AA [award] space on BA website
Jul 21, 2017, 9:28 am
#31
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,263
Just booked an AA sAAver seat via BA (phone agent) even though nothing was showing on BA.com or in her system, but I could see T class availability on EF. She called the OW desk who advised her to try and book a seat on the flight the pax wants, if it accepts then there is reward space available, and they can proceed with the booking.
So if you have EF access, look for T or U availability, and if it shows tell the BA agent to try and book it regardless of what their system is showing as available (or not available).
Hope this helps!
Pilot37
So if you have EF access, look for T or U availability, and if it shows tell the BA agent to try and book it regardless of what their system is showing as available (or not available).
Hope this helps!
Pilot37
Last edited by Pilot37; Jul 21, 2017 at 9:38 am
Jul 21, 2017, 9:34 am
#32
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 213
Just booked an AA sAAver seat via BA (phone agent) even though nothing was showing on BA.com or in her system, but I could see T class availability on EF. She called the OW desk who advised her to try and book a seat on the flight the pax wants, if it accepts then there is reward space available, and they can proceed with the booking.
So if you have EF access, look for T or U availability, and if it shows tell the BA agent to try and book it regardless of what their system is showing as a available (or not available).
Hope this helps!
Pilot37
So if you have EF access, look for T or U availability, and if it shows tell the BA agent to try and book it regardless of what their system is showing as a available (or not available).
Hope this helps!
Pilot37
Jul 21, 2017, 9:43 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,263
Best of luck!
Pilot37
Jul 21, 2017, 11:06 am
#34
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
Just booked an AA sAAver seat via BA (phone agent) even though nothing was showing on BA.com or in her system, but I could see T class availability on EF. She called the OW desk who advised her to try and book a seat on the flight the pax wants, if it accepts then there is reward space available, and they can proceed with the booking.
Jul 21, 2017, 11:27 am
#36
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 213
Jul 21, 2017, 1:58 pm
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 42
yes! fixed! just hours after my grace period to cancel/change a UA award with terrible routing ended... well that's the name of the game! I'll be my 5h layover at Dulles airport thanks to this bug!
Thanks for the help/ updates!
Thanks for the help/ updates!
Jul 24, 2017, 8:18 am
#39
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Boston
Programs: BA Silver, AA, DL, AF
Posts: 55
Actually, the disappointing part is that you were given incorrect information by the BA phone agent. Rather than admit they have another IT issue, this seems to be a preferred explanation for some BA frontline staff - that AA just aren't providing seats for any route/date. But it's not an accurate theory. Some BA agents have admitted this IT issue is known, but have no idea when it will be fixed (I called the Singapore number last night to be told it will likely be "some time").
As stated by the correction posted directly above, as a general rule of thumb all AA SAAver award space is open to BA avios bookings. There is currently an IT glitch which means BA cannot see any AA space at all. Are they viewing this as a priority to fix? That I cannot say.
As stated by the correction posted directly above, as a general rule of thumb all AA SAAver award space is open to BA avios bookings. There is currently an IT glitch which means BA cannot see any AA space at all. Are they viewing this as a priority to fix? That I cannot say.
Apr 11, 2018, 12:36 am
#41
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,809
Apr 11, 2018, 2:07 am
#42
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 32
Not seeing anything on any dates for SJC - LAX. Trying to book through onbusiness, but no availability through BAEC account either. Plenty if award availability for the flights I want showing on expertflyer. Hopefully the problem will be fixed soon!
Apr 11, 2018, 2:34 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,263
Pilot37
Apr 11, 2018, 4:27 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 32
I can see plenty of T class availability on the route in EF, but the same dates on BA.com display nothing alright. Try my trick mentioned a few posts above yours from 2017 when this issue last arose. Call BA and tell them the OW Help Desk advised to try and book the flights you want (if you see T class availability in them on EF) regardless of lack of availability which their system is showing.
Pilot37
Pilot37
Apr 11, 2018, 9:18 am
#45
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Silver, BA, AA, FlyingBlue, IberiaPlus,Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 141
Issue still present: success with calling BA
I was looking to book a one way nonstop from DFW to Florida. AA.com showed sAAver space in coach, while BA.com showed no availability, period. I called the BA US Executive Club line and was about as lucky as one could get: I received a friendly representative without any wait and she was knowledgeable enough to work around the issue, resulting in me successfully booking the trip. Here's how it went down:
I first treated the call as a regular booking attempt, without first mentioning that I'd already tried to book on BA.com. I wanted to see if the phone rep might be able to see the space right away. That didn't pan out, as the agent couldn't see any space. I then told her that AA was showing low level award availability on this flight, and that the space should therefore be bookable by any OneWorld partner, including BA, so there must be a technical issue. She agreed, and I asked her to speak with the OneWorld desk about the issue (thanks to the above comment by @Pilot37). She put me on a brief hold, then said she could now see the space. Here's where it gets interesting: she saw not only the flight that I wanted, which was the sole nonstop displayed as available on AA.com, but also another earlier nonstop on the same date which was NOT displayed as available on AA.com. Could this mean that it may be best to call BA even if AA.com isn't showing any availability?
After making the booking, the agent attempted to charge me the phone booking fee, which she promptly waived after I objected that the only reason I called is because the technical issue with BA's site made it impossible for me to book online. After all was said and done, I thanked her, complimented her on her knowledge and willingness to work around the issue, and asked her if she could tell me anything that could help me guide a lesser informed phone rep to the techniques that she employed. She only said that she had to change her screen view from "redemption" to "available." She was not keen to elaborate beyond that, but did state that it did not require supervisory authority to do this when I asked. I'm thinking this explains how she came back with another flight which was not available on AA.com. The other flight was available for sale, but not for redemption, and had we tried to "manually" book the award on that flight as opposed to the one showing as available on AA.com, I doubt it would have worked out.
I first treated the call as a regular booking attempt, without first mentioning that I'd already tried to book on BA.com. I wanted to see if the phone rep might be able to see the space right away. That didn't pan out, as the agent couldn't see any space. I then told her that AA was showing low level award availability on this flight, and that the space should therefore be bookable by any OneWorld partner, including BA, so there must be a technical issue. She agreed, and I asked her to speak with the OneWorld desk about the issue (thanks to the above comment by @Pilot37). She put me on a brief hold, then said she could now see the space. Here's where it gets interesting: she saw not only the flight that I wanted, which was the sole nonstop displayed as available on AA.com, but also another earlier nonstop on the same date which was NOT displayed as available on AA.com. Could this mean that it may be best to call BA even if AA.com isn't showing any availability?
After making the booking, the agent attempted to charge me the phone booking fee, which she promptly waived after I objected that the only reason I called is because the technical issue with BA's site made it impossible for me to book online. After all was said and done, I thanked her, complimented her on her knowledge and willingness to work around the issue, and asked her if she could tell me anything that could help me guide a lesser informed phone rep to the techniques that she employed. She only said that she had to change her screen view from "redemption" to "available." She was not keen to elaborate beyond that, but did state that it did not require supervisory authority to do this when I asked. I'm thinking this explains how she came back with another flight which was not available on AA.com. The other flight was available for sale, but not for redemption, and had we tried to "manually" book the award on that flight as opposed to the one showing as available on AA.com, I doubt it would have worked out.