No real Reward Seats on UK airlines - its a Reward Upgrade!

I have come to the sad conclusion that there really is no such thing as a miles 'Reward' business seat on major UK airlines. BA or Virgin.

Basically when booking a business/UC seat, you have to pay the equivalent of an economy fare in 'fuel surcharges', taxes, etc, and they will take your miles to upgrade you to that better UC seat. So you have paid for an Economy seat (or more) and ended up in UC. The reward miles got you an upgrade, that is all.

Compare to US airlines where you can fly a long haul or international business/first miles seats for $25 or so, or major transcontinental ones like Air NZ business class 12hrs LAX to Auckland for $35 + miles. Those are really reward seats.

The UK ones are Reward upgrades, in reality. Perhaps we should start calling them that?

I have come to the sad conclusion that there really is no such thing as a miles 'Reward' business seat on major UK airlines. BA or Virgin.

Basically when booking a business/UC seat, you have to pay the equivalent of an economy fare in 'fuel surcharges', taxes, etc, and they will take your miles to upgrade you to that better UC seat. So you have paid for an Economy seat (or more) and ended up in UC. The reward - the air-miles - got you an upgrade, that is all.

Compare to US airlines where you can fly a long haul or international business/first miles seats for $25 or so, or major transcontinental ones like Air NZ business class 12hrs LAX to Auckland for $35 + miles. Those are really reward seats.

The UK ones are Reward upgrades, in reality. Perhaps we should start calling them that?

You're absolutely right, though it's actually only $2.50 per segment with most, if not all, US Airlines....flying to the UK will land you with APD on the return sector but that's it. I love it.

In fairness..... The big problem is UK APD..... We are being right royally screwed on this.....

When people are now flying out of Manston, Kent with KLM and then take a long haul flight with them to avoid our APD then we know we are in dodo land !

We being ripped off as usual !

It's not APD, it's the fuel and "passenger service" surcharges that airlines pretend is tax.