kkransel

I'm probably not looking at something correctly, but when I book an off peak round trip economy flight from LHR to DUS Im being quoted 17000 Avios. I believe Dusseldorf is in zone 1 therefore it should only be 8000 Avios correct?

Regards
KK

Genius1

Have you checked the amount of Avios / amount of cash combination?

For more, see: https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/0...th-avios-work/

Swanhunter

If you look at payment options (may require clicking something to open), you should see a range including fewer Avios and more cash.

KARFA

did you click through to the quote page? when you do you should be offered the following pricing options:

kkransel

KARFA,

I did see the quotes, but I guess I just wanted to make sure that I was looking at it properly.

The short story is that I received an FTV for a flight that I had scheduled last year, that was canceled, and I want to rebook the same flight. There appears to be a substantial increase in the Avios as well as the taxes and fees compared to last year.

Thanks for your help.
KK

KARFA

what did you pay last year?

kkransel

Long story....

Last year I booked an Avios/2-4-1, open jaw, business class flight from the U.S. Outbound flight was ORD+LHR+MUC and the Inbound flight was DUS+LHR+ORD. The total Avios was 115500 and the total taxes and fees were $2552 after the $200 credit. Before I called to rebook using the FTV, I thought I would check and see what it would be for a round trip business class flight from Chicago to Munich, or Dusseldorf. The total Avios is now 128500 and the taxes and fees are $1573. Im assuming that if I added the 2-4-1 I would just double the taxes and fees which would be a total of $3146. Im not sure if I would get the $200 credit again. So the difference appears to be an extra 13000 Avios and a potential increase of the taxes and fees of almost $594. Of course since I am booking from the States that might have something to do with it.

The reason for my initial question was that I thought I would make the Outbound and Inbound flights from LHR to DUS and MUC to LHR economy class instead of business to try and reduce the number of Avios needed. I hope this convoluted explanation makes sense.

Regards

pauldb

Basically yes: in my opinion it is right to say LON-DUS-LON costs 17k avios now.

BA widened the range of avios/cash combinations for RFS but in doing so made the “basic” one (i.e. the default avios cost) 17k. The RFS fee is now 50p e/w not £17.50.

The old rate of 8k plus £35 is there (or thereabouts) but it is a variation, no longer the basic cost.

The corollary of that unfortunately (and unreasonably?) is that anyone not entitled to RFS pays 17k plus full fees, including you adding the legs to a long haul.

(The exception is that BA magically make you pay the old rates on a short haul 241, when 17k plus £2 might be preferred to 8k plus £70.)

kkransel

Since my flight was canceled by BA and not me, does that have any impact on the potential added Avios and fees when I rebook a flight with the FTV?

Regards

pauldb

I’m afraid it does. The FTV just holds the quantity of avios and cash; it does not hold the old booking or the booking’s purchasing power. You have to rebook at the prevailing rate, same as if you cancelled a £500 ticket and the rebook was £600.

Tafflyer

The increase in the standard price for DUS-LHR from 4,000 to 8,500 each way (4,500 to 9,000 peak) combined with the elimination of the RFS fee is in my opinion incorrectly applied to long-haul connecting itineraries.

The hefty increase in Avios is offset by a minor decrease in cost which on a short-haul flight you can overcome by selecting an Avios+Cash option. On a long-haul connecting to/from short-haul itinerary, BA add the full amount of the new higher Avios amount for the feeder flight but still charge you full taxes and fees for the whole itinerary.

The indication that this is an error can be confirmed when somebody who has not earned Avios recently tries to book the same itinerary. They will actually be quoted a lower Avios amount (and the same TFC) since they are not eligible for RFS. BA IT at its finest. I have called to get this booked at the lower rates once succesfully and once not.