Raffles

Doesn't AA do the same thing, with different levels of awards in Y?

stifle

Yes. So do quite a number of other airlines (e.g. LH, DL). Of course if BA started it everyone would be starting more "MASSIVE DEVALUATION OF AVIOS" threads.

PanGalactic

OK, but AA doesn't use Avios as their currency.

That is why I find it strange.

neuromancer

Not in my experience. Sometimes BAEC just does not have any availability, but lots of Blue class available on Iberia. Have also seen this in business class, where there is only one level on Iberia. I've read here they are bookable by phone, if you have the exact date and flight number, but haven't tried myself. By the way, Avios.com usually offers more availability than BAEC (charges are still high).

HIDDY

I can only go by what I've seen and that is IB Blue Class awards have always been available in ba.com whereas IB Economy awards haven't but you may well be right given how poor the BA partner redemption tool works.

floyd777

All I can say is that after spending hours researching and comparing flight options between two locations on both IB and BA - IB is hands down much better with a lot lower taxes and a lot higher availability.

PanGalactic

That may well be true, but from what I've heard (on this board anyway) is that their service is pants.

HIDDY

I would agree but I have found proof that IB Plus block BA award seats on some routes.
Take a look at GRU/EZE - LHR availability for instance. Loads of seats on BA flights on ba.com but when you look for them on IB Plus using the Oneworld search they don't exist.

floyd777

I understand that the IB+ is active in terms of being able to use it but it is not active when it comes to transferring Avios from BA to IB+.

There are several instances on this thread - post 85, 156 etc. that show that people were able to transfer Avios from BA to IB+ much before 3 months.

David-A

I think there might be some confusion here:

It is a double latch to be able to use Combine My Avios with IB+.
- The IB+ account needs to have been open for 3 months.
- The IB+ account needs to be active.

And just to be clear:
- You do NOT need to wait 3 months after it becomes active, it just needs to have been 3 months since the account was opened.

Just to check, are you talking about these two posts:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18527888-post85.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19047106-post156.html

In the case of 156, I can't see anything to suggest that Alvadors account was less than 3 months old. I expect it was already over 3 months old.
Hence that latch had already lifted. It just needed to be active, which the transaction made it.

In the case of 85, this is the most clear cut example of what I am talking about:
cvarming states clearly (in May) that the accounts were opened in January. There are three clear months (Feb, March, April) between even the end of Jan and the start of May.
Hence the 3 months latch was certainly lifted already.

But the account was not active (the second latch), the transaction made it active.

You can lift the two latches in either order. But both need to be lifted.
Hence, what I posted was correct.

HIDDY

Yes the 3 month from opening rule is correct whether it has had activity or not. Seems a strange rule compared to the BAEC but that's the problem when you have one currency operating under three separate companies.
Quicker they merge it all into the one the better.

Hannibal Lecter

Yes, years ago, they didn't convert anything they removed a row
to enable each seat to recline into a fully horizontal sleeping position.
http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...class-offering


and according to this article, they will replace those seats very soons
Spanish operator Iberia is getting ready to start a retrofit program for 17 Airbus A340-600s next year, which is scheduled to start in mid-October 2012 at its Madrid maintenance facility.
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article....-02-379340.xml

HIDDY

Yes this one according to the IB forum. I would rate it above the CW seat.

David-A

I don't mean to be pedantic, but that to me IS unquestionably a conversion of the aircraft from one configuration to another.


(I was aware of the detail. I'm not sure how you can say that was not a conversion from how it was before.)

Hannibal Lecter

Why didn't you post them then