News: Avios ‘Thank You’ appeal closes, Lufthansa bailout is finally approved, Loyalty Leaders webinar

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News in brief:

Avios ‘Thank You’ appeal closes at 300 million points

Last month we covered the Avios ‘Thank You’ appeal, which will see Avios offered to NHS workers as a big thank you for their efforts during coronavirus.

Avios Group donated an initial 210 million points. British Airways Executive Club members donated a further 95 million Avios on top, which will allow over 5,000 NHS workers to receive enough points for a short-haul ‘flight and two hotel nights’ package.

You cannot nominate yourself or a friend to receive a grant. Avios has asked over 250 hospitals, ambulance trusts and other NHS healthcare organisations to put forward a list of proposed beneficiaries.

Lufthansa bailout approved by shareholders

The saga of the Lufthana €9 billion bailout, as we covered here and here and here and here, is finally over.

I won’t go into the details again – the four links above tell you more than you need to know – but the deal was approved by 98% of shareholders at a meeting yesterday.

Despite threats to the contrary, Lufthansa’s largest shareholder Heinz-Hermann Thiele voted in favour of accepting the deal, which gives the German Government a 20% stake in the commpany.

Loyalty Leaders webinar

If you work in the loyalty industry, you might be interested in a webinar I did on Wednesday in the ‘Loyalty Leaders’ series.

It was based around the topic of ‘How do you make your loyalty promotions relevant during coronavirus?’, with a particular focus on the hotel sector. It runs for an hour – click here or on the image above to launch it in YouTube.

Because we didn’t have the questions in advance, it is a bit more freeform than usual. ‘Fairly slick TV Rob’ is replaced by ‘random stream of consciousness Rob’ – it is interesting to compare with the BBC Scotland interview I recorded literally 30 minutes earlier.

I’m also impressed by how the other two guys can sit and stare at the screen without moving for an hour, whilst I am up and down and messing with my hair and pulling faces …. if I am looking away it’s because I’m doing email at the same time …..

Category

British Airways and Avios

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Bob says:

26 Jun26 June 11:11

About Dell / Amex:
Do I have to use the business Dell website?
Can I use the consumer website? or can I order via phone?
- The Streets says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 12:36
  
  Use the link posted within the offer and you can order online
onlysuites says:

26 Jun26 June 11:47

Spent over £150 at Dell and it was split into 2 orders so cash back didn’t track. I spoke with Amex and the Brighton based operator confirmed that it qualified and noted my account to say that I would get the money but have to wait 100 days to get them to manually do it if it doesn’t show up.

So I would suggest calling up and explaining to Brighton Amex.
Nick says:

26 Jun26 June 11:59

Finally cleared out my Morrison’s gift cards

Any ideas how to secure at least 10pc off Morrison’s m and s, John Lewis gift cards at this point in time?
- Andrew says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 12:29
  
  Not off the Gift Cards, but if you are one of our country’s beloved NHS staff like me, you’ll get 10% off your grocery shopping at Mozso’s. There’s too many offers to list really.
  
  I’m now up to 15 offers on LBG, albeit nothing for groceries yet.
  
  Check your Sazbo’s offers on the Nectar App, a £10 off £50 has arrived in my digital coupons.
  - Jonathan says:
    
    26 Jun26 June 13:33
    
    Assume the 10% NHS offer doesn’t apply to gift cards? Not sure my moral compass would let me game what I think is a very generous offer anyway!
  - Nick says:
    
    26 Jun26 June 15:20
    
    I used a nhs discount in store at Morrison’s, but staff discount appeared in the till receipt. Consistent with your experience?
    
    I wonder if this is how they block gift cards getting discounted?
Anna says:

26 Jun26 June 12:48

I was also charged separately for items but have had the £50 credited on 2 cards – hang on a few days as it may still happen.
- Anna says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 12:49
  
  Though both transactions were on single order numbers, so maybe that makes a difference.
tical says:

26 Jun26 June 15:46

I know this has been discussed at length in different circumstances and I am dealing with the most plain of them now – BA just cancelled a flight on the 4th of July and refuse to book me on alternative airline for the same date (only offering refund on August 1st flight). What is the consensus – book alternative myself then claim? thanks
- Matt says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 16:11
  
  I think 3 days is probably long enough difference that you would be within your rights to claim for an alternative. Check what the CAA imposed on Ryanair during their strike – I think that was alternate airline if >48 hours delay/difference.
- tical says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 16:28
  
  …meant to say “refund for July 4th flight OR BA flight on August 1st”
- Anna says:
  
  26 Jun26 June 16:39
  
  This is BA’s standard stunt and is infuriating, especially when you’ve got other things like accommodation booked and they seem to think it’s entirely reasonable for you to just cancel your trip. I would say that the August flight may well be cancelled anyway, but in any case a month between travels dates is ludicrous. You are absolutely entitled to re-routing and duty of care in this instance. As your travel date is not far off, I would suggest getting some sort of acknowledgement that BA won’t budge, book an alternative flight and start a claim against that after your holiday.
  - tical says:
    
    26 Jun26 June 16:52
    
    Thanks Anna – agree absolutely. Problem is BA will not provide written confirmation other than the agent’s name and her code as well as a promise to update the notes on the booking. Have sent a formal complaint just to make sure my side is documented
  - Lady London says:
    
    26 Jun26 June 22:35
    
    I cannot believe British Airways are taking the p*ss so close to your departure time.
    
    do you have details of another flight(s) that departs close to your original time from your starting airport? call them again and request them to reroute you on that. Remind them EU261 requires them to provide an alternate flighr/routing from your departure aurport that will get you to your destination airport if they cant provide a flight of their own reasonably soon and their offer does not meet this.
    
    Also tell them that you will require duty of care ie hotel and 3 meals a day,at their cost, for each day you are delayed also EU261. Are you the person whose house has been given away / undergoing maintenance while ypu are away?
    
    if all else fails buy another ticket if they refuse your rights above (if you have the cash) and sue them for cost of that ticket, plus every conceivable cost. someone said today they asked on their moneyclaim for £100 for timw spent and got it.
    
    You can also try a Section 75 claim on your credit card for cost of replacement flight plus any extra expenses caused by this as Sectilon 75 covers consequential losses and here you have breach of contract and consequential losses. Why not talj to your cardif you get a second refusam from BA?
    
    btw dont do chargeback as this lets BA off the hook, with you suffering all the losses, and dont take a refund for the same reason.
    
    so (1) ask again adbabove
    (2) section 75
    (3) moneyclaim dot gov dot uk ( you get the small fee back as well as your winnings)
    - tical says:
      
      27 Jun27 June 10:54
      
      Thank you Lady London – thankfully the case you refer to (house refurbishment) is not me. BA continue to refuse rerouting – new reason given is they do not have a ticketing agreement with the one other airline flying the route from LHR on the 4th. Conversation recorded and complaint to BA lodged so will now go on to book myself. Presumably I only book a one way replacement flight – as only the outbound was cancelled?
      - Cuchlainn says:
        
        28 Jun28 June 20:55
        
        Tical,
        I may be wrong but if your outbound has been cancelled your inbound is also cancelled automatically – problem being you will not be notified of it yet.
Mark says:

27 Jun27 June 12:37

Hello Fresh did this with my order, it is actually impossible to have the deal credit as the base package is under £29.99 and all extras are charged under separate transactions, feel pretty duped tbh.