BA change in policy for infant bookings?
Mar 23, 2018, 2:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
Programs: BA Gold, Starwood Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 16
BA change in policy for infant bookings?
Hi guys - so my wife and I are taking our 6-month old twin girls back to the UK on holiday from the US in May. When we traveled back at Christmas, we were able to add the girls to our cash bookings using Avios - which (as other have commented) is outstanding value - requiring minimal cash outlay.
I've been given the runaround at BAEC with our upcoming booking for the last 2 months - and finally got through to someone today who suggested that there was a policy change in January this year - with the effect that you can only pay for infants using Avios if the related adult booking was also made using Avios. By contrast, the rule now seems to be that infants can only be added to adult cash bookings using 10% of the cash fare (ie Avios bookings for the infant would not be permitted).
Has anyone else heard about this? I asked the guy to pinpoint where this new policy was announced - which is hard, as the BA website has always seemed rather vague on the policy.
I've been given the runaround at BAEC with our upcoming booking for the last 2 months - and finally got through to someone today who suggested that there was a policy change in January this year - with the effect that you can only pay for infants using Avios if the related adult booking was also made using Avios. By contrast, the rule now seems to be that infants can only be added to adult cash bookings using 10% of the cash fare (ie Avios bookings for the infant would not be permitted).
Has anyone else heard about this? I asked the guy to pinpoint where this new policy was announced - which is hard, as the BA website has always seemed rather vague on the policy.
Mar 23, 2018, 2:52 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,793
Anonba said this was possible last month:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29456894-post11.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29456894-post11.html
Mar 23, 2018, 4:45 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
I would call back. Perhaps the issue is that the agent was trying to book the infant into the same PNR as the adult. Because one PNR cannot contain cash and redemption tickets, that might be a stumbling block. No reason why BA cannot issue an avios infant ticket in its own PNR. The PNR notes would simply include a reference to the adult ticket.
Mar 24, 2018, 11:31 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
Programs: BA Gold, Starwood Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 16
So I had further exchanges with the sales guy, and this is what I received back... thoughts?
"Hi Thomas,
Following on from our conversation last night I spoke with a manager who was looking into this for me. They have came back to me today so I tried to call but there was no answer, I do realise it will be early in the states so I will try explain as best I can via email.
The definitive answer to booking with avios when your ticket is booked with cash is unfortunately no. The reason behind this stems from problems with infants being associated on separate tickets when passengers are being checked in at airports - there has been multiple issues where infant bookings have not been made with the correct process, linked to existing bookings correctly where they would auto cancel out and/or problems with issuing the ticket and manaual payments. These problems were coming from a workaround we used to use (which is how we used to make your bookings), which has now been stopped.
So all tickets when issuing an infant must be like for like to stop those problems from occurring; avios with avios, cash with cash. This makes sure that they are on the same reference so and hopefully prevent future problems with infant bookings.
The reason you wont be able to find this in the terms and conditions is because its a new policy that has been spread through the company verbally over the last few months via management and our operations desks. As with everything they will be looking to publish this but it may take some time, so for now you will just have to take my word for it I am afraid.
So the infant booking will need to be made with cash, let me know if you would like me to add the infants before the end of my shift. Or if more convenient you can give us a call through the normal sales line and another agent will be able to assist with adding the infants.
Apologies in advance,"
"Hi Thomas,
Following on from our conversation last night I spoke with a manager who was looking into this for me. They have came back to me today so I tried to call but there was no answer, I do realise it will be early in the states so I will try explain as best I can via email.
The definitive answer to booking with avios when your ticket is booked with cash is unfortunately no. The reason behind this stems from problems with infants being associated on separate tickets when passengers are being checked in at airports - there has been multiple issues where infant bookings have not been made with the correct process, linked to existing bookings correctly where they would auto cancel out and/or problems with issuing the ticket and manaual payments. These problems were coming from a workaround we used to use (which is how we used to make your bookings), which has now been stopped.
So all tickets when issuing an infant must be like for like to stop those problems from occurring; avios with avios, cash with cash. This makes sure that they are on the same reference so and hopefully prevent future problems with infant bookings.
The reason you wont be able to find this in the terms and conditions is because its a new policy that has been spread through the company verbally over the last few months via management and our operations desks. As with everything they will be looking to publish this but it may take some time, so for now you will just have to take my word for it I am afraid.
So the infant booking will need to be made with cash, let me know if you would like me to add the infants before the end of my shift. Or if more convenient you can give us a call through the normal sales line and another agent will be able to assist with adding the infants.
Apologies in advance,"
Mar 26, 2018, 12:04 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,657
So I had further exchanges with the sales guy, and this is what I received back... thoughts?
"Hi Thomas,
Following on from our conversation last night I spoke with a manager who was looking into this for me. They have came back to me today so I tried to call but there was no answer, I do realise it will be early in the states so I will try explain as best I can via email.
The definitive answer to booking with avios when your ticket is booked with cash is unfortunately no. The reason behind this stems from problems with infants being associated on separate tickets when passengers are being checked in at airports - there has been multiple issues where infant bookings have not been made with the correct process, linked to existing bookings correctly where they would auto cancel out and/or problems with issuing the ticket and manaual payments. These problems were coming from a workaround we used to use (which is how we used to make your bookings), which has now been stopped.
So all tickets when issuing an infant must be like for like to stop those problems from occurring; avios with avios, cash with cash. This makes sure that they are on the same reference so and hopefully prevent future problems with infant bookings.
The reason you wont be able to find this in the terms and conditions is because its a new policy that has been spread through the company verbally over the last few months via management and our operations desks. As with everything they will be looking to publish this but it may take some time, so for now you will just have to take my word for it I am afraid.
So the infant booking will need to be made with cash, let me know if you would like me to add the infants before the end of my shift. Or if more convenient you can give us a call through the normal sales line and another agent will be able to assist with adding the infants.
Apologies in advance,"
"Hi Thomas,
Following on from our conversation last night I spoke with a manager who was looking into this for me. They have came back to me today so I tried to call but there was no answer, I do realise it will be early in the states so I will try explain as best I can via email.
The definitive answer to booking with avios when your ticket is booked with cash is unfortunately no. The reason behind this stems from problems with infants being associated on separate tickets when passengers are being checked in at airports - there has been multiple issues where infant bookings have not been made with the correct process, linked to existing bookings correctly where they would auto cancel out and/or problems with issuing the ticket and manaual payments. These problems were coming from a workaround we used to use (which is how we used to make your bookings), which has now been stopped.
So all tickets when issuing an infant must be like for like to stop those problems from occurring; avios with avios, cash with cash. This makes sure that they are on the same reference so and hopefully prevent future problems with infant bookings.
The reason you wont be able to find this in the terms and conditions is because its a new policy that has been spread through the company verbally over the last few months via management and our operations desks. As with everything they will be looking to publish this but it may take some time, so for now you will just have to take my word for it I am afraid.
So the infant booking will need to be made with cash, let me know if you would like me to add the infants before the end of my shift. Or if more convenient you can give us a call through the normal sales line and another agent will be able to assist with adding the infants.
Apologies in advance,"
