Clinic Thread – Why is BA’s award availability so bad? And why are the fees so high?
Feb 17, 2014, 3:17 am
#736
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Can you match the £2K and the £3.4K price quotes (broken down to base fare plus TFC) to any published WT+ fares, eg via the list on EF or by using ITA?
Feb 17, 2014, 8:42 am
#738
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 15
Taxes and Charges question.
Hi
I'm sure this has been asked, and probably answered, countless times but I am interested in peoples opinions on the following;
First let me say I have had some wonderful trips using, originally, my BMI Diamond Club points and now Avios, being able to travel way further forward than I would have done any other way, so please take this as a minor moan!
In October last year booked a CW ticket to travel LON-PHI the breakdown was 80,000 avios and £532 in taxes and charges.
My wife is thinking of taking a CW trip to New York sometime between Nov and Feb next winter - There are plenty of reward seats available but on the BA website the breakdown is 80,000 plus up to £824 taxes and charges.
Why such a big difference?
I did some research and every US destination has, apparently, the same charges however, LON-SYD would only need £640 in charges!
I even looked at the ITA Matrix Airfare Search (as recommended in another thread) which shows taxes and charges on other carriers would be approx £500.
Is this BA just making extra money on reward redemption bookings? If so should this fare breakdown not be explained to us?
Personally I would feel much happier if BA were up front and said;
"Avios only bookings are no longer available with BA your pricing options are;
(for example) 80,000 avios + £350 + taxes & charges
72,000 avios + £490 + taxes & charges
60,000 avios + £700 + taxes & charges
52,000 avios + £890 + taxes & charges etc."
I'm sure this has been asked, and probably answered, countless times but I am interested in peoples opinions on the following;
First let me say I have had some wonderful trips using, originally, my BMI Diamond Club points and now Avios, being able to travel way further forward than I would have done any other way, so please take this as a minor moan!
In October last year booked a CW ticket to travel LON-PHI the breakdown was 80,000 avios and £532 in taxes and charges.
My wife is thinking of taking a CW trip to New York sometime between Nov and Feb next winter - There are plenty of reward seats available but on the BA website the breakdown is 80,000 plus up to £824 taxes and charges.
Why such a big difference?
I did some research and every US destination has, apparently, the same charges however, LON-SYD would only need £640 in charges!
I even looked at the ITA Matrix Airfare Search (as recommended in another thread) which shows taxes and charges on other carriers would be approx £500.
Is this BA just making extra money on reward redemption bookings? If so should this fare breakdown not be explained to us?
Personally I would feel much happier if BA were up front and said;
"Avios only bookings are no longer available with BA your pricing options are;
(for example) 80,000 avios + £350 + taxes & charges
72,000 avios + £490 + taxes & charges
60,000 avios + £700 + taxes & charges
52,000 avios + £890 + taxes & charges etc."
Feb 17, 2014, 8:50 am
#739
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
This is the bit of information that's been missing so far.
ISTR that there's a known bug in the booking engine which puts a WT+ --> CW UuA booking into W class if there's more than one sector involved, even though there are lower booking classes available for a cash ticket. That may be what you're seeing.
Yes, you could book the cash ticket online and then phone to UuA. Or you could phone to book the whole thing in one go, which would avoid the risk of the award availability vanishing before you can grab it post-cash booking - although in that situation you might be able to avail yourself of the 24 hour cancellation policy.
ISTR that there's a known bug in the booking engine which puts a WT+ --> CW UuA booking into W class if there's more than one sector involved, even though there are lower booking classes available for a cash ticket. That may be what you're seeing.
Yes, you could book the cash ticket online and then phone to UuA. Or you could phone to book the whole thing in one go, which would avoid the risk of the award availability vanishing before you can grab it post-cash booking - although in that situation you might be able to avail yourself of the 24 hour cancellation policy.
Feb 17, 2014, 8:56 am
#740
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
In October last year booked a CW ticket to travel LON-PHI the breakdown was 80,000 avios and £532 in taxes and charges.
My wife is thinking of taking a CW trip to New York sometime between Nov and Feb next winter - There are plenty of reward seats available but on the BA website the breakdown is 80,000 plus up to £824 taxes and charges.
Why such a big difference?
My wife is thinking of taking a CW trip to New York sometime between Nov and Feb next winter - There are plenty of reward seats available but on the BA website the breakdown is 80,000 plus up to £824 taxes and charges.
Why such a big difference?
Feb 17, 2014, 9:13 am
#741
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 15
G
Thanks, I also just tried a dummy trip and your figures are correct.
Begs the question though, (and I do argue your "substance" remark) why quote "up to £824"?
Why would the charges ever vary that much?
Although the difference between £530 and £824 may not seem much to you, to me it's an awful lot and I'm sure some people would not continue to the booking stage if they thought they might have to spend £824 (each if it was a multi person booking)
Thanks, I also just tried a dummy trip and your figures are correct.
Begs the question though, (and I do argue your "substance" remark) why quote "up to £824"?
Why would the charges ever vary that much?
Although the difference between £530 and £824 may not seem much to you, to me it's an awful lot and I'm sure some people would not continue to the booking stage if they thought they might have to spend £824 (each if it was a multi person booking)
Feb 17, 2014, 9:18 am
#742
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
I can't work out the "up to £824" either. But as it immediately sounded wrong, I went to get a quote straight away.
Feb 17, 2014, 1:58 pm
#743
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,214
Feb 17, 2014, 2:16 pm
#744
Join Date: May 2008
Location: FZO
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Plat, Avis PC, Sixt Pl,
Posts: 772
Another 'feature' of the Avios Explorer Map I believe.. I think it relates to the worst case scenario LHR-SYD in J/F.
Feb 25, 2014, 7:30 am
#748
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
Just tried looking for awards EDI-HKG between August - December this year. Nothing between end of August - end of December in any class, on either BA or CX.
Tried Lon - HKG and lots of availability popped up. I take it there is still either rubbish availability on domestics or the online tool has a glitch? Anyone know which it is? It's hard to believe there isn't one domestic reward seat available EDI-LON between August and December
Tried Lon - HKG and lots of availability popped up. I take it there is still either rubbish availability on domestics or the online tool has a glitch? Anyone know which it is? It's hard to believe there isn't one domestic reward seat available EDI-LON between August and December
Feb 25, 2014, 7:56 am
#749
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,214
Probably a bit of both. Phone up and they will very often put you on hold while they wheedle a domestic seat from revenue management.
Feb 25, 2014, 8:36 am
#750
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
I was hoping availability would guide me... Oh.. tide times at Mai Po. Need good tide times
Thanks for the answer though.