Latest news with #ColmLacy
Scottish Sun
31-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
British Airways launches bargain flights to affordable long-haul holiday destination for £150
Plus, how you can earn Avios points CHEAP TRIP British Airways launches bargain flights to affordable long-haul holiday destination for £150 – with a catch Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FOR anyone wanting a bargain winter getaway, British Airways has just revealed a great one - but there is a small catch. The airline is launching new flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town starting in December, however only it's only available to its loyalty members. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 British Airways is launching a new Avios-Only flight route in December Credit: Alamy 5 The winter sun destination has highs of 29C in December and January Credit: Alamy British Airways is launching a new Avios-Only flight from London to the South African capital with 500 seats on offer. By using points accrued on the British Airways Club, members can buy themselves a seat on the plane. With the new flight, members can jet off to Cape Town from as little as 70,000 and £150. Cape Town is the latest British Airways long-haul Avios-Only flight destination added to its roster. Read More on Flights TAKE OFF My ultimate budget travel checklist - all the tricks to save HUNDREDS on flights This popular route will be made available for customers using their Avios over the festive period - from December 20, 2025 to January 2, 2026. British Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, Colm Lacy, said: 'We're delighted to announce Cape Town as our latest Avios-Only flight destination, in South Africa's peak travel season. "Members will have the opportunity to book seats across all four cabins over the popular festive period offering more value and choice than ever.' It sounds good, right? If you want to start collecting Avios points yourself, sign up to the British Airways Club. Then to gain points, you have to fly with British Airways and book British Airways Holidays. Buying baggage and seats also add points, as does using British Airways American Express cards. The New British Airways First Class Seat 5 Cape Town has safari experiences too Credit: Alamy 5 Take the cable car up and down Table Mountain Credit: Alamy Cape Town is one of the world's best value holiday destinations. It came in second place as the top best-value destination in the Post Office Holiday Money Report 2025. The report added: "Cape Town, South Africa, retains second place, despite an 11 per cent rise in prices compared to last year." Some of the top sights in South Africa include Table Mountain which you don't have to climb - instead you can hop on a cable car. At the foot of the mountain is Groot Constantia, which is South Africa's oldest winery, having been established in 1685. For one of the most beautiful journeys, head down the Cape Peninsula until you reach the nature reserve of Cape Point. It's a great winter sun spot too, and between December and January, temperatures can reach highs of 29C. Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire, visited the world's cheapest long haul holiday which is perfect for families - with no jet lag, jaw-dropping animals and perfect beaches. Plus, the budget airline that's launching first UK flights to one of Africa's best-value holiday destinations.
The Sun
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
British Airways launches bargain flights to affordable long-haul holiday destination for £150
FOR anyone wanting a bargain winter getaway, British Airways has just revealed a great one - but there is a small catch. The airline is launching new flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town starting in December, however only it's only available to its loyalty members. 5 5 British Airways is launching a new Avios-Only flight from London to the South African capital with 500 seats on offer. By using points accrued on the British Airways Club, members can buy themselves a seat on the plane. With the new flight, members can jet off to Cape Town from as little as 70,000 and £150. Cape Town is the latest British Airways long-haul Avios-Only flight destination added to its roster. This popular route will be made available for customers using their Avios over the festive period - from December 20, 2025 to January 2, 2026. British Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, Colm Lacy, said: 'We're delighted to announce Cape Town as our latest Avios-Only flight destination, in South Africa's peak travel season. "Members will have the opportunity to book seats across all four cabins over the popular festive period offering more value and choice than ever.' It sounds good, right? If you want to start collecting Avios points yourself, sign up to the British Airways Club. Then to gain points, you have to fly with British Airways and book British Airways Holidays. Buying baggage and seats also add points, as does using British Airways American Express cards. 5 5 Cape Town is one of the world's best value holiday destinations. It came in second place as the top best-value destination in the Post Office Holiday Money Report 2025. The report added: "Cape Town, South Africa, retains second place, despite an 11 per cent rise in prices compared to last year." Some of the top sights in South Africa include Table Mountain which you don't have to climb - instead you can hop on a cable car. At the foot of the mountain is Groot Constantia, which is South Africa's oldest winery, having been established in 1685. For one of the most beautiful journeys, head down the Cape Peninsula until you reach the nature reserve of Cape Point. It's a great winter sun spot too, and between December and January, temperatures can reach highs of 29C. Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire, visited the world's cheapest long haul holiday which is perfect for families - with no jet lag, jaw-dropping animals and perfect beaches. Plus, the budget airline that's launching first UK flights to one of Africa's best-value holiday destinations.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Changes made to British Airways' loyalty scheme and what it means for you
British Airways is making changes to its loyalty programme in a move to create a fairer system. The airline insisted the changes have not been designed to reduce the number of people rewarded. It is switching from awarding points based on the distance flown or fare class to the amount spent, at a rate of one point for every pound. To qualify for gold status, which features benefits such as access to first-class lounges and enhanced baggage allowance, customers will generally need to earn 20,000 points per year. The announcement of the changes in late December 2024 led to frequent flyer website to accuse the airline of 'effectively washing its hands of the leisure market', claiming it will be 'impossible to earn gold for small business travellers, economy travellers or self-funded leisure travellers'. On Wednesday, British Airways announced a bonus offer, which gives customers the chance to earn up to 550 additional points per flight based on their cabin class, will be extended for the rest of the year. Now, customers will be guaranteed to reach bronze status if they take at least 25 flights annually, such as commuters. Benefits for this status include access to business class check-in desks and free seat selection from seven days before departure, even if travelling on an economy ticket. British Airways chief commercial officer Colm Lacy said awarding points for spending is 'the best way of recognising our customers' loyalty and we're confident it's the right thing to do'. He told the PA news agency: 'This is not about reducing the number of members in each tier. 'The focus for this is making sure we have a loyalty scheme that rewards people for the right behaviours.' Mr Lacy said 'one of the benefits' of the changes is they will make it harder for people to use 'gamification and loopholes' to earn points, as 'that is not really rewarding loyalty'. In the past, some customers opted to take multiple flights on indirect routes to reach their destination, as often these cheaper, inconvenient fares helped them achieve statuses. Gilbert Ott, founder of the travel website God Save The Points, said people have an 'emotional attachment to loyalty' and the bonus offer creates 'a little bit more of that game feeling'. He said many loyalty schemes in the US are already based on spending, and these have often resulted in passengers getting 'better benefits because airlines have the economics behind them'. In relation to British Airways, he added: 'It's aggressive because they're the first in the UK – and one of the first in Europe – to go to a system where money is the main driver. Recommended reading: Who can get a new passport for free? See the criteria Can you still use a red passport for travelling in 2025? Rules to follow Can you travel when your passport is being renewed? The rules and regulations 'But my gut is, if you look in five years, almost everybody (will have done) the same.' The overhaul, which comes into effect from April 1, includes dropping the word 'Executive' from the programme's name, which will become the British Airways Club. There are also additions to how points can be earned, such as through the airline's package holiday division British Airways Holidays.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BA announces more changes to loyalty scheme and says 'right thing'
British Airways has insisted changes to its loyalty programme will create a fairer system and are not designed to reduce the number of people rewarded. The airline is switching from awarding points based on the distance flown or fare class to the amount spent, at a rate of one point for every pound. To qualify for gold status – which features benefits such as access to first-class lounges and enhanced baggage allowance – customers will generally need to earn 20,000 points per year. The announcement of the changes in late December 2024 led to frequent flyer website to accuse the airline of 'effectively washing its hands of the leisure market', claiming it will be 'impossible to earn gold for small business travellers, economy travellers or self-funded leisure travellers'. On Wednesday, British Airways announced a bonus offer enabling customers to earn up to 550 additional points per flight based on their cabin class will be extended for the rest of the year. It has also introduced a guarantee of bronze status for anyone taking at least 25 flights annually, such as commuters. READ MORE: 'I will never see my son grow up or have children because his girlfriend murdered him' READ MORE: Diners refused to pay £300 bill after 'not enjoying meal' at pub Benefits for this status include access to business class check-in desks and free seat selection from seven days before departure, even if travelling on an economy ticket. British Airways chief commercial officer Colm Lacy said awarding points for spending is 'the best way of recognising our customers' loyalty and we're confident it's the right thing to do'. He told the PA news agency: 'This is not about reducing the number of members in each tier. The focus for this is making sure we have a loyalty scheme that rewards people for the right behaviours.' Mr Lacy said 'one of the benefits' of the changes is they will make it harder for people to use 'gamification and loopholes' to earn points, as 'that is not really rewarding loyalty'. In the past, some customers opted to take multiple flights on indirect routes to reach their destination, as often these cheaper, inconvenient fares helped them achieve statuses. Gilbert Ott, founder of the travel website God Save The Points, said people have an 'emotional attachment to loyalty', and the bonus offer creates 'a little bit more of that game feeling'. He said many loyalty schemes in the US are already based on spending, and these have often resulted in passengers getting 'better benefits because airlines have the economics behind them'. In relation to British Airways, he added: 'It's aggressive because they're the first in the UK – and one of the first in Europe – to go to a system where money is the main driver. But my gut is, if you look in five years, almost everybody (will have done) the same.' The overhaul, which comes into effect from April 1, includes dropping the word 'Executive' from the programme's name, which will become the British Airways Club. There are also additions to how points can be earned, such as through the airline's package holiday division British Airways Holidays.
Telegraph
05-02-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
British Airways backtracks on controversial loyalty overhaul – here's how to secure gold status
British Airways is backtracking on controversial reforms to The move comes after leisure flyers When it laid out the reforms in December, BA said that tier points – and Avios (BA's air miles) – would be calculated solely on the price of the ticket for a flight, excluding airport charges and Air Passenger Duty, at a rate of one tier point per £1, instead of distance travelled, as in the past. At one tier point for every £1 spent, travellers would have to spend £20,000 to attain th BA is now reintroducing a feature of its outgoing loyalty programme, the Executive Club, so travellers will still be able to gain status by taking a certain number of flights, rather than spending a certain amount of money. Those who take 25 flights a year with a BA flight number, which might include flights on Aer Lingus and Iberia, will gain bronze status. Those who take 50 flights with a BA flight number will earn silver status. The move is designed, as one BA insider puts it, 'to recognise the loyalty of commuters who take a lot of short-haul flights often in economy.' Translation: we don't want needlessly to annoy loyal short-haul road warriors, lest they switch to EasyJet. BA is also making it easier to attain silver and gold status by offering a longer and more generous tier points bonus scheme. A promotion introduced in December 2024 for any flights booked before February 14 and flown after April 1 has been extended and made more generous. It now applies to any flights booked from today until the end of this year for travel anytime before December 2026. The number of bonus tier points on offer has doubled and will be a fixed amount based on the cabin – with economy the lowest and First the highest – not the price of the ticket. This more generous scheme will be backdated to cover any bookings already made this year. Customers will have to opt in to the scheme (which seems rather pernickity), so don't miss the email. BA's number crunchers won't say by how much the new schemes will reduce the amount frequent flyers will need to spend to attain silver or gold status, but savvy travellers may well be able to reduce the amount for a gold card to around £16,000 and around £6,000 for a silver card. BA also points out that passengers who have the BA American Express Premium Plus card will be able to gain many of the tier points they need to reach a certain status by using their card – one third for silver status and one eighth for gold. But the airline has not yet reached an agreement with Amex on what that spend is. BA says it hopes to announce a figure by the time the new Club goes live on April 1. Colm Lacy, BA's chief commercial officer, says he recognises that 'our members have a deep emotional connection with our loyalty scheme and their status means a lot to them. Speculation about the changes has led to concern about what they would mean for customers.' He hopes today's announcement will reassure frequent BA flyers that 'there are now lots more ways to earn status'. The new moves are likely to placate some critics, but many point out there are still what one calls 'plenty of nasties'. One of the traditional strengths of BA's loyalty programme has been the ability to fly on partner carriers in BA's Oneworld alliance and earn the same, or sometimes more, tier points than flying on BA – partly because flights on partner airlines often involve extra legs. Under the new rules, passengers will earn fewer tier points if they book a Qantas, Qatar Airways or Cathay Pacific flight, rather than flying with BA. The differences can be huge. Take the London Heathrow to Shanghai route in business class. After April 1, flying direct on BA will earn you between 3,414 and 9,682 tier points, according to the type of business-class ticket. Fly via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific and you will only earn 1,696 or 3,388 tier points. On Qatar Airways via Doha the most you can earn is 7,492. BA executives say it reasonable to expect BA Club members 'to fly on BA metal', as one puts it. But they point out that frequent flyers will still be able to earn the same tier points and Avios as if they were flying on BA if they travel on American Airlines and Iberia. Many frequent fliers hope that Qatar Airways will soon be added to that list. BA also says that it will not change the allocation of tier points earned by booking BA holidays. Critics have suggested that the tier points should be accrued by the person booking and paying for the holiday but BA insists the tier points have to be allocated per passenger per flight. BA executives believe that even with the new improvements, the new system will prevent some travellers from 'gaming' the system by signing up for multiple flights on BA and codeshare partners and taking advantage of numerous promotions to acquire a gold card for as little as £3,000. Lacy says: 'The old system didn't necessarily reward genuinely loyal behaviour but, instead, has encouraged behaviour that isn't in the spirit of our loyalty programme. We want to reward customers in the right way.' He sounds tough. But my money's on one more round of changes – and more generosity – as the April 1 launch approaches.
