British Airways Companion Flights in the Post Pandemic Period

Air travel is back, but not as we knew it. One of the best perks, for those who hit the minimum spend targets on their BA Amex cards, is a British Airways Companion Voucher. This special benefit entitles the recipient to book a second reward seat ticket, on the same flight, in the same cabin, when they make a reward booking on a British Airways route with a BA flight number prefix.

Even in normal times, it can be hard to book BA Companion Voucher flights that realise its full value potential. Currently, in the post-pandemic period, it can be even harder. Flight schedules are still volatile and entry restrictions, government travel advice and quarantine rules are constantly changing. Of course, the vouchers have an expiry date too, letting them expire would be a huge waste, but many beneficiaries might feel conflicted about redeeming right now.

Prior to coronavirus, an Avios companion voucher purchase typically yielded the greatest value when used for a Club Europe or Club World booking: The points and fees difference for two reward tickets in a higher cabin class not being as great as the difference in cash prices. Plus the priority check-in, baggage allowance, lounge access and experience of travelling up front simultaneously made the journey both easier and more enjoyable. But is that still true right now?

A colleague and I, from the Rewardflightfinder.com team, recently visited London Heathrow Terminal 5 for a business class trip to Athens, to see what the current business class experience is on BA Companion Voucher flights. The first thing we noticed was that, whilst the terminal appeared quiet for the time of year, the Euro Traveller check-in queues were surprisingly long and social distancing did not seem well enforced at all. The Club Europe queue was also longer than expected with only a few staffed premium check-in desks. Though this one was suitably spaced out with gaps between the groups of passengers.

Once in the Galleries lounge, there was no buffet, with the huge areas, normally set aside for this, laying empty. Food ordering was still possible, via QR codes on the tables, linking to a menu and ordering system, supported by prompt table service. The self-service drinks bar was no more either, but several of these areas had changed over to staffed bar service, though again, ordering was via QR code ordering, you couldn’t just walk up and request a drink. Lounge seating was divided up, into smaller sections, with new perspex screens in place.

It was when it came to boarding that we began to wonder if business class was the right choice for our Avios companion voucher tickets. The new protocol is that the aircraft boards from the rear, without priority boarding. Once onboard it was clear that the crew hadn’t stopped economy passengers sticking their bags in the Club Europe overhead lockers, creating a very unsocially distanced scramble in the aisles for bag space. We wish we’d known in advance since we could have checked in two bags with our business class tickets and avoided getting a bit too up close and personal with other passengers.

When it came to the flight itself there was good and bad. Let’s get the worst out of the way: In 2017 BA short-haul passengers stopped being served complimentary food and beverages but Club Europe retained full service, with free-flowing drinks, meals on proper plates and cutlery. Not now. The food is still complimentary, but to minimise contact, business class customers now get a “Do & Co” meal in a box. Put simply, it’s terrible and has more in common with a bad airline’s long haul economy meal than something appropriate for an expensive business class flight. We each got a cold, sad-looking, bacon sandwich, a bottle of water and some tiny fruit pots.

There was some good news, however. Firstly, you still got a complimentary alcoholic beverage to wash away the sorrow of the meal. Secondly, the actual cabin service we received on board was fantastic: Friendly, helpful, courteous, prompt and you could sense the smiles behind the obligatory masks. Despite the recent industrial strife at BA, the crew seemed happy to be flying again. Finally, despite the unseemly locker scramble, we felt safe throughout the journey. In Economy (Euro Traveller) class, it appeared that the flight was crowded and most of the middle seats were occupied. The Club Europe cabin has retained empty middle seats and wasn’t full, meaning people could space themselves out well and keep things clean with their complimentary “personal protection pack” of anti-bacterial towels and sanitiser gel.

So is it ok to use a British Airways Companion Voucher at the moment and does Business Class still represent value for money? Despite a few niggles, we enjoyed our flight and certainly felt safer flying Club Europe than we would have done in the economy cabin. Had we paid full price, which would have been £1,350 for the pair of us, the reduction in service would possibly have made us feel slightly cheated. However, we got our two British Airways Companion Voucher Flights, using a Reward Flight Saver deal, for 30,000 Avios plus £100 in taxes and fees. If something had happened, and we had to return early, we’d also worry far less about the amount of money we spend on our tickets.

So if the expiry deadline is looming to use your “2 for 1” voucher and you’re feeling conflicted about redeeming it, we’d say the following: Go for it!

There is better availability than normal right now, for award flights, so use a tool like Reward Flight Finder to see what’s out there. We felt safer flying Business Class and, although there were some compromises to the normal Club Europe service, the Avios price is still good value for money, even for a solo traveller. Check-in is likely to be less crowded and you can check two bags each to avoid time in the aisle later. The lounge feels safe, is well managed and is still a better place to be than the general terminal. Onboard, the cabin seating is more spaced-out, the service is good and the views out the window look better than ever after weeks stuck at home.