BA J/F awards completely gone?
Jan 28, 2020, 12:33 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
Did you buy miles or something? I looked upthread but didn’t pick up on any clues.
Jan 28, 2020, 5:52 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 798
Yes, you have to be careful, it will often show as Business seat available but actually only on the short-haul connecting flight, and the long haul transatlantic is still in Y. and they charge the full Business miles for it.
The best way to quickly scan is to look out for the little blue man on the blue seat next to the taxes, which is the symbol for mixed class itinerary and also if the taxes are the same as the Y column next to it, then you know the long haul is in Y. Cuz BA definitely charges way more for taxes in C and F...lol
The best way to quickly scan is to look out for the little blue man on the blue seat next to the taxes, which is the symbol for mixed class itinerary and also if the taxes are the same as the Y column next to it, then you know the long haul is in Y. Cuz BA definitely charges way more for taxes in C and F...lol
Jan 28, 2020, 8:20 am
#33
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,447
Jan 28, 2020, 8:31 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 77
Call customer service
I know many people don't like using telephones to make telephone calls, but have you tried calling customer service at AS? In many cases, a phone call reveals availability that may not appear on the website. I often use BA Avios to book AA flights. More often than not, I will see availability on the AA site, but not the BA site. When I call BA, they are always able to get me those seats. I have had similar experiences with UA, where I could see availability on a partner site, but not on the UA site. Try doing it the old fashioned way...call them.
Jan 28, 2020, 8:55 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,656
I know many people don't like using telephones to make telephone calls, but have you tried calling customer service at AS? In many cases, a phone call reveals availability that may not appear on the website. I often use BA Avios to book AA flights. More often than not, I will see availability on the AA site, but not the BA site. When I call BA, they are always able to get me those seats. I have had similar experiences with UA, where I could see availability on a partner site, but not on the UA site. Try doing it the old fashioned way...call them.
Jan 28, 2020, 9:09 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: YKM
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 135
Yes, you have to be careful, it will often show as Business seat available but actually only on the short-haul connecting flight, and the long haul transatlantic is still in Y. and they charge the full Business miles for it.
The best way to quickly scan is to look out for the little blue man on the blue seat next to the taxes, which is the symbol for mixed class itinerary and also if the taxes are the same as the Y column next to it, then you know the long haul is in Y. Cuz BA definitely charges way more for taxes in C and F...lol
The best way to quickly scan is to look out for the little blue man on the blue seat next to the taxes, which is the symbol for mixed class itinerary and also if the taxes are the same as the Y column next to it, then you know the long haul is in Y. Cuz BA definitely charges way more for taxes in C and F...lol
Jan 28, 2020, 10:47 am
#37
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,834
Yup, a few weeks ago when AS was having their promo I got enough for two J TATL tickets. Looked at fees on AS vs BA and thought, the difference in fees would pay for the miles. Whoops! Not sure what to use a pile of AS miles for now as TATL seems to be non-existent.
The difference in fees should have been a clue. Now then, I have been looking on the AS app. On the app, there is no little guy in a seat, and when you click the flight for details it doesn't disclose the split cabin either. The only place you get to see it if you select the flight and toward checkout to buy it and then it is not quite the fine print, but it isn't obvious either. I have also been doing searching on UAs app, and split cabins there are obvious with red writing.
The difference in fees should have been a clue. Now then, I have been looking on the AS app. On the app, there is no little guy in a seat, and when you click the flight for details it doesn't disclose the split cabin either. The only place you get to see it if you select the flight and toward checkout to buy it and then it is not quite the fine print, but it isn't obvious either. I have also been doing searching on UAs app, and split cabins there are obvious with red writing.
Jan 28, 2020, 2:28 pm
#38
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: YKM
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 135
Yeah, it is there....
But, you do the search..it pulls, you hit details...cool an A380. Select it...now go to checkout and you get the yellow mustard message. That is something like three or four screens into it. Tough to check quickly.
I know, not trying to shoot the messenger, just annoyed is all.
But, you do the search..it pulls, you hit details...cool an A380. Select it...now go to checkout and you get the yellow mustard message. That is something like three or four screens into it. Tough to check quickly.
I know, not trying to shoot the messenger, just annoyed is all.
Jan 28, 2020, 4:07 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,301
As mentioned already, just look at the taxes, that's what I do. If Y and C are the same, you automatically know it's split on BA for the longhaul.
Jan 28, 2020, 4:11 pm
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 116
Yeah I didn't call AA or AS to try to book it by phone because the date on which the flight was available on BA.com or AsiaMiles.com didn't match my desired travel date.
Jan 29, 2020, 5:29 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 798
I know many people don't like using telephones to make telephone calls, but have you tried calling customer service at AS? In many cases, a phone call reveals availability that may not appear on the website. I often use BA Avios to book AA flights. More often than not, I will see availability on the AA site, but not the BA site. When I call BA, they are always able to get me those seats. I have had similar experiences with UA, where I could see availability on a partner site, but not on the UA site. Try doing it the old fashioned way...call them.
This shows that: she didn't understand my real question (since when has BA offered different award availability to AS). I know because I made my last booking 6 months ago and the availability matched 1:1 between BA and AS.
Jan 30, 2020, 12:25 am
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75k, Hyatt Globalist, National Executive Elite
Posts: 272
I just got off the phone with AS and unfortunately they don't see any space either, and also the agent said that she is on the job for 2 years and its always been hard to get BA business for the long haul.
This shows that: she didn't understand my real question (since when has BA offered different award availability to AS). I know because I made my last booking 6 months ago and the availability matched 1:1 between BA and AS.
This shows that: she didn't understand my real question (since when has BA offered different award availability to AS). I know because I made my last booking 6 months ago and the availability matched 1:1 between BA and AS.
Jan 30, 2020, 3:42 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 798
The agent also had a slightly 'school teacher' tone when she lectured me how airline inventory works, explaining that BA would prefer to sell those seats for $ thats why they hold them back bla bla bla. I didn't even bother to school her on the fact that BA has a policy of releasing at least 2 business awards on every flight when the schedule opens and it has been their official policy, as she didn't seem to doubt her experience and 'knowledge' of the matter...haha
Jan 31, 2020, 9:01 am
#44
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: Alaska MM, AA MM, BA Silver, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 321
I agree with those that have said this is a major issue. With the departure of Delta, AF & KLM and the high mileage for Air Lingus, the only real option for premium seats usually was BA. As rosenkavalier said, BA was always a good fallback if you needed a specific date/time for a European flight. If the availability does not come back, to me as a long time AS flyer, this is a significant loss for the program. I am glad I got the Chase Sapphire Reserve several years back and started accumulating points/miles there to give me some flexibility. I have a DEN-LHR-DEN trip in F in April/May that I booked back in September. I hope it is not my last.
Jan 31, 2020, 2:00 pm
#45
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Alaska Airlines, Hertz, Marriott
Posts: 11
Has anyone tried to reach-out to someone in management at Alaska regarding the apparent severe diminishment (or disappearance) of F and J awards on BA? Is this something anecdotal, or is it a change in the partnership between British Airways and Alaska? Someone earlier mentioned that this could be an IT issue. Talking to reservations agents is not likely the best source of information.