charlesrhona

Has reward flight availability been changed? I always understood that flights are available 355 days before. I am trying to use a 2-4-1 but trying to book this today through ba.com shows September award availability as September 2011. Can anyone suggest an alternative that allows booking for September 2012? Have also tried to book specific dates but all availabilty on all USA flights has gone - even up to return flights on day 355! Cannot understand this - is there a system problem!

Thanks.

G*G

http://www.london2012.com/

Nightbus to Dalson

I've been getting no availabilty for the last 6 months on the routes that I use.
My 2-4-1 is nigh on useless, book & upgrade the same.
I have circa half million miles that I can't find value for.
The premiums that I pay for flying BA (even with shareholders discounts) do not justfy me using the airline.
I will dip my toe in rival waters next year to see how the water feels.
Methinks that I may not be alone

747_not_777

We know next year, late-June, July and August have been a nightmare with hardly any availability. It's been covered on FT about a gazillion times - maybe more.

I'd hoped that for September 2012 booking things would start to return to normal. But perhaps BA is planning on keeping thing fairly tight until Octoberm when the last of those people who'd travelled to the UK for the 2012 Games will have departed (on paid-for seats).

Or, there is the possibility they are drying up reward availability to make sure lots is available when the move to Avios points from this November. Who knows.

weirdfish

Addressing the OP's question about checking availability 355days out, you cannot use the availability calendar for the very latest dates. You need to do it the awkward way by searching for specific dates which more often than not for next summer will return no flights but will display a calendar showing days that are available for the month you're trying to search.

Also worth bearing in mind that availability seems to be loading later than previous years. I booked return flights to YVR last month on the day they appeared and they were loading at best 345days out.

weirdfish

for what it's worth, the availability calendar will show Sept '12 as of today

Globaliser

Or tomorrow?

If you're looking at availability on a monthly calendar, you won't be able to see the same month in the next year. But IME you can always get into that month by going forward day by day.

weirdfish

I beg to differ, it's definitely Sept'12 today

Globaliser

So it is!

I still proffer the advice for when it isn't.

Steve in Olympia

A few minutes ago, I just booked award tickets for the 18th. The date that award inventory is loaded into the system cannot be predicted with any accuracy.

littlefish

Very broadly, rewards flights do seem fewer or at least more weeks have gaps.
I suspect there a several reasons combining for this; very possibly there's a different release strategy being trialled or in place (eg. release less at t-350, but trickle more out over time); very possibly some routings have been tweaked leaving less capacity meaning less rewards (the converse routings with greater capacity being deemed busy thru cash demand for now); possibly the AVIOS launch factor; probably more Miles out there being used on CW/F (ex Credit card giveaways, Ag 100% bonuses etc and flushing through the system); London Olympics.
Also, its the case that some days of the week on certain routes almost never give out CW reward seats.
It will be interesting to see whether any (slight) economic recovery sustains first half CW bookings and thus Rewards stay tight. I rather suspect things must open up sooner or later.
Of course there's a Catch22 for BA. For quite a few its No MFU, no WT+ booking ... hello premium economy; so they may not want to hold off too long.

weirdfish

Yeah that is widely accepted but I was talking about when the reward availability calendar switches from this year to next year. Up till yesterday the only way you could check for Sept '12 awards was by selecting dates and use the +7days search if it returns no availability. As of yesterday the you were able to use the much more convenient calendar to view the whole month.