Finnair made some fare changes a couple of months ago that involved moving R-fare class from the discount economy, which hardly earns anything on partners, to discount business.
These changes are often problematic to those who credit these flights to Oneworld programs (remember QR R-fares?) as they are usually very slow at updating earnings charts.
British Airways has just sent out an email to their U.S. and Canada based customers informing them that effective today they are subject to an arbitration agreement and class action waiver.
According to BA’s email to customers will be asked to accept these changes the next time they book with the carrier on their main website (ba.com).
LATAM Pass and Delta SkyMiles members can now book each other’s awards online, and LATAM flights, for now, continue to be available using Oneworld frequent flier programs excluding AA’s.
I decided to execute a few searches for LATAM routes that I tend to flow both using Delta SkyMiles and British Airways Avios to see if there are availability differences.
LATAM (was formed when Chilean LAN and Brazilian TAM merged) exited Oneworld Alliance on an expedited schedule on May 1, 2020 (read more here) due to Delta buying a stake in 2019 (read more here).
LATAM’s goal was to continue frequent flier partnership (earning and burning miles + elite benefits) with all other Oneworld members than AA (Delta’s competitor) after leaving the alliance. I was already questioning back then if this would even be possible?
British Airways launched the other week an Avios sale for Executive Club members at a 50% or 75% bonus that ends tomorrow (May 18, 2020).
Executive Club has capped the number of Avios that one can purchase any calendar year before any bonuses at 100,000, but the limit has been lifted during this sale to 200,000 (max 350K with bonus).
Heathrow Rewards, a program that rewards those who shop and spend at the airport, and British Airways have launched a conversion offer.
Members that convert from Heathrow Rewards to Avios can get a 50% conversion bonus between May 12 – June 2, 2020.
Comair, an airline behind Kulula and British Airways franchisee in South Africa) has filed for business rescue, South African version of bankruptcy protection, on Tuesday.
Kulula is a low-cost brand, while British Airways is a full-service airline serving domestic and regional destinations. Comair has grounded all flights since March 26 and doesn’t expect to resume any until October or November.
British Airways has launched a new Avios sale for Executive Club members at a 50% or 75% bonus that is valid through May 18, 2020.
Executive Club has capped the number of Avios that one can purchase any calendar year before any bonuses at 100,000, but the limit has been lifted during this sale to 200,000 (max 300K with bonus).
British Airways parent IAG, International Airlines Group, released preliminary first-quarter results and more information about restructuring beginning at its UK airline.
BA currently has 23,000 employees furloughed under the UK’s Covid-19 retention program, and the airline has started consultations with various unions to let 12,000 go, representing 27% of the entire workforce.
It seems British Airways is slowly relaxing their chaotic voucher only refund system after passengers had their flights cancelled though customers still have to call in to receive their money back.
Getting a hold of British Airways can still prove to be a challenge and it often requires trying several times and different hotlines to get an agent on the line.
British Airways sent out an email on Thursday to its Executive Club members in the UK and also released an inspirational video.
The airline has been quiet about Executive Club tier renewals, unlike its counterparts in North America, that have simply extended everyone’s status by a year.
British Airways announced the other week (read more here) about what it was doing now for Executive Club members due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The airline is giving tier points enough to retain status for three months for members whose membership year was about to end (BA uses rolling year). This, however, is not enough considering that many airlines such as United (read more here), Delta (read more here), and Air Canada (read more here) are extending everyone by a year.
As Japan is likely going to declare a State of Emergency following the sharp rise of Covid-19 cases on the weekend, British Airways has decided to cancel their flights to Japan from Wednesday, April 8th.
The last British Airways flight will leave Tokyo on April 7th after which there will be a period without BA flight connection, likely depending on the government regulation.
It’s no secret that airlines are under heavy pressure to cut costs right now and according to media reports British Airways is expected to soon announce the suspension of at least 36,000 employees.
The carrier is currently in talks with the respective unions but there is little hope nor option to avoid this step as BA just like many carriers has grounded the majority of it’s fleet and suspended most flights.
