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Adding a return to a 241 - actual experience

Adding a return to a 241 - actual experience

Old Feb 19, 2017, 5:49 pm
  #1  
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Adding a return to a 241 - actual experience

Just added a return in for a 241 to Cape Town for mum and dad. Not a very satisfactory experience, all in all.

Called the USA number at 11.58pm UK time
Agent seemed unsure of himself, and said he couldn't deal with the matter as my parents are Bronze, and this was the Blue line
He gave me another number in the States to call, but there was a recorded message saying that this number was not available.
It is now 12.04 and I'm stressing, knowing how fast CPT redemption seats go.
I ring back, and the same agent goes off to speak to a manager, then returns and reluctantly agrees to do it. I am told in no uncertain terms that he shouldn't be doing this, I should instead be ringing the UK number after 6am, even if this means the seats won't be there any more. When I counter this, he says he should know as 'I work here mate'. He does, so I let it go.
Process takes over 30 minutes.
Finally I can't choose seats for Mum and Dad until it is ticketed, and he tells me this is done by departure date so may be some time.

As a take away from this:

a) According to this agent (and presumably his manager) adding a return to a 241 shouldn't be done from offices abroad
b) Seats can't be selected until the flights are ticketed, and as this is done by departure dates this may not be for ages.

I'm a little confused as I've read so many accounts on here about BA offices abroad happily adding returns to 241s.
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 5:53 pm
  #2  
 
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Originally Posted by Flexible preferences
Just added a return in for a 241 to Cape Town for mum and dad. Not a very satisfactory experience, all in all.

Called the USA number at 11.58pm UK time
Agent seemed unsure of himself, and said he couldn't deal with the matter as my parents are Bronze, and this was the Blue line
He gave me another number in the States to call, but there was a recorded message saying that this number was not available.
It is now 12.04 and I'm stressing, knowing how fast CPT redemption seats go.
I ring back, and the same agent goes off to speak to a manager, then returns and reluctantly agrees to do it. I am told in no uncertain terms that he shouldn't be doing this, I should instead be ringing the UK number after 6am, even if this means the seats won't be there any more. When I counter this, he says he should know as 'I work here mate'. He does, so I let it go.
Process takes over 30 minutes.
Finally I can't choose seats for Mum and Dad until it is ticketed, and he tells me this is done by departure date so may be some time.

As a take away from this:

a) According to this agent (and presumably his manager) adding a return to a 241 shouldn't be done from offices abroad
b) Seats can't be selected until the flights are ticketed, and as this is done by departure dates this may not be for ages.

I'm a little confused as I've read so many accounts on here about BA offices abroad happily adding returns to 241s.
thanks for sharing your experience. It is understandable, although maybe unforgivable, that this is large variation in the service your receive within a single call center, let alone between call centers.

Hopefully, your seats will be ticketed this week and you can select your seats.
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 5:54 pm
  #3  
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Japan seems to be a better office to call.
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 6:02 pm
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Originally Posted by navylad
thanks for sharing your experience. It is understandable, although maybe unforgivable, that this is large variation in the service your receive within a single call center, let alone between call centers.

Hopefully, your seats will be ticketed this week and you can select your seats.
Originally Posted by KARFA
Japan seems to be a better office to call.
Thanks both. KARFA will bear that in mind for next time.
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 9:44 pm
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Originally Posted by navylad
Hopefully, your seats will be ticketed this week and you can select your seats.
Zero chance of that in my (at least half a dozen) experiences. I'd be surprised if it they are ticketed within six months.

Originally Posted by KARFA
Japan seems to be a better office to call.
But it isn't open at the weekend.
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 11:57 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by louie-m
But it isn't open at the weekend.
Look at when the OP posted and remember that Japan is 9 hours ahead.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 12:15 am
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When I haven't had bookings ticketed, I have used Qantas to input the booking reference and been able to move seats there.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 12:18 am
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Originally Posted by jamesreid978
When I haven't had bookings ticketed, I have used Qantas to input the booking reference and been able to move seats there.
Thanks. Mum and Dad are Bronze though, so need to pay (and no problem with that). What a pallaver. Didn't get to sleep till about 2am as it took me so long to unwind after!

Booking the outbound was a song and dance too - the first night I got to end of booking process, entered amex number and didnt go through as presumably someone else was faster, then at 1205 no seats left. The next night I moved like lightning at midnight on the dot and was successful. It's a jungle out there!

Last edited by Flexible preferences; Feb 20, 2017 at 2:56 am
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:03 am
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I've had terrible and good experience on this. First time was the Indian call centre which kept putting me on hold for half hour and then the SYD-LHR were gone. Called again the next night through Japan.

Saying this can only be done through UK after 6.00am is a ridiculous statement. Its about time an investment was made in BA.com to allow this feature to be completed on line. Surely it would save a lot of calls in to the service centre
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:28 am
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I've had no problems doing this, but there do seem to have been a spate of posts recently about being referred to the UK office. I can only think this is some sort of recent change.

What a nightmare.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 2:56 am
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deleted posted in error
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 3:23 am
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We've had posts here in the last couple of weeks of FTiers recently adding returns on 2-4-1s by phone at a few mins past midnight without problems - and others, like the OP, reporting issues. Seems hit and miss!
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 3:57 am
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I recently added a return to booking around a month ago,

Out of interest, I called the USA number on the first night but selected something like, Existing Booking > Avios Booking. This actually transferred me through to the Indian call centre. Did the same happen to you?

On the above occasion I wasn't able to get the flights I wanted as the agent didn't really understand what was needed and availability was gone once he figured it out.

Calling the Gold Line @ 23:45 for me worked on the second night. Agent knew exactly what to do & was happy to wait on the phone for 15mins till Midnight. Tho if anyone tries the same, it's possible the line will cut off just after midnight. Lucky the agent was speaking to called me back.

Matt
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 4:14 am
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Raffles posted about this type of issue last month too. Link.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 4:42 am
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Originally Posted by MHendo84
I recently added a return to booking around a month ago,

Out of interest, I called the USA number on the first night but selected something like, Existing Booking > Avios Booking. This actually transferred me through to the Indian call centre. Did the same happen to you?...
I selected the same as you - Existing Booking > Flight only > Avios booking, or something close to that, however I think I was routed to Newcastle as the guy I spoke to had a northern British accent.

Originally Posted by gingeola
Raffles posted about this type of issue last month too. Link.
Thanks for the heads-up. Looks like it is something systemic then, at least with the USA office. My comments about how a customer is supposed to book a return leg on popular routes if they have to wait until 6am fell on deaf ears, although to be fair he did reluctantly offer to do it this one time, after speaking with his manager.
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