Just wanted to thank all[ especially Bernaard ] for tips re checking availability on AA website re flights for potential BA reward remption, a huge help and I should be able to get myself the info I need to avoid tying up a BAEC rep for hours by phone.
Another quick question - what fare designator does CX use to show reward redemption inventory - looks like it may be "O" - am I correct?
I am trying to use my BA points to book a MCI to IND trip.
However I encounter 2 issues:
1) I get a message that says "You can currently only make BA Miles bookings on American Airlines via our contact centres, so please call us to book.
It is temporarily not possible to do this online."
2) However, I can proceed to see the flights available, but they do not match AA saver inventory. Previously, the flights available have ALWAYS matched AA saver inventory.
I call the call-center, but they want to charge me $20 for booking a flight even though their website says that I can only make BA bookings on AA through the center. I would gladly book over the internet otherwise.
Has anyone encountered a similar situation? Particularly # 2?
Programs: Aadvantage Gold 1MM, BA Blue again :-(, Hilton Silver
Posts: 612
Quote:
Originally Posted by doubled79
#2; I call the call-center, but they want to charge me $20 for booking a flight even though their website says that I can only make BA bookings on AA through the center. I would gladly book over the internet otherwise.
Has anyone encountered a similar situation? Particularly # 2?
American are very specific about this, the situation changed a year or two back, it used to be more discretionary, now its black and white. If you make a booking over the phone, there is a charge. Full stop.
It doesn't matter if you could have done it online but are being lazy, or it simply can't be done online. There is a charge. Take it or leave it.
In the scheme of things, $20 (or did you mean pounds as I'm pretty sure its USD $30 for Aadvantage members) , is small beer, and unless there is a waiver for non AAdvantage members you'll have to suck it up anyway.
I do have one comment though, short point to point US flights are particularly poor value pointswise, have you looked at the cost in old fashioned money and compared that to the points you are using?
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,216
No no no.
American flights do not show properly on the British Airways website.
But I've found that the BA contact centre has access to the same AA flights that AA offers to its own members. They don't always see the flights right away, the systems that the contact centre works with are only marginally better than those of the website. But with a little work a good agent will find the seats.
And I've never been charged a fee by BAEC to book an itinerary over the phone that I couldn't book online.
__________________ View from the Wing blog: everything you need to know about earning/redeeming miles & getting the most bang for your travel $$
American flights do not show properly on the British Airways website.
But I've found that the BA contact centre has access to the same AA flights that AA offers to its own members. They don't always see the flights right away, the systems that the contact centre works with are only marginally better than those of the website. But with a little work a good agent will find the seats.
And I've never been charged a fee by BAEC to book an itinerary over the phone that I couldn't book online.
I see a flight available on AA.com, but when I call BA they say there's nothing available. Do I have to just keep recalling in hopes of finding a agent that knows where to look?
Programs: AA LT Gold, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, SPG Gold, PC Plat Ambassador
Posts: 659
So frustrated with BA.com
Trying to book a one-way business class ticket from ORD to LAS on 8/19. Don't have enough AA miles anymore so need to use BA miles. AA shows two flights that have the Business MileSaaver award available on that date. When I do a search on partner airlines on the BA site, it says that no Business/Club seats are available on that date. However, when I changed it to First class, those same two flights come up - but at a charge of 37500 miles instead of 25000 miles. Now I don't know about you, but I don't want to pay 12500 miles more for what I can get on AA for 25000 miles.
So why is BA wanting to charge me 37500 miles when I'm actually going to be in business class (according to AA) and NOT first class???
Location: CLL, but wishing I was in AMS, AKL, BGI, DBV, MBJ, PPT, or SBH
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat, Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Platinum, HH Gold, Johnnie Walker Standing Man Society
Posts: 4,243
Quote:
Originally Posted by AAflyguy
I see a flight available on AA.com, but when I call BA they say there's nothing available. Do I have to just keep recalling in hopes of finding a agent that knows where to look?
They have to be Y or J milesAAver only...the other categories do not show up, in my experience
__________________ If it ain't Boeing, I ain't Going
Trying to book a one-way business class ticket from ORD to LAS on 8/19. Don't have enough AA miles anymore so need to use BA miles. AA shows two flights that have the Business MileSaaver award available on that date. When I do a search on partner airlines on the BA site, it says that no Business/Club seats are available on that date. However, when I changed it to First class, those same two flights come up - but at a charge of 37500 miles instead of 25000 miles. Now I don't know about you, but I don't want to pay 12500 miles more for what I can get on AA for 25000 miles.
So why is BA wanting to charge me 37500 miles when I'm actually going to be in business class (according to AA) and NOT first class???
This, from what I understand, is normal. AA calls its domestic premium class "domestic first class," which BA considers as first class redemption and charge you the full first rate for it. You are better off using AA miles, if you have any.
Trying to book a one-way business class ticket from ORD to LAS on 8/19. Don't have enough AA miles anymore so need to use BA miles. AA shows two flights that have the Business MileSaaver award available on that date.
AA does not have a Business cabin on that route. AA.com simply shows a generic "Business/First" category.
ORD Chicago O'Hare Int'l IL US [KORD]
LAS Las Vegas McCarran Int'l NV US [KLAS]
THU 19 Aug 2010 | 1 Seat
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------
AA 2537 ORD 21:20 LAS 23:05 738 FS+
AA 1715 ORD 13:00 LAS 14:50 738 FS+
AA 2325 ORD 12:05 DFW 14:25 M80 FS+
-> AA 2247 DFW 15:10 LAS 16:00 M80
AA 1063 ORD 09:10 LAX 11:25 738 FS+
-> AA 1910 LAX 12:20 LAS 13:30 738
AA 2339 ORD 16:10 DFW 18:45 M80 FS+
-> AA 1595 DFW 19:40 LAS 20:30 M80
AA 2333 ORD 14:45 DFW 17:05 M83 FS+
-> AA 1001 DFW 18:25 LAS 19:15 M80
AA 2337 ORD 15:30 DFW 18:00 M80 FS+
-> AA 1595 DFW 19:40 LAS 20:30 M80
AA 2325 ORD 12:05 DFW 14:25 M80 FS+
-> AA 1803 DFW 16:35 LAS 17:20 757
AA 2329 ORD 13:50 DFW 16:15 M80 FS+
-> AA 1001 DFW 18:25 LAS 19:15 M80
AA 2333 ORD 14:45 DFW 17:05 M83 FS+
-> AA 1595 DFW 19:40 LAS 20:30 M80
I'm having similar issues. When I search AA.com DFW-MIA 12/31 returning 1/8, I come up with available MileSAAver awards. When I call BA, they say nothing available. Any thoughts? They tell me that the availability to partners is different than the availability using AAdvantage miles.