Originally Posted by
LondonAndy
Although it didn't involve a connection, when I originally booked BA175 (LHR - JFK) it left at 11.00. The time changed a couple of times so that it eventually was leaving at 09.55. I pointed out that there was another flight (the BA113) that was now leaving at 11.30, closer to the departure time that I'd originally booked than the current departure time.
They initially weren't too happy to change it, given I had UUA, but revenue management released 5 seats on the BA113 which I particularly appreciated as the bookings had been made on 3 separate PNRs ^
That's exactly what I meant about cutting a bit of slack. Good result, and you were right to be pleased with BA. My experience this week was very different. I asked the agent if she would be willing to put in a request to revenue management. Flat refusal. I felt it was a reasonable suggestion, given that it was an involuntary change and I was only asking to substitute one reward seat for another, so I rang again and asked a different agent. Same refusal. Yet they did it for you even without a connection issue.
So, returning to the OP's question, it's not a clear-cut matter of 'rights', more a matter of pushing to see if anything gives. The outcome is unpredictable and, frustratingly, you never know whether agents are exercising discretion with different outcomes, or whether they don't know BA procedures.