Jan 28, 2015, 1:49 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
The changes in summary
Applicable to bookings made from 28 April 2015
For more information, see BA's 28 January announcement and FAQ on ba.com
Earning
Changes to Avios accrual rates and tier bonuses
Earning with partners
Reduced earnings in Economy and Premium Economy
AA, IBERIA, JAL, LAN, TAM, ALASKA, SRI LANKAN, QANTAS, CATHAY.
Changes to tier bonuses
Changes to minimum Avios amounts (accrued per flight)
Changes to Tier Point earning rates
Spending
Promise of greater reward inventory/availability
Changes to standard flight redemption rates
Changes to Upgrade with Avios
Applicable to bookings made from 28 April 2015
For more information, see BA's 28 January announcement and FAQ on ba.com
Earning
Changes to Avios accrual rates and tier bonuses
- earning rates increase for flights booked in F, A, J, C, D, and W selling classes
- no change for flights booked in R, I, Y, B, and H selling classes
- earning rates reduce for flights booked in E, T, K, L, M, N, S, V, Q, O, and G selling classes
Earning with partners
Reduced earnings in Economy and Premium Economy
AA, IBERIA, JAL, LAN, TAM, ALASKA, SRI LANKAN, QANTAS, CATHAY.
Changes to tier bonuses
- no change to Gold tier bonuses (100%)
- Silver tier bonuses reduce from 100% to 50%
- no change to Bronze tier bonuses (25%)
Changes to minimum Avios amounts (accrued per flight)
- minimum thresholds increase for long haul premium fares (F, A, J, C, D, W)
- no change to restricted business class fares (R and I class) and flexible econony (Y, B, and H class)
- minimum thresholds decrease for WT+ (E and T class) - although there are no BA WTP flights that short
- minimum thresholds decrease from 500 to 250 Avios for mid priced economy (K, L, M, N, S, and V classes)
- minimum thresholds decrease from 500 to 125 Avios for cheapest economy (Q, O, and G classes)
Changes to Tier Point earning rates
- Club World London City flights reduce from 210 to 140 Tier Points
- Cheapest economy flights (in selling classes Q, O, and G) reduce from 50% to 25% Tier Points
- No change to minimum 2/4 segments for earning Bronze/Others
- No change to 25 segment / 50 segment Bronze/Silver earning option
- No other changes, thresholds still Bronze 300,Silver 600,Gold 1500,GGL 5000 (3000 to retain)
Spending
Promise of greater reward inventory/availability
- Guaranteed minimum 4 seats in economy on every flight
- Guaranteed minimum 2 seats in business on every flight
- Guaranteed seats will be available to book from 355 days before departure and may vanish 45 days before departure, if not already booked.
Changes to standard flight redemption rates
- Variable rates introduced divided into Off-peak and Peak
- For Peak time (school holidays and other busy times), and partner costs
- WT - stays the same cost
- WTP increases - from x1.5 to x2.0 multiplier (33% increase)
- Club World increases - from x2.0 to x3.0 multiplier (50% increase)
- First increases - from x3.0 to x4.0 multiplier (33% increase)
- For Off Peak time (including every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the year)
- WT decreases by 35% from current values
- WT decreases by 13% from current values
- Club World increases by 25% from current values
- First increases by 13% from current values
- Free domestic add-ons abolished on short haul redemptions
- No word if CE redemptions will be charged 4500/Ł17.50 or 9000/Ł25 for the UK leg
- Variable rates introduced on Iberia
- Flight redemptions on BA's other airline partners will be charged at Peak rates all year round
Changes to Upgrade with Avios
- Eligible booking codes is set to increase in the near future, allowing mile upgrades from economy (WT and ET) for more travellers - K, L, M, N, S, and V classes added (exact fare codes subject to confirmation)
- Avios required for upgrade now based on the formula: Avios redemption price for the cabin you want to upgrade to, minus the Avios redemption price for the cabin you have paid for with cash. This means that certain off peak WTP to CW upgrades are more expensive than peak WTP to CW upgrades (assuming peak/off-peak variables will apply to UuA)
Executive Club Changes
Jan 28, 2015, 4:08 am
#166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,713
for the next iteration ("enhancement"), they should just close the Executive Club to the plebs, or just remove all earning potential from Economy fares.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:09 am
#167
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: London
Posts: 878
Ok, this is how I would summarize the redemption chart for peak times:
Zones 1-3: 1x/1.5x/2x/4x
Zones 4-9: 1x/2x/3x/4x
Used to be: 1x/1.5x/2x/3x
Economy redemptions on peak times require exactly the same amount of miles as before.
Zones 1-3: 1x/1.5x/2x/4x
Zones 4-9: 1x/2x/3x/4x
Used to be: 1x/1.5x/2x/3x
Economy redemptions on peak times require exactly the same amount of miles as before.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:10 am
#168
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LCY
Programs: Mucci des Ancients Matelots
Posts: 769
As a Silver I'm not overjoyed by this but on reflection, for me personally, it could have been much worse. I get silver through a couple of CW returns so the reduced tp earning in discount Y shouldn't impact me.
The reduction in avios earning plus more expensive redemptions will hurt and definitely devalue the whole program but not enough for me to leave...yet, but if I (or when I) relocate from the UK I guess this makes my decision easier on whether to stay with OW or not.
Having said that, I must admit Easyjet + pay lounge is beginning to look good to me. Add to that a regular search on ITA for the best deal outside of BA and I'm not sure I need BA any more. It's a close call now but I've got another 22 months before I lose Silver and have to make a decision. The next 2 years will be interesting.
The reduction in avios earning plus more expensive redemptions will hurt and definitely devalue the whole program but not enough for me to leave...yet, but if I (or when I) relocate from the UK I guess this makes my decision easier on whether to stay with OW or not.
Having said that, I must admit Easyjet + pay lounge is beginning to look good to me. Add to that a regular search on ITA for the best deal outside of BA and I'm not sure I need BA any more. It's a close call now but I've got another 22 months before I lose Silver and have to make a decision. The next 2 years will be interesting.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:11 am
#169
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
Overall seems fine, Avios earnings increase, although so do costs. Shame tp earnings don't increase.
The big issue is the RFS doubling in cost. It now costs an extra Ł200 for a family of 4 to fly to Europe. I don't mind the extra Avios but the cash component is a big sting - cheaper to drive down. It doesn't cost Ba much in the way of extra taxes or fees.
On the other hand it might mean that it's cheaper to not use RFS than to use it.
The big issue is the RFS doubling in cost. It now costs an extra Ł200 for a family of 4 to fly to Europe. I don't mind the extra Avios but the cash component is a big sting - cheaper to drive down. It doesn't cost Ba much in the way of extra taxes or fees.
On the other hand it might mean that it's cheaper to not use RFS than to use it.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:11 am
#170
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 212
12 years of being a loyal silver and going out of my way to fly BA even though it was inconvenient. Time for me to switch to easyjet and get a priority pass!
Will we get the option to purchase extra avios so i can top my balance up to 100k and use them for something worthwhile before i say goodbye?
Will we get the option to purchase extra avios so i can top my balance up to 100k and use them for something worthwhile before i say goodbye?
Jan 28, 2015, 4:12 am
#171
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,512
Not surprised, but it doesn't make a huge amount of difference to me. I already set my expectations accordingly and book my travel based on what suits me best, rather than basing it all around FFP considerations. That said, it'll still be better than my other realistic alternative with Star Alliance which already makes it more difficult still to earn meaningful status with purely short haul travel.
Low cost carrier arguments are irrelevant as I have Heathrow on my doorstep.
I'm running down my Avios balance via RFS redemptions as I have little interest in long haul travel now.
Low cost carrier arguments are irrelevant as I have Heathrow on my doorstep.
I'm running down my Avios balance via RFS redemptions as I have little interest in long haul travel now.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:13 am
#172
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London UK
Programs: All Expired... :-(
Posts: 410
Gutting the value customers get out of these programs is the objective of changes like these that are designed to enhance the more immediate term profitability of the program for IAG and to enable a more lucrative sale value (of the program) to potential owners/shareholders.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:14 am
#173
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Herts, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH Diamond.
Posts: 3,176
I think the reduction of SCH holders from this will FAR out weight any FT guesting (cant believe much stranger guesting happens through outside of here)
Jan 28, 2015, 4:15 am
#174
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 370
Obviously the intent here is to motivate premium passengers to buy more expensive fares, and to reduce the earn and burn potential for those who don't. The problem is that BA's premium cabins are the LCC version of J & F in terms of hard product and catering, and Heathrow is a nightmare. Add to that a CCR that is a red headed stepchild compared to the LH & AF offering, and this seems like a failed strategy unless BA intend to make some extraordinary improvements to the product itself.
This just reinforces my decision to abandon status and loyalty with BA in favor of paying full fare on other carriers that offer a better experience.
This just reinforces my decision to abandon status and loyalty with BA in favor of paying full fare on other carriers that offer a better experience.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:16 am
#175
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
Look at Air Canada and Aeroplan.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:17 am
#176
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 476
Sell a FF program: Yes. AB sold ist FF program to ETIHAD in 2012. No changes for the customers.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:17 am
#177
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 10
JohnW52, welcome to FlyerTalk and welcome indeed on what I think will be a busy day here.
You are quite right that this is a squeeze on those of us lucky enough to inhabit the regions.
I think we will have to plan carefully what to do next.
Don't forget that IB will be launching a MAN-MAD and EDI-MAD very soon, which may help matters a little. Still a connection of course but at least you only go through security once.
You are quite right that this is a squeeze on those of us lucky enough to inhabit the regions.
I think we will have to plan carefully what to do next.
Don't forget that IB will be launching a MAN-MAD and EDI-MAD very soon, which may help matters a little. Still a connection of course but at least you only go through security once.
I don't think IB flights will be any more attractive, given that I will be able to fly direct with Monarch. That's what i've generally done anyway but now I'll be able to use miles.
Jan 28, 2015, 4:21 am
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,713
Jan 28, 2015, 4:21 am
#180
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809