BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
Mar 8, 2019, 12:35 am
#1291
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Hilton Gold, Etihad Gold, IHG Platinum, IC Ambasador, Marriott Gold, Taj Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 195
There are no APD charges if you start from Inverness or Jersey
Mar 8, 2019, 12:38 am
#1292
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Hilton Gold, Etihad Gold, IHG Platinum, IC Ambasador, Marriott Gold, Taj Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 195
I would look to avoid the trap of letting the voucher determine where I will go. It's a bit like going into a shop and buying the item that has been reduced by the greatest amount rather than what is the most attractive. Like award availability - the reason it's there at reduced rates in quantity is that very few people want it.
Mar 8, 2019, 2:31 am
#1293
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 21
yes I have recently booked using a 241 and a different Amex card as have many others. If you want to be ultra-cautious then you should keep and use the original card, but FT would be one of the first places to hear from anyone refused for using the wrong Amex card, and I have seen zero such cases so far.
Thanks!
Mar 12, 2019, 3:18 am
#1294
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: GGL, BA lifetime Gold, Many Hotel Sparkles
Posts: 891
Just wanted to check on the wiki / guide regarding using a 241 voucher for a member inside a house hold cccount when the companion is not in the household account.
BA hosted terms and conditions seem clear this is allowed and then in an older page say it is not ... which one is right ?
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...redit-cards/uk
“20. Companions do not have to be people who are named within a British Airways Executive Club Household Account. Cardmembers can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their Companion Voucher booking.”
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...utm_source=PHG
20. Members can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their Companion Voucher booking except if the member is part of a Household Account. In such an instance, the companion must also belong to the Household Account.
BA hosted terms and conditions seem clear this is allowed and then in an older page say it is not ... which one is right ?
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...redit-cards/uk
“20. Companions do not have to be people who are named within a British Airways Executive Club Household Account. Cardmembers can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their Companion Voucher booking.”
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...utm_source=PHG
20. Members can choose to take anyone as a Companion on their Companion Voucher booking except if the member is part of a Household Account. In such an instance, the companion must also belong to the Household Account.
Mar 12, 2019, 3:28 am
#1295
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 304
This is saying if YOU are in a household account, then your companion also needs to be in the same household account. If YOU are not in a household account, then your companion can be anyone.
Mar 12, 2019, 3:36 am
#1296
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
The Amex site also points to the more open interpretation, and the more closed version appears to be (out)dated June 09. So I think you'll be able to force through any companion.
However, more practically, I can tell you that online it will only allow you to select a companion from your HHA members plus your Friends and Family list. Therefore to save hassle, can you add the desired companion to your F&F list (which is a short-list of others, with limited numbers and changes allowed, for whom BA allows you to use your HHA avios and, de facto, your 241).
However, more practically, I can tell you that online it will only allow you to select a companion from your HHA members plus your Friends and Family list. Therefore to save hassle, can you add the desired companion to your F&F list (which is a short-list of others, with limited numbers and changes allowed, for whom BA allows you to use your HHA avios and, de facto, your 241).
Mar 12, 2019, 6:19 am
#1297
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 243
Just as an update/for reference, for the second time I booked an outbound one way CW redemption to South America for 2, then booked the return (initially using full Avios) separately. I called BA Exec the day after the return booking and within 5 minutes they had linked the booking and refunded the Avios to my account. I asked the agent if many people did this and said no and that she often suggests this to customers who complain of the issues regarding redemptions. Obviously, you need to have sufficient balance to book at full whack and then reclaim but it does make it so much easier.
Mar 12, 2019, 7:01 am
#1298
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 73
Trying to find LHR-KUL return (or SIN) for a very specific week. Is it possible to book the return leg then add the outgoing (even as a OJ) at a later date? Sounds risky to me as I typed it up!
Mar 12, 2019, 7:14 am
#1299
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
I don't think that you can book KUL-LHR or SIN-LHR one-way as the first step, because AIUI travel must commence in the UK (assuming it's a UK voucher): it can be one-way from the UK or round-trip back to the UK, but one-way starting outside the UK is no good.
Mar 12, 2019, 7:32 am
#1300
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
You could of course book a return with the desired inbound and an earlier place-holder/dummy outbound, hoping that you can correct its date before the dummy date comes around.
Mar 13, 2019, 1:56 am
#1301
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
Just as an update/for reference, for the second time I booked an outbound one way CW redemption to South America for 2, then booked the return (initially using full Avios) separately. I called BA Exec the day after the return booking and within 5 minutes they had linked the booking and refunded the Avios to my account. I asked the agent if many people did this and said no and that she often suggests this to customers who complain of the issues regarding redemptions. Obviously, you need to have sufficient balance to book at full whack and then reclaim but it does make it so much easier.
I noticed that she refunded the full 2x avios for the inbound and then recharged me the 1x avios. So a question for anyone who has tried, or maybe our BA lurkers:
If I didn't have enough avios to book the inbound with full 2x avios, could I book it with avios&money - then could the BA agent refund the avios&money and recharge the 1x avios? eg. SIN-LON is 210k for 2; could I book it for 105k+£1930, then have effectively the £1930 refunded (105k+£1930 ref'd, 105k "241" recharged)?
Also is it a policy, or luck-of-the-draw / not-possible, to get out-of-kilter YQ adjusted: if I book an inbound from the US with higher YQ, can it be adjusted down to the UK YQ? I think someone here or on HfP has reported success.
Mar 13, 2019, 2:47 am
#1302
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
I don’t see who you can have taxes/fees/charges recalculated as if it were a return booking. At the end of the day you don’t have a return booking, you have two separate one way bookings where the 2-4-1 voucher has been applied across both.
Mar 13, 2019, 3:37 am
#1303
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
That's very much a secondary question. I think I read someone had done it, even though it seemed less plausible. Point of origin taxes I would agree with you on but YQ is ultimately within BA's control, though maybe not in an agent's hands.
Mar 13, 2019, 4:51 am
#1304
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
I respectfully disagree that it is a secondary point. I can't think of another situation where taxes/fees/charges can be calculated as if two one ways are a return. It would be great to hear from one of our resident BA agents, but I don't see there being a mechanism to do that.
Last edited by KARFA; Mar 13, 2019 at 4:58 am
Mar 13, 2019, 5:07 am
#1305
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
I respectfully disagree that it is a secondary point. I can't think of another situation where taxes/fees/charges can be calculated as if two one ways are a return. It would be great to hear from one of our resident BA agents, but I don't see there being a mechanism to do that.