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/£17.50 or 9000/£25 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
Mar 4, 2015, 8:09 am
#1351
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 168
My understanding is that anything booked before 28th April falls under the old rules, regardless of what you do with it after the 28th April. Maybe I'm wrong though.
Mar 4, 2015, 8:13 am
#1352
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Will I be able to change the dates of an existing reward flight after 28 April?
Yes. You will be able to make changes to your existing booking on or after the 28 April 2015 under the existing rules. This means, for example, that you will not have to use more Avios towards your existing booking if you need to change it after this date where under the new rules you would be required to use more Avios to make the same booking. This also means that you will not be refunded any difference in Avios if you make a change to your existing booking which would require you to use less Avios under the new rules. Please note change fees may apply.
Yes. You will be able to make changes to your existing booking on or after the 28 April 2015 under the existing rules. This means, for example, that you will not have to use more Avios towards your existing booking if you need to change it after this date where under the new rules you would be required to use more Avios to make the same booking. This also means that you will not be refunded any difference in Avios if you make a change to your existing booking which would require you to use less Avios under the new rules. Please note change fees may apply.
Mar 4, 2015, 8:14 am
#1353
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mostly AUS or rural England
Programs: BAEC redundant Bronze, AAdvantage Lifetime PLT, CO, WN, B6
Posts: 6,526
Agreed......a lot of loyalty was bought by BA with probably the most liberal CC bonuses. They then devalue the avios, impose very high fuel surcharges/ fees/ carrier imposed charges etc , limit the availability of award seats......." a slew of " enhancements" ......allow competition to steal mar he's on them....not a program to build true long term loyalty.
This time they seem to have provided a window in which you can make redemptions and thankfully provided a dribble of extra availability to make that feasible.
Overall the concept of saving towards a goal is seriously flawed when the system is very opaque and all the carriers can and do change the value almost overnight. I think they're shooting themselves in the foot if they continue do act in this way because customers won't be so willing to go out of their way to collect a particular carriers points.
Mar 4, 2015, 2:56 pm
#1354
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA Lifetime Gold 1.8mm, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold et al
Posts: 4,350
I think one of the things that irritates is when you accumulate miles / points over a period of a couple of years and then they devalue them without warning as they did a couple of years ago.
This time they seem to have provided a window in which you can make redemptions and thankfully provided a dribble of extra availability to make that feasible.
Overall the concept of saving towards a goal is seriously flawed when the system is very opaque and all the carriers can and do change the value almost overnight. I think they're shooting themselves in the foot if they continue do act in this way because customers won't be so willing to go out of their way to collect a particular carriers points.
This time they seem to have provided a window in which you can make redemptions and thankfully provided a dribble of extra availability to make that feasible.
Overall the concept of saving towards a goal is seriously flawed when the system is very opaque and all the carriers can and do change the value almost overnight. I think they're shooting themselves in the foot if they continue do act in this way because customers won't be so willing to go out of their way to collect a particular carriers points.
Mar 9, 2015, 11:31 am
#1355
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 48
Well that was a fun couple days going through all posts! My one question - have I missed the BA response to any of the posts of this thread?
Mar 9, 2015, 11:45 am
#1357
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Mar 9, 2015, 11:54 am
#1358
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,328
I quite like the fact that the outrage in this thread, which was directed at some pretty significant devaluations, has fizzled out so quickly. Yet the lounge food thread was raging for months!
Mar 9, 2015, 1:38 pm
#1359
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
That's because there was hope that food would get better (and in GF it definitely did), whereas there isn't going to ever be a "revaluation" of Avios.
Mar 9, 2015, 1:45 pm
#1360
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,328
Mar 9, 2015, 2:20 pm
#1362
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
Mar 9, 2015, 2:55 pm
#1363
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
My 2 cents, culturally, the majority of BAEC people will yell loudly but do nothing actively to change things. So you get what comes and for those that ripped into those of us in NA during the first round of changes, well you did not stand up for us and now you are getting taken down as well. Hardy har har.
Excuse me, Sir, we're British. Those in the "Former Colony" made their own decisions between 1775-1783 ... we don't forget these things.
In the period after the peace treaty in 1783, Loyalists were subjected to extreme supression and acts of arbitrary violence, including murder by lynching, despite a promise by patriot leaders that their rights would be respected. A large proportion were driven off their land and forced to flee as refugees to Canada.
You have a good week, Sir!
Mar 9, 2015, 3:22 pm
#1364
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: T' North West
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 655
I penned an email to CR expressing my disappointment with the changes, specifically the removal of free feeder flights from the regions for RFS fares.
This is the response
Dear HAPPEEMONKEE
Thanks for your recent email about the changes we’ve made to our On Business programme. I apologise for the delay in replying to you. You’re clearly disappointed we’re changing the way you redeem points. I completely understand why you’re disappointed with the changes we’ve made but I’d like to explain why these are happening blah blah blah.
...??? I never mentioned On Business!! I'm not even a member.
This is the response
Dear HAPPEEMONKEE
Thanks for your recent email about the changes we’ve made to our On Business programme. I apologise for the delay in replying to you. You’re clearly disappointed we’re changing the way you redeem points. I completely understand why you’re disappointed with the changes we’ve made but I’d like to explain why these are happening blah blah blah.
...??? I never mentioned On Business!! I'm not even a member.
Mar 9, 2015, 4:49 pm
#1365
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
BA Customer Service appear to have gone into random mode again. I remember a few years ago when there were a lot of issues people were complaining about that they'd get canned responses back for random questions.