KARFA

I am trying to think, are there examples of routes where BA and a oneworld competitor operates and where TP accrual rates differ?

megaloman

how about going via Boston?

GBOAC

I mean the difference is RJ offer a longhaul product (lie flat beds else deep recline) and charge long haul prices. BA offer Club Europe and no legroom. So the competitor is offering a more expensive product and should earn more. If we go down that route why should connecting flights with OW partners earn more than direct flights with BA?
I've now called them with exactly this. The agent had not heard of any change and was very surprised. I stupidly didn't take a screenshot of MMB before the IT shutdown. But I DID book knowing it was 140TPs so very much feel short changed. If there is now an alignment, disappointing, but don't apply it for past bookings. The agent is chasing this up and sounded positive. I certainly won't take this lying down otherwise it will almost certainly be drop to Silver for me this year.

So am I. The problem is this is a Longhaul vs Shorthaul situation which is probably unique.

lost_in_translation

Can't name any, I think TPs always seem to be the same for the same segment. Aer Lingus is a non-oneworld partner where DUB is Avios but not TP earning, but not quite the same question!

lost_in_translation

The point of BAEC isn't to reward you as a frequent flier for spending money with oneworld, it is to encourage you to spend money with BA and, only if that is not possible, to then spend money with partners instead. It makes more commercial sense to me for BA to offer additional TPs for flying the BA flight, not the RJ one, regardless of comfort levels. My understanding is BA earns a kick back from RJ for agreeing to allow RJ let you credit your flights to BAEC but that's basically it in the absence of a JV/JBA and I'm sure they'd still prefer that you just book with BA in the first place, which is clearly disincentivised in this situation if RJ earns more TPs than BA.

Your question on connecting partner flights is a good one and I don't have an answer beyond that eventually, BA will probably change this and move to a more revenue-based programme in my opinion.

NickB

The problem is only going to arise with the 80 TPs long CE band or sub 2000 miles CW routes where both BA and another OW airline operate. You are not going to get gazillions of these. I can think of only 3 routes that potentially fall within this: LHR-HEL, LHR-DME and LHR-AMM. For both HEL and DME, TP earnings for flights on other OW airlines (AY, S7) are aligned (and, by extension for MAN-HEL on AY as well) but we are still talking of a minute number of routes where the number is far too low to extract a rule of general application and only works to upgrade the number of TPs rather than downgrade it. They are now doing the same for AMM but that does not stop this being anomalous: the dividing line for non-BA airlines is not supposed to be CE vs CW (since that distinction is meaningless on airlines other than BA) but whether the flight is sub 2000 miles or 2000 miles or more. LHR-AMM is very clearly well above the 2000 miles threshold and should therefore attract long-haul TPs rather than short-haul TPs.

You now get the anomaly that some RJ routes to Western Europe which are shorter than LHR-AMM attract long-haul TPs even though LHR-AMM does not. Admittedly, the reverse is true with HEL (i.e. you get HEL-Western Europe routes on AY which get 40 TPs even though they are longer than LHR-HEL, which attracts 80 TPs).

GBOAC

So, I would have flown BA if they offered the route on the days I needed (they are not operating daily to Amman at the moment), and also are not offering a true business class product for a nearly 5hr flight. It is therefore not possible to buy the product I want from BA, and I am forced to go with partners. Especially so at times when BA's own route network is still below capacity
Either way, had I know at the time of booking I could have made an informed choice. I think I am most p*ssed off by the fact I was sold one thing by BA/Oneworld and appear to have been given something else...

There are deeper questions here over how regular users of a route which has switchen from CW to CE can still be expected to retain status. They are travelling as much, but just earning fewer points. Hardly our fault...!

lsquare

I am looking for advice on getting my 4 BA segments on the cheap. Between now and May 8th, 2022, I'll be in YVR. What's the most efficient way to attain my 4 BA segments and TPs in the best £:TP ratio? I'm fully vaccinated and willing to go anywhere.

Benedmonds

Am I able to enter Bulgaria from the UK right now? I'm reading conflicting things online, assuming I have a negative PCR test and am fully vaxxed, I was under the impression I'd be able to enter.

Anyone been recently?

Sifu

A friend has recently gone back to visit family and had to do a PCR test and present a vaccine passport at the border. No issues albeit a short queue at Sofia.

megaloman

It's because route was demoted from long haul to short haul offering - same happened with BEY, CAI and DME. Even if you get 788, you'll get Club Europe catering in Club and water + crisps in Y. BA got rid of their midhaul configured A321s.

RJ still earns 140 on that LHR-AMM.

izzik

There are two separate things: AA Flagship lounge access and Flagship First Dining. Flagship lounge is for OW Silver/Emerald on any OW flight, or someone flying intl OW J/F, or AA Plat/higher on intl flight, or AA CK on any OW flight, or someone willing to pay $150. Flagship First Dining is separate from the Flagship lounge and not accessible based on any OW status alone. There have been promos in the past where AA invites someone to try Flagship First Dining (I recall getting these certs as a BA Gold a couple years ago); in fact, there appears to be a current promo for AA CK.

The Flagship Lounge is way better than the Admirals Club, not just because of the food offerings but typically less crowded as well.

GBOAC

No this is exactly my point, I've just flown RJ and I was only awarded 80TPs on an RJ ticket on LHR-AMM. No notice given by BA, no change in service (or price) from RJ. The point is I purchased long-haul busines on RJ and have been given short haul TPs by BA

megaloman

Oh yes, sorry, I didn't notice it was RJ earning now 80 tier points. This is some intern mistake again - RJ should still earn 140 tps as it's a partner airline over 2000 miles flight.

Luke Outdoors

About to earn a BA 2-4-1 voucher, but I currently need to earn circa 40K avios to redeem on the route I hope to use it for (BA CW to SIN rtn). With family on the West Coast, I wondered what would be the cheapest way to earn the necessary avios, and whether a BA Tier point run would be the best way to make this happen?

Currently BA Blue, which leads into the second question... if on a TP run, after flight 7 of 10 on the same ticket, and reaching the required TP for silver, would the following three flights be credited with the avios bonus of being a silver member?