Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Is BA about to devalue Avios?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:52 am
  #76  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Four Seasons Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Originally Posted by Tafflyer
Since anybody can Transfer their IB Avios to BA and redeem there, I suspect BA cannot be far behind.
Not necessarily. Since Avios launched 3 years ago, it made sense to transfer IB Avios to BA Avios for oneworld redemptions, since the IB redemption was non-refundable and BA one was refundable.

You would have assumed some equalisation of that but it never happened.

Also likely that IB members are substantially more likely to redeem on oneworld (and thus incur higher costs to IB) because a) IB has a weird long-haul network and b) there is no 2-4-1 voucher equivalent to tie people into IB redemptions.
Raffles is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:54 am
  #77  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,670
Originally Posted by paul4040
My point; discrepancies between BA and IB reward tables are not new.
How was the IB OW award chart different than the BA chart before these changes?
ctownflyer is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:56 am
  #78  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Four Seasons Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Originally Posted by ctownflyer
How was the IB OW award chart different than the BA chart before these changes?
Non refundable, non changeable - which is a pretty huge difference
Raffles is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:58 am
  #79  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Four Seasons Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Also worth remembering that Iberia scrapped Reward Flight Saver with no notice 18 months ago .... and BA never followed.
Raffles is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:07 am
  #80  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Originally Posted by Tafflyer
Since anybody can Transfer their IB Avios to BA and redeem there, I suspect BA cannot be far behind. Although I do recall their promise to give advanced notice before increasing redemption Levels. Let's see if they stick to it, not like they did when adding change fees for Golds.
Where was this promise made? I don't recall it.

Originally Posted by Tafflyer
Maybe it's because they're about to be prohibited from charging fees on Partner redemptions when the Partners themselves don't charge them.
Any reference for that statement (of fact)?
Paralytic is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:13 am
  #81  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Originally Posted by Raffles
Also worth remembering that Iberia scrapped Reward Flight Saver with no notice 18 months ago .... and BA never followed.
I hope this doesn't become an example of "never say never".

While IAG has not been systematically shutting off cross-BA/IB/Avios.com Avios arbitrage opportunities on the redemption side, there comes a point where arbitrage opportunities may end up so well-exploited -- or internal comparisons so starkly distinct -- that "change" and "harmoni(s/z)ation" is the order of the day.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:25 am
  #82  
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,210
Originally Posted by GUWonder
I hope this doesn't become an example of "never say never".

While IAG has not been systematically shutting off cross-BA/IB/Avios.com Avios arbitrage opportunities on the redemption side, there comes a point where arbitrage opportunities may end up so well-exploited -- or internal comparisons so starkly distinct -- that "change" and "harmoni(s/z)ation" is the order of the day.
I think if there was widespread unreasonable usage of convert my avios, additional restrictions on their use would have been implemented. I don’t know what the take-up stats are but I suspect they are very low.
Prospero is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:43 am
  #83  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,125
Originally Posted by nrdk
This is going to kill my fall 2015 plans of AE BOS > DUB Can't quite book yet but thinking of doing so ASAP. Anyone know what the affect will be if I book now and change dates in a few months?
I believe you have to have the first flight within a year of purchase, and then subsequent flights within a year of the first flight.
BA6501 is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:49 am
  #84  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Originally Posted by Prospero
I think if there was widespread unreasonable usage of convert my avios, additional restrictions on their use would have been implemented. I don’t know what the take-up stats are but I suspect they are very low.
I suspect that there have been very low conversion rates too, but those rates won't be dropping with changes like this having hit IB Avios but not hit (yet, at least) BA Avios. The risk of additional restrictions on conversions seems to have risen (at least somewhat) absent a BA Avios devaluation too; and the risk of another BA Avios devaluation doesn't seem to have dropped with a change like this having hit IB Avios. But that's just how I see it at this point as a random bloke on main street.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:50 am
  #85  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lewes
Programs: HiltonH. Gold Starwood Gold BA BLUES! Mucci.
Posts: 4,833
Yes, we have recently seen the tightening in the Avios scheme of the removal of the G bucket which has saved me a few times when there has been no availability in U /X /V
Skipcool3 is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 7:57 am
  #86  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: United Platinum, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 221
Is BA about to devalue Avios?

Tried to log in to redeem my Avios but got a message saying the website is not available. I hope the change does not happen before the site is up
frmnj is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 9:13 am
  #87  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
I had planned to book online yesterday - has anyone been able to call in and book award flights today ?
Travelomania is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 9:22 am
  #88  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC | VS FC | LH M&M
Posts: 485
I managed to book two Alaska Airlines sectors over the phone this am UK time without issue.
taff_2003 is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 9:23 am
  #89  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,670
My take is that the other bloggers need to take a deep breath...http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/50288
ctownflyer is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2014, 9:35 am
  #90  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
Originally Posted by ctownflyer
My take is that the other bloggers need to take a deep breath...http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/50288
Seriously, they have always been different. BA's model seems much more robust for partner bookings as they have the policy of passing the fees they pay onto the customer which was not always the case with IB.

Just like IB and BA more generally, they can coordinate under the IAG umbrella, but they are both independently run companies and each takes their own approach to how to maximize profit from its members. IB+ has has a Spain first approach for a long time and BAEC has had a more global focus (especially with Chase).

There is no indication that BA is planning anything at all. Of course we could all be proven wrong, but if it were a coordinated move, wouldn't it make sense to be....coordinated?

I see nothing to really note anyway as IB avios for parner flights were never that great to begin with. The only real impact is on partners for IB but not BA. Big ones being Avianca, Royal Air Maroc, and Taca.
LupineChemist is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.