highlander88

I've been reading old posts in the forum but just wanted to clarify a few things:

1. In general, for a MFU from WT+ to J, as long as U class is available, the upgrade will clear, correct?

2. If I book WT+ T Class from say SEA-LHR-CDG on BA.com, and there is U availability on both legs, but I only want to upgrade the SEA-LHR leg, can I do that (in order to save the mileage difference of 4,500 between LHR and CDG?)

3. If I travel SEA-LHR, and am booked in WT+, the initial ADP fee I pay is 60 pounds. If I upgrade with miles, will there be any other fees? Specifically will I now be charged the full 120 pounds ADP when I complete my upgrade?

4. How often does BA have significant WT+ sales? I notice right now I can book WT+ from YVR-LHR in February-April 2012 for around $1600 (and Seattle-LHR for around $1400). Does it ever come much below that?

Thanks!

Genius1

Firstly, BA miles are now Avios, and MFU is now UUA (Upgrade Using Avios).

1. Yes, you need availability in Club World's redemption bucket to be able to UUA.

2. I believe you can do this now with the recent changes, but I'm not totally sure.

3. Yes, the taxes, fees and charges are recalculated when you UUA.

4. It varies. BA do have fairly regular (at least quarterly) sales in all cabins. One has just finished ex-UK.

highlander88

Ah so the fuel surcharge will jump as well? Bleh

LeisureFirst

Do you mean APD, which would apply to flights departing the UK, not the SEA-LHR leg? The APD has one rate for the "lowest class" and double that for all other classes, so CW and WTP have the same APD - normally there is no difference in charges between the two, but in principle if the taxes were different you'd have to pay the CW taxes if you upgraded.

There's also a special rule for the APD to try to make sure pax in a business-class only services are treated as though there were a lower class on the plane.

If you don't like APD, you just don't understand the basic tenet of Gordon Brown's office: "if there's money moving around, some of it must be mine". Or theft, as you would call it in America.

highlander88

Haha good old taxation. I believe America rebelled once before over that, and are in the process of doing so again. But sadly I'm from Canada so am well aquainted with tax and spend policies.

And yeah thanks, I figured out the APD. It was actually the fuel surcharge that changed the fare, almost doubled for CW vs. WTP....

FrancisA

Although you are correct on the first point, easiest way to check availability is to use reward search engine to find CW availability. It is this that MFU relies on - MFU is no different to other rewards.

On your other points, it is easier to use the book and upgrade option, which permits one-ways. Normally that will show correct price and it will be a hundred or so more than WTP price due to increased fees and taxes. These cannot be avoided and will be charged if you book WTP and subsequently upgrade.

Occasionally book and up (like a lot of ba.com) has a wobbly and misses a lower priced fare , perhaps a sale fare. Provided these are not marked with a big D, they are eligible for MFU. If the price looks wrong, based on WTP base fare, it may be best to call, or book WTP first then upgrade.

Sixth Freedom

For all practical purposes yes, you could say that the upgrade will clear.

But from a more technical, some might say pedantic , perspective, this is not correct. You will not have an upgraded ticket, rather you will have a full business class ticket, some of which has been paid for with miles and some of which has been paid for with cash.

checkerboard

If I were to buy a WT+ fare and later upgrade it with Avios (probably one direction at a time, as "U" seats become available) - do I understand correctly there is no change-fee for doing this (except for the extra YQ that will be collected)?

shallowHAL

When you say marked with a big D, what do you mean?

FrancisA

When I have done this in the past, that was correct. I don't think MFU counts for change fee purposes.

FrancisA

Sometimes when there is a sale, on the prices screen there will be a D next to the check box. This means that this is a sale fare. The terms of such fares mean that they cannot be upgraded, even by MFU.

I am not sure about other fare brackets, but on WT+ fares marked with this D will book into P inventory. This is the same fare class as used for proactive upgrades from WT and as such cannot be upgraded.

I have not seen these Ds against fares for a while, it used to happen when there were really cheap sale fares (whcih hasn't happened much recently).

Don't worry, if fares get marked with a D, it is really obvious.

highlander88

I hear there are often 4 or so WT+ sales that people use to book MFU. How do people find out about these? Are there emails or set times?

FrancisA

If there is a sale on anywhere in the world, it'll be being discussed in this forum

There are set times - immediately after Christmas and in June/July are regular ones. There are other one-offs during the year. They normally appear on front page of ba.com.

Email notifications are sent to BAEC members, but the sale is normally generally available by the time they arrive.

As you indicate they can be a good chance to grab a cheap MFU.