Originally Posted by
jbalmuth
I didn't know that date change restrictions applied to partner redemption awards. We changed dates on a BA miles redemption after the first flight in 2009 on LA (from IPC to SCL) with no trouble. I think either that things have changed since then, or that you are perhaps referring to redemptions on BA metal (where BA's rules tend to be much stricter than on partner airlines). Can you please provide a link to T&Cs that mention this prohibition?
One well-known problem with BAEC partner awards with stopovers is that they must be made over the phone, and therefore attract significant booking and service fees (that could be avoided on simpler itineraries booked online). Changes also must be made over the phone, to the same BAEC office that made the original reservation, so one must keep track of the hours and telephone number of the BAEC office where the reservations were originally made. The relevant fee schedule is here:
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...club/_gf/en_us
See, for example, this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...rd-ticket.html
and this from the ultimate BA guide:
You can also redeem miles on oneworld partners. You can even now do this online First of all you need to search for the route you require as usual. After the search has been run (even if it turns up no results) you will be offered the option to search partners instead. This sounds cumbersome but works well enough and is designed this way to ensure BA options are exhausted first. To coincide with this genuine enhancement, Partner Awards have now got more flexible (they used to be totally non changeable, non refundable):
1. You can change the date and time on partner bookings free of charge up to 24 hours before outbound departure
2. But you cannot change the route, i.e. you cannot change NYC-LAX with AA to NYC-SFO with AA
3. And you cannot change the airline, i.e. you cannot change from LHR-NRT with JL to LHR-NRT with BA
4. As will all redemptions (BA or partner) you cannot change the point of origin
5, You can can cancel all partner redemption bookings and receive a full refund of your BA Miles, provided you cancel 24 hours in advance.
The above thread explains the changes to BA mile bookings may be possible after beginning the itinerary but the change is in the discretion of the call center and is not officially allowed in the rules. I haven't heard of any changes.
Changes to redemptions after travel
Changes to redemption bookings after the journey has commenced is something we hope to change in the very near future but we have not implemented this officially as yet which is why there is no update to the Ts&Cs or communication around this. I did issue communications to our service centres advising that if we received requests from members wishing to change the time/date after they have flown that we should be flexible where possible. It sounds as though this is where the confusion has arisen and I will re-issue this comms again but if you have any specific outstanding issues please PM me your details and I will do what I can to help.
Please note - you need to contact your own service centre to do this for the moment.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12109996-post50.html
And from ba.com:
14.1. Changes to bookings for Award travel on flights operated by British Airways or Airline Partners are permitted only in respect of date, time, class of service and (subject to Clause 14.2) route. Such changes may only be made by the Member or an individual nominated in accordance with Clause 3.13. If more than one Part Cash Part Miles price option is available for a British Airways flight, it is not possible to change the price option chosen by a Member after a booking has been made. All permitted changes are subject to capacity limitations and may not be made after the time 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the first flight in the Award travel itinerary. A fee as specified on ba.com may be payable for each permitted change. For the avoidance of doubt, name changes are not permitted.