Redeeming with DC was so much easier
 

It's at times like this that I appreciate the relative simplicity of redeeming miles with the DC.
OK there may have been some frustrations but now that I have spent two months trying to get both (1) availablity and a (2) decent price deal with my Avios I realise that it's nigh impossible.
It looks like the fuel surcharge is the biggie, costwise. In so many cases paying for a Business class seat with *A is only slightly more than using loads-a-miles and the taxes and fees with ba.

I know that the issues should be ranted in the Exec Club forum but I thought it may as well also be my last post in here!

Just returned from AKL on my last BMI redemption. Couldn't agree with you more, BMI's scheme with cash and miles and heaps of options to NZ/SEA worked so well for me.

Sad sad sad.

I think you're overstating this personally. Just like DC had its foibles, so does the executive club. YQ can be hammered down if you use Air Berlin or Aer Lingus. If you want to avoid the APD start in Jersey. The fact you don't get free add-ons (other than in the UK or Spain) with Avios is a PITA, but at least heading to the US you have a far wider choice of nonstop destinations and 2) don't end up down the back unless you do the whole redemption in F on a cross country flight.

I've just booked an MFU to HKG and back in J. It cost £1100 plus 30k miles (but i'll get most of those miles back).
With DC cash & miles that would cost me 52,500 miles, £360 cash plus £450 in TFCs on LX.

You've also got exceptional value in Reward Flight Savers that made DC almost comical in comparison. SE Asia isn't great, but the addition of MH will help a little so long as you're miles rich.

I think the issue is there are fewer ways of spanking the arse out of Avios, but the natural evolution of DC - had it hung around - would surely have been for each of these loopholes to be slowly shut down too. We saw it with crazy routings and also with getting the shortest leg in a higher cabin.

Much as I loved DC, I did manage to get 4 J seats to SFO and back over the Easter holidays in the 25% off reward sale last November. Getting 4 seats to West Coast US not down the back on any *a airline was an exercise in patience. So whilst it was a bit more expensive in cash and miles terms it was painless to book online & ticketed immediately

As much as I feel I am doing the dirty on bmi by defending the EC vs DC, it should also be remembered that it is actually quite easy to earn Avios, especially if you are UK based. For a start as a Silver or Gold you earn a 100% mileage bonus on BA/AA/IB which compares to only 25% or 35% on bmi. You also have the Tesco avenue and various other ways to earn good miles. Certainly I've earned far more miles with EC than I would have done with DC for the same activity since I moved over.

Availability is another issue but a bit of flexibility goes a long way here.

..
??? :confused: ???
as a BD gold + 52k I got 625% on any paid A/P/F fare ! TG/LH/LX/NH
as BD gold I would get 250 % including status bonus !
I also never had a problem to book 4 or even 5 flights on the same aircraft in business award ! mostly on TG, but also on LH and LX.
An now tell me how I can come for the same costs with EC to Thailand and onward ?
FRA-BKK-KTM 18.750 miles + 125 cash
CPH/ARN-BKK-HKG 18.750 + 125 cash
DUS-CPH/ARN-HKT-BKK-KTM 18.750 + 125 cash
on the CPH/ARN flights i even sit in "F" for the price of "C" in TG !

Now my choice is FRA/CDG - KUL for 60k ( more than 3 times more ) + I have to buy KUL-BKK/HKT with Air Asia
or
FRA-HKG on CX for the same miles 60k , but even higher cost to get to BKK/HKT
BA never has availability in award business class to BKK and also never cheap T/W class fares to upgrade from.

One went out of business the other did not. Guess who has the better business plan?

:D for sure DIAMOND CLUB :D

That is the thing. Everyone will have different uses for a FFP and different routes. Most people didn't have over 55k status miles to get the extra destinations miles but if you did then obviously DC was better. Equally Asia was a good redemption for DC but not as good for BA. On the flip side if you are redeeming for a direct flight to the USA then the upgrade route on BA is better than DC (and you earn tier points too).

Each to their own I guess. The point I was really making was that BA isn't as bad as some people here say. Again I'd still rather have DC but that ship has sailed.

At least we are finally shot of the ICC...

And from my experience, BA's call centre in the UK are excellent at handling complex redemptions. ^

My experience is similar. On the other hand, anything at all out of the ordinary has a bad habit of posting as zero miles and tier points and necessitating a phone call to the NCC to resolve.