Class action case over fuel surcharge results in Avios distribution (US members only)
Jun 2, 2018, 5:16 pm
#61
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
My wife and I have a HH account, I got an email. She did not. Funny thing is I'm pretty sure that she is the "Head of Household" going back to when she set the account up a long time ago. I was wondering why she didn't get an email. I guess for whatever reason they chose to send the email to me. Oh, well, I kind of think of it as found Avios however many show up.
Jun 2, 2018, 5:49 pm
#62
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
If only BA had mentioned these charges on its website, perhaps in the Terms & Conditions for the Executive Club:
"15.14. Members will be liable for all taxes and other charges associated with Reward travel on British Airways or a Service Partner airline, including without limitation, airport departure tax, customs fines, immigration fees, airport charges, customer user fees, carrier imposed charges, fuel surcharges, agricultural inspection fees, security and insurance surcharge or other fees or taxes charged by any person or relevant authority or body, including, but not limited to British Airways."
Jun 2, 2018, 6:24 pm
#64
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
You must have been completely shocked when the these charges showed up on your credit card bill. You should sue them.
If only BA had mentioned these charges on its website, perhaps in the Terms & Conditions for the Executive Club:
"15.14. Members will be liable for all taxes and other charges associated with Reward travel on British Airways or a Service Partner airline, including without limitation, airport departure tax, customs fines, immigration fees, airport charges, customer user fees, carrier imposed charges, fuel surcharges, agricultural inspection fees, security and insurance surcharge or other fees or taxes charged by any person or relevant authority or body, including, but not limited to British Airways."
If only BA had mentioned these charges on its website, perhaps in the Terms & Conditions for the Executive Club:
"15.14. Members will be liable for all taxes and other charges associated with Reward travel on British Airways or a Service Partner airline, including without limitation, airport departure tax, customs fines, immigration fees, airport charges, customer user fees, carrier imposed charges, fuel surcharges, agricultural inspection fees, security and insurance surcharge or other fees or taxes charged by any person or relevant authority or body, including, but not limited to British Airways."
Where is the table of cash co-payment requirements - just stating that there is a fare disguised as a tax is not full disclosure
Jun 2, 2018, 7:54 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
Also I think that OnBusiness bookings are excluded which were the majority of my redemptions during the time frame for the lawsuit. If they were included I probably still would have chosen the Avios as the OnBusiness bookings were mostly given to us by BA as part of a business opportunity grant and it doesn’t feel right to expect that cash back.
Jun 2, 2018, 9:04 pm
#67
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
As a comparison I was offered something similar as I did not make very many redemptions during the eligible timeframe. I chose the Avios over $100.
Also I think that OnBusiness bookings are excluded which were the majority of my redemptions during the time frame for the lawsuit. If they were included I probably still would have chosen the Avios as the OnBusiness bookings were mostly given to us by BA as part of a business opportunity grant and it doesn’t feel right to expect that cash back.
Jun 2, 2018, 9:43 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,721
12,500 miles or $102. I only had two RT tix (a combined C/F using the Chase 241 cert.) during the period.
Normally I would take cash but i value the avios at >.008 so I lean to taking the miles.
That's about the best settlement I've seen since the Debeers antitrust class action for diamond buyers. ^
For those like me who may need the miles soon, you should note that the payout will not occur until 30 days after the deadline for appeals is exhausted (usually 30 days). So if the settlement is approved at the hearing scheduled for July 27, and assuming no appeal, the earliest you will see the miles is the end of September 2018.
Normally I would take cash but i value the avios at >.008 so I lean to taking the miles.
That's about the best settlement I've seen since the Debeers antitrust class action for diamond buyers. ^
For those like me who may need the miles soon, you should note that the payout will not occur until 30 days after the deadline for appeals is exhausted (usually 30 days). So if the settlement is approved at the hearing scheduled for July 27, and assuming no appeal, the earliest you will see the miles is the end of September 2018.
Jun 3, 2018, 12:36 am
#70
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
Seems like everyone who should have gotten an email (and posted) did but me. Are two for one redemptions with the certificate that came from the BA card excluded? I had two itineraries for my wife and myself, each with 4 long haul segments, so with 16 YQs, I’d be expecting something back.
Jun 3, 2018, 1:03 am
#71
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
This thread appears to have developed into two overlapping discussions. So for clarity, please focus the discussion here on the settlement
As to the issue of the transparency of taxes/fees/surcharges we pay when we redeem our Avios, please take that particular discussion to a separate thread. Alternatively, ba.com provides a useful starting point. Click on Executive Club > Spending Avios > Learn more about reward flights > Working out the cost.
Your assistance is appreciated
Prospero
Moderator: BA forum
As to the issue of the transparency of taxes/fees/surcharges we pay when we redeem our Avios, please take that particular discussion to a separate thread. Alternatively, ba.com provides a useful starting point. Click on Executive Club > Spending Avios > Learn more about reward flights > Working out the cost.
Your assistance is appreciated
Prospero
Moderator: BA forum
Jun 3, 2018, 7:24 am
#72
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington,DC
Posts: 1,822
We already get charged double the rate of UK originating redemptions...quite probably to cover this settlement and related expenses.
I'm not a fan of these kind of lawsuits...but as a long time member, I recall at that time, the surcharges were a serious devaluation. (I remember a 2003 IAD-LHR-MRU RT redemption in F that cost $200 at most). I'll be looking closely at the cash option, as I'm probably toward the high end of the range mentioned in the email.
Of course, I'd prefer that the lawsuit was dismissed and the US originating YQ was brought in line with UK YQ going forward. I previously posted details of just how extreme the difference is here: Carrier Surcharges (yes, again) 2.5x higher ex-US
I'm not a fan of these kind of lawsuits...but as a long time member, I recall at that time, the surcharges were a serious devaluation. (I remember a 2003 IAD-LHR-MRU RT redemption in F that cost $200 at most). I'll be looking closely at the cash option, as I'm probably toward the high end of the range mentioned in the email.
Of course, I'd prefer that the lawsuit was dismissed and the US originating YQ was brought in line with UK YQ going forward. I previously posted details of just how extreme the difference is here: Carrier Surcharges (yes, again) 2.5x higher ex-US
Jun 3, 2018, 11:29 am
#74
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
Steve -- thanks for the info -- missed the link -- so I'm 12,500 or $21.36 -- No brainer -- I'll take the Avios -- Hey, much better than the free drink coupon that WN offered me in a class action suit I landed in there once upon a time!
Jun 3, 2018, 8:01 pm
#75
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,928
I have 35,000 Avios or $605. Tough choice actually. I can generally get somewhat more than $605 in value from 35K Avios--BUT I already have 445K Avios in my account and at the rate I use them (maybe 150K/year), that 35K is likely to be devalued before I ever get to it. The "bird in the hand" aspect of taking the cash might win out. Advice/suggestions?