Amex BA Premium Plus - new fee policy or a mistake???
Feb 9, 2017, 6:22 am
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London (LCY)
Programs: BA bronze, Hilton gold, Marriott gold, IHG plat, Meliá gold, Radisson gold, Hyatt disc, AmexPlat
Posts: 977
I have had the BA PP card since it was launched, and as I have also had a Platinum Card for even longer, I am not charged an annual fee on the BA card. Contrary to the letter, I have not stopped my Platinum Card. I spoke to two people at Amex yesterday:
- Someone in the Philippines overspill call centre for the BA card, who told me that she had received lots of calls about the same issue. She later called me back to say that the above deal for Platinum Card holders has ended.
- A duty manager in Brighton for the Platinum Card, who told me that the letter was worded incorrectly and that I will not be charged an annual fee on the BA card. He said that Amex just wants to draw attention to the fact that if people stop their Platinum Card, then they’ll incur an annual fee on the BA card, something that Amex hasn’t been properly enforcing in recent years.
Feb 9, 2017, 6:24 am
#48
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Northern England
Posts: 1,535
Just phoned. Now told the letter was a mistake and should have only been sent to those that had cancelled their companion card. I have not so told that I should not be paying an annual fee. To be confirmed in a letter.
ask for and received 5k membership reward points.
ask for and received 5k membership reward points.
Feb 9, 2017, 6:26 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
And the BAPP fee at the time was £120 p.a. (Yes, I remember.) I wonder what current companion card qualifications are.
Feb 9, 2017, 6:53 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sevenoaks
Programs: CX Gold, SPG Plat, PC Plat, TAP Gold
Posts: 1,080
I received the letter too (currently paying £30) but genuinely cannot remember what card I had alongside the BAPP back in 2001 when I first got it.
I have been churning Amex plat charge cards for the last 10 years or so and have always only had to pay £30 for the BAPP.
As it happens my BAPP anniversary is around end Feb, so perhaps I'll still have another year before the fee goes up to £195.
But I do actually have a Plat charge card at the moment, albeit as part of a regular churn run - will this help me if I phone them to take me off the list of those about to lose the discount?
I have been churning Amex plat charge cards for the last 10 years or so and have always only had to pay £30 for the BAPP.
As it happens my BAPP anniversary is around end Feb, so perhaps I'll still have another year before the fee goes up to £195.
But I do actually have a Plat charge card at the moment, albeit as part of a regular churn run - will this help me if I phone them to take me off the list of those about to lose the discount?
Feb 9, 2017, 6:58 am
#51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 995
Hmm just phoned and I think they are making it up as they go along.
I have had a BA Amex PP since they were launched in 2001 and a Centurion Card/Platinum card for all that time plus years before. The agent I spoke to said Amex have changed terms and conditions and charge irrespective of whether you have other cards.
I have had a BA Amex PP since they were launched in 2001 and a Centurion Card/Platinum card for all that time plus years before. The agent I spoke to said Amex have changed terms and conditions and charge irrespective of whether you have other cards.
Feb 9, 2017, 7:15 am
#52
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Hmm just phoned and I think they are making it up as they go along.
I have had a BA Amex PP since they were launched in 2001 and a Centurion Card/Platinum card for all that time plus years before. The agent I spoke to said Amex have changed terms and conditions and charge irrespective of whether you have other cards.
I have had a BA Amex PP since they were launched in 2001 and a Centurion Card/Platinum card for all that time plus years before. The agent I spoke to said Amex have changed terms and conditions and charge irrespective of whether you have other cards.
Feb 9, 2017, 11:12 am
#53
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: London
Posts: 670
Just got the letter too, I have been paying about £30 a year for 10+ years for the BAPP card and had a companion green card that just sat in my travel wallet, mainly there to get the discount on the BAPP one.
The card does not justify a £195 a year fee, so will just move down to the free one to keep my 2-4-1 voucher. Am about £4k off another one, so may just get then and then downgrade.
Annoying. The VS combined Amex/Visa is substantially more attractive now. Have one already and just booked 2 J seats to Cuba, available without an issue on the dates I wanted. Just needs a proper 2-4-1 offer, the one they have on that card now is pointless.
More reasons to not bother with BA any more.
The card does not justify a £195 a year fee, so will just move down to the free one to keep my 2-4-1 voucher. Am about £4k off another one, so may just get then and then downgrade.
Annoying. The VS combined Amex/Visa is substantially more attractive now. Have one already and just booked 2 J seats to Cuba, available without an issue on the dates I wanted. Just needs a proper 2-4-1 offer, the one they have on that card now is pointless.
More reasons to not bother with BA any more.
Feb 9, 2017, 12:02 pm
#54
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
If they should renage and charge me the £195 in May I will complain and hope to get the 3-month 2.5avios/£ offer. I should then be able to hit my £10k for a final voucher in 4-5 months, earning maybe an extra 7k avios and only paying a net £70 of the £195 by then downgrading. That would be better than cancelling immediately.
Feb 9, 2017, 12:40 pm
#55
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 623
Feb 9, 2017, 1:02 pm
#56
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA IHG
Posts: 1,370
I too received the letter saying I would no longer be getting the reduced £30 fee. I also doubt I will now pay £195 for this card. I have 2 vouchers still to use so will just switch to the free card.
I took out the companion card in 2005, just before I applied for the BAPP in order to get the reduced fee. The companion card at the time was Amex Blue. Some years later it was replaced by Amex Platinum cashback which I still hold.
So I can't quite decide if the the letter stating I'm a former companion card holder is true or not (since the Blue is gone, but I have the replacement).
I took out the companion card in 2005, just before I applied for the BAPP in order to get the reduced fee. The companion card at the time was Amex Blue. Some years later it was replaced by Amex Platinum cashback which I still hold.
So I can't quite decide if the the letter stating I'm a former companion card holder is true or not (since the Blue is gone, but I have the replacement).
Feb 9, 2017, 5:31 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: London N3
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; VS Lifetime Gold
Posts: 222
[QUOTE. He said that Amex just wants to draw attention to the fact that if people stop their Platinum Card, then they’ll incur an annual fee on the BA card, something that Amex hasn’t been properly enforcing in recent years.[/LIST][/QUOTE]
..which is why they "acidentally" waived my BA PP fee last April despite my cancelling AmEx Plat and (after 6 months) taken AmEx Gold since the previous BA PP renewal. However, since becoming BA LTG I don't need any more TP or (devalued, unredeemable) Avios, so will downgrade to BA Classic to protect my 1 remaining 2-for-1 and move spending to VS AmEx and Visa for everything except non-VS tickets - where AmEx Gold will earn 2 MR per £.
..which is why they "acidentally" waived my BA PP fee last April despite my cancelling AmEx Plat and (after 6 months) taken AmEx Gold since the previous BA PP renewal. However, since becoming BA LTG I don't need any more TP or (devalued, unredeemable) Avios, so will downgrade to BA Classic to protect my 1 remaining 2-for-1 and move spending to VS AmEx and Visa for everything except non-VS tickets - where AmEx Gold will earn 2 MR per £.
Feb 9, 2017, 6:07 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,138
Lloyds did that with me and my Gold account sent me a letter saying that I was no longer going to get the fee waived and the fee was going up to boot. Then a week later another letter arrived which said very sorry you're not supposed to have got that letter. You're staying fee free and sorry for any inconvenience or confusion. I had looked at other banks by then and they got lucky in that no one else would match the deal I had from Lloyds. I wasn't popular with someone at work who had got the first letter but never got the second one and was then stuck with paying the £10+ fee each month. Given I've successfully claimed on the travel insurance over the years it's probably paid for itself.
Feb 10, 2017, 12:19 pm
#60
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,009
So really the situation is no clearer....
i sent a facebook message to Amex on Wednesday and they just redirected me saying i needed to call customer service instead.
As per my original post i have the platinum cashback card since way before i got the BAPP (I think it was originally the see-thru card with the blue centre originally) and i have 'qualified for the discount down to £30 ever since.... I have also have a 'few' gold and platinum cards over the last few years but dont have either of those presently.
i'll give them another call tomorrow and see if i can speak to someone senior.
GavT
i sent a facebook message to Amex on Wednesday and they just redirected me saying i needed to call customer service instead.
As per my original post i have the platinum cashback card since way before i got the BAPP (I think it was originally the see-thru card with the blue centre originally) and i have 'qualified for the discount down to £30 ever since.... I have also have a 'few' gold and platinum cards over the last few years but dont have either of those presently.
i'll give them another call tomorrow and see if i can speak to someone senior.
GavT