BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
#586
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 805
You are the first person to confirm that this works. Was it easy enough to do next day on the phone and how long did it take for the Avios to be returned into your account?
#587
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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I don't understand the reasoning for the advice you have both been given - why would this help increase availability for customers calling the UK number in the morning anyway? You have still taken 2x reward seats at midnight whether booking on ba,com or booking over the phone.
#588
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 805
I don't understand the reasoning for the advice you have both been given - why would this help increase availability for customers calling the UK number in the morning anyway? You have still taken 2x reward seats at midnight whether booking on ba,com or booking over the phone.
I think what they mean is that since not everyone knows about the ringing of US or Japan customer services at midnight when the seats are released and since the UK line is closed, UK customers are ringing the UK line at 0600 when the UK line opens to find customers from other countries/ people in the know such as in these forums, have already pounced and booked the tickets. So to level the playing field, now anyone with enough avios can book the seats when it comes online at midnight and then apply the voucher next day. So it saves time and also cost of an international phone call since BA Gold line for example is free to call. Doesn't change the availability of 2 CW reward seats though.
#589
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Hi
I think what they mean is that since not everyone knows about the ringing of US or Japan customer services at midnight when the seats are released and since the UK line is closed, UK customers are ringing the UK line at 0600 when the UK line opens to find customers from other countries/ people in the know such as in these forums, have already pounced and booked the tickets. So to level the playing field, now anyone with enough avios can book the seats when it comes online at midnight and then apply the voucher next day. So it saves time and also cost of an international phone call since BA Gold line for example is free to call. Doesn't change the availability of 2 CW reward seats though.
I think what they mean is that since not everyone knows about the ringing of US or Japan customer services at midnight when the seats are released and since the UK line is closed, UK customers are ringing the UK line at 0600 when the UK line opens to find customers from other countries/ people in the know such as in these forums, have already pounced and booked the tickets. So to level the playing field, now anyone with enough avios can book the seats when it comes online at midnight and then apply the voucher next day. So it saves time and also cost of an international phone call since BA Gold line for example is free to call. Doesn't change the availability of 2 CW reward seats though.
Anyway, if I were you I would stick to calling, I can see no advantage for you in booking the outbound on ba.com and calling in the morning to apply the 2-4-1 compared to just doing it over the phone with US/JP at midnight.
#590
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 805
But you booking the seats on ba.com still removes them at midnight in the same way as if you had called JP to book over the phone at midnight - I don't see how this levels the playing field with those calling the UK at 0600 since the seats will still be gone by the time they call?
Anyway, if I were you I would stick to calling, I can see no advantage for you in booking the outbound on ba.com and calling in the morning to apply the 2-4-1 compared to just doing it over the phone with US/JP at midnight.
Anyway, if I were you I would stick to calling, I can see no advantage for you in booking the outbound on ba.com and calling in the morning to apply the 2-4-1 compared to just doing it over the phone with US/JP at midnight.
#591
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,833
I have managed to book the outbound online using the vouchers. As per ringingupand FeedbirdNiner, I was going to ring USA or Japan customer services at midnight UK time to book the return in about a month when it becomes available. When I contacted BA customer services today in the UK, the agent told me that it is best to book the return with full avios at midnight online and then ring UK customer services next day when they open and they will apply the voucher to the booking and refund one passenger's full avios back. Apparently they do this since they have had lots of UK customers complaining about the midnight release of redemption seats and nothing available next day by the time you ring the agents. Obviously this is easy enough for me to do online and no lengthy costly phone calls required but I was not aware that this is an option and don't want to miss out on the seats since I have a very narrow return dates due to work commitments.
Anybody had any experience with this way of booking?
Any help is much appreciated.
Anybody had any experience with this way of booking?
Any help is much appreciated.
How about this simple test: Call BAEC two more times, and ask the CSR if this is now standard policy. If you get consistent positive responses from all of the CSR's, then we can put to rest the naysayers who claim that this is impossible or ill-advised.
No, this option doesn't increase seat availability, but it allows UK residents to avoid an overseas phone call. Perhaps BA is trying to manage the workload at the Japan call center. Or perhaps BA is simply being customer-friendly. Shocking, I know.
Let us know what you learn.......
#592
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Yes, I have done precisely this, successfully. It was a while back (September 2015), and when I have reported this on flyertalk, everyone has told me that I must be mistaken, that what I did was simply impossible. It would not surprise me to learn that BA has now standardized this process.
How about this simple test: Call BAEC two more times, and ask the CSR if this is now standard policy. If you get consistent positive responses from all of the CSR's, then we can put to rest the naysayers who claim that this is impossible or ill-advised.
No, this option doesn't increase seat availability, but it allows UK residents to avoid an overseas phone call. Perhaps BA is trying to manage the workload at the Japan call center. Or perhaps BA is simply being customer-friendly. Shocking, I know.
Let us know what you learn.......
How about this simple test: Call BAEC two more times, and ask the CSR if this is now standard policy. If you get consistent positive responses from all of the CSR's, then we can put to rest the naysayers who claim that this is impossible or ill-advised.
No, this option doesn't increase seat availability, but it allows UK residents to avoid an overseas phone call. Perhaps BA is trying to manage the workload at the Japan call center. Or perhaps BA is simply being customer-friendly. Shocking, I know.
Let us know what you learn.......
the best advice is to still follow the method as set out in this thread and call US/JP to do it, instead of going though booking it without the voucher online at midnight (assuming one has enough avios for 2 people) then calling BA and getting a refund assuming that is done quickly, and then presumably going through the whole thing again when your inbound dates are released. What the agent has suggested is more complex and more time consuming for the customer.
EDIT: just to also add if booking to the US the booking online and calling later method is even more disadvantageous since the standalone exUS inbound flights would incur a very high carrier surcharge. When you call later I would hope that it would be repriced as a return, but now you have to wait for a refund of the excess surcharge you have paid, and BA is not always know for quick refunds. If you call to add your exUS inbound flights the surcharge will be calculated correctly at that point so you will not pay more than necessary and not have to wait for a refund.
Last edited by KARFA; Feb 17, 2018 at 3:22 pm
#593
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,833
the best advice is to still follow the method as set out in this thread and call US/JP to do it, instead of going though booking it without the voucher online at midnight (assuming one has enough avios for 2 people) then calling BA and getting a refund assuming that is done quickly, and then presumably going through the whole thing again when your inbound dates are released. What the agent has suggested is more complex and more time consuming for the customer.
You misunderstand what Dselvan is proposing (post 582). He/she is not proposing that the outbound flight be booked "without the voucher online at midnight ... and then calling BA and getting a refund." In fact, Dselvan has already booked the outbound flight, online, using his/her voucher. No refund is sought, or due. And the voucher has already been applied, online. There is no need to "go through the whole thing again."
Dselvan is simply proposing an alternative method for securing the return flight online, and applying the voucher to it the next morning. And there would be no monetary refund due since it is unlikely that the ticket has been billed and the credit card charged by the next morning. This is precisely what occurred when I did this in 2015 ---- no monetary adjustment was needed.
Whether you or I believe this method is more or less convenient to the customer is largely irrelevant. That's for the customer to decide, based on their individual circumstances/preferences. When I did this in 2015, it was simply because I was travelling at the time and, while I had internet access, I did not have easy access to place an international call.
Also, I was more confidant that I could get instantaneous online access to the seats being released at midnight, instead of making an international call, being placed on hold, or being at the mercy of a CSR who might not timely grab the seats at the moment they are released.
If this provides another option for folks, what is the harm? Why argue so adamanty against it?
#594
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: England
Programs: BAEC Gold, UA Mileage Plus, Hotels.com Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Pizza Express Gold
Posts: 603
I don't understand the reasoning for the advice you have both been given - why would this help increase availability for customers calling the UK number in the morning anyway? You have still taken 2x reward seats at midnight whether booking on ba,com or booking over the phone.
It's significantly easier to book flights online rather than trying to call at the right time, so if this is an ongoing thing it will make life easier. It will be much better being able to call the UK at a convenient point, having already secured the seats online. The disadvantage is that the taxes weren't recalculated, so I lost out on about £50, but it would be more to the USA. I don't know what would happen if I wanted to change either half of the booking, for eg if SCL-LHR becomes available.
#595
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 805
I wasn't given advice, I found out by accident. I booked LHR-SCL online using my voucher, then tried to book a return by phoning Japan just before midnight. I left it too late and the seats had gone, and there were no seats available from the other BA South American destinations. Later on the next day I checked and there were J and F seats available from GRU for the day I wanted, so I booked the F seats to make sure I could get home, then phoned expecting to cancel the F seats and add the J seats to my 241. I asked if I could add the F seats to the 241 and was told yes. Half the avios for them was refunded instantly.
It's significantly easier to book flights online rather than trying to call at the right time, so if this is an ongoing thing it will make life easier. It will be much better being able to call the UK at a convenient point, having already secured the seats online. The disadvantage is that the taxes weren't recalculated, so I lost out on about £50, but it would be more to the USA. I don't know what would happen if I wanted to change either half of the booking, for eg if SCL-LHR becomes available.
It's significantly easier to book flights online rather than trying to call at the right time, so if this is an ongoing thing it will make life easier. It will be much better being able to call the UK at a convenient point, having already secured the seats online. The disadvantage is that the taxes weren't recalculated, so I lost out on about £50, but it would be more to the USA. I don't know what would happen if I wanted to change either half of the booking, for eg if SCL-LHR becomes available.
In regard to your question if the SCL-LHR sector becomes available, you ring BA and they will swap the flights. You will either pay the difference in Avios or if it less, then it gets refunded and the same applies for taxes. You will however have to pay the £35 per person for change of booking.
#596
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
I wasn't given advice, I found out by accident. I booked LHR-SCL online using my voucher, then tried to book a return by phoning Japan just before midnight. I left it too late and the seats had gone, and there were no seats available from the other BA South American destinations. Later on the next day I checked and there were J and F seats available from GRU for the day I wanted, so I booked the F seats to make sure I could get home, then phoned expecting to cancel the F seats and add the J seats to my 241. I asked if I could add the F seats to the 241 and was told yes. Half the avios for them was refunded instantly.
It's significantly easier to book flights online rather than trying to call at the right time, so if this is an ongoing thing it will make life easier. It will be much better being able to call the UK at a convenient point, having already secured the seats online. The disadvantage is that the taxes weren't recalculated, so I lost out on about £50, but it would be more to the USA. I don't know what would happen if I wanted to change either half of the booking, for eg if SCL-LHR becomes available.
It's significantly easier to book flights online rather than trying to call at the right time, so if this is an ongoing thing it will make life easier. It will be much better being able to call the UK at a convenient point, having already secured the seats online. The disadvantage is that the taxes weren't recalculated, so I lost out on about £50, but it would be more to the USA. I don't know what would happen if I wanted to change either half of the booking, for eg if SCL-LHR becomes available.
I am not adamantly against doing it this way but I can see exactly these kinds of problems which it will create. I personally would rather not be wanting to wait for avios and charges refunds from BA if I could have chosen an option to aviod them in the first place.
#597
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: England
Programs: BAEC Gold, UA Mileage Plus, Hotels.com Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Pizza Express Gold
Posts: 603
My worry about ringing either US or Japan is exactly this that the agent refuses or misses booking the seats and that creates a lot of hassle. The cost of the call is negligible. At least there is a plan B of booking online and ringing the Gold line in the morning to apply the voucher.
In regard to your question if the SCL-LHR sector becomes available, you ring BA and they will swap the flights. You will either pay the difference in Avios or if it less, then it gets refunded and the same applies for taxes. You will however have to pay the £35 per person for change of booking.
With regard to the fees, I was just glad to have got flights back from South America, so wasn't too bothered about the fees. If it was several hundred pounds for a USA booking I would be arguing though and especially if this is an official new policy to allow bookings to be done like this.
The 100000 Avios were refunded pretty much instantly, while I was still on the phone. No chasing required.
#598
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 805
I know that's how it's supposed to happen, but I thought there were rules about not being able to change zones on bookings after they're made?
With regard to the fees, I was just glad to have got flights back from South America, so wasn't too bothered about the fees. If it was several hundred pounds for a USA booking I would be arguing though and especially if this is an official new policy to allow bookings to be done like this.
The 100000 Avios were refunded pretty much instantly, while I was still on the phone. No chasing required.
With regard to the fees, I was just glad to have got flights back from South America, so wasn't too bothered about the fees. If it was several hundred pounds for a USA booking I would be arguing though and especially if this is an official new policy to allow bookings to be done like this.
The 100000 Avios were refunded pretty much instantly, while I was still on the phone. No chasing required.
#599
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Changes to any avios reward bookings are only possible if your old and new destination are in the same zone. You can change class with the same itinerary and for that you pay the change fee, additional avios, and any additional taxes/fees/charges due.
If they are not in the same zone then you are not doing a change - you are actually doing a cancellation and rebooking and there is no guarantee whatever reward seats you had will reappear as available to rebook.
If they are not in the same zone then you are not doing a change - you are actually doing a cancellation and rebooking and there is no guarantee whatever reward seats you had will reappear as available to rebook.
#600
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Manchester, UK
Programs: BA Silver; Accor Silver; IHG Gold; Hilton Silver
Posts: 8
Advice on open jaw
Hi all,
Im looking for some advice on doing an open jaw on the voucher. Im looking at flying into SIN and back from SYD.
I have read something about being able to book the outbound flight to SIN and applying the voucher to that, and then when it hits midnight for the flight back from SYD, booking it online, and then calling up the next day to get BA to apply the 2-4-1.
Any advice on if this would work would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Im looking for some advice on doing an open jaw on the voucher. Im looking at flying into SIN and back from SYD.
I have read something about being able to book the outbound flight to SIN and applying the voucher to that, and then when it hits midnight for the flight back from SYD, booking it online, and then calling up the next day to get BA to apply the 2-4-1.
Any advice on if this would work would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks