BA 2 for 1 Club Offer

How annoying!! I have already used up all of my holiday so can't take advantage! I am off to the Far East with EK in Business in September - which I booked in January on one of their companion offers. Ive looked at the cost difference with BA - would cost me an Extra 100pp in air fare and 200pp EK cancellation charge if I were to cancel and re book with BA. Do you think that is worth while? I've not flown EK before so I am not sure if the extra it will cost me with BA is worthwhile. Opinions welcomed! I would have happily paid the higher fare for a direct flight - but adding in the EK cancellation fee is just making me think twice...

Well nothing's shifted on the VS site ... do you think they've been caught napping or are there BETTER things in the 'pipe-line', so to speak?

According to the TTG the official response was they were not planning to match the offer...

This offer is great if you are a family with 2 children who have to pay adult prices. Managed to persuade the other half that flights were such a bargain that we should book an extra holiday this year! Have just booked flights to Cairo for just over 500 a head for the 4 of us. Flying in a 747 fitted with the New Club World Cabin.

[Nottingham Nick]

With thanks to the Virgin board on FT. Backing up what barnstable says above.

The response from VS link to timesonline.

Virgin won't be matching the offer - their spokesman just dissed the BA offer instead. [V]

Nick

[RichardMannion]

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

Virgin won't be matching the offer - their spokesman just dissed the BA offer instead. [V]

Nick


I really hate this fool of a spokesperson - talk about stupidity. For the dates and trips I am looking at, it is much cheaper on BA than VS. And the audactity of the comment about it being a short sale, err hello. Has he seen the way VS offers are done? I must be imagining things as I couldhave swore that I've seen VS routes on continually sale. The bit about T&C's, well I just want to punch the chap now as we all know who are masters of gloss, and buried T&C's. Companion ticket anyone?

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
With thanks to the Virgin board on FT. Backing up what barnstable says above.

The response from VS link to timesonline.

Virgin won't be matching the offer - their spokesman just dissed the BA offer instead. [V]

Nick


It is a very long time ago that I have read a report that contained as much drivel as the Virgin spokesman is reported to have said here. He obviously is so out of touch with the real world - people WILL book these lower fares (they are doin so in droves in my head office) even if it was for leisure - if they like the product and want to build their tier points etc then they will make repeat bookings for business. It is a win win for BA and with such a load of garbage being said from Virgin a lose lose for them I am afraid.

Hackneyguy

I'd have to agree that the statement issued by Virgin is nothing more than drivel & spin.

The way I see it, BA have got one over on Virgin with this one & I bet that the VS PR dept are kicking themselves that they didnt think of it first. If VS were to match the offer now, they could only be accused of playing copycat. Whereas with sales in the past, the two airlines simply matched each others fare, but this is different.

Just like with the BA 50% mileage sale last year, where Virgin were either unable or unwilling to match it, BA have once again got one up on them. So to my mind it's currently BA 2 / VS 0.

As far as saying that the BA 241 offer is full of T&Cs, well what a load of rubbish. Its no more or less restrictive than a regular I class fare with BA or a Z with VS. So I really dont know where theyre (VS PR) going with that one.

So lets see what VS pull out of the hat in the coming months to even the score. They have a great opportunity with their 25th Anniversary promotion to do so, lets just see what they do.

I've decided to re-schedule our October mileage redemption and booked LHR-SFO and return for Rach and I instead, total price of 2562.40 (With CC surcharge) is a bargain in my book and can't be passed up. The miles we get will top up our BA accs giving us the 25k req'd so we can MFU a future WT+ return booking to CW too.

Have to say I do fear for VAs financial position it just doesn't seem to be able to compete.

This was the final straw for me and now that I have booked a Club return to SFO in the summer my Virgin gold card renewal will diappear into the distance.

I love many aspects of Virgin but they simply aren't competing with the overall package anymore.

Companion tickets and upgrades are worthless, the offers on Premium Economy and in fact anything beyond a couple of months almost non existent. The failure to upgrade the Gatwick fleet another worrying sign no matter how we tell ourselves the old seats were better.

All in all for me the BA package is now superior. I can't keep both VA gold and BA silver, I have to choose one and with the prices together with the ability to use miles for real upgrades and a companion ticket that actually works out cheaper to use, there is no choice.

I held off until this afternoon but trying to justify why I would pay 500 pounds extra just to fly Virgin on this one flight to keep my gold card made no sense and I have booked BA.

So Mr Spokesman whatever you think of the BA offer it has won my annual 12k of spend and I am rather sad about it. Loyal for 12 years but I can't afford loyalty anymore.

Lets see what the darkside throw at me.

[Nottingham Nick]

This is another thread that I sincerely hope is being read by someone at Crawley; that has the power and inclination to do something positive.

Nick

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
This is another thread that I sincerely hope is being read by someone at Crawley; that has the power and inclination to do something positive.

Nick


I'd like to see this website get a chance to put these types of questions to VS. Has there ever been a request from v-flyer for an interview with VS?

All booked up to Adelaide and NYC what a cracking offer and confirmed its full TPs and miles on both tickets. Not so sure the on business points will appear.

Oh Dear; BA 600 cheaper for two of us to go to Delhi on business in August. First time on the Dark Side for three years. Shame VS have offered nothing to keep me on this one.

quote:Originally posted by speejo
Have to say I do fear for VAs financial position it just doesn't seem to be able to compete.

Companion tickets and upgrades are worthless, the offers on Premium Economy and in fact anything beyond a couple of months almost non existent. The failure to upgrade the Gatwick fleet another worrying sign no matter how we tell ourselves the old seats were better.

Lets see what the darkside throw at me.



I don't think it has anything to do with Virgin's financial position - it tells me that BA are in a more precarious position and have more seats to fill (which is a given as they are the bigger airline).

Virgin have had sales since the start of the year, and constantly matching BA's prices doesn't actually do anyone any favours - just increases the accusations of a duopoly on the routes they compete. A 2-4-1 offer now wouldn't create any impact at all.

Also, we are constantly reminded that the Gatwick fleet isn't going to be upgraded and that Virgin's priority is to survive the downturn - but then complain when they aren't slashing prices?

I am bit confused as to why everyone expects Virgin to match everything that BA does.

quote:Originally posted by Sealink
quote:




I am bit confused as to why everyone expects Virgin to match everything that BA does.




Maybe because this is a world driven by price and not always about quality! otherwise everyone would hang out to spend there hard earned miles on first class travel not CW or UC.

And secondly VS has had sales but nothing quite as impressive as a 241 which really was a sale and a half, the pity is i reckon BA have mopped up quite a few late bookers which might have swung Virgins way, so im a little confused as to why VS didnt price match them and stole there thunder instead of being turned over.

alex

But do we think there will be another sale on the next May bank holiday?!

quote:Originally posted by Alex V
quote:Originally posted by Sealink
quote:




I am bit confused as to why everyone expects Virgin to match everything that BA does.




Maybe because this is a world driven by price and not always about quality! otherwise everyone would hang out to spend there hard earned miles on first class travel not CW or UC.

And secondly VS has had sales but nothing quite as impressive as a 241 which really was a sale and a half, the pity is i reckon BA have mopped up quite a few late bookers which might have swung Virgins way, so im a little confused as to why VS didnt price match them and stole there thunder instead of being turned over.

alex


Well, I make you 100% correct.

Don't forget BA also did the 50% off redemptions, covering all classes pretty recently too.

As I posted earlier, we changed our miles redemption to book with BA on this offer as the prices are just too good to pass up.
The upshot of that is that after those flights we will have enough miles on our BA accs (we have a few miles left over from a while ago) to upgrade a US return from WT+ to CW so that's another booking BA will get from us.

If VS had of matched the offer, I would've done everything the same but book with VS instead. They've lost out but they don't care as we're just leisure PAX anyway (leisure PAX who fly business class & above, long haul, at least 5 return flights a year and are happy to pay for it).

All in all, I can't complain, VS have just reminded me that flying with BA is the way forward for my wife and I now that our favourites (BMI) have gone. More flight options and a better flying club in our opinion.