Goldensunset

hi Al

looking for some advise before I call Ba.
i have had a servere chest infection and have a follow up at 5 pm tomorrow with my GP with regards to being able to fly.
I am due to fly to Orlando on Friday, I am looking for advice on asking Ba to change my flight to next week and retain my return flight. My husband is also on the booking (flight and car incase this makes a difference) He will have to travel as needs to be there for work.
What is the likelyhood of Ba being accomadating , and any information on the cost of doing this would also be appreciated.
if it turns out to be too expensive then I will just cancel but wish to check this will have no affect on my husband.
i am hoping for the all clear to travel but just wishing s9me information incase it doesnt go my way.
I have checked the flights for a-straight rebook for next week in PE ( thats what we flying in) and they are well into the £1000s each way!
Thank you

Globaliser

On the assumption that your GP will provide any necessary medical evidence that you are unfit to fly because you are ill, I think that you will find that BA will be sympathetic. I haven't done this myself, but a family member had to ask what could be done, and the answer was that the booking could in effect be put on hold for a rebooking on a future date. If you are talking about moving the outbound by several days so that you're fit to fly, and keeping the inbound as it is, I can't see why that should be any more difficult.

What I don't know is whether there would be any fare difference involved, but this is something that you should discuss with BA. If there is, then one option may be to change the outbound half to fly in economy while keeping the WT+ booking for the way back (which is the direction in which WT+ would be more important anyway).

Goldensunset

Thank you for your quick reply,
And for the sound advice about going out in econ if need be. Yes my GP will be able to provide written conformation on being unable to fly.

Goldensunset

Another request please,

I will obviously call BA when the UK call centre will be closed due to my appointment timing, I am very reluctant to call and get the Indian call centre as they are not likely to be very helpful and as the flight is on friday morning ( I conect from Gla on the 7.05 ) cant wait until UK onpens again.
Would you suggest I call before I go to the GP ( all being hypothetical at that point) or is anyone able to give me a differnt call cantre to call who will be more helpful

Goldensunset

Got the ok to fly so very pleased.
When checking in tonight we have been moved seats from 22A and B to 14 E and F. Is this still in premium econ? We are on the BA2037. It wouldnt let me see the seats when checking in when i clicked to veiw and change seats. I know we were on the 4 class but unsure if its been change to a 3 class in my app it says seat 14E - premuim economy.. though it wont let me download it as says passport need checking at airport.
any insight much appreciated.

Geordie405

The good news is that 14E and F are Club World seats so you appear to have been upgraded. EF is showing this as a 4-class aircraft but with a 3-class service. Enjoy your flight!

Goldensunset

Thanks for checking that for me, thats great news and will make my flight even more enjoyable ,now will tell hubby or suprise him at airport

Globaliser

Fantastic! Enjoy the trip!

JAXBA

Moot point now, but for pre travel hospitalisation, BA would put the ticket on hold and then recalculate the fare when the pax was ready to rebook, without any change fee. Pre travel illness was a 'too bad, so sad' situation and fare rules applied.

LordBuckethead

... but a travel insurer would most likely have a different attitude.

I'm glad BA is still (mostly) nice in these kinds of situations, but really can't fathom why so many people either don't think or are reluctant to call their insurers and expect transport providers to help simply out of the goodness of their hearts and regardless of commercial policies they've agreed to. Surely that's why we buy insurance in the first place?!

BertieBadger

That's a very fair point. I do find myself thinking along the lines that travel insurance (which I have) is for catastrophic scenarios like being hospitalised in the US.

Possibly there is a subconscious bias towards not claiming (loss of ncb etc) where there is an impression the carrier could be responsible?

I don't know, it's a very interesting question.

Goldensunset

Thanks Globaliser for your kind wishes and help.

i wanted to called BA first to see where I stood in this instance as I intended to fly within a short time frame. i was fully prepared to pay some cash for this.My insurance would have been my next call knowing where I stood with the airline especially as my husband was still intending to fly.

On a plus side the upgrade was greatly appreciated and made the flight very enjoyable especially as it was 9hrs 20 mins The flight was full, I walked down the back and only saw 1 seat empty in PE.

for a data point BA are doing a good job in trying to entice me to move forward. Just 3 years ago we were firm econ flyers it is after all just a means to an end and we visit Orlando 3 times a year. Then we moved to the exit rows for the extra leg room still in econ. With only earning 50 TPs return we never got any status until I added a flight with friends to washington DC ( PE flight) which took me to bronze.

After finding this site I took the opportunity to go for silver last year doing the Tallin TP run ..all on my own and as a surprise for my husband and I to use the lounges and book seats for free...thank you KARFA

last year we moved up to PE and certainly enjoyed our taste of CW..so who know where this will lead.

I