UA Fan

Apologies if there is a thread about this, searched using "awards on ba" and didn't see any. Since they now charge FS on aawards, just curious how many will stop using BA for awards. I will be stoping since I redeem for Y and with FS it is almost equal to the cost of a ticket.

AAerSTL

I'm certainly not going to stop. Sure it's frustrating but I've reaped considerable savings from AA award redemptions so I don't mind paying. I recently re-instated and re-issued an F award for my mother, originally LHR-MIA-DCA to LHR-IAD and gladly paid the ~$300 to save her the hassle in MIA, better timing and superior in-flight service. There's some places I travel to that AA doesn't serve and BA is the most convenient option.

UA Fan

How about if there's a destination thats served by AA or partners?

AAerSTL

Depends what partners. Now that I can earn 100% miles I have no reason to fly AA unless I'm on a Y-fare upgrading with my SWUs. Next time I fly BOS-LHR I'll be taking BA metal and am willing to pay a premium for the more professional service, superior lounges, 777/747 instead of a (relatively compared to BA) dumpy AA 763.

UA Fan

I will be doing that as well, if paying for a flight I will take BA any day over AA since the former offer 100% miles.

harryhv

Better leave extra early then, with BA's draconian LCC-like cut-off at LHR with no flat-tire rule = buy a new walk-up ticket if you're not thru security 35 min ahead.

kebosabi

Depends on routing I guess. If I have to go to Africa (one of my dreams is to visit Vic Falls) I have no choice but to go through LHR on BA anyway. It may suck to pay the surcharge, but at least it'll get me all the way from LAX to Zambia or Zimbabwe much cheaper than buying an airline ticket.

ilovetofly

I won't stop but will try to avoid BA. I don't redeem miles for Y tickets so the fees are still a bargain when one redeems free J ticket.

If you only redeems miles for Y tickets and the fees are almost to buy a ticket, I don't see why someone would redeem the miles and pay that amount of money.

UA Fan

do you normally buy J tix?

ilovetofly

No I don't.

ExpatExp

I will sadly avoid redeeming on BA when other options are available (i.e. LHR-HKG, or LHR-BOS) in order to avoid the so-called fuel surcharge. I feel nickel-and-dimed as a result. I do not think that the addition of the fuel surcharge is an honorable business practice any more than is Ryanair's fee for online check-in. Both fuel and check-in are not extras and should be figured in to the base cost of the ticket. If the base cost of the ticket has to go up, fine. Don't charge me extra for something which is not an extra.

Spiff

IB serves JNB from MAD. Also LOS, DKR, and Northern African cities.

JAXBA

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpatExp

...fuel...should be figured in to the base cost of the ticket. If the base cost of the ticket has to go up, fine. Don't charge me extra for something which is not an extra.

Umm, if for a revenue ticket you end up paying the same amount in the end, whether it's lumped in the fare or more clearly broken down, does it really make a difference? You'd rather pay '$500' than '$380+$120=$500' because you don't like knowing fuel is overpriced?

As for the fuel surcharge on awards; there is no base fare - the alternative is to charge more miles and have the miles required for an award fluctuate everytime the revenue fares are adjusted for fuel prices - or not to charge the charge at all and take heavier losses, further subsidising already 'free' awards. I see it as the airline providing their product for free - a seat on a plane to a destination you want to go to - but passing on the cost for parts that aren't their product - the government and airport taxes, the oil companies' higher bill, etc. Yes, fuel is needed to get the seat on the plane TO the destination you want to go to but miles don't cover everything, they aren't a real currency (despite FTer's wishes!) and oil companies won't take them as payment! If you consider miles have a redemptive value of about $0.02 a mile, you can still get great value out of them if you know the best ways of using them (which is FT's raison d'ętre).

I'm sure AA would LOVE to charge fuel surcharges on its own awards but 'can't' because of the 'competitive' market it's in - if it isn't matched by DL/UA/US/WN etc (who probably all secretly wish they could charge it on awards too) then AA will damage the AAdvantage brand - it's the kind of thing they all need to do together but they're not allowed to conspire over because of anti-trust stuff. No-one wants to be first, they'd rather run at a loss than take the risk of losing market share that doesn't make enough revenue as it is... Catch 22. Oh well, what do I know - I wonder how accurate I am?

UA Fan

The difference is that when there all other partners of AA and other US carriers don't charge FS, why bother redeeming so many miles and not get any savings? If others start following this path, it will the end of pursuing miles. I will go strictly for cheapest and best schedules. If I happen to earn miles, I'll prolly redeem them for some 1cent/mile GC which will be of more value than the measly savings from flights. IIRC a BA award from the US to South Africa costed $800 in FS while one can get a paid ticket for 1200. $400savings from using 80/90K miles is a huge loss.

The attraction of any frequent flyer program is the savings in future flights. It takes time and effort to run behind these miles and why should one bother if the savings is a pittance?

The thing is pretty much the same amount of fuel is needed to take the same plane from A to B. I doubt the addition of 2/3 extra pax in a plane will increase its requirement. So there is no extra cost like with govt taxes.

magic111

Not sure how you manage to get 'free' awards.

Somehow all my miles cost me something upfront. Whether choosing an airline credit card over a card that gives me cash back or originally paying for my flight that earned the miles with cash.

I have sat on my BAEC miles for years because it just doesn't seem right to have to double pay. I guess maybe if one reads enough that the awards are 'free' one has an idea that the extra "fee" is a drop in the bucket.

If there is a reasonable alternative to paying the "double charge" than I will gladly not pay the "double charge." Of course if you want to post your secret to 'free' tickets I will gladly reconsider.