Christmas and New Year 2016/17

Old Apr 25, 2015, 10:58 am
  #1  
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Christmas and New Year 2016/17

My brain isn't working properly, and having searched, all I've managed to do is confuse myself!

I am looking to book redemption flights for Christmas and New Year 2016/17. Destination will be Delhi, leaving London on 21/12/16. The return would be from Mumbai on 04/01.

If I was to book on Monday, prior to the devaluation, I would book for a random date period in March 2016. I would obviously then need to call up to move the dates forward, which I understand I can do; although I would obviously have to pay the change date fee.

My question though, is when would I need to call BA (at 1am), to change the outbound, and when would I call to change the inbound?

Also, can a 2-4-1 be added retrospectively?

Thanks all!
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 11:07 am
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Do you mean 2015/16? I'm not sure you can book as far ahead as 2016/17.
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 11:09 am
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Tickets usually only have 12 months validity from date of booking I thought - so not sure this will work
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 11:31 am
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Originally Posted by Genius1
Do you mean 2015/16? I'm not sure you can book as far ahead as 2016/17.
OP wants to book now for a flight in MArch 2016 then phone up later when Dec 2016 and Jan 2017 are on sale so as to avoid the new avios rates.

Not sure this is possible as I thought changes were only possible within the 12 months from date of booking period not date of the flight.
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 11:36 am
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Originally Posted by Genius1
Do you mean 2015/16? I'm not sure you can book as far ahead as 2016/17.
Originally Posted by lorcancoyle
Tickets usually only have 12 months validity from date of booking I thought - so not sure this will work
Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
OP wants to book now for a flight in MArch 2016 then phone up later when Dec 2016 and Jan 2017 are on sale so as to avoid the new avios rates.

Not sure this is possible as I thought changes were only possible within the 12 months from date of booking period not date of the flight.
Ah, I thought it was 12 months from the date of the ticket. Drat!

Back to square one in that case in terms of trying to use up Avios!
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 1:02 pm
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With some airlines (e.g. CX) it is 12 months from the date of the first sector so not the date of ticketing (purchase). Call BA and ask.
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 1:18 pm
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Originally Posted by erik123
With some airlines (e.g. CX) it is 12 months from the date of the first sector so not the date of ticketing (purchase). Call BA and ask.
The OP needs to use a 2-4-1 so he must travel on BA.

BA have a clear rule about this applying to the date of ticketing and not the first sector; the wheeze the OP proposes has been suggested lots since The Big Bad Announcement and has been shot down every time.
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Old Apr 25, 2015, 5:29 pm
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Originally Posted by paul4040
The OP needs to use a 2-4-1 so he must travel on BA.

BA have a clear rule about this applying to the date of ticketing and not the first sector; the wheeze the OP proposes has been suggested lots since The Big Bad Announcement and has been shot down every time.
I don't have to use a 2-4-1, but simply wondered whether it could be added retrospectively.

I'll call BA on Monday to see what the policy is with regards to CX. I wonder what would happen if they booked me on BA metal but with a CX codeshare....would I then be able to move the date forward in line with the CX policy.
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 7:39 am
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Just to close this off, I have spoken at length to the GGL line.

The rules state that you must fly the first leg of any ticket within 12 months of booking. The wording is interesting, as 'first leg' meant I could book:

LHR-CDG-DOH-BOM-DOH-CDG-LHR for March of next year, and then call in January to move the dates to Christmas 2016.

However, in doing so, a large stop-over would have to be added between LHR-CDG and CDG-the rest of the trip; as I would need to fly LHR-CDG within 12 months of original booking date.

The problem with the plan though, is that in changing the ticket at that stage, the new Avios rules would apply.

So, a good and clever idea, but a non-starter. Oh well, back to the drawing board!
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 8:08 am
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And ofcourse there is the need now to get Indian Visa via interview for all UK passport holders - something that I did not actually expect to be honest - so it is a case now of having to take a day out to get that sorted...but I digress...hope my upcoming trip to Chennai using BA metal is worthwhile (big sigh)
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 8:18 am
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Originally Posted by nivsy
And ofcourse there is the need now to get Indian Visa via interview for all UK passport holders - something that I did not actually expect to be honest - so it is a case now of having to take a day out to get that sorted...but I digress...hope my upcoming trip to Chennai using BA metal is worthwhile (big sigh)
You're in luck (and I am too); the visa rules have changed yet again (which I almost did expect). No interview required after all.
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 8:30 am
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Oh that is good, no very good news...thanks for that.
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 9:32 am
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Originally Posted by msm2000uk
Just to close this off, I have spoken at length to the GGL line.

The rules state that you must fly the first leg of any ticket within 12 months of booking. The wording is interesting, as 'first leg' meant I could book:

LHR-CDG-DOH-BOM-DOH-CDG-LHR for March of next year, and then call in January to move the dates to Christmas 2016.

However, in doing so, a large stop-over would have to be added between LHR-CDG and CDG-the rest of the trip; as I would need to fly LHR-CDG within 12 months of original booking date.

The problem with the plan though, is that in changing the ticket at that stage, the new Avios rules would apply.

So, a good and clever idea, but a non-starter. Oh well, back to the drawing board!
My reading of the suggestion above that it would be ok. All that is being changed is dates after the first sector that wouldn't have been flown at the time of the change. Why wouldn't this conform to the rules?
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Old Apr 27, 2015, 9:59 am
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Originally Posted by nivsy
Oh that is good, no very good news...thanks for that.
I wouldn't bet my house on the rules not changing again though...
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