Originally Posted by
KARFA
I think that your view of people who are GCHs is somewhat warped. Most do not have stacks of avios to block book loads of flights and then cherry pick one later, and neither do they have the inclination to do so. Also, you are correct you get the taxes backs, but like the avios, you need to have enough money to have quite a large amount tied up in tickets until you do get them refunded. I really think you are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here.
Everyone is allowed to cancel an avios booking remember, it is just that a GCH does not have to pay a £25 fee to do so. I think that even if GCHs had to pay the fee you would not see any difference in award seat availability - what you have suggested, if it does happen, is so insignificant that there is hardly any impact on availability.
No idea about the discounted miles thing you are on about. Doesn't seem to have any relevance to BAEC as far as I can see. I have never heard of a BA booking which also offered tied purchase of miles at discounted rates.
Like I said, I do not think that every GCH engages in such "malpractice". However, there are bad apples out there, there is no denying it, just as GIDDY suggested that non-Golds could be playing unfair in certain circumstances.
As for discounted miles, that was not in reference to anything BAEC related (Alaska Air's to be specific), but a general mention that where there are way to bend the system in one's favour, there will always be people who do that.