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Would You Part With Up To £600 In Airport Fees For A "Free Flight" From Air Miles?

Travel, Flights & Holidays•Flights & Airports•Flights

I received an email a few days from Airmiles company that they had decided to change (in other words downgrade) the Airmiles travel loyalty to take effect from mid November 2011. As am result of re-branding the scheme as Avios and amalgamating it with BA Miles and Iberia (following the merger of the 2 airlines)any member claiming "free flights" will now have to pay all air and fuel taxes. This could add up to £300 plus for New York, £420 plus for Tokyo and up to £600 plus for flights to and from Australia.

There is little or no logic to this new updated brand because you can probably find cheaper air fares from cheap travel agents without this phoney free gift. You amass so many Air Miles points from shopping to deserve a free flight previously but now only to be hit with a stealth tax. This is not fair.

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Responses (3)

Well, they say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but this sounds outrageous.

Thank goodness I don't fly!

by Feline123, 8 months ago

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On second thoughts I note that the CON/DEM government has been eerily quiet thus far on this announcement of the replacement Avios scheme to Airmiles. Yet airport fees and taxes relating to air travel are usually government-regulated not airline regulated. I am sure it is they who really sanctioned this in order to siphon off more taxes from us because we are supposed to be in it altogether. Despicable conduct!

by creativesaver, 8 months ago

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It's a bunch of private companies who decided to amalgamate and cut costs by reducing benefits to customers.

The government's got nothing to do with it.

by G-Man, 8 months ago

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I agree, G-Man, the government is innocent! :-)

by fruitcake, 8 months ago

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Damn. I've been gradually converting my Tesco Vouchers to airmiles in the hope of being able to go away on a nice holiday. Now its not going to be possible.

by HSP, 8 months ago

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