Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

BA removes A class on the BOS and DXB routes

BA removes A class on the BOS and DXB routes

Old Dec 10, 2018, 5:51 am
  #61  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond *, IHG, Couples Romance Rewards
Posts: 2,318
Originally Posted by rjn21
Received just now:
I got the same message on a reward flight booked in first to dxb in January. Looks like they are reticketing it to make it F class rather than A.
firstlight is online now  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 6:21 am
  #62  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: City of Kingston Upon Hull
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 4,938
Checked a few random dates to BOS this morning, no significant changes to cheapest fares, but all now booking into F as expected.
Anonba likes this.
kanderson1965 is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 7:03 am
  #63  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: BA Gold for Life
Posts: 1,382
Looking on Expertflyer Flight Availability for Boston there is no A class shown but it does now show Z which is the First reward bucket. For info it also shows U which is the CW reward bucket.
Rubecula is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 7:30 am
  #64  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA LTG/GFL, Honors Diamond, Accor Platinum, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 713
My existing DXB (TA with GUF) booking has just gone from A to F. MMB highlights it in red with changes, but nothing else has changed.

MMB in .com shows the increased F avios rather than A, but whether that will stick who knows.

Last edited by rjn21; Dec 10, 2018 at 8:13 am
rjn21 is online now  
Old Dec 15, 2018, 1:33 pm
  #65  
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Based on a query in another post, I’ve just checked the app. Showing absolutely no reward space in any cabin to BOS/DBX for the whole of next year. I assume this is somehow connected, even if not deliberate.
madfish is offline  
Old Dec 15, 2018, 1:43 pm
  #66  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,203
Originally Posted by madfish
Based on a query in another post, I’ve just checked the app. Showing absolutely no reward space in any cabin to BOS/DBX for the whole of next year. I assume this is somehow connected, even if not deliberate.
Using AA.com to search for January BA award inventory, I see plenty BOS-LHR-BOS availability.
Blumie is offline  
Old Dec 15, 2018, 7:21 pm
  #67  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,660
Originally Posted by Blumie
Also, I'd be surprised if the OneWorld agreements allow a member to simply opt-out of one of the OneWorld products. Again, I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised.
I'd be shocked if this were the case. Wouldn't the rules have to provide for this if it were an option? And if it were, why would an airline opt to stay in, particularly for AONEx tickets, where an airline is receiving a very small fraction of the revenue it would otherwise see for a first class seat. Depending on the ticket, they might even see less revenue than they do from a partner award redemption.


Originally Posted by madfish
Based on a query in another post, I’ve just checked the app. Showing absolutely no reward space in any cabin to BOS/DBX for the whole of next year. I assume this is somehow connected, even if not deliberate.
Could be that they just haven't got to the task of loading it yet.
Dr. HFH is offline  
Old Dec 15, 2018, 9:07 pm
  #68  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
Originally Posted by Blumie
Without necessarily agreeing with the post you were responding to, I'd be surprised if BA didn't think about the impact of this change on the AONEx product. It's certainly possible, but I'd be surprised. Also, I'd be surprised if the OneWorld agreements allow a member to simply opt-out of one of the OneWorld products. Again, I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised.

I can't. Clearly user error. (And in verifying that it was user error, I see that TYO is a good place to start an AONEx itinerary. Anything cheaper nowadays?)
As has been said, there's plenty of exceptions. Back in the day when there was no "business" class on intra-US flights DONEx would book into A buckets and you'd get F Avios/TP.
flashware is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2018, 3:00 am
  #69  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
American Airlines has made the following change to their booking codes table for all A- fares, including the AONEx series:

Code:
>$LB14/BA                                                      
014 LONLON 16DEC18 AA GBP 9595.00 AONE3    STAY---/12MBK-A     
FARE CLS  EXPLANATION                            BOOK CODES    
--------  ----------------------                 ----------    
AONE3     FIRST CLASS AROUND THE WORLD FARES        A          
AONE3     APPLIES FOR ROUND TRIP FARES                         
AONE3     FOR ADULT                                            
                                                               
BOOKING CODE EXCEPTIONS FOR CARRIER: BA                        
   VIA BA                      NO BOOKING CODE DATA EXISTS  FLTS
                               4130-4149                       
   VIA BA                      NO BOOKING CODE DATA EXISTS  FLTS
                               4550-4579                       
IF VIA AA                      A- FARES                        
   VIA BA  F     REQUIRED      BETWEEN LON-DXB                 
IF VIA AA                      A- FARES                        
   VIA BA  F     REQUIRED      BETWEEN LON-BOS
This requires the use of F class on LON-DXB and LON-BOS.

[snipped other exceptions]

Iberia, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas have done likewise. I haven't checked anyone else.

BA has injected some wording about requiring A class (which seems superfluous as there is no exception to require F class yet):

Code:
>$LB14                                                         
014 LONLON 16DEC18 BA GBP 9595.00 AONE3    STAY---/12MBK-A     
FARE CLS  EXPLANATION                            BOOK CODES    
--------  ----------------------                 ----------    
AONE3     FIRST CLASS AROUND THE WORLD FARES        A          
AONE3     APPLIES FOR ROUND TRIP FARES                         
                                                               
 BOOKING CODE EXCEPTIONS                                       
   VIA BA  A     REQUIRED      A- FARES  BETWEEN LON-DXB       
                               13DEC18-18DEC18                 
   VIA BA  A     REQUIRED      A- FARES  BETWEEN LON-BOS       
                               13DEC18-18DEC18
(In fact, BA's change here is not advantageous as it disallows the use of D, E, L and Y classes would normally be allowed if the A bucket was full.)

So everyone except BA has their house in order.
flashware and JAXBA like this.

Last edited by Calchas; Dec 16, 2018 at 3:26 am
Calchas is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:20 am
  #70  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,513
Time to burn those GUFS?

Surprised there isn't a more intense debate. There was a brief thread a few weeks back.
It would appear BA are testing how to devalue GUFS. A class is gone from DXB and BOS. F and Z is there. GUFS seem to book into Z.

Result: GUFs would be brutally devalued + now using the same inventory as Avios redemptions. If this goes systemwide it would be one of the harshest enhancements of BAEC ever, and really bad news for anyone wanting to redeem into F.
Petrus is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:27 am
  #71  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,141

This has already been discussed. In the scheme of things it only affects a small amount of people.

BA removes A class on the BOS and DXB routes


UKtravelbear is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:28 am
  #72  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,311
GUFs have always booked into Z (which is Avios availability bucket).

The exception is booking via a TA, where they can use the lowest revenue bucket.

At this point, the lowest revenue bucket on those flights is F - as A no longer exists. This would increase GUF value as they could pretty much on any seat in the F cabin.

In reality until we get feedback from TAs trying to do this in the real world we won't know for sure.
Wozza2404 is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:34 am
  #73  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by Wozza2404
GUFs have always booked into Z (which is Avios availability bucket).

The exception is booking via a TA, where they can use the lowest revenue bucket.

At this point, the lowest revenue bucket on those flights is F - as A no longer exists. This would increase GUF value as they could pretty much on any seat in the F cabin.

In reality until we get feedback from TAs trying to do this in the real world we won't know for sure.
Previously TAs booked into A because thats all that was available to them. BA have now started publishing Z availability via the GDS for the routes where A has been removed, therefore it would appear that the new procedure is going to be that TAs book into Z award availability just like BA do. Petrus' scenario is the much more likely outcome of this than TAs booking into F.
Airprox is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:39 am
  #74  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,311
Originally Posted by Airprox
Previously TAs booked into A because thats all that was available to them. BA have now started publishing Z availability via the GDS for the routes where A has been removed, therefore it would appear that the new procedure is going to be that TAs book into Z award availability just like BA do. Petrus' scenario is the much more likely outcome of this than TAs booking into F.
Well that's a shame if it turns out that this is how all routes end up looking; but I can't see BA removing discounted F fares from all routes? More likely they're trialling an expansion of fare buckets?
Wozza2404 is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2018, 2:55 am
  #75  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by Wozza2404
Well that's a shame if it turns out that this is how all routes end up looking; but I can't see BA removing discounted F fares from all routes? More likely they're trialling an expansion of fare buckets?
They haven't removed discounted F fares, the fares are still there and the same as before, they just book into F class now instead of A.
Airprox is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.