shadowline

I don't want to up the amount of 2-4-1 downgrade hysteria, but is there a dummy's guide for what to do in such a case?

Flying my first First on a 2-4-1 in Jan, and I think it would be useful to me (and others) if I had something I could refer to while at the airport to know my rights, etc?

Globaliser

That was very helpful, but (like so much information from live chat agents in many companies) I'm not sure that the overall tenor is accurate.

I haven't noticed any change over the last couple of years in the timescale for these vouchers. Usually, a transaction takes a couple of days to show up as a charge on the account (ie no longer merely pending). It then takes 2 or 3 days for that to be recognised in the Avios section (the bit you get to if you click on "Avios to be transferred"). After the qualifying transaction shows up in that section, it's only a day or two before it shows up automatically in the BAEC page of ba.com.

The information from Amex may explain why it sometimes seems to take forever for the official communications to come through, but the voucher should normally be usable well inside a month. In fact, on one occasion I'd used the voucher long before the official communication arrived - so much so that I was puzzled about why I was being told about another voucher.

eastboundbooking

Hi, this might be a silly question but thought it worth a shot...

Can I use my 2-4-1 to upgrade an existing booking? E.g. use 30,000 avios to upgrade 2x WT+ seats on the same booking to club instead of 60,000

Globaliser

No (assuming that you mean upgrading a cash booking using Avios).

KARFA

No that’s not possible. A 2-4-1 is for making reward bookings, not for use when doing upgrades with avios.

eastboundbooking

Thanks for the replies @Globaliser @KARFA — suspected as much but thought it worth a punt

Hannibal Lecter

I tried to change the return date online, BA.COM told me
The date you have chosen is more than 365 days from the original date of booking. Please choose an earlier date and try again.
Is there any way to get around that (apart from cancelling everything and risk that the outbound seats dissapear) eg make the changes over the phone?

Globaliser

What are you actually trying to do? Is what ba.com said correct concerning the gap between the original booking date and your new desired date of inbound travel?

Hannibal Lecter

Keep the outbound change the return date.


yes

Globaliser

Then I would have thought that calling would be your best option. You certainly don't want to cancel the booking except as a last resort.

pauldb

I presume it's down to ticket validity: the original ticket is valid for 1 year from it's original issue date.

This is of course commonly a hurdle when 241ers book the outbound at T-355 then add the inbound at least 10 days later, but we therefore know it is not insurmountable. You have to call to do this and the agent probably reissues the ticket without mentioning it, with a new validity window, and this would be all you need in your case too.

Paxing

With regards to the issue of the voucer by AmEx. Is the voucher given:

1. At the end of your membership year, in which you reached the target amount?
2. As soon as you reach the target amount?

The reason for asking is obvious as it is the issue of the voucher that starts the 24 month validity.

'andad

As soon as you reach the spend required (well actually 2 or 3 days after) the voucher is issued and the 2 year validity of outbound travel starts.

Paxing

Ah, thanks for the very prompt info, 'andad. I'll hold off the final spend in the card!
RATS! Just seen that a sale trip to VIE has pushed over the threshold ... I had been hoping to delay until late in 2018/20.

Flame3601

BA will not hold award availability when waiting for a companion voucher to show up right ? I know they can , but reckon they will not thou. Just checking if anyone has asked before ?