Getting ba.com to show more options
 

I'm looking at an ex-EU fare and have found what I want on Matrix which includes JFK-LHR before a final leg from LCY.

I would like to book the flight on ba.com but it (quite sensibly) is giving me all sorts of options involving either JFK-LHR + LHR-XXX or JFK-LCY + LCY-XXX. Of course from its perspective why on earth would I choose to connect across town when I can do it from the same airport? And it runs out of room to show further permutations.

Is there any way of making the site show more options, or do I have to bite the bullet and call them to book? I'm a little wary of doing so as I admit I have only ever booked flights online! Do they challenge you on why you'd want to do that specific routing?

If I can't book online because the site won't show enough options is that sufficient to get the telephone booking fee waived?

Have you tried the multi-city options? Put in the exact flights you want rather than letting it work out the connections itself.

Thanks. I have tried that but it still won't quite throw up what I want. To complicate things my journey home from the USA doesn't start in JFK but I am routing to specifically be on the 18.05 AA-operated departure from JFK to check out their J reverse herringbone on the 77W. I've tried [Flight 1 = outbound and all fine as what I want is shown as an option]:

- Flight 2 DCA-LHR then Flight 3 as LCY-XXX but this gives me all sorts of alternative routings from Washington (mainly via Dublin) on rubbish AA J configurations that I do not want to be on. Again it runs out of space before showing me the JFK connection I do want.

or

- Flight 2 DCA-JFK + Flight 3 JFK-LHR + Flight 4 LCY-RTM which gives me a problem as the connection time at JFK for my chosen flights is 114mins but the MCT if done as separate flights in the multi-city tool is 120 mins. It's a perfectly legitimate connection in the tool if done as the whole thing. I could choose an earlier DCA-JFK flight but that's £30pp more expensive so more than the phone booking fee and leaves me with nearly four hours to kill at JFK.

Unless of course you FT gurus all think I shouldn't be attempting a 114 min connection between AA flights at JFK so should go with the longer time anyway? If the multi-city tool thinks it's a bad idea, should I believe it?

If you find the flights in Matrix, you can just call BA and give them the exact flight numbers. They will have no problem booking it for you.
If you mention that it was not possible to get those flights online, they will waive the booking fee.

Thank you. Once I've finished pondering connection times at JFK I will give them a ring.

Exactly. I do this all the time. I go on and try the BA multi city section (which is absolutely terrible) then I have to phone. Every time I go on and say I have the exact details and know the price but the multi city tool is cr*p and can I book with you they always waive the booking fee.

Off course, this is the Newcastle booking centre. Not sure what will happen when it is "enhanced".