[MartynSinclair]

I admit to benefiting greatly from the free cancelation policy & will miss the luxury immensely for European travel.

However, from a business point of view, I never understood why the airline allowed this to happen. On occasions, I would hold up to 3 or 4 reservations for the same day, until I knew for certain which one I would use, then cancel the ones I didn’t need.

However, I seriously think you are all kidding yourselves, if you think this will open up more avios availability for longhaul. Quite simply, apart from perhaps NYC, its virtually impossible to get a longahul flight on avios, any day of the week (in premium classes), unless you are “in the army” (and then seats do miraculously open up……..) . So I do not think the problem has been a multitue of bookings in longhaul.

Please remember avios is a contradiction. Probably the very best (certainly with the free cancelation) rewards programme for shorthaul and simply one of the worst for longahul….

[KarlMarx]

The motive behind this move is revenue generation, not improvement of Avios availability.

“The cancellations/changes are more in the order of thousands per month, rather than hundreds.”

Thousands per month multiplied by a nice little fee – sweet.

Willie’s bonus is looking better by the minute.

[TabTraveller]

@MartynSinclair

“Quite simply, apart from perhaps NYC, its virtually impossible to get a longahul flight on avios, any day of the week (in premium classes), unless you are “in the army” (and then seats do miraculously open up……..)”

Unclear what army you mean but on thurs last week I booked an F redemption using avios back from HKG to LHR for yesterday evening on CX. This being the day the rugby 7s finished and where pretty much all flights to LHR were full or nearly full. Total fee £77.

Couple of weeks ago used onbusiness points to get an F redemption on the BA A380 from LAX to LHR. Booked around a week before departure. Total fee £285. At the time I also could’ve taken indirects in J using avios on AA to DFW and then onto LHR with BA but I decided it was worth the OB points for F on the A380.

YMMV but I would call that pretty good value for longhaul redemptions…

[MartynSinclair]

Excellent news Tab Traveller – however, it is virtually impossible to hold multiple bookings for a longhaul sector, in close date proximity. As your example shows, seats became available a week or so before hand, no real chance of planning as a couple to use longhaul avios.

I will be the first to congratulate the airline IF this new charge does result in more avios seats for longhaul, but I doubt very much it will happen.

As for shorthaul there has never really been an availability problem using avios. I fly to Europe every 10 days or so and the majority of sectors (90% +) are paid for via avios.

[openfly]

Still not been informed officially from the BA Exec Club of these changes. Bit rude!

According to the YouFirst helpline the staff haven’t been told officially either… I could hear the frustration in his voice.

They did confirm however that the £35 charge is per person per booking. So a family of 4 has to pay £140 to change or cancel a booking. The odd thing is that anybody else changing a ticket only pays £25 ! Hit the Premiums. I’m sure SM will have the answer to this anomaly.

[TominScotland]

Are you sure about the £25, openfly – have a look at http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/executive-club/spending-avios/booking-and-service-fees ?

My reading is that it is also £35 for non-premium flyers

[passionateflyer]

I’d like to know, if I have a european flight saver booking which costs £17.50 and 7,500 miles and I cancel it, do I have to pay extra to get the miles back or does the cancellation charge get absorbed because the taxes were less than it?

[IanFromHKG]

TabTraveller – 31/03/2014 20:29 GMT

Sorry, TabTraveller, but I don’t think your post shows that there is easy long-haul availability on BA long-haul at all. As I read your post your HKG-LHR redemption wasn’t on BA metal, it was on CX, and your US direct flight wasn’t available with Avios, so you had to use onbusiness points instead. Did I miss something there???

[openfly]

@TominScotland. I hadn’t realised that the general charge had gone up to £35 per pax, per booking. It still stinks for Golds!

@sjldtion According to the Exec Club you still have to pay £35 to get the 7500 Avios and £17.50 refunded. Great eh?

[TabTraveller]

@Ian

Apologies if I was unclear – perhaps my more general point is that the benefits accrued through flying on BA (i.e. avios / onbusiness) can be readily used. I accept that this isn’t always on BA metal but save for those wishing to redeem Amex vouchers, etc. the operating carrier isn’t really a big concern. For clarity I could’ve used avios to return from LAX but instead chose a higher class of travel on a direct service using onbusiness points.

I also accept that these were relatively last minute trips and availability a few months out isn’t always there.

[MartynSinclair]

Just made an avios booking (shorthaul) with such ease and every single flight on days I need to travel were available. Saw nothing regarding the new charges on cancelation.

I did notice however, that my amex card details, were no longer retained and I had to re enter all the details again.

[lesmclaren]

Received the latest edition of “The Club” by E mail today, no mention of this change! Usual BA efficiency at communication!

[openfly]

@MartinSinclair…they have now putting a warning on the booking page at the top…”terms have changed for Gold card holders”.
But nobody at BA knows that when they charge the £35 per person per flight whether they refund your Avios!

[Author]

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