"R" Class on BA
 

I recently took a trip from LHR to JFK on BA, booked in "R" class. Now - this used to be supersonic class (of course), but is now just a standard economy booking class on BA. It's certainly not the cheapest of classes - I think it sits around about the same level as K.

Anyway, I booked this class as it was not listed in the Ts & Cs of the QFF program as one which received only discount economy mileage. It cost me around £100 extra for this ticket over the cheapest which I could have booked at the time.

As you may have guessed, QFF have credited only discount economy (25%) mileage for this flight. I'm told that "R" class has always been discount economy on BA (Concorde, anyone) and that the classes listed are only those that became discount economy as at 1 January 2004. I of course know this to be completely wrong - prior to 1 January 2004, all BA purchased fare classes earned full miles on QFF.

Any ideas how I should take this further ?

I'm taking this trip every two weeks at the moment (my GF is working in NY at the moment). As it is now, looks like United will be getting all my flights instead ....

"Any ideas how I should take this further ?"

Well, it says in the Terms and Conditions in 9.3.1 regarding Frequent Flyer Partner Airlines - Restrictions on Point Earning

"British Airways: Fares booked in G, K, L, M, N, O, S, V, and Q class are defined as Discount Economy and will earn 25% of the base economy accrual rate. This will become your base economy accrual rate for the purpose of awarding a Status bonus."

Ask them to go to term 9.3.1 and read the restriction and then ask them to show you where it mentions "R" as a discount economy class. If they cannot find it there, then ask for the full mileage credit. You may need to put it in writing to them if the person on the phone is unhelpful

Even if R was a discount economy code in the past ( It has been used for things other than Concorde. It used to be the code for WT+ award tickets ), that is irrelevant. What is relevent is the Ts&Cs that are currently in force.

If put in writing carefully pointing this out to them, I am sure that they will credit you with the full miles. I also expect that they will then update the Ts&Cs to add R to a discount code in due course

Dave

IME, QF FF is very good at honouring the letter of their T&C where they don't yet reflect the airline's intention, or where someone has been misled.

In March last year, I did a short trip on EI and booked on the Internet. When I booked, the class was not excluded or restricted. Funnily enough, the T&C changed the day I flew the outbound (but of course I'd never checked back). One email pointing out that I'd booked before the rule change was published produced a prompt full credit of miles.

Also, I asked for credit during the "is status bonus calculated as 50% of 100%, or 50% of 25%" period from 1 January 2004 to whenever they finally changed the T&C to the current wording. Again, QF FF was prompt to credit the difference ex gratia, and was also happy to offer to make similar adjustments on request until the T&C were changed.

If you ask nicely, I think you'll find that you're fine.

And if that doesn't work, you should either find yourself a good lawyer, or a girlfriend in the country you are living :D .

FWIW, R class on BA earns 25% on AAdvantage (so the intent is probably to have R be considered as a discount economy fare). While QF forgot to update its rules, AA did not.

Oh, there's no doubt that R is a discount economy class. It sits above V and below M, IIRC.

And here was me thinking R comes right after Q and before S :p .

Well - all is sorted out. Almost immediately after posting this last night, I received a response this morning, and my account has been updated. They said they are going to amend the Ts and Cs to reflect this.

If I were Qantas' lawyer though, I would change it around so it says "classes Y, B, H receive 100% of miles flown and W & T receive 110% of miles flown, all other classes receive 25% of miles flown". Any decent lawyer would tell you this would be a much better way to draft it ....

I actually have about another 5 "R" bookings with BA, but the fares are upgradeable, so I'll probably pay the extra £50 or so on each segment to upgrade to H for the full miles ...

mmm, exclusionary drafting :) (you're dead right, of course)

actually, on second thought, i would amend to say "all other non-award economy/World Traveller classes receive 25% of miles flown" -- can't have someone thinking J or X qualifies :) :) :)

And while we are at it, we could also exclude ID50, ID75 & ID90s (industry discounted tickets). Athough I think only "published fares" earn miles in any event ...

Actually if QF's lawyer was really wanting to be cheap, he or she would see there's an even better way to put one over Mr. and Mrs. Flyonceayear. If you ditch what QF currently says (i.e. you earn miles unless we say otherwise) and instead only list the fare classes that are eligible for earning (at whatever rate), what you are not saying is that if your ticket is in an unlisted fare class you get nothing. The QF drafting model is obviously more generous. Glad it worked out for ozzie.

Actually, it seems plain (to this lawyer) that no lawyer has ever got anywhere near the bits of the QF FF T&C that we look at all the time, especially 9.3.1 and the related stuff. It's awful. Do they only draft when they're hung over?

How could you suggest such a thing. No QFFer is ever hungover; in a permanent state of inebriation but never in that evil period of sobering :)

Dave

:)

I'm a lawyer too, and will make no comment about whom I suspect may have done/aided in the drafting ... certainly not my firm ... or my opinions thereof :)

Agreed here. I'd get shot if I ever drafted something like that. Maybe they gave it to a litigator to draft :)