Gaza

I am trying to book with Avios a long-haul flight with a EDI-LHR connection for Scottish October half-term next year. I can get the long-haul flight I want but there are absolutely no EDI-LHR flights available anywhere near the dates I want. There are some EDI-LCY but that is no use. I can't believe all availability is gone this early so can only assume they haven't loaded the Avios flights for this time.


So, if I book the long-hauls from LHR will it be possible to add the domestic legs to the booking at a later date if availability opens up. I seem to remember a post many years ago from a BA insider saying that it was possible but most Advisers didn't know how to do it and would automatically say no.

Thoughts?

DWFI

Generally I think you can just call BA and they will open up the domestic portions for you.

Neiltoo

We had no problem adding BFS - LHR to a LHR - HKG redemption after the fact. The domestic was added on about a month after the L/H leg was booked.

I'm sure I read here that as long as the number of avios required doesn't change then changes/add ons aren't a problem as long as there is availability.

Gaza

Thanks. I'll try calling BAEC today and see what they say. If that fails I'll keep an eye on availability and try to get them added at a later date.

Horris

That might be the case for a GCH, but it's not a general rule. In my experience if there's no domestic sector available then we either pay cash or go down the night before.

edinburghgirl

That Is the sector that always stumps us too I usually just book from Lhr then keep checking and then get you first to add the domestic sector if it opens up which it tends to do at some point I have just added edi-Lhr-edi to a redemption for the school holiday week in feb

If all else fails you can buy a ticket for domestic sector

Horris

That's what we do too, although we also tend to book whatever is available initially.

I've heard the suggestion on this board a couple of times now that BA will just 'open up' availability for domestic add-ons even if such availability doesn't appear to otherwise exist.

I'd be interested to know if this is actually true or whether it only applies to GCHs (as I know they have access to better availability).

HIDDY

Only problem with that is if it isn't only confined to GCH's you'll have to pay the offline fees. Anyway GCH's get extra reward availability as it is so hiding even more seats is rather sneaky of BA.

jkenn

If you add the domestic leg later and you don't have status, do they charge a fee to add it?

edi-traveller

Happened to me on a redemption to MRU a few years ago. No EDI-LHR availability. I called BAEC and they couldn't help - said to keep watching if any opened up. In the end I had to pay for the Domestics.

I often do my redemption checks without the domestic sector included and its surprising how much more you find.

DWFI

Yes there will probably be a phone service fee as well as a change fee. You might be able to get them to waive the phone service fee.
There is no additional Avios cost though.

RedVee

Are you travelling in CW or First on your long haul sector?

You can sometimes force what appears to be hidden availability by letting it search for an economy domestic redemption, and then when it doesn't find any changing the search criteria to "Business" in the drop down box at the side of the availability calendar.

If that reveals availability, phone up to get it added.

I've never been able to get revenue management to open up domestic rewards at the time of booking a long haul if they weren't already available. But I have always (up to now) been able to add them later. One thing to watch out for is repricing of the whole redemption if taxes and fuel duty have gone up in the meantime. That can mean its cheaper to book revenue tickets, but you end up with 2 PNRs.

charlesrhona

Had similar problems booking a 2-4-1 redemption in F this week from ABZ-LHR-SFO where the only ABZ-LHR connection offered was tight and allowed 60 minutes from the LHR arrival time until the SFO departure time. I was obviously unhappy with this as short delays on the flight and a subsequent missed departure would mean an overnight in London. Also wished to make maximum use of lounge and spa so called BA and the agent had no problem putting us on a flight leaving ABZ 2 hours earlier. Problem sorted with 5 minutes and no additional booking fee charged as he acknowledged that this could not have been done online.

Gaza

Thanks all. I booked ended up booking the LHR-DXB legs in First to get them secured. I'll keep checking and hopefully get the domestic legs added later as having priced the domestics at £606 for the 3 of us it it begins to make the trip look less attractive.

Swiss Tony

Whilst I'm happy you got a decent result, this inconsistency of what does & doesn't attract the offline fee really annoys me. There's no way to downgrade flights online, but BA wanted to charge me £15 per person (5 times over) to do this to a booking...