that the Avios name has been tested and researched across several markets and while it is a created name, it does have resonance in connection with aviation.'
For me Avios brings associations of something cheap you would pick up in a Spanish supermarket. Or like you need to take a bath after you've been touching it. There's nothing British, sophisticated, travelling, exciting, valuable or worldly about that name.
It will be interesting to see how BA's Marketing will manage to brand this name with all that is associated with British Airways. They have a huge task ahead of them..