BA to Scrap Air Miles Scheme
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BA to Scrap Air Miles Scheme
From today's Sunday Times...
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Happiness is a warm L1011
BRITISH AIRWAYS is to scrap its popular Air Miles loyalty
scheme used by more than 600,000 frequent flyers. They will
now be offered BA Miles, a far less generous scheme that will
give many members of BA's Executive Club fewer free flights.
For example, under the Air Miles scheme, members had to
make nearly six round trips to Paris to qualify for a free return
flight to the French capital. But to qualify for the same free flight
with BA Miles they will have to make 26 flights.
Experts believe that the beleaguered airline, which announced
disappointing annual results last week, is ditching the Air Miles
scheme as part of a big cost-cutting drive.
One of the major advantages of the Air Miles scheme was that
people could also earn miles when they spent money with
other firms, notably Sainsbury's and Shell. However, under the
new scheme people are not expected to have such a wide
choice of firms.
A spokeswoman for the airline says: "We are no longer sure
that our frequent flyers want to collect points by shopping at
Sainsbury's. They may prefer to accumulate points when they
stay in hotels or hire a car." BA has announced that members
of the new scheme will be able to collect points when they use
car hire firms like Avis and Hertz or hotel chains like Hilton and
InterContinental. More partners will be announced in
September.
Although the BA Miles scheme is less generous when earning
free European flights, BA says that BA Miles will benefit
members flying to long-haul destinations. Under Air Miles, they
had to make nearly 10 round trips to New York to earn a free
return flight. With BA Miles, they will have to make only seven.
Members will have their Air Miles automatically exchanged to
BA Miles in October, unless they choose to opt out. They will
get a special bonus exchange rate of 14 BA Miles for every Air
Mile in their account.
Members can opt into the scheme again in January, when they
will get 10 BA Miles for every Air Mile.
Members can choose to keep their Air Miles in a separate
account, but can not collect them through the Executive Club
after January 15, 2001.
scheme used by more than 600,000 frequent flyers. They will
now be offered BA Miles, a far less generous scheme that will
give many members of BA's Executive Club fewer free flights.
For example, under the Air Miles scheme, members had to
make nearly six round trips to Paris to qualify for a free return
flight to the French capital. But to qualify for the same free flight
with BA Miles they will have to make 26 flights.
Experts believe that the beleaguered airline, which announced
disappointing annual results last week, is ditching the Air Miles
scheme as part of a big cost-cutting drive.
One of the major advantages of the Air Miles scheme was that
people could also earn miles when they spent money with
other firms, notably Sainsbury's and Shell. However, under the
new scheme people are not expected to have such a wide
choice of firms.
A spokeswoman for the airline says: "We are no longer sure
that our frequent flyers want to collect points by shopping at
Sainsbury's. They may prefer to accumulate points when they
stay in hotels or hire a car." BA has announced that members
of the new scheme will be able to collect points when they use
car hire firms like Avis and Hertz or hotel chains like Hilton and
InterContinental. More partners will be announced in
September.
Although the BA Miles scheme is less generous when earning
free European flights, BA says that BA Miles will benefit
members flying to long-haul destinations. Under Air Miles, they
had to make nearly 10 round trips to New York to earn a free
return flight. With BA Miles, they will have to make only seven.
Members will have their Air Miles automatically exchanged to
BA Miles in October, unless they choose to opt out. They will
get a special bonus exchange rate of 14 BA Miles for every Air
Mile in their account.
Members can opt into the scheme again in January, when they
will get 10 BA Miles for every Air Mile.
Members can choose to keep their Air Miles in a separate
account, but can not collect them through the Executive Club
after January 15, 2001.
Happiness is a warm L1011
Guest
Posts: n/a
I would like to point out that BA Executive Club computer has been upgraded and is now just plain awful.
I have 3 accounts because the computer spat out the first 2. I have been talking (read:arguing) with these people now for 3 weeks trying to get my Gold card as I have enough points.
The poor call agents hate the software, hate the system, hate the way it's all been thrown together and to top it all some days the system is down for a whole day!
Shambles.
I have 3 accounts because the computer spat out the first 2. I have been talking (read:arguing) with these people now for 3 weeks trying to get my Gold card as I have enough points.
The poor call agents hate the software, hate the system, hate the way it's all been thrown together and to top it all some days the system is down for a whole day!
Shambles.
Guest
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When I lived in South Africa, it took no less than TWENTY ONE calls and visits to get the correct flights, mileage and points on the system.
At the moment, the online system shows the correct mileage - 427,762 - but apparently i have NIL Executive Club points whilst my statement shows I have 1350!
WIHIH????????
The old system was based somewhere in Denmark. Where is the new one?
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Happiness is a warm L1011
At the moment, the online system shows the correct mileage - 427,762 - but apparently i have NIL Executive Club points whilst my statement shows I have 1350!
WIHIH????????
The old system was based somewhere in Denmark. Where is the new one?
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Happiness is a warm L1011
Guest
Posts: n/a
Guvnor,
Reading their "changeover" literature gave me a whammer of a headache. I think you would need a Maths PHD to work out what is the best option, As a Silver card holder earning miles once a month in Europe and maybe once or twice a year long haul (as well as through their NatWest card scheme), and one who uses them for regular trips to LYS anyone have the best idea for me - ie do I keep the Airmiles or convert to the new scheme or do a bit of both...sorry to be lazy but my brain is hurting!!!
Arrow 2
[This message has been edited by arrow2 (edited 18 August 2000).]
Reading their "changeover" literature gave me a whammer of a headache. I think you would need a Maths PHD to work out what is the best option, As a Silver card holder earning miles once a month in Europe and maybe once or twice a year long haul (as well as through their NatWest card scheme), and one who uses them for regular trips to LYS anyone have the best idea for me - ie do I keep the Airmiles or convert to the new scheme or do a bit of both...sorry to be lazy but my brain is hurting!!!
Arrow 2
[This message has been edited by arrow2 (edited 18 August 2000).]
