[Bullfrog]

I’d be grateful to know if the 200,000 additional miles which could be earned via the accelerator, have the same redemption value & usage as any other BA miles.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Binman62

Will you explain why this was so?

At the moment, we are left with Vintage Krug’s opionated comments which offer no insights and add no value, but if you were able to show the facts behind your experience, it would be helpful to understand what actually happened, so we could avoid the same.

[JordanD]

@Binman – Have you taken this up with BA? If so, what was their response? If not, why not?

@VK – second instance in a week where you play the player, not the issue. It is becoming tiresome and you should (as I’ve said elsewhere) conduct yourself in the manner you wish others to conduct themselves with respect to you.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

JordanD

Points well made.

[Cedric_Statherby]

Frustrating as it is for UK members of EC – of which I am one – it is obvious what BA is trying to do and they are within their rights to try to attract business from non-UK customers.

BA is not a charity and we all know it does not have to try so hard to attract business from those based around London. My main surprise is that the Accelerator is not open to those flying ex Scottish airports, to try to stem the myriads using Schipol rather than London as their transfer hub. EDI-AMS is a lot more pleasant than EDI-LHR as the first leg of a long journey, and even via CDG is quite acceptable. Actually, flying via ABL is better than via London (and for those of you not sure which airport has code ABL, it is “Anywhere but London” …)

[VintageKrug]

Bullfrog – the miles earned under this promotion have exactly the same redemption value and usage as other BA Miles.

There is only one “BA Miles” currency, so it’s not dependent on how they were earned.

https://www.britishairways.com/travel/bonus-miles-accelerator/public/en_gb

[hemispheres]

It is all well & good BA giving out the bonus miles. Since the merger with IB and the link up with AA it is harder to redeem First & Club seats.

As Bullfrog points out … ‘it’s all marketing’.

[VintageKrug]

It’s not so much harder, as requiring a slightly different approach to that which used to be the case.

Over and above that, there is also the impact of the 2012 London Olympics, when most flights will be chocka and redemption availability a challenge during July, August and September.

I have noticed a shift, which I have posted about numerous times on here, from being able to book far in advance, to last minute availability.

This helps those keen to upgrade using miles, and late bookers and attempts to monetise the leisure traveller by getting them to purchase tickets in the sale or using various targeted promotions (e.g. PRIDE). This is a sensible business strategy for the airline.

With this in mind, depending on your circumstances, some would say that BA Miles are now easier to redeem than used to be the case.

Though its 100% correct to state that certain US based promos have reduced availability.

It’s just a case of varying ones strategy.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“With this in mind, depending on your circumstances, some would say that BA Miles are now easier to redeem than used to be the case.”

Some say that the earth is flat http://www.alaska.net/~clund/e_djublonskopf/Flatearthsociety.htm

[Bullfrog]

‘Revenue Management’ have the great task of maximising profits & cash flow. What better system than to incentive passengers to buy tickets with cash, with the lure of ‘free seats & upgrades’ with bonus miles.

A smart business operator realises that reduced seat availability from downgrading & cutting routes means there has to be less ‘giveaways’.

Passengers then find it harder to redeem miles . QED.

[Binman62]

I recently posted about flying MXP LHR HKG CGK. It was club j class from MXP Z class on a MFU from LHR and I class HKG CGK on CX.

Neither the European nor the HKG CGK sector posted any miles and registered by BA as ineligible. I have case open with customer relations as as well as the miles issues seats were changed on various sectors by BA including in First and from upper deck to lower deck middle on flight home.

It is both frustrating and annoying that such issues occur but sadly every word is true.

In would much prefer to be lookingnforwrad to my flight home than engaged in a protracted and I suspect pointless exchange of correspondence with BA cr from 7000 miles away.

[VintageKrug]

Seat shifting is known to happen, and it’s frustrating when it does.

Could I ask, were you located in a bassinet seat?

Or did you or those flying downgrade a tier within BAEC/oneworld between the time the seats were reserved and the time you flew?

Both scenarios can lead to BA changing your seat allocation.

It’s strange that the flights didn’t post. I fly over fifty sectors per year with BA and cannot recall a non-posting flight for at least a year. Indeed my most recent flight last week posted within 24 hours which was exceptionally fast. There is a longstanding issue with MFUs, but these are easily rectified with a missing miles request explaining it’s an MFU using the BA customer form.

Having said that, my last MFU over a year ago posted successfully; it’s frustrating BA can’t sort out this glitch, which I understand is connected with the MFU booking into reward buckets.

At the very least they should have a tickbox on the missing mileage form so when you do [write] in, it’s clear to staff what needs to be done.

[oops – Under Butler not up to standard – also fired!]

[Binman62]

When we booked we were the only people on the upper deck and I was able to reserve row 64 AB JK on both outward and return sectors. I have gold card the family all have silver.

5 days out I MFU to first and book 1234K as I have a gold card I can get row 1 but no one else. At -24 find I am left in 1k but family in 5 EF 4F. This can be changed as flight quiet but who made the change?

Get to destination and discover that row 64 home been moved to row 18 downstairs and 4 middle seats.

No one would choose the lower deck over row 64 who knows anything about the layout on a BA 747. Moreover if I change anything on BA.com an email is generated to tell me. If BA do this I get nothing.

One of three things is going on here.

Either there a monumental system issue that BA will not admit too.

There is a security issues with personal data again that BA will not admit too.

They are moving passengers in favour of those who pay for seat allocation.

The latter does not apply to First however anyone with my PNR can manage my booking yet if wish to print my e ticket, even if logged in viamthe executive club I am required to enter the credit card number which was used to pay.

The historynof my PNR should show the changes but BA initial response is that happened on BA.com and that is it. In moth words I did it.

My frustration with BA is that they simply do not listen and whenever there is a problem it takes a fight to get them to listen.

I fully expect to sit inmrow 18 going home but there is a problem and imam not letting this go.

The mileage issue is simply annoying. Then MFU posted correctly but not the others, of course it will be resolved but it should not be this way and given the other issue simply gives the impression of systems failures.

[Author]

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