[openfly]

In November I booked an Avios Companion return to Cape Town on the phone. At the same time I booked the Avis car hire with premium insurance and full Premium cover….at least that’s what I asked for! I’ve now checked and it’s only the basic cover, as Avios “do not offer Premium Cover” on their Avis insurance, as “Avios are not BA”! In view of the fact that I was misled I asked to cancel and rebook the insurance through BA.com as usual. They said that I must pay the £35 cancellation fee, even though it was their mistake. I refused.
So, a warning, if you book Avis car insurance through Avios you CANNOT be sensible and book Premium cover for a few extra pounds.
During the phone call I was passed to three people and achieved absolutely nothing during 95 minutes.
I will cancel it and let our friends at Amex dispute the £35!
Avios are NOT BA…!

[FaroFlyer]

It is correct that Avios are not owned by BA.
Avios Group is owned by IAG who also own BA, Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus. It is a separate operating company in the same way that Nectar is owned by Sainsburys, but is not Sainsburys. Same with most hotel points companies. If you remember, during COVID, Amex bought millions of hotel points from hotel companies as a way to support hotels facing bankruptcy, and so that Amex could use or sell hotel points in future, at a profit.

[nevereconomy]

Other strange rules too – if I am correct you cannot book an Avis car (in the US at least) using Avios if you are over 70 ! Ah, the small print!

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openfly

[openfly]

Yes, but the Avios agent led me to believe that I was booking the BA Avis product for the car rental….with Premium Cover insurance…but I wasnt!

[openfly]

After a long conversation with Avis, they confirm that the Avios rental agent offering is a different product to that offered by BA, even though the PNR and booking info mentions BA in all aspects…highly confusing.
Avis suggest that, to get the better BA product, either book through BA.com or through themselves.
I think the main thing that comes out of this is that an Avios booking is not a BA booking in any way….even though the booking mentions and shows BA in all aspects….is it deceptive? I shall be more aware in future.

[Whymark]

I seem to recall a high court ruling around the use of points and that the same consumer protections must be applied.
If a company wishes to allow customers to purchase products using loyalty points in lieue of physical cash, unless it is clearly and unambiguously defined in terms, the level of service received should be the same as if paid with cash.

I will attempt to find the ruling next week when I have more time while sunning myself in the Bahamas, having flown using avios and a companion voucher, and used points for some of the hotel stays.

God bless loyalty schemes when they work in your favour!

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openfly

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