Paralytic

There was that rumour a month or so back that BA were going to do something to discourage Eurocheating. We've not seen anything in that area yet. Perhaps that was just a misunderstanding on what we're seeing now: redemptions departing from mainland Europe are increasing in cost.

However, I wonder if BA considered adding in some sort of "distance from home supplement" to redemptions.

So, for example, if your BAEC address was registered in France but all your flights were from LHR, then you paid a CDG-LHR supplement on each redemption.

That might have Eurocheats moving home again

Paralytic

I think that's a bit harsh. Very few companies will go out of their way to advertise the downside to any changes and while we've had to work out the minutiae, usually through having to ask very specific questions, I wouldn't call it dishonest or lying.

It's the drip-feeding of partial information that is painting BA in a bad light here. A single communication with all the changes, the good advertised extensively, the bad available to comprehend, would have been a much better approach.

ocdb8r

Well, we do need clarification from Nicci, however given it has been stated that there will be one chart that covers BA or BA+1Partner or 1Partner alone, I don't see why it would be any different. Why would they charge extra for AMS-LHR-MIA but not extra for LHR-MAD-MIA? Again, that's why I initially said if the same logic applies to all bookings...maybe we'll get confirmation one way or another.

Again, as above...based on Nicci's post, AMS-LHR-LAX will be priced as two flights. Not sure why any other itinerary would not. Can you imagine trying to work through one vs. the other with a booking agent? Again, totally admit that this is subject to clarification.

Yes and no. It does indeed align the cost with number of flights taken (I think we could come up with a number of examples where it doesn't align with the actual flight distance), but it is certainly not in line with the pricing of flights that actually cost money. We all know AMS-LHR-LAX in J often costs MUCH less than LHR-LAX direct. In this way it seems like a total disconnect.

origin

Trying to stop Eurocheats is going to be hard in total. Many people like Henkybaby, do live in Europe but fly BA. Its not a bad place Europe, even if the media think otherwise.

ocdb8r

This is what really gets me. More and more I feel like I should just go with AAdvantage. Many destinations are currently cheaper for redmptions (and many more look to be cheaper depending on where all the details fall with these changes), I can still MFU any BA flight with AA miles (and sometimes for less than BA charge) and AA seems committed to throwing miles at customers in line with BA (they recently matched BA's promo with more lenient terms and there are numerous CC bonuses to be had). Plus AAdvantage has some other nice upgrade benefits for US flights as well as int'l flights if I make Exec Platinum. I'd really prefer to stay with BAEC because I am actually living in London, but given I normally fly in a premium cabin (and get many of the BAEC tier benefits anyway) I am starting to struggle to find the reason to stay with BAEC.

Paralytic

Just to be clear, I was referring to "true" Eurocheats, not those that live in Europe and fly BA. I call them Eurobenefitters.

You've been reading the Daily Mail again, haven't you?

henkybaby

I believe that Paralytic's suggestion was in fact a clever one making 'home' your home airport (ie the one you most often fly from) instead of your postal address.

srbrenna

Probably it's the fact that we on the BAEC Forum will dissect the plans more than they can...

Either they haven't yet considered this scenario or, more worryingly, they have. Neither puts them in a good light.

Could we see a lot of availability to places like MIA/EZE/GRU/GIG with IB at the higher mileage but no availability with BA?

origin

I see. But a few will get cheap flights to LHR, well LGW and transfer. Then start their trips to Asia or the US. But I see what he is saying.

Hannibal Lecter

and?

IST-LHR-LAX in F/CE now 195 000 BA Miles will cost 190 000 Avios return
if you mix classes F/ET it will cost 170 000 Avios return

NickB

I do believe that this statement was made in good faith but this very fact is quite reflective, imo, of the fact that members originating in Continental Europe (other than Spain) are simply not within the gaze of BA and that BA has pretty much given up on them (I cannot wait to see whether changes to elite qualification levels confirm this or not).

But even for UK-based flyers, if each leg is going to add a cost, I wonder what is going to happen at the other end. Let us say that I want to fly to MSY. Will BA charge me for LHR-DFW and on top of that charge me for DFW-MSY? If you look at the ramification of a sector-based system, it is likely to cost very substantially more for everybody (even London-based flyers) other than those who use their awards for simple single-segment redemptions, i.e. for only a minute fraction of the destinations served by OW.

henkybaby

It will also 'screw' US based travelers that do not have LHR as their final destination by the way. With all the other changes facing them I think that BA has also given up on the US based market other than to flood them with miles to compensate for the rise in redemption rates.

Royce

+1 ^

srbrenna

Perhaps they're flooding the US market with miles to avoid or be able to successfully defend the predictable class action lawsuit for devaluation?

henkybaby

Nah, any American will separate those two issues in a heartbeat. If anything the flooding of the market is an admission of guilt.

(Lets not debate this here again though... )