Jermyn

Hi all,
I have a booking GRU-MAD-LHR all on IB metal booked with Avios.
I'd like to change the final segment to LCY.

I'm being told by BAEC that BA's systems are unable to break married segments. I've never come across this issue when amending awards using other mileage programmes.

Is this genuinely a limitation of the BA system?
Are Avios award flights unchangeable after booking, unless all segments for a new itinerary are available to book from scratch?

KARFA

There is married reward availability and I guess the problem is if you break the "marriage" you are back to simple per sector availability which may not be available. If there isn't reward availability for your new itinerary then you can't change to it.

Ldnn1

I can't think there would be married availability to LHR but not LCY though. IB generally does it by country, at least in my experience. Never encountered it through BAEC though - usually much better to book IB awards through IB.

Globaliser

I've had this when booking an award partly for travel on CX: LHR-FRA-HKG was available but LCY-FRA-HKG was not, even though on a standalone basis both LHR-FRA and LCY-FRA had award space.

Ldnn1

And that was the same over the phone and all obeying MCT I presume? Interesting if so, haven't encountered that before.

Globaliser

Oh, yes, that was all fine. And that issue was fixed by booking LHR-FRA-HKG online, and then calling in immediately to change the LHR-FRA to LCY-FRA, which was not an issue as that was swapping one BA flight for another one.

The OP's problem, if I have understood it correctly, may be different because it may be trying to change from an IB MAD-LHR to a BA MAD-LCY.

Jermyn

An interesting turn of events...

My original PNR for 2 pax, was split before the agent realised that married segments made my change to the MAD-LCY flight impossible. It remained split after our conversation (with no changes made to my flights).

I went to check in online yesterday, only to discover that both my GRU-MAD and MAD-LHR flights had been cancelled. No automated email had been sent, advising me of the fact.

Presumably, if I hadn't checked my reservation, the first I would have heard of this would have been when trying to check in at GRU.

It turns out that when my PNR was split, the BA agent forgot to re-confirm the flights with IB and after 24 hours this resulted in them being automatically cancelled.

I ended up being accommodated on BA metal but can't say I'm impressed with the situation overall.

Globaliser

Did you end up getting your re-route to LCY after all, then? If so, a silver lining to this cloud.

Jermyn

No, got put on the direct GRU-LHR flight, which actually should have gotten me to the office much sooner... but the flight was delayed ... as was the Heathrow Express.

You've got to laugh right?

There was a silver lining though.

I was rebooked into a revenue J bucket and have now qualified for AA EXP!

This is particularly good as I would otherwise only have qualified after completing LHR-OSL-DOH-SYD. Now all of those flights will get me extra miles and I'll have Flounge access in LHR

Globaliser

Travel can be a funny thing. Much like Forrest's box of chocolates: you can never know quite what's going to happen next!

Ldnn1

A platinum lining, if you will. Congratulations

Jermyn

That's part of the reason I love it so much!

Exactly Thanks!