# Buy & Fly Points



## PMI (3 Dec 2008)

I had an account with "Buy & Fly" It's a reward scheme which gives among other things, flights for points. The arrangement was that I was awarded points for using a specific "Buy & Fly" credit card from MBNA bank.

I was collecting points for nearly a year with the intention of collecting enough for a trip to the USA. Just yesterday I contacted B&F to try and arrange this flight. I discovered that they have just gone into liquidation. Their website advised me to contact the issurer of the points.

I contacted MBNA who confirmed that B&F had in fact closed but they (MBNA) have no responsibility to me for any redress. I particularly used my MBNA card for almost everything during the year in order to gather points. It did not actually cost me anything because I always clear my account every month, but I feel that MBNA should not wash their hands of it.

BTW, according to the "Buy & Fly" broucher, they seem to be associated with IATA. (aviation Reg.), whould it be worth while contacting them.


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## Graham_07 (3 Dec 2008)

I have just seen this post. We have used B&F a lot through Tesco ClubCard points and have quite a few B&F points and unused vouchers. I rang Tesco customer care as the B&F website is offline. There is a pre-recorded message on the Tesco site saying that B&F have had "trading difficulties"  and as soon as they have more information they will contact everyone involved. I am unsure as to the MBNA deal but the Tesco one is quite big and heavily promoted. The deal there is 1 B&F point for every 5 Tesco points. If B&F are gone I will be expecting at least that Tesco would convert back the B&F points earned with them to ordinary Tesco points. Will advise once know more.


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## 8till8 (4 Dec 2008)

Hey PMI, you should formally complain to MBNA in writing(I'm on the way to Financial Ombudsman tone..)
MBNA would be very quick to get onto you if you reneged on your part of the deal...


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## PMI (6 Dec 2008)

Thank you all.  I have in fact contacted MBNA (by phone) and initially the washed their hands of it.  However, I tried to argue that they should have some responsibility and suggested that I might contact some athority or national media.
They then said that there was a letter prepared and being sent out to all "Buy & Fly" credit card holdersand that they were considering their position
I am awaiting that letter.


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## kevtev (9 Dec 2008)

I too have been collecting Buy & Fly points with MBNA for over 18 months - in fact this is the only reason that I obtained an MBNA card. I will be seriously p**ed off they do not compensate me for this. I had over 5000 points collected to date!


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## Graham_07 (9 Dec 2008)

Tesco have indicated that they will contact all customers of their B&F scheme shortly with their proposals. At least looks like they will be doing something. We've used a lot of points but still have over 4000 standing unused at present. That's equivalent to 20,000 Tesco points @ the 1 for 5 ratio they used.


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## ohsorosie (18 Dec 2008)

Hi 
I have 2930 buy and fly points with Tesco.... Tesco have written to me to say they will only honor the buy and fly points accumulated since oct..... how unfair.... i am going to contact them - its just now good enough.  I feel so strongly about it i would refuse to shop in tesco ever again if they have that attitude.


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## cobra75 (6 Jan 2009)

I got their letter, very little in the way of MBNA taking action here, so I called MBNA - the standard response - 'nothing we can do about it, we are in the dark too, will let you know when we know' - this isn't good enough as I too had close to 10,000 pts and there doesn't look like they'll be anything done about it, I left a voicemail in the buyandfly number as directed by their automated service for points redemption, still awaiting the forms.
Is there anything we, the consumers, can do, a call to Mr Duffy perhaps?


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## Bunnyadden (9 Jan 2009)

Just wondering if there was any update here?  Had got all the info from Buy n Fly and was contemplating the MBNA card for the €200 holiday voucher!


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## oslo (9 Feb 2009)

Any further update now that it is February. I collected the Tesco ones, and have wrote to  them. I also collected the points via "Ask Chilla" survey panel. Had accumulated alot of points, all for nothing.


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## desouzan (9 Mar 2009)

I too have been collecting buy and fly points mainly from Tesco they have been very helpful since the collapse of Landround plc. They have now written to me saying they have received information from the administrators of Landround plc of my unused buy and fly points and they will convert these points to Tesco vouchers and send them to me in my next statement. Good luck with MBNA


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## Graham_07 (9 Mar 2009)

desouzan said:


> I too have been collecting buy and fly points mainly from Tesco they have been very helpful since the collapse of Landround plc. They have now written to me saying they have received information from the administrators of Landround plc of my unused buy and fly points and they will convert these points to Tesco vouchers and send them to me in my next statement. Good luck with MBNA


 
We also received a letter today. However the points converted fell substantially short of those on our Buy & Fly account at time of collapse. Tesco have not been at all helpful in ascertaining how the difference arose and my wife has spent some time today trying to get contact details for the person who sent out the letter, namely Tesco Ireland's Marketing Director . He sent out these letters with neither return address nor phone number on. One might be inclined to think that the gentleman does not want to be contacted.  However after a lot of phone calls we have his address and will be writing (Tesco would not supply his phone number) . Further update will follow.


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## desouzan (9 Mar 2009)

Graham All my points that were converted from Tesco points to Buy and fly points have been reconverted to tesco points, but I had other buy and fly points that were issued by other retailers i.e Heatons, Classic furniture and ask chilli etc that seem to be lost. but in my case these were a small proportion of my points  I hope you are able to retrieve the shortfall in your points


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## Graham_07 (10 Mar 2009)

desouzan said:


> ask chilli etc that seem to be lost.


 
Desouzan I think you've solved my difference. I had B&F points from Ask Chilli also, and they would have come to quite a few hundred B&F points. Thats probably the difference. Least we're getting a good chunk in Tesco vouchers in May....will pay for most of a weeks groceries .


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## Bubbles34 (10 Mar 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> Desouzan I think you've solved my difference. I had B&F points from Ask Chilli also, and they would have come to quite a few hundred B&F points. Thats probably the difference. Least we're getting a good chunk in Tesco vouchers in May....will pay for most of a weeks groceries .


 
It's going to be a good May for me also


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## Robbie_C (11 Mar 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> Desouzan I think you've solved my difference. I had B&F points from Ask Chilli also, and they would have come to quite a few hundred B&F points. Thats probably the difference. Least we're getting a good chunk in Tesco vouchers in May....will pay for most of a weeks groceries .


 

Take that money you would have usually spent on groceries and buy your flights with it, same thing at the end of the day.


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## Graham_07 (11 Mar 2009)

Robbie_C said:


> Take that money you would have usually spent on groceries and buy your flights with it, same thing at the end of the day.


 
Actually it isn't. For 150 B&F points, which is equivalent to 750 Tesco points ( 1 for 5 ) , you could get a €200 voucher off a 7 night package holiday. I had 3,025 B&F Points ... work it out, that's equivalent to 20 vouchers at €200 a pop. I'm glad to get the Tesco settlement but the B&F system worked very well for us over the past few years. For example in Oct 07 I got flights and 4 star accom for 4 adults ( 2 apartments) to Lanzarote for a total cost of €800 after allowing for vouchers. We did well but as they say, all good things.... ( maybe it was too good and thats why they went bust).


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