[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

onbusiness is the British Airways reward scheme for small and medium sized businesses. Some significant changes have been announced today, mainly around harmonising the scheme globally, and if you are an existing member, or considering joining, it is well worth appraising yourself of these changes:

http://www.ba.com/onbusiness

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A summary of the changes to our On Business programme
Over the past year, we have made a commitment to supporting businesses, no matter what their size or travel needs. As part of this, we have reviewed our On Business programme and are moving towards one global travel programme with more consistent rewards and benefits for all our customers.

As a result, the Terms and Conditions of the On Business programme will change from 23 November 2010. Here is a summary of the changes we are making:

It will take just 11 flights in your selected premium cabin or 13 flights in economy (flexible fares) or premium economy to earn a reward flight in the same cabin.

For details see new Points tables

If you wish to claim missing Points at the current levels, please ensure that you do so prior to 23 November 2010. Any missing Points claims submitted after this date will be credited at the new levels.

Points can be earned on any qualifying ticket, irrespective of the country where your ticket was purchased, as long as your On Business number is in the booking and it is a British Airways marketed and operated flight. This includes flights operated by BA CityFlyer and franchise partner Sun-Air of Scandinavia.

Your company will only need to have tracked two instead of three travellers before you are eligible to begin redeeming your On Business Points.

Points will expire after 3 years rather than 2 years.

Our hotel partners will change with the new global programme: Marriott® Hotels will be the exclusive hotel partner in the programme. Marriott hotel vouchers are no longer redeemable in denominations of £25, £50 and £100, instead vouchers will be redeemable for one-night hotel stays. Starwood Hotels will no longer be a hotel partner.

Our reward flight upgrade structure will be changed and simplified.

If you wish to cancel a reward flight, you must do so more than one full day in advance in order to reclaim your company’s Points. You will be able to cancel your reward flights online.

Airline employees’ discount tickets, including hotline tickets, are no longer eligible for Points.

Changes with effect from 21 September 2010

If there is no activity on your company’s On Business account, it will be closed after 2 years of inactivity and the Points will be removed.

If you continue to use your On Business membership number, you are agreeing to comply with our new On Business Terms and Conditions. Please see clause 20.3 for further information.

[NTarrant]

Having just looked at this and our onbusiness account, it is not clear what happens to the value of existing points, or have I missed something?

[VintageKrug]

1. Your existing points will effectively be devalued by about 30% (depending on which route you planned using them on).

2. To avoid this, simply ensure you have redeemed them at the old (more favourable) rates prior to 23/11. You can of course book up to 350 days beyond that.

3. One other factor worth noting is that you should not credit any flight to ob between now and 23/11, as retrospective claims will be processed at the new (more generous) earning rates after 23/11, even if flown prior to that date.

A significant benefit is that exEUR fares will now earn, irrespective of your country of residence, and the earnings rates will be more generous.

A downside is that upgrades will no longer be possible from the very deepest discount tickets, but this is balanced by lower points amounts required to upgrade qualifying tickets.

As ever when such scheme changes happen, it is best to cash in what you have now, and as ever a salutory reminder never to hoard miles in one scheme; T&Cs can change at very short notice and you don’t want to be left the “richest person in the (mileage) graveyard”.

Get out and spend those points and miles on the trip of a lifetime!

I just booked Sydney-London in F, cost was £167. 🙂

[NTarrant]

Thanks VK, that advice is much appreciated.

[VintageKrug]

I should perhaps clarify that obviously if you are short of the points necessary to reach a preferred reward target (18,000 to SYD in F one way is the best value) then you should probably keep crediting prior to Nov 23 and redeem at the old rates, rather than worrying about maximising your earn rate on the new more favourable rates.

[NTarrant]

Thanks VK, I have two options available to me to use up the points. I have worked out the earning between now and the end of October which will give me enough points for the two options.

[VintageKrug]

A quick reminder that if you are an existing onbusiness member, you should be looking to redeem you remaining points by this Tuesday 23 November, when the new increased redemption rates come into effect.

The changes in the scheme aren’t all bad as the new earning rates are more generous than was the case previously and there is no longer a restriction eligibility for flights originating in your “home country” .

Nonetheless, don’t dilly dally, and get your flights booked now as it would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity to redeem at the old rates.

http://www.ba.com/onbusiness

[VintageKrug]

A bump, as tonight is the last chance to redeem at historic rates….you have been warned!

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