GUF, avios and tier points awarded?
Aug 21, 2019, 6:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
GUF, avios and tier points awarded?
Are Gold upgrade vouchers on paid bookings now giving avios and tier points as the booked class and not the upgraded?
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
Aug 21, 2019, 7:32 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
This error/loophole of long standing has been fixed. See these threads:
Tier Points Incorrectly Posted?
Changes to Avios / TP credit for Gold Upgrades via travel agents
GUF and TA Revenue Class Booking
Tier Points Incorrectly Posted?
Changes to Avios / TP credit for Gold Upgrades via travel agents
GUF and TA Revenue Class Booking
Aug 21, 2019, 7:55 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGLfL, WoH Lifetime Globalist, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 711
Are Gold upgrade vouchers on paid bookings now giving avios and tier points as the booked class and not the upgraded?
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
Doc Copper
Aug 22, 2019, 1:12 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Are Gold upgrade vouchers on paid bookings now giving avios and tier points as the booked class and not the upgraded?
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
I notice the outbound of a GUF1 booking on the 23/7 awarded F avios and tier points and the return on 19/8 only awarded J.
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
Aug 22, 2019, 1:22 am
#5
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
Aug 22, 2019, 1:23 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Aug 22, 2019, 1:43 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: Mucci, BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 761
Quite. To complain that one is no longer benefitting from something that was widely known as an error but that one has benefitted from in the past seems somewhat churlish to me.
Aug 22, 2019, 3:10 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,258
So you're annoyed that the additional GUFs you've received, by gaining too many TPs in error - will now result in less GUFs which will earn you less TPs, which you weren't entitled to ?
Aug 23, 2019, 2:16 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
This type of post always makes me chuckle. I don’t understand why BA enforcing its own rules would increase your dissatisfaction with the company. It has always been the case that Avios and tier points should be awarded for the cabin booked, rather than travelled, as is written in the terms and conditions of Gold Upgrade voucher usage. All BA has done is to fix a loophole that was allowing people to earn points they shouldn’t have. If you can’t achieve status / perks now without travelling enough to get them, perhaps you should re-evaluate your expectations.
My expectations were that the first time they failed to do this it would show up in Switzerland at the time they indicated, not 4 hours after that in the middle of the dinner reservations I should have been at.
Politeness prevented me from telling the person checking into CW next to me at JFK should not stand for being told the entertainment in his seat was broken and then offered the chance to upgrade to a half empty First cabin for $650.
My expectations were not that 4 out of the last 7 BA flights should be delayed by 2 hours.
My expectations were not to travel through GVA-LHR-JFK-LGA-IAH-SFO-PDX-SFO-PDX-SFO-EWR-JFK-LHR-ZUR for 6 days without luggage.
My expectations were not that I would spend 1.5 hours on two occasions typing every line item from $400 of receipts only to have the system fail, not submit the claim and give up.
Trust me...I have adjusted my expectations down as low as they can go
Last edited by NWIFlyer; Aug 23, 2019 at 8:05 am Reason: Compliance with rule 12
Aug 23, 2019, 2:23 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
When did that happen, Is it a policy change or an error? I guess I expected them to close that loophole eventually, but it is worth maybe 2-300 tier points a year each between partner and I, that I have no desire to make up elsewhere (travel far too much for nonsense like tier point runs) and drop us from a 2 CCR household to a one and then a zero, another reason to fuel our general dissatisfaction with BA.
Last edited by NWIFlyer; Aug 23, 2019 at 8:11 am Reason: Rule 12 compliance
Aug 23, 2019, 4:18 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Starbucks Gold,
Posts: 624
My expectations were that BA would bother to load my luggage twice on to the plane I was travelling on with F class tickets last week.
My expectations were that the first time they failed to do this it would show up in Switzerland at the time they indicated, not 4 hours after that in the middle of the dinner reservations I should have been at.
Politeness prevented me from telling the person checking into CW next to me at JFK should not stand for being told the entertainment in his seat was broken and then offered the chance to upgrade to a half empty First cabin for $650.
My expectations were not that 4 out of the last 7 BA flights should be delayed by 2 hours.
My expectations were not to travel through GVA-LHR-JFK-LGA-IAH-SFO-PDX-SFO-PDX-SFO-EWR-JFK-LHR-ZUR for 6 days without luggage.
My expectations were not that I would spend 1.5 hours on two occasions typing every line item from $400 of receipts only to have the system fail, not submit the claim and give up.
Trust me...I have adjusted my expectations down as low as they can go
Last edited by NWIFlyer; Aug 23, 2019 at 9:41 am Reason: Rule 12 compliance
Aug 23, 2019, 4:29 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: BAEC Gold/GGL, IHG Diamond AMB
Posts: 1,074
Agree with the sentiment on here - classic post.
Expect to travel in the cabin you paid for and points and miles awarded on that basis
Expect to travel in the cabin you paid for and points and miles awarded on that basis
Aug 23, 2019, 7:03 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA CCR/GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,483
My expectations were that BA would bother to load my luggage twice on to the plane I was travelling on with F class tickets last week.
My expectations were that the first time they failed to do this it would show up in Switzerland at the time they indicated, not 4 hours after that in the middle of the dinner reservations I should have been at.
Politeness prevented me from telling the person checking into CW next to me at JFK should not stand for being told the entertainment in his seat was broken and then offered the chance to upgrade to a half empty First cabin for $650.
My expectations were not that 4 out of the last 7 BA flights should be delayed by 2 hours.
My expectations were not to travel through GVA-LHR-JFK-LGA-IAH-SFO-PDX-SFO-PDX-SFO-EWR-JFK-LHR-ZUR for 6 days without luggage.
My expectations were not that I would spend 1.5 hours on two occasions typing every line item from $400 of receipts only to have the system fail, not submit the claim and give up.
Trust me...I have adjusted my expectations down as low as they can go
(I also agree with the posts above that this list of things has nothing to do with your GUF/TP issue which had been answered in the second post).
Last edited by NWIFlyer; Aug 23, 2019 at 8:12 am Reason: Quote edit for rule 12 compliance
Aug 23, 2019, 7:38 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
Theoretically, fixing of this error will certainly make earning 7,000, 8,000 and 9,000 TP much harder. Consequently one may find oneself with fewer GUF vouchers to use, though it may be a moot point for some once the new Club Suites are rolled out across the entire long-haul fleet. Indeed, one could argue the only real benefit of an upgrade to First would be the privacy afforded by the seat. With the Club Suite offering superior accommodation, any benefit of flying First is marginal (food and drink), or can be independently replicated (PJs, Elemis toiletries).
Consequently, for some the fixing of this error could not come at a better time.
It then follows, given how under certain circumstances the GUF is now redundant, one may choose to diversify and seek status with Star Alliance or SkyTeam, once one reaches 5,000 TP, and one has attained Lifetime GGL (or wishes not to hit lifetime GGL, if the high water mark is CCR, which does not have the potential for lifetime tenure - the benefits of GGL would already naturally follow anyone who targets 5,000 TP annually). In particular, given recent improvements to the GUF voucher, which makes the space release/jokers somewhat redundant, there is now only a marginal benefit for hitting 6,000 TP.
The analysis, of course works on the assumption that BA is not going to materially downgrade the level of service and attention in the CW cabin post suite rollout so as to demonstrate the benefits of flying First. It would be counterintuitive, given the level of competition in the market and the relatively consistent quality of accommodation across long-haul fleet by key competitors.
Further, given the reduction/correction of non-price related benefits (e.g. fixing of GUF error, redundancy of space release/jokers), price of tickets will need to remain competitive to halt losses to Star Alliance/SkyTeam.
Consequently, for some the fixing of this error could not come at a better time.
It then follows, given how under certain circumstances the GUF is now redundant, one may choose to diversify and seek status with Star Alliance or SkyTeam, once one reaches 5,000 TP, and one has attained Lifetime GGL (or wishes not to hit lifetime GGL, if the high water mark is CCR, which does not have the potential for lifetime tenure - the benefits of GGL would already naturally follow anyone who targets 5,000 TP annually). In particular, given recent improvements to the GUF voucher, which makes the space release/jokers somewhat redundant, there is now only a marginal benefit for hitting 6,000 TP.
The analysis, of course works on the assumption that BA is not going to materially downgrade the level of service and attention in the CW cabin post suite rollout so as to demonstrate the benefits of flying First. It would be counterintuitive, given the level of competition in the market and the relatively consistent quality of accommodation across long-haul fleet by key competitors.
Further, given the reduction/correction of non-price related benefits (e.g. fixing of GUF error, redundancy of space release/jokers), price of tickets will need to remain competitive to halt losses to Star Alliance/SkyTeam.
Aug 23, 2019, 7:49 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Cheshire
Programs: BA, Accor, Hilton, ITA
Posts: 376
Do “I” upgrades with GUF still earn TPs , or is it just Avios that don’t?