British Airways prepares for Avios revolution and launches "points-only" flights to Florence as well
We are 10 days away from the revolution, in a negative key, of the Executive Club loyalty program. Starting next October 18, all [...]
British Airways
Oneworld
We are 10 days away from the revolution, in a negative key, of the Executive Club loyalty program. Starting next October 18, all flights bought on the BA site to fly on board the British airline and Iberia will change the mode of Avios accumulation. It will change from a mode where the basis is the distance flown to a mode where the cost incurred to purchase the ticket will be multiplied.
What's changing in the Executive Club
In this article:
In technical jargon, we move from "distance based" to "revenue based" accumulation. If until October 17 when you fly you could calculate exactly how many Avios you will accumulate, even before you buy your ticket, under the new system it will be virtually impossible to know exactly how many points you will get from a single flight.
BA's chosen path was already written last year when it Iberia, which belongs to the same parent company IAG, had taken this route not without problems and controversy And now, about a year later it's British Airways' turn. BA tried to soften the move by calling it a "simpler and more transparent solution for customers" quoting Amici Miei it is a Superscazzola, the change is a devaluation where the cost of award tickets is not increased, but the number of avios given to passengers per flight is reduced.
Why the "revenue" based model is wrong
There are many companies that have switched to this accumulation model also the my favorite program Flying Blue uses it, but that doesn't mean I like it. The point is that with this model, companies do not incentivize loyalty, But only to spend more. Of course all correct, but the point is that the one who spends so much is a customer who flies for business and it is the company that pays. Today with BA, tomorrow with Lufthansa. While the loyal passenger is the one who always tries to fly with that airline anyway.
What countermeasures can be taken
The roads are few, assuming you want to keep flying BA. The first is to switch to an alternative alliance, for example Qatar and start from scratch by crediting flights on the new card and moving current avios to the Privilge Club. Another way is to still fly BA, but buying tickets through other oneWorld carriers on a code-share basis, in which case if you buy a ticket issued by Royal Jordanian and fly BA you will continue to accrue based on distance and not expense.
Always without forgetting that In order to obtain BA status, it is always necessary to make a minimum number of of flights each year, under penalty of not qualifying for statuses.
The "rewards" flights only
On the other hand, however, BA continues to invest in the loyalty program and that is to guarantee members lots of award seats on board its flights and even flights that can only be booked with points. So much for those such as, for example, ITA Airways has decided, unique in the world, not to have an award table. There are 5 new flights for next summer put on sale only with Avios points.
New options include Florence, Majorca, Faro, Corfu and Ibiza, bookable from as little as £1 + 25,500 Avios. The first Avios-Only flight, sold out in less than 24 hours, will take off for Sharm El Sheikh from London Gatwick on November 3, 2023.
In conclusion
If you're planning to book a ticket with British you'll want to do so by Oct. 17, that way at least that ticket will carry the old avios number, after that date it will be impossible to know beforehand how much the individual routes will accumulate and how much it will be worth using BA versus another carrier, giving up the miles.
