Advice on GGL Joker combined with Amex / GUF2
 

About to use my GGL Joker for the first time, and also have a few Amex vouchers and GUF2s piling up in my account.

I will be getting two flights to the US in early Jan, returning in April, but I don't know my precise return date yet, so will almost definitely change the return leg.

What combination of Joker / Amex / GUF2 would I be best using? Obviously I want to use as many vouchers as possible to spend as few miles as I can, but I also am guessing applying the GUF2 might require availability in two cabins (the original and the upgraded) and could restrict flexibility.

Any advice from GGL veterans would be very useful!

IIRC there only needs to be reward availability in the class you wish to travel in.

Shouldn't be an issue, I've done a PCMP W booking (asked for highest cost, fewest miles) and upgraded with a GUF2 (for one) to CW when there wasn't availability in either cabin (they 'jokered' up the CW space). It may depend on getting a decent agent - sadly, there are (quite inexplicably given the nature of the product) now a few on GGL who really aren't very good at much at all it seems :(

Similarly, combining a 2-4-1 and GUF2 should be OK. In your case I would look to do a combined GUF2 + 2-4-1 into J or F depending on what you prefer. I'd probably e-mail in the details of the request and you'll either get a booking back on hold nice and easily to pay for, or have to call back and discuss with someone any issues.

If you need to change the return that should be fine, they should be able to 're joker' (subject to the normal rules about availability/other seats being already used, etc.) just the return leg. I've only had to change a joker booking once IIRC but it was no issue (I've also cancelled outright a couple of times and got everything back, joker included provided it's cancelled within the original joker year).

I don't know about the Amex 2-4-1 bit, I've never done that.

But for Joker plus GUF2, you need "availability" in merely the end class, but not the paid for class. However being a GGL Redemption / Joker, this availability is for D bucket, which isn't normally too demanding.

Also note that only one GGL booking is allowed per flight, so if someone got in there before you, then you'll be out of luck. This affects SYD, BKK, SIN and MLE, and a bit of CPT.

The only catch that I can see is that Jokers (to the best of my knowledge) are deployed once only, so if you change plans you will lose your Joker and will either need to use another Joker or need plain availability - which late on may not be a problem. Logically you can't have a never-ending Joker so it stands to reason really. This conflicts with G-BOAC's advice above, though I can see cancellation may be treated differently, so hopefully someone else can give their experience with this. GUF2s can definitely be recredited and changed (etc).

The GGL hotline spend a lot of time sorting out these bookings, so I doubt you will have a problem, they have a lot of experience in this area.

I think it's actually the 5 seats per flight, per cabin they care about - e.g., if you ask for 2 CW seats to MLE and another GGL has already had 3 CW seats I believe it will be approved. But if you ask for 2 and the other GGL has 4, it won't.

Definitely not true - I've cancelled a couple of times and rebooked later with the 'redeposited' (it's annoying ba.com won't show them) joker. Each joker is valid for your GGL year. So if your year is 15th October you now have two (or 3 if you hit 6K) to use between 15th October 2012 and 2013 for example. If you book today for a ticket in March 2013 which you then cancel in February, you get that joker back to re-use between then and 15th October 2013. You can do this multiple times. They do seem to be able to keep track of how you've used it and when it gets redeposited.

With revenue tickets obviously it can be moot if you have an inflexible ticket (e.g., I class and use a joker to GUF to F) if you don't want to wave goodbye to the cash...but on award combinations, it's all basically fully flexible subject to the usual caveats.

The "never ending" joker problem is meant to be dealt with, in theory, by it having an expiry date matched to your GGL year.

For cancellations, I can see how that would happen, it's more about whether you can shift an existing booking without cancellation but still hang on to the redemption. That's the bit I am not sure is allowed. Obviously the difference between a cancel + rebook versus a shift is a moot point.

I also agree it's annoying that Redemptions can't be tracked online, I bet some members simply forget about them. They certainly can track them in West Didsbury since they recently spotted my entitlement to the third joker before the requisite TPs were visible online.

Is that still the case now, with the advent of the new BAEC? Previously my Gold, GGL and CCR card had different validity 'years'. Since the changes in November last my GGL status and CCR Card have aligned to my BAEC Gold Membership Year.

It is clear from my BAEC account that the GUF2 is valid for 12 months from the date it is earned, is that also the case with the Jokers or (as I suspect) are Jokers now also aligned with my Membership Year (which is now the same for my Gold, GGL and CCR Card)?.

Ah, right. Sorry. Again, from experience it is no issue to make changes (if the ticket allows) within the validity of the joker (so in my example as long as you make the change before 15th October 2013 and it would have expired). What is not clear is what happens if you make a booking for travel after expiry of the joker then try to change it after expiry too. Though I guess there is a maximum limit built by the rules that say you have to use tickets no more than a year from issue, in the worst "indefinite"/rolling joker case?

They still have the notion of the GGL year for jokers, unfortunately. I wish it was all aligned. They've aligned the CCR and GGL card but inside the system, there's still the notion of the date you first hit GGL as your 'anniversary' for jokers. AFAICS that anniversary year only affects jokers, as earning the 3000 to retain GGL is aligned to your EC year too.

This was true as of as recently as a couple of weeks ago when a new member I know asked them to clarify his dates.

The relevant letter from Mr. Hillier says the redepemption can be deployed "twice during your membership year". For the third redemption at 6k TP, that can be used within 12 months of it being earnt. For both scenarios there is a standard procedure whereby that redemption can be extended by a further 6 months, ditto with GUF2. I must admit I struggle to use them all, since I don't get the time to do it.

Thanks B-BOAC, it is a strange one for sure. It's a good job this has come up, I was wrongly assuming the Jokers were also aligned given the wording of the benefit and the alignment of GGL with the EC Membership Year.

I'd better check the dates, I've got 2 left from last year so better put them to good use before they expire.

Don't rely 100% on me though...if you're worried the dates may be an issue for you, I'd recommend e-mailing GGL to get it clarified in writing :)

As I said, the above was confirmed a couple of weeks back for my friend but I'd still get it confirmed if you're worried.

That's exactly why I had assumed the Jokers were aligned to my EC Membership Year - so are the Jokers available (for 12 months) from reaching 3000 (and now 6000) TPs in a Membership Year (as they used to be) or are they only available from the beginning of the next Membership Year? The language used is confusing as are the T&Cs which are just as clear!

I agree, I've used only one from last year so far, two left. Even though I'm only a few months in to my Membership Year, I will pass the 3000 TP threshold again just before Christmas. Does that mean I will then have 4 Jokers to play? Or are the new ones carried over to my next Membership Year?

I suppose, issuing the Jokers as they are earned does make some sense when you think of it in the context of what is said above. Given the rather confusing information BA issue about this, if Jokers were listed (like the GUF2) in the BAEC account it would avoid any confusion.

Good old BA and the clarity of their communications! I'm sure eventually we'll find out ...

Thanks for this guys, have a much better understanding now!

What is the GGL email? Might have missed that in my welcome pack :confused:

Do I just contact BA through the site in the usual way, or is there a dedicated regular email address to use?

Gaz, you're probably better off phoning them. I've got an email address somewhere (obviously not for posting here!). If you find you need it let me know (or ask the GGL Line) and I'll look for it and PM you.