BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
Oct 3, 2018, 6:07 am
#976
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
It's particularly stark as a ticket issued and originating in Brazil has a local exclusion from carrier surcharges. GIG-LHR would benefit from this.
But your booking is issued and originating in the UK so you pay the UK level of YQ on that return leg, something like the Ł175pp difference.
Even the ex-Brazil exemption is not clear cut. If I do a dummy one way booking I get the say Ł20 as you, but on the next screen it jumps to Ł222.
But your booking is issued and originating in the UK so you pay the UK level of YQ on that return leg, something like the Ł175pp difference.
Even the ex-Brazil exemption is not clear cut. If I do a dummy one way booking I get the say Ł20 as you, but on the next screen it jumps to Ł222.
Oct 3, 2018, 7:10 am
#977
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 973
Many thanks, KARFA, for explaining the taxes - really appreciated that you have unravelled the mystery (lack of knowledge on my part). So, the taxes which I have been charged were correct 
Also, thanks to pauldb, for your further clarification.
Also, thanks to pauldb, for your further clarification.
Oct 4, 2018, 8:04 am
#978
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 124
I called the US Silver line at 12:58am to add on my return flight, and the agent insisted he couldn’t serve me because I was a UK member.
I told him I’d done it many times before, and asked when this rule had changed - and why it only applied to him - but he was insistent that he had “US members hanging on the line” and I had to wait until the UK office was open to call.
After a long argument I gave up, took his name, and said I’d call back and speak to someone else.
Of course by that time even the US line was closed (8pm eastern), so I lost the chance to book.
Who was in the wrong here? Is this a rule? Was I being too honest and should have said I was in the UK? Should I complain or it that pointless?
I told him I’d done it many times before, and asked when this rule had changed - and why it only applied to him - but he was insistent that he had “US members hanging on the line” and I had to wait until the UK office was open to call.
After a long argument I gave up, took his name, and said I’d call back and speak to someone else.
Of course by that time even the US line was closed (8pm eastern), so I lost the chance to book.
Who was in the wrong here? Is this a rule? Was I being too honest and should have said I was in the UK? Should I complain or it that pointless?
Oct 4, 2018, 8:18 am
#979
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Has anyone ever successfully booked BA001 with a companion ticket?
Oct 4, 2018, 8:39 am
#980
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,868
Oct 4, 2018, 9:48 am
#981
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Peterborough, UK
Programs: BA Silver; IHG Spire; Avis P+; Global Entry
Posts: 1,505
Oct 4, 2018, 12:16 pm
#982
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,629
I want (well, need!) to book a 241 tonight, in a quandary about which office to call given the "you can't call the US number if you're from the UK" experience a few posts above. Midnight GMT (1am BST) is closing time for the US and opening time for Hong Kong and Japan 
This will be the first time I've ever done the 1am calling, what to FTers thinkg is going to be my best bet - call the US and risk being told to go away, or call Japan / Hong Kong at 1am on the dot?
This will be the first time I've ever done the 1am calling, what to FTers thinkg is going to be my best bet - call the US and risk being told to go away, or call Japan / Hong Kong at 1am on the dot?
Oct 4, 2018, 12:48 pm
#983
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: Skywards, British Airways Executive Club
Posts: 31
My recent experience, I phoned the Hong Kong number at 01:00 which was automatically transferred through to an Indian call centre. The customer service agent immediately understood that I was wanting to add a return element to an existing ‘companion voucher’ booking. Two first class seats booked from San Jose x LHR, completed in a few minutes.....absolutely painless! (I have to say.....my stress levels were sky high prior to the call☹️������)
Oct 4, 2018, 2:28 pm
#984
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 124
I want (well, need!) to book a 241 tonight, in a quandary about which office to call given the "you can't call the US number if you're from the UK" experience a few posts above. Midnight GMT (1am BST) is closing time for the US and opening time for Hong Kong and Japan
This will be the first time I've ever done the 1am calling, what to FTers thinkg is going to be my best bet - call the US and risk being told to go away, or call Japan / Hong Kong at 1am on the dot?
This will be the first time I've ever done the 1am calling, what to FTers thinkg is going to be my best bet - call the US and risk being told to go away, or call Japan / Hong Kong at 1am on the dot?
Oct 5, 2018, 12:43 am
#985
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,598
I called the US Silver line at 12:58am to add on my return flight, and the agent insisted he couldn’t serve me because I was a UK member.
I told him I’d done it many times before, and asked when this rule had changed - and why it only applied to him - but he was insistent that he had “US members hanging on the line” and I had to wait until the UK office was open to call.
After a long argument I gave up, took his name, and said I’d call back and speak to someone else.
Of course by that time even the US line was closed (8pm eastern), so I lost the chance to book.
Who was in the wrong here? Is this a rule? Was I being too honest and should have said I was in the UK? Should I complain or it that pointless?
I told him I’d done it many times before, and asked when this rule had changed - and why it only applied to him - but he was insistent that he had “US members hanging on the line” and I had to wait until the UK office was open to call.
After a long argument I gave up, took his name, and said I’d call back and speak to someone else.
Of course by that time even the US line was closed (8pm eastern), so I lost the chance to book.
Who was in the wrong here? Is this a rule? Was I being too honest and should have said I was in the UK? Should I complain or it that pointless?
Oct 5, 2018, 1:03 am
#986
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,105
Oct 9, 2018, 6:55 am
#988
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
I've done a few 241 open jaws but only returning from within the same country. Are there any other limitations, apart from the surface sector distance, such as returning from a different country, or even a different continent?
Just to add to the above discussion, when I called the US number to add a return sector it was answered in the US (I think) and, when I said what I wanted, I was put through to the call centre for the detail to be done. I don't think I was asked, or mentioned, where I lived.
Just to add to the above discussion, when I called the US number to add a return sector it was answered in the US (I think) and, when I said what I wanted, I was put through to the call centre for the detail to be done. I don't think I was asked, or mentioned, where I lived.
Oct 9, 2018, 6:57 am
#989
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,225
The surface sector distance has to be less than the journey legs. I.E. LHR-KUL/SIN-LHR the KUL-SIN is far less than either of the legs around it
edit - described somewhat clearer in the fourth Q above :
Q: Can I book an open-jaw trip using the voucher?
A: You can, but you will need to call BA. For the trip to be valid, the length of the surface sector must be shorter than either of the flown journeys. If you want to fly from LHR to AAA and from BBB back to LHR, then the LHR-AAA and BBB-LHR distances must both be greater than the distance between AAA and BBB.
Oct 9, 2018, 7:03 am
#990
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
Thanks, yes I am happy with the distance requirements, hence my Q about other limitations.
