Kgmm77

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Agreed. I suspect the intention of the policy is exactly as you say, waiving fees when the website is playing up only. But as the performance of the online availability and booking engine has deteriorated with some long-term bugs & failings, some staff are probably so conditioned to the problems they forget what are "temporary" issues and what are functionalities the website never had.

fraisse10

Yes it is, or rather what it stands for is. To fly, to gouge!

Calm down dear

So I spy on ba.com the exact dates we want on an internal flight in Argentina.
Get the seats, go through all the payment palaver (including new amex safe key thingy), get the "do not press any buttons" screen and then "sorry the seats were sold whilst we were processing the transaction". I was very annoyed but put it down to bad luck.
Imagine my joy when the next day I saw seats were available again - I put it down to more seats being released. Again same issue, so I smelled a rat, anyway the next day I tried again just before I called ba and got the same.
I called BA - oh yes seats available sir, then oh sorry there is a systems fault I can only sell you a revenue ticket. I asked when the fault will be fixed, was told dont know try later. Well we are now a few days on, I get a different agent all the time and each just says (eventually) oh its a fault I have reported it.
Any ideas - I mean ba miles are hard enough to redeem as it is and if when you see availability you can get book them, I mean whats the point

me4tux

Hello,
I need some assistance in planning a trip using Avios on Qantas metal: MEL to HTI (Hamilton Island) served by Qantas.

I tried to use the ba.com website but it was not helpful. Where do I even begin?

1. Is it possible to book this Qantas - MEL to HTI itin using Avios and do this online with ba.com ?
2. How do I estimate the fuel surcharges/fees ? I understand that booking with Avios outside of North America can incur significant fuel surcharges.

Many thanks for the guidance.

LTN Phobia

I do not know the answer to your booking query as I am not even sure if you can book JQ flights using Avios (I doubt it - JQ is not part of Oneworld), but please do note (this is quite important if you do not want to end up on a low cost airline flight) that I believe Qantas no longer operates MEL-HTI direct - certainly not in April/May this year anyway, for instance, although I am not sure if this is the case year-round. Its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar (JQ) operates this route.

If you have a specific date in mind, have a look on Qantas website to see if QF is operating MEL-HTI rather than JQ. JQ flights are marked with a star sign - please do pay attention when looking at it, because you may miss the distinction from the QF flights.

In order to avoid flying on JQ, you will need to book a QF flight MEL-CNS, and then CNS-HTI. Please note that CNS-HTI will be on a Dash 8 and it is single-class.

me4tux

Thank you for your advice LTN.

Incidently, I did find out from the BA call center that they do allow Avios points for Jetstar (JQ) flights but it will only be paper ticket issue. They snail mail these paper tickets out from their Florida office.

chimambu

I have been trying for weeks to get 2-4-1 club flights to EZE. Granted that I was initially trying for F (not available to EZE), I am surprised at the lack of availability even checking daily at T-355.

The response from the website also seems to vary. The responses have included "we no longer Club class on this route" and the ubiqitous "there is no availability". I have seen some apparent availability when the responses above have not appeared. I have tried to make some dummy bookings for these inappropriate days only to be told down the line that "the seats have been taken while we were processing your booking".

I have PMed Nicci as to whether Club class was still available on the route in view of the first response above and was told that they still exist. The ?error messages above continue.

I have on an occasioned tried using miles and had routes via Madrid with the EZE -MAD in economy while only the MAD-LHR leg is in Club Europe.

The crux of my need - I need to book about a week's journey at anytime from mid January to mid to late February 2013 (2-4-1). Any help out there will be highly appreciated.

bubb1

Quick question about Avios pricing with the Chase companion / 2-4-1 pass on open jaw itineraries. I called BAEC USA earlier and received an answer in a less than confident tone, and I was hoping someone here had some similar experience rather than me clogging BA phone lines unnecessarily...

I want to do LAX-LHR-IST (open-jaw) DEL-LHR-LAX with my companion. The agent priced this at the same level as LAX-LHR-DEL roundtrip (300k in F) rather than the sum of two one-ways (95k + 150k). Anybody have any data points for this situation?

golfmad

It should be priced as two one-ways. I cannot understand why they would charge you a return to DEL?? In fact, if it weren't for the fact that you're using a 2-4-1, you could book two one-ways.

aabrock2187

I am trying to redeem Avios for a one-way journey YYZ-LGA-RDU (on American) for September 2012. AA.com shows ~10 different options at the lower,sAAver level all through the day from 6:00am to 7:00pm. However, when attempting to book one of the later afternoon flights on BA.com I am only presented with 2 early morning options. If I price out each segment (YYZ-LGA and then LGA-RDU) I am presented with ~10 options for each spanning the entire day.

So:
1. There are ~10 flights at the sAAver level on AA.com
2. There are ~10 flights redeemable with Avios for each SEGMENT
3. But booking the entire itinerary by joining both segments only shows two options

Thoughts as to whether this is a glitch on BA.com, or if there is a further reduction to availability happening on purpose? IF it is a website issue, thoughts as to whether this would be a scenario where the telephone fee would be waived if the flights are available there?

stifle

Possibly a married segment problem.

blase

Not really sure if this is the right place to put this as I have found availability, but I have a few questions about seat selection on partner award tickets.

I am currently debating whether to use BA miles or AA miles for some partner awards to Australia (ORD-SIN on Cathay, then a separate SIN-SYD award ticket on Qantas - I actually want to spend a few days in SIN so this is fine - and then MEL-LAX QF for the return). All of this would be in first class.

I realize BA is not only more miles than AA for these routes, but also higher YQ and taxes. However I have considerably more BA miles and value my AA miles higher, so I would prefer to hold on to those if it's not too cost prohibitive.

My main concern is if I use BA miles, will I have to pay to select the seats on Cathay and Qantas, as I've done the times I've flown on BA to Europe?

If there is a difference in the way BA and AA allows you to select your seat and whether or not they charge for it, that may be what sways me to use my AA miles rather than BA miles. Thanks!

Thompst

I currently have a booking for 8 PAX on June 2nd in WT+ on BA107 from LHR-DXB returning on June 9th on BA106 again in WT+.

At time of booking I was unable to book and upgrade with Avios to CW as I presume there was no availability.

I have been checking back regularly and clicking the "Upgrade my flight with Avios" link but it says that I am unable to so so.

All 8 PAX are on one booking and 7 of them are in my household account.
There are 6 adult fares and 2 children. (2 of the 'adults' are 14).

Is there a better way to check reward availability or even better a way to be notified if some becomes available?

Many thanks

Thompst

RB211

I use KVS. AwardNexus will show you too, as will the BA website on a good day (do an Avios redemption search.) Other people use ExpertFlyer, but I'm not sure what their award availability mechanism is like.

KVS shows no availability in any cabin on either of those dates. Doesn't mean there won't be some at a point in the future. Best to keep checking.

rb211.

stifle

Which miles you use is irrelevant to whether you will get free seat selection. And first class pax on BA (and QF, and I assume but haven't checked CX) can choose their seat for free at any time.