Senior Citizen discounts
Aug 1, 2016, 1:43 am
#1
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Senior Citizen discounts
I noticed that BA gives discounts for members of AARP in the States see article today in the boardingarea.com. Are there any similar discounts available for Senior Citizens in the UK?
Also does anyone know whether, if you join AARP as an overseas member ($28 a year), you would be able to claim the AARP discount on BA flights booking from the UK
Also does anyone know whether, if you join AARP as an overseas member ($28 a year), you would be able to claim the AARP discount on BA flights booking from the UK
Aug 1, 2016, 1:49 am
#2
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No. See: http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/...ember-benefits
12. This exclusive AARP member offer is open to US residents paying in US dollars only, with travel originating in the US.
Aug 1, 2016, 2:22 am
#4
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I'm sure they have (and discounted the idea). Every special interest group will obviously think that they should have a discount. Students? NHS / public sector workers? I don't fit in to any of these groups but I'd suggest that students might be a bit more 'worthy' of a discount than senior citizens.
Aug 1, 2016, 2:34 am
#5
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I'm sure they have (and discounted the idea). Every special interest group will obviously think that they should have a discount. Students? NHS / public sector workers? I don't fit in to any of these groups but I'd suggest that students might be a bit more 'worthy' of a discount than senior citizens.
Aug 1, 2016, 2:45 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2008
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I'm sure BA only offers this discount because they commercially have to (because other US airlines do it); it's not for altruistic reasons to be kinder to old people.
Any kind of discount like this seems odd to me. But then I start to think about the airline ticketing system in general and contextually it seems completely normal.
Any kind of discount like this seems odd to me. But then I start to think about the airline ticketing system in general and contextually it seems completely normal.
Aug 1, 2016, 7:45 am
#7
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The only reason I thought that they may want to offer it here is that they are the British flag carrier and they offer US senior citizens a discount which is not available to their own countrymen and women. I find that really odd
Aug 1, 2016, 8:46 am
#9
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Regards
Aug 1, 2016, 9:02 am
#10
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SAS did special discounts for their oldies although that may have been done away with when they became financially embarrassed.
Iberia used to get a lot of business from elderly Spanish citizens residing in Latin America. The Spanish Government subsidised their annual holiday back to Spain. That was stopped a couple of years ago though.
Iberia used to get a lot of business from elderly Spanish citizens residing in Latin America. The Spanish Government subsidised their annual holiday back to Spain. That was stopped a couple of years ago though.
Aug 1, 2016, 9:24 am
#11
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Why? Senior Citizens probably have significantly more disposable income compared to many younger people in the UK. Many have benefited from financial perks that younger generations can't even dream of (especially if they were home owners). Combined with gold-plated final salary pension schemes many have a retirement lifestyle that won't be replicated by future generations. So OAPs should be at the end of the discount line in my opinion.
Aug 1, 2016, 9:30 am
#12
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https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...s/default.aspx
Also Delta. Both only do so to 'selected markets' though - I'm thinking Boca Raton
And Southwest:
https://www.southwest.com/html/custo...index-pol.html
Aug 1, 2016, 9:35 am
#13
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Ah yes, those poor pensioners with their 'triple lock' ......
Note that the AARP deal is massively abused because ANYONE can join as a member for $16, even me. Even my kids. They would then get $400 off a BA CW flight ex US. AARP has presumably seen a huge surge in membership recently.
Similarly, even if you don't have a car, it is worth paying £30 for the cheapest AA breakdown deal available. You can then book AAA hotel rates (AA is an official AAA partner) and, as AA cards carry no expiry date, you can treat the £30 as a one off lifetime investment!
Note that the AARP deal is massively abused because ANYONE can join as a member for $16, even me. Even my kids. They would then get $400 off a BA CW flight ex US. AARP has presumably seen a huge surge in membership recently.
Similarly, even if you don't have a car, it is worth paying £30 for the cheapest AA breakdown deal available. You can then book AAA hotel rates (AA is an official AAA partner) and, as AA cards carry no expiry date, you can treat the £30 as a one off lifetime investment!
Last edited by Raffles; Aug 1, 2016 at 9:43 am
Aug 1, 2016, 9:40 am
#14
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Why? Senior Citizens probably have significantly more disposable income compared to many younger people in the UK. Many have benefited from financial perks that younger generations can't even dream of (especially if they were home owners). Combined with gold-plated final salary pension schemes many have a retirement lifestyle that won't be replicated by future generations. So OAPs should be at the end of the discount line in my opinion.
Aug 1, 2016, 11:09 am
#15
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But seriously, if anyone thinks the 2008 financial crisis, or Brexit (oh thanks again for that one old-folk
), delivered serious economic crises, then wait 20-30 years when the real pensions bubble will hit. That's going to be a real mess. Of course most of the people who created it will be pushing up the daisies by then, having had a nice retirement