[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Who else got this ridiculous email from BA asking to donate Avios so they can offer a free flight to a NHS worker? BA – you can simply fund this yourselves like other airlines are rather than relying on your customers to cover the cost, while trying to cover it up as a positive PR exercise.
I’m not playing down the NHS at all here during this stressful time for them, that is not the point. BA can easily offer flights for the NHS if this is what they want to do, while making them look like the great British Airline they want people to perceive them as. Avios are expensive to accrue and exchange rate poor when cashing in – mine are going towards my own flight when this is over, thank you very much.

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[PP Flyer]

I also got an email from BA end of last week. To quote exactly ‘ With your help, we can thank thousands of nominated healthcare workers, by giving them enough Avios to buy flights or experiences to enjoy when they can finally take a break. ‘
BA may have been hard hit financially in the current crisis, but so have many of its loyal passengers. The expression ‘ robbing Peter to pay Paul ‘ partly springs to mind here, albeit this is not a debt being settled. I find it truly in poor taste that BA are begging its executive club members to give up avios ( which are both pricey to purchase, and far more difficult to now earn than in previous years ) to give to healthcare workers. The latter have been doing a fantastic job, but if BA wish to do the right thing here, then just offer some of these worthy heroes empty seats. Do it out of the goodness of their own hearts, and don’t come grovelling to executive members for charity. A disasterous PR exercise on BAs behalf, and one which , in my opinion, has really blackened their name in this current crisis.

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[MartynSinclair]

I learnt a long time ago, from a Forum member, when hotels auto add donations at check out, or airlines ask for donations for airmiles my answer is always that I will make a donation, if the donation is matched by the establishment.

What i think would have been far more effective is to be allowed to guest an NHS worker into a lounge, once the lounges are back open again. I would actually go a stage further and consider donating my gold card privileges to economy travelling NHS workers for the next year, if I new it would be honoured.. and well used…

[Henryp1]

I think it’s a nice idea for those who want to give Avios up, be it a substantial amount or just a small balance which will never get spent. For those who are not in a position to give time or cash in the current crisis, it does give the opportunity to give something up and feel part of the overall effort apart from clapping. It would be interesting to know when the donation period endS, just how many Avios were given up.

But I do think there are numerous other groups and individuals who have kept the country going and supported vulnerable groups/charities and it’s a pity that the BA Avios donation scheme have not been directed in that direction.

[rodders]

There seems to be one missing point here, BA/Avios have donated 210 million Avios, and were asking for executive club members to add to this if they wish, at the last count from the email I received a further 55 million were donated.
I think it is a decent gesture, yes many groups have kept us all going, but hard to cover everyone, other than asking for people to nominate a local hero.
I never cease to be amazed at those who constantly seek to knock these kind of initiatives, especially in this environment, all small acts of kindness are appreciated.

[nevereconomy]

Please someone shut this down – the general tone of reaction to this initiative is sad and hopefully not the way most decent people would feel or will react.

[capetonianm]

[postquote quote=1000253][/postquote]
I agree with you about the negativity, but I agree more strongly with the right of those who feel that way to express their views.
For the record, I am by no means a fan of BA’s management or anything they do.

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Montysaurus

[MrDarwin]

I am 100% behind this initiative (in my totally biased, husband is a doctor view). I think you should donate all your Avios to NHS workers 🙂

It’s a lovely gesture, for people to donate something that could benefit someone else in such a positive way. I think it would be warmly received and appreciated.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Sorry that people wish this thread to be shut down. Of course I’m not denying key workers the break they deserve. As I said, that’s not the point of the topic, and apologies if you got the wrong end of the stick. I was merely focusing on the PR /Marketing aspect of this and personally don’t agree with the way it has been executed to generate maximum effect. Qatar Airways has donated 100,000 tickets for NHS staff anywhere on the network with a +1 to boot, and this isn’t even in their home market. The BA / Avios donation covers just 3500 key workers, with the added Exec Club donations adding minimal addition to this in real terms. If they really appreciate the value of key workers, as PPflyer mentioned, BA as the UK flag carrier should simply just permit key workers to absorb any unsold capacity on the house. This will be in abundance over the next 12 months, and will prove a far more successful PR exercise in the long run.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

Sorry that people wish this thread to be shut down. Of course I’m not denying key workers the break they deserve. As I said, that’s not the point of the topic, and apologies if you got the wrong end of the stick. I was merely focusing on the PR /Marketing aspect of this and personally don’t agree with the way it has been executed to generate maximum effect. Qatar Airways has donated 100,000 tickets for NHS staff anywhere on the network with a +1 to boot, and this isn’t even in their home market. The BA / Avios donation covers just 3500 key workers, with the added Exec Club donations adding minimal addition to this in real terms. If they really appreciate the value of key workers, as PPflyer mentioned, BA as the UK flag carrier should simply just permit key workers to absorb any unsold capacity on the house. This will be in abundance over the next 12 months, and will prove a far more successful PR exercise in the long run. BA is a multi billion pound organisation, not a charity that does rely on public donations.

[K1ngston]

I have literally just received the same thing from KrisFlyer the FFP of SQ to donate my KFM to “helping our unsung heros”… I am surprised that SQ would do this not surprised that BA would…. looks like it may be a industry thing!

[cwoodward]

These uninvited approaches by airlines to their club members are I feel tacky and open to abuse, marketing rather than charity motivated and murky at best.
However if overseen by a third party,(perhaps one of the larger accountancy firms would offer pro bono services) the certain abuse of the process could perhaps be largely eliminated.

The fact remains that the BA a offer is to only NHS workers. Do none of the hundred of thousands of other unsung heroes deserve to be included ?
But of course they can’t be as the marketing departments could not then conveniently package the marketing message for maximum impact.

If airlines and the like want to offer a thank you to NHS workers that is terrific but please do so in a dignified open way not via this odious marketing approach disguised as charity.
I am certain that club members and others wishing to offer a thank you to the virus heroes that they know can easily do that without the assistance of the BA marketing department.

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