wobbly wings

Ah - sorry but I don't remember seeing the date on it and no longer have the letter. Either way - looks like I have at least another year.
Edit: I never received a second letter about this.

LondonAndy

THE CATEGORIC ANSWER?!

Others above has suggested it was a mistake, but in case anyone is in the same position as me of having a credit card as the Companion Card...... after getting the letter, and phoning/tweeting AmEx, they were adamant that they were right and the fee was going to increase to £195, so I downgraded my card.

I wrote to them saying that wrote to AmEx saying that the definition of a "Companion Card" is "Any other non-corporate AMEX Card held by a Cardmember" and that the terms I had stated that "a fee of £30 per year will be payable by you, providing that the required Companion Card is maintained".

I had the Gold and Platinum Credit Cards but NOT the Chargecards (ie I only pay a £30 fee for the BA Card, and no other fee to AmEx for their cards).

The Executive Complaints office just rang and said that it was an error on their part, and that they will be writing on 20 March to all cardholders who have a Companion Card but got the letter to advise them that the fee will continue to be £30.

As I've downgraded my card I've only got to spend £4 to trigger the voucher at £20K - I may do that today before they upgrade the card back to the Premium

botham

Despite being promised a refund of the £195 I still haven't had it and a week ago they tried to backtrack, so I asked to speak to a manager and they promised a call within 5 days. That time has passed and no call. I guess they are inundated with unhappy customers.

pauldb

Careful, that would get you a 1yr-expiry voucher.

LondonAndy

Yes, but I've already got a 2 year expiry voucher having spent £10K, so I'll be fine getting another one having spent £20K, so long as it doesn't replace the first one. It may be academic as they say they've already upgraded the card again.....

eggshell

Has anyone received the letter that was supposed by going out on the 20th March? I haven't received one, but have just been charged the £30 fee as usual, and my anniversary date was after the date given in the original letter for the change.

pauldb

That would seem to be first evidence of a reversal then, but can I just ask when is your anniversary date? What's the date by which you need to spend £10k (in 2018)?

My anniversary date is 5th May but I would get my statement and annual fee charge until 29th May. So I would have expected the first evidence of new fees for those with anniversaries after 16th March to start appearing on statements about 10th April.

eggshell

My anniversary date is 23 March and my fee was charged on the 26 March, so much closer together.

After I posted yesterday I also received a letter from executive customer relations regarding the formal complaint I raised about this. In summary, my complaint was upheld, confirming that I received the original letter in error, and subsequently was provided with incorrect information when I called. It also confirmed that there is a separately letter coming out from the UK partnerships products team advising of the original error (which presumably will go out regardless of whether people have complained).

baggageinhall

I arrived home this evening to find this letter from Amex on my doormat.

I immediately queried that my BAPP annual fee was going up from £30 to full whack on receipt of the poorly worded letter that suggested it was a change in the cards I held (no there hadn't been) back in February.

After I was told that there was no longer to be a fee remission for those who held the BAPP and Platinum credit card, I downgraded my BAPP to the free version and took out a Gold card, quickly earning the 20k sign up bonus.

I wonder if this change in position has been due to many downgrading/cancelling their BAPP and Amex deciding that a small annual fee is better than nothing?

stuart_f

Sounds like the same situation as described in this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...y-mistake.html

baggageinhall

Considering I posted in that thread, I feel all the more silly for not looking in there in the first place.

Here's the complication for me, I held:

BAPP and the Plat Credit Card and paid £30 p.a.

When I received the letter telling me my fee was going up, I downgraded the BAPP to the free version and cancelled the (not used for years) Plat Credit Card.

Now I have the Gold Charge Card and BA Amex (no fee). If I decided to get rid of the Gold card after a year, I will have to pay for the BAPP assuming I go back to it.

What a mess.

GavT_london

Roger

Today's post brought the apology letter, dated 23 March.

I admit to being confused. Having received 2 online messages giving 100% different info, today's snailmail letter, in addition to offering sincere apologies (yeah, right) says inter alia:So all's OK, then - my BAPP continues at £0 annual fee?

Well, no. Given that BA told me my PRG card was not a qualifying companion card, I was faced with paying £140 + £195 = £335 p.a. for the 2 cards. Not worth it for me, so I cancelled the PRG, received almost a year's fee refund and diarised cancellation of the BAPP for next February's renewal date.

I'm invited to call AmEx if I have any questions. Yes, I'd like the BAPP @ £0 p.a. and would like to renew the PRG to secure it. Do I do this now? I suppose it would be a new application. Or do I try in September (over 6 months since cancellation) and hope for a bonus?

Decisions, decisions! I'm inclined not to ask AmEx since their previous info was total bowlocks.

ETA: I prepared this post before I saw GavT_london's post. Yes, that's the letter I received.

cornishsimon

Iv also had this letter.

God knows that they are upto. I logged a complaint which was escalated and given a full and final reply in writing telling me that we're not going to honor the 10 year old service recovery of 30 quid a year ongoing ( I don't hold a platinum or any other Amex that would entitle me to reduced fee )

Now this letter arrives

One for the desk drawer for when they charge a full fee me thinks


cs

Swiss Tony

Yep, my letter just arrived, too, copy of Gav_T's (aside from name & address)

Dated 23rd March, received today. Hey ho.