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Can I use Avios to upgrade this flight from J to F?

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Can I use Avios to upgrade this flight from J to F?

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Old Nov 1, 2018, 11:44 am
  #1  
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Can I use Avios to upgrade this flight from J to F?

I booked BA 116 JFK-LHR through AY as AY 5516. I am booked in J, but there is F award avail. I called BA and was told since AY issued the ticket I have to call them regarding a mileage up from J to F. I have no idea what if any miles can be moved to AY. Is this accurate, or can BA enter my BA record locator and let me upgrade with Avios? Thx
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 11:59 am
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For these purposes, you're booked on an AY flight. The fact that the aircraft operating it will be a BA aircraft doesn't change that. It's not so much that AY issued the ticket that matters - rather, it's that you're booked on an AY flight

I don't think there's any way of moving Avios to AY.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:02 pm
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
For these purposes, you're booked on an AY flight. The fact that the aircraft operating it will be a BA aircraft doesn't change that. It's not so much that AY issued the ticket that matters - rather, it's that you're booked on an AY flight

I don't think there's any way of moving Avios to AY.
I just called BA again and they told me to call AY and that AY could upgrade me using my BA Avios which makes even less sense.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:05 pm
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
I just called BA again and they told me to call AY and that AY could upgrade me using my BA Avios which makes even less sense.
I agree. I'd be surprised if you're going to be able to upgrade this flight using Avios.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:07 pm
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You can't upgrade an AY flight operated by BA other than by calling AY and paying for the upfare. AY does not participate in Joint Business upgrades, and BA won't upgrade a flight on a non-BA stock or booked as a non-BA flight.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:07 pm
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
I agree. I'd be surprised if you're going to be able to upgrade this flight using Avios.
On the line with Finnair now and they are saying since BA operates the flight, BA should be the ones to process the upgrade and with Avios...no one seems to know the deal.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:10 pm
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
no one seems to know the deal.
Because there is no deal. What you want to do is simply not possible.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:10 pm
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To upgrade using avios you need to be on BA ticket stock 125- (if it is booked on AY ticket stock 105- then no go) and you must be booked on a BA flight number (must be BA operated and marketed).
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:11 pm
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
On the line with Finnair now and they are saying since BA operates the flight, BA should be the ones to process the upgrade and with Avios...no one seems to know the deal.
Don't waste your time calling anyone. You won't be upgrading this flight using Avois. The BA agents are just fobbing you off to AY, but the only way you can upgrade this flight is by cash.

Sorry to be blunt
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 12:14 pm
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Originally Posted by rossmacd
Don't waste your time calling anyone. You won't be upgrading this flight using Avois. The BA agents are just fobbing you off to AY, but the only way you can upgrade this flight is by cash.

Sorry to be blunt
No worries, I don't mind "slumming" it on the UD of the 744 , just figured it was worth a shot since there were multiple F seats open that day and I have plenty of spare Avios. Thx, I won't waste any more time on the phone. One final Q, since I may book another ex-ALG mileage run, if IB issues the ticket and the flight is operated by BA, then are upgrades J to F possible?
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 1:09 pm
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
if IB issues the ticket and the flight is operated by BA, then are upgrades J to F possible?
No, the answer remains the same - it has to be a BA ticket and a BA flight number.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 1:20 pm
  #12  
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In order to help with brevity and answer all possible questions, these are the requriements for UuAs:

Upgrading Using Avios (UuA) & Gold Upgrade Vouchers (GUF)
A quick note on doing UuAs is that you can do these for exEU itineraries (or you can apply a GUF if you have any). The following restrictions for UuAs apply though:

Summary guide to bookings which can be upgraded with Avios:
  • BA issued tickets (can include other carriers) ^
  • TA issued (on BA stock) booking with only BA flights ^
  • TA issued (on BA stock) booking with other carriers
  • Tickets issued on non-BA stock
The rules have previously said that the TA has to issue the ticket in the country of your BAEC membership as well. However, apparently this is not enforced consistently so hopefully this shouldn't be an issue. See these two posts for more information on that point https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29280847-post33.html & https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29282377-post38.html

A BA Holiday booking (flights & hotel) is UuA'able and treated as a TA booking, so a booking including non BA flights could not be UuA'ed. Also a BA Holiday booking which was made using a TA can not be UuA'ed.

Note that even if booked direct with BA on a 125-... ticket you can't UuA BA marketed and AA operated flight. The BA flight must be both BA marketed and operated.

There is more information on UuA'ing TA bookings here.
In terms of oneworld airlines only IB use avios other than BA - but I do not believe you can upgrade a BA ticket by calling IB and using IB avios. Every other oneworld uses another miles currency and can't use you BA avios upgrade either a AB ticketed or other airline ticketed booking.
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 2:10 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by KARFA
In order to help with brevity and answer all possible questions, these are the requriements for UuAs:



In terms of oneworld airlines only IB use avios other than BA - but I do not believe you can upgrade a BA ticket by calling IB and using IB avios. Every other oneworld uses another miles currency and can't use you BA avios upgrade either a AB ticketed or other airline ticketed booking.
Since IB uses Avios though...it's CLEAR you can't use those to upgrade or murky?
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Old Nov 1, 2018, 2:17 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
Since IB uses Avios though...it's CLEAR you can't use those to upgrade or murky?
It's not murky at all. You can't use IB avios to UuA a BA ticketed flight. You can move across IB avios to your BAEC account and then use them to UuA your BA ticketed flight providing the other criteria mentioned above are met, If it is a BA ticket you can only use avios via BAEC to UuA.

As already noted for your initial query of an AY ticketed booking, that would be impossible to UuA regardless of who you called or what flight number or codeshare the flight was booked under.
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