Companion Voucher and Household Account
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,642
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,805
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...c/public/en_gb
So far, this change has not been made in the U.S. Chase voucher, fortunately. The U.S. Terms:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...s/public/en_us
#18
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oxon, UK
Programs: Mucci des canapes, Skywards Gold, BAEC Gold, IC Plat Amb, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,946
[QUOTE=Steve in Olympia;19111898]This was true when it was written back in January, but the Terms & Conditions for the U.K. Amex voucher have since changed, and Household Account members cannot select a companion who is not a HHA member. Here are the new Terms & Conditions for the Amex voucher (see item no. 20):
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...c/public/en_gb
A good spot - certainly seems to have been another silent enhancement - it wasn't in place when I booked a 2-4-1 redemption in the middle of May.
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...c/public/en_gb
A good spot - certainly seems to have been another silent enhancement - it wasn't in place when I booked a 2-4-1 redemption in the middle of May.
#19
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Executive Club
Posts: 2
I've earned a companion voucher and have a household account. If I want to take someone outside of the HHA can I break away from the household account and still retain the companion voucher? Would I then be allowed to take someone else?
#20
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London
Programs: MUCCI; BAEC Lifetime Gold; Marriott Bonvoy Emeritus Titanium; Hertz#1, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 3,209
As I understand it from my own experience, so long as a member of HHA is flying the companion can be anybody you want. In my case the companion was not even a member of the BAEC.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,805
Yes, that is true for the U.S. Chase companion voucher, but no longer true for the U.K. Amex voucher.
#22
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: Flying Blue, Marriott Rewards, BA Executive Club
Posts: 294
The specifics of this question still haven't been answered. Anyone out there know?
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
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Call BA and ask and note the details of the call.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Marriott Platinum Premier
Posts: 379
I dissolved my household account in January 2012, with a 241 in place for each of the 3 members.
All vouchers remained in place after the dissolution.
In answer to the specific query I can confirm that I used my 241 voucher for a booking made in April 2012 for myself and a third party who was not a member of the original household account.
#25
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 556
I would appreciate some advice on whether I have found a solution to make a booking for 4 people, 1 of whom is not a member of my HHA with 2 Amex 241 vouchers one in my name and one is Mrs flyoff. From what I have researched here and on the Amex and BA website I can't book a ticket for a person outside my HHA. I am also trying to avoid the person outside the HHA joining my HHA as they wish to have an independent account that they manage and control.
I have spoken to the Exec Club about dissolving my HHA but this is not good a solution as I would loose the Avios in my daughters account as she can't hold an account outside a HHA due to her age. Mrs flyoff and I have enough Avios to fund the tickets in each of our accounts so this isn't an issue once she leaves the HHA.
I am looking to remove Mrs flyoff from the HHA account to allow me:
1. Book myself and my daughter one set of tickets with my Amex 241
2. Mrs flyoff to book for herself and the other person with her Amex 241
I can't see any other issues here other than we can't reform the HHA for another 6 months. The Shell and Tesco 2000 bonus points I think should continue as the account numbers won't change.
Can anyone see any downside to this strategy?
I have spoken to the Exec Club about dissolving my HHA but this is not good a solution as I would loose the Avios in my daughters account as she can't hold an account outside a HHA due to her age. Mrs flyoff and I have enough Avios to fund the tickets in each of our accounts so this isn't an issue once she leaves the HHA.
I am looking to remove Mrs flyoff from the HHA account to allow me:
1. Book myself and my daughter one set of tickets with my Amex 241
2. Mrs flyoff to book for herself and the other person with her Amex 241
I can't see any other issues here other than we can't reform the HHA for another 6 months. The Shell and Tesco 2000 bonus points I think should continue as the account numbers won't change.
Can anyone see any downside to this strategy?
#26
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: BAEC Blue, Priority Club Plat Amb
Posts: 482
I would appreciate some advice on whether I have found a solution to make a booking for 4 people, 1 of whom is not a member of my HHA with 2 Amex 241 vouchers one in my name and one is Mrs flyoff. From what I have researched here and on the Amex and BA website I can't book a ticket for a person outside my HHA. I am also trying to avoid the person outside the HHA joining my HHA as they wish to have an independent account that they manage and control.
I have spoken to the Exec Club about dissolving my HHA but this is not good a solution as I would loose the Avios in my daughters account as she can't hold an account outside a HHA due to her age. Mrs flyoff and I have enough Avios to fund the tickets in each of our accounts so this isn't an issue once she leaves the HHA.
I am looking to remove Mrs flyoff from the HHA account to allow me:
1. Book myself and my daughter one set of tickets with my Amex 241
2. Mrs flyoff to book for herself and the other person with her Amex 241
I can't see any other issues here other than we can't reform the HHA for another 6 months. The Shell and Tesco 2000 bonus points I think should continue as the account numbers won't change.
Can anyone see any downside to this strategy?
I have spoken to the Exec Club about dissolving my HHA but this is not good a solution as I would loose the Avios in my daughters account as she can't hold an account outside a HHA due to her age. Mrs flyoff and I have enough Avios to fund the tickets in each of our accounts so this isn't an issue once she leaves the HHA.
I am looking to remove Mrs flyoff from the HHA account to allow me:
1. Book myself and my daughter one set of tickets with my Amex 241
2. Mrs flyoff to book for herself and the other person with her Amex 241
I can't see any other issues here other than we can't reform the HHA for another 6 months. The Shell and Tesco 2000 bonus points I think should continue as the account numbers won't change.
Can anyone see any downside to this strategy?
I need to do something similar, but need to remove 1 person from the HHA and add another 2 people.
This will take me to a max of 7 people (inc myself) in the HHA.
Can this change be done in a single transaction?
As my Dad will be moving out the same time my in-laws move in.
I don't really want to have my Dad move out then wait 6 months before adding the in-laws to the HHA.
#28
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,805
AN UPDATE: Unlike the U.K.-based 2-4-1 vouchers, the Terms & Conditions for the U.S.-based 2-4-1 companion voucher continue to state that a Household Account (HHA) member can use his/her voucher for a companion who is not a member of the HHA:
"Companions do not have to be named within a BA Executive Club Household Account. Members can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their redemption voucher booking."
The T & C's can be found at:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...2/public/en_us
This cannot be done on-line; it requires a phone call to the U.S. call center in Jacksonvill, FL. However, when I attempted to do this today, the CSA received "an error message" on his computer that denied the booking because my companion was not part of my HHA. I pointed out what the T & C's actually state, but the CSA indicated that he was powerless to override the computer. (He said it was a fairly recent change in the rules.)
He obligingly recommended that I simply add my companion to my HHA, and he stayed on the line while I logged in and accomplished that feat. The CSA never questioned whether the companion resided in my household.
This workaround won't work in every situation (for example, if you have already maxxed out the allowed six members of a HHA, or if the companion was already part of somebody else's HHA, or if the companion didn't want to combine his miles with yours, etc.)
The other possible option would be to dissolve the HHA, if you had sufficient Avios balance to pull that off.
"Companions do not have to be named within a BA Executive Club Household Account. Members can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their redemption voucher booking."
The T & C's can be found at:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...2/public/en_us
This cannot be done on-line; it requires a phone call to the U.S. call center in Jacksonvill, FL. However, when I attempted to do this today, the CSA received "an error message" on his computer that denied the booking because my companion was not part of my HHA. I pointed out what the T & C's actually state, but the CSA indicated that he was powerless to override the computer. (He said it was a fairly recent change in the rules.)
He obligingly recommended that I simply add my companion to my HHA, and he stayed on the line while I logged in and accomplished that feat. The CSA never questioned whether the companion resided in my household.
This workaround won't work in every situation (for example, if you have already maxxed out the allowed six members of a HHA, or if the companion was already part of somebody else's HHA, or if the companion didn't want to combine his miles with yours, etc.)
The other possible option would be to dissolve the HHA, if you had sufficient Avios balance to pull that off.
#29
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1
obviously you didnt hear this from me.............
but in my recent experience, you can book using miles from a HHA and a companion voucher and exclude the member that the voucher was issued in the name of.
tried and tested, no problems at all in the tickets being issued or during travel
cs
but in my recent experience, you can book using miles from a HHA and a companion voucher and exclude the member that the voucher was issued in the name of.
tried and tested, no problems at all in the tickets being issued or during travel
cs
#30
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,805