Should Airlines Ban Passengers Due To Criticism? Case: British Airways

A Flyertalk member noted a change in the terms and conditions of British Airways Executive Club that would allow the airline to classify public criticism as misconduct.

Airlines are not amused if you criticize them, or you expose employee misbehavior in the form of publishing video/audio taken on-board or at the airport.

How British Airways now classifies misconduct:

“Misconduct”

includes:

• failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions or the terms and conditions of a Service or Airline Partner; or

• attempting to obtain Tier Points or Avios points by Fraud; or

• misusing the Services; or

• misconduct on board a British Airways or Airline Partner’s flight or in a Lounge or while checking-in; or

• any misconduct including but not limited to the use of false, threatening, abusive or derogatory language or behaving in a threatening, abusive or derogatory manner in dealing with or directed at British Airways’ staff or the staff of any Service Partner; or

• any conduct, including but not limited to making misleading statements, which causes, is intended to cause or is likely to cause a detrimental effect or reflects unfavourably on the reputation of British Airways or any aspect of its business, brands, products or services; or

• failure to comply with the applicable conditions of carriage and any other applicable rules and regulations.

What could happen to Executive Club membership in the case of “misconduct”?

24. British Airways’ right to terminate membership

24.1. In addition to any other rights or remedies it may have, British Airways reserves the right at any time in its absolute discretion to terminate the Membership of any Member and/or the right of any Member to use the Card if a Member commits Fraud, Misconduct, is given a banning notice or withdraws their consent under Clause 4. If this occurs, British Airways must write to the Member to inform them that his/her Membership is being terminated for this reason. British Airways and/or AGL may in its discretion suspend such termination and impose a reduction in Tier grade and/or remove Avios points and/or Tier Points and/or request undertakings in respect of future conduct.

24.2. In the case of Fraud and/or Misconduct, British Airways and/or AGL may cancel all accrued and accruing Avios points of the Member and any Reward tickets.

24.3. The Member shall be liable to British Airways and/or any Airline Partner for the full price of any travel undertaken on Reward tickets, wholly or partly as a result of such Fraud and/or Misconduct, in accordance with the published fare applicable to such travel together with any reasonable costs, including legal fees, incurred by British Airways.

24.4. In the event of the termination of Membership, if the Member was issued a physical Card, the Card must be returned to British Airways. Furthermore, an individual may be required to return any co-branded financial cards to the card issuer. In the event an individual continues to hold a co-branded financial card, they will not be entitled to receive any Avios points or Services.

Conclusion

If you are perennially unhappy for flying any specific airline or staying at certain hotels, I would advise you to switch.

There is no point, pun intended, buying services from a business that you are inherently dissatisfied with whatever the reason.

Any business, however, should not fire their customer for constructive criticism, however hurtful that might be to some.