We helped readers having issues with the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card
Like many of you, Be Clever With Your Cash reader, Taran, applied for the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card this year to take advantage of the 60,000 Avios welcome bonus.
But he was also one of the many people we heard from who didn’t receive the total points they were expecting.
It was only when Be Clever With Your Cash intervened that American Express agreed to do the right thing and pay Taran the 60,000 points he was due.
Be Clever With Your Cash wants to help! If you’re in a similar situation and want us to get involved, do get in touch by email at [email protected] or via the Be Clever With Your Cash Facebook community page.
Here’s what happened with Taran.
Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.
Applying for the Amex card
To get the increased bonus, Avios customers had to apply for the credit card directly through the British Airways Executive Club – which Taran, 23, did on January 30 this year – and spend £3,000 within the first three months.
Taran, who lives in the East Midlands, followed the rules as laid out in the offer. But come March, when he was expecting 60,000 Avios (worth £600) to land in his account, he only received 25,000.
His experience is almost identical to another reader, Mark, who applied for the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card in the same way yet didn’t get the bonus points either.
What’s more is Taran helped his parents with their application for the same credit card – doing it in exactly the same way as he did. And guess what? Both of them received the 60,000 Avios points while he was left short.
The complaint
Taran initially contacted American Express over the online chat feature to find out what had happened. He was told the card application wasn’t submitted from an eligible link to get the 60,000 points.
He made an official complaint via the chat and expected to hear back within 15 working days. However, he didn’t get a response and when he followed up the agent said no complaint had been raised.
Another complaint was lodged but when American Express responded, it dug its heels in, insisting Taran used the wrong link to apply which is why he’d not get any more points. Instead, it offered £50 compensation for not registering the initial complaint.
Get the best of our money saving content every Thursday, straight to your inbox
+ Get a £20 Quidco bonus (new members only). More details
Supporting BCWYC readers
In the summer, our editor Andy forwarded the complaints we received on this issue to American Express and asked it to investigate why some of you hadn’t received your bonus Avios after applying via the British Airways Executive Club – when others, who applied the same way, got them without issue.
All American Express would tell us was there wasn’t an issue with how the offer was set up.
However, the Financial Ombudsman Service recently ruled in favour of Mark, who was denied the bonus points earlier this year, and ordered American Express to honour the 60,000 Avios and pay him £100 compensation.
So I went back to American Express with this information and urged it to revisit Taran’s case.
Within a week American Express had investigated again and contacted Taran. He told me the member of staff explained over the phone that the link he had used to apply was broken, which is why the bonus offer failed, and promised to put the additional points in his account as soon as possible.
During this time, Taran also took his complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, to ensure he was within the six month window of having his complaint accepted in case American Express refused to honour the Avios.
As American Express refused to offer compensation for the time he’s spent trying to get the matter resolved, he will continue working with the Ombudsman for a better outcome.
American Express refused to comment.
Did you miss out on the BA Amex Avios bonus too?
If you’re in a similar situation and want us to get involved, do get in touch by email at [email protected] or via the Be Clever With Your Cash Facebook community page.