British Airways is offering double miles on each member’s first 10 BA flight segments, or British Airways codeshares operated by transatlantic joint venture partners. Registration required.
Register and book by August 31 for travel through December 31. British Airways vacation packages are also eligible for U.S. and U.K.-registered members. Flights booked prior to registration will not earn bonus miles. Customers already loyal to BA aren’t rewarded, because the airline doesn’t want to spend for business it’s getting anyway.
In addition to British Airways’ own flights, BA codeshares on transatlantic joint venture partners are eligible as well (but an American Airlines flight with an American Airlines flight number is not).
The airline explains the reason for the promotion as celebrating the current good times. The global pandemic has sapped air travel demand. U.K. quarantine rules have limited travel further. So pop the bubbly by yourself in a socially-distanced way, fly to or through Heathrow if you’re able, 2020 is something to celebrate. Unless, of course, you’re a British Airways employee facing pay cuts or job elimination, or a Covid patient facing treatment by the National Health Service.
British Airways and other airline carriers are going to have to do more than that if they want to increase business. How about “Cash back rewards for frequent fliers,” including free hotel and rental cars/SUV?
The jibe against the NHS is uncalled for and unnecessary. People have been working night and day to keep everyone in the UK as safe and healthy as possible, complete with some world-leading research into treatment and vaccines.
The UK Government on the other hand have done almost as badly as the US have in controlling the pandemic and do deserve your ire.
I’d take a NHS hospital over anything in the US any day of the week.
Unfortunately Gary is on his germaphobic campaign to get the entire world shut down again, hence his implication that BA is encouraging COVID spread. The UK was pretty bad but pales in comparison with the US.
@Pete – where on earth did I say that BA was encouraging spread of Covid?
@David Cohen – Both in absolute and available capacity UK’s health system was ill-prepared for the pandemic relative to peers, it’s led to worse patient outcomes, and should cause a serious re-evaluation that doesn’t appear to be happening in earnest.
There was no criticism of the individuals working hard and doing their best under the circumstances, but I’d absolutely prefer to be treated in a major city in the U.S.
By the way that’s entirely independent of the U.K.’s biomedical response to the crisis which has been excellent.
Why aren’t they offer double or triple Tier points. Much more valuable abd attractive!
@Gary – absolutely there should be a full and independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic. The Conservatives are still resisting this which is a scandal in itself.
You may not think you’re attacking the individuals of the NHS, but that’s exactly how your comments are coming across.
The UK Government deserves persistent criticism for its handling of the crisis – the NHS has done an incredible job with what it’s had. I suspect this post will alienate every single one of your readers from the UK.
@David Cohen – “with what it’s had” is exactly my point.
@David Cohen “I’d take a NHS hospital over anything in the US any day of the week.”
Nice try but I’ll go with Mick Jagger on this one. He came to New York for his heart surgery, not Liverpool or Birmingham.
The whole celebration thing seems a little tone deaf.