Does british airways prioritise avios tickets for downgrades?
 

Anybody else read this? Apologies if there is another thread, the search failed me..

http://www.headforpoints.com/2017/01/18/does-british-airways-prioritise-avios-tickets-for-downgrades/

No-one outside Waterside really knows.

We would need a lot more data points to draw any sensible conclusions !!

Are you related to Raffles ?, he'll appreciate the publicity :D I take it the 186 replies to his article did not provide a definitive answer ?

well given that there are a lot of comments noting to do with the article (just like BA flyer talk board!) I'd say no there isn't a definitive answer.

I would strongly suspect that status comes into this equation. Reward and no status would be bottom of the heap, but say silver on a redemption would trump a blue revenue passenger.

Of course, reality is that those on redemptions are more likely to be status passengers so hitting them first might be very counterproductive.

As a reference point, I have plenty of experience of IRROPS over the years and every time as far as I can tell my gold status is the determinant factor, not whether I am on a reward ticket or not. Thus during the new year snow problems, I was put up in the Hilton as gold, not the Travelogue with everyone else, although on a redemption booking.

It would certainly make sense for them to do so IMO, it's been mentioned so infrequently on here, as an occurance, that even if it is something they do, it's probably not something that's really worth worrying about

Very much so, recently there have been tales of 2-4-1 voucher travellers being targeted by BA for downgrades irrespective of their status.

Makes sense as it minimises cost to BA (which is their main focus right now) but is illegal when they fail to ask for volunteers to downgrade beforehand.

Some downgrades are almost always going to happen unless you absolutely refuse to oversell a premium cabin, so as much as I despair about the direction of BA's premium cabins these days I don't think it would be a horrendous measure if they did target those using 2-for-1 vouchers when downgrades are necessary.

Any downgrade is difficult, but surely it makes sense to target those whose bookings have likely generated the least revenue for BA. BA is perhaps beginning to notice that First on some routes is heading uncomfortably close to AA's model whereby those who haven't paid for cash F tickets in the cabin outnumber those who have.

The only slight modification to this that makes sense to me would be downgrading those on deeply discounted cash tickets with no status before downgrading those on Avios bookings who have a high CIV.

There is nothing that I can see in the regulation that required the airline to ask for volunteers for downgrading - only reference to volunteers is for denial of boarding

It's a US requirement, not EU.

They have noticed it and it was mentioned in the recent IAG markets presentation.

There are simple solutions for BA could implement. Whether they are palatable to passengers is a different matter.

1. No F avios reward seats or upgrades.

2. No staff to be put in F when on staff travel benefit. Even if it;s the only empty seat on the flight.

3. If they do do avios rewards in F then charge extra fees for it.

There is a US requirement for volunteers before denying boarding, but do not believe that there is such a requirement before downgrading

I can see why they would do this but saying no EC261 is owed is a bit cheeky of them.

To be pedantic, I believe the presentation said something like 'NPS high but yields low' or similar, so not necessarily a reference specifically to Avios redemptions (although may have meant that) but possibly also focused on the level of cash fares. I'm not convinced further restricting Avios availability will make that much of a difference without product changes to increase the willingness of people to buy cash F fares.

While it could be very disappointing, especially for someone who has saved up Avios for a once in a lifetime F flight, I can understand that if downgrades need to be made, maybe 241 pax are more vulnerable for the chop than some. However, the story of splitting the couple and not providing downgrade compensation for the companion is just mean to me. Of course some F cabins are over sold so someone has to be moved. It's the way they find a solution that is key here.