happyintheair

Hi all

I bought a BA flight to JFK (WTP out, Club back, UUA) through the Amex travel service (to use a Plat voucher - first time I have used a TA for non-work travel in >15 years, won't again

I now might have to change it, due to a COVID issue.

MMB states please contact travel agent, so I logged in to Amex travel. To my amazement, Amex travel doesn't offer a click-to-change service, instead I have to call Amex (and the office is now closed)

Do the wise people on here know if the BA call centre will be able to look up costs of change? (eg any difference in fare)

I guess they won't be able to actually make the change though, right?

I am a GCH if that helps, can't imagine it will though.

Happy in the air

bisonrav

It will have to be done through AMEX, BA won't touch the booking. You should inherit the zero change fees plus fare difference.

happyintheair

Thanks. Thats what i feared.

What about waiting until T-24 when it comes under BA control? I suppose i am dreading giving 5 or 6 options to Amex call centre.

bisonrav

Amex are generally pretty good for CS. You'll probably find it less hassle than calling BA to be honest, although they're a generalist travel agent and may need to be reminded of specific BA rules.

No idea if you can leave it to T-24, but I personally wouldn't, I'd just call Amex.

mikeyfly

You may well struggle for hours and end up out of luck catching BA on the phone within 24 hours. I’d crack on with AMEX now

pogonation

I usually book my fares through Amex Travel for the extra points. Making changes/cancellations etc is easier than with BA and you will probably have someone who will pick up the phone which is more than BA can currently offer Overall Amex CS is leagues ahead of any other OTA.

stevebintley

I tried to date change a booking made by Amex a couple weeks back and they were trying to charge me all sorts of cancellation and amendment fees, despite the new day being a cheaper fare. Rung back the following day and a different member put it through free of charge. So worth swatting up on BA's rules beforehand so you can be confident on arguing any additional charges

S_W_S

You should be able to live chat with Amex travel too, it should pop up on this page between 8am and 8pm https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/t...port-contactus

happyintheair

Hi all

Reporting back.

This was a complex ticket. Bought through AMEX Netherlands (where I live) then upgraded with Avios to Club for one sector.

This meant pass-the-parcel on the phone between Amex, BA cash, BA Avios dept, with the clock ticking before travel

Finally, I thought - some closure. Amex cancelled the ticket on my request, and I *expected* a voucher (either a FTV or an eVoucher), based on BA Gold line advice (they put me through to Amex travel, said they couldn't issue the voucher themselves but that Amex would)

Amex are now claiming they don't do vouchers, and that technically I am not due anything, but *as a favour* they will let me rebook up to original cash price, if I call them. They claim an "executive" at BA confirmed I am not due anything and that BA's policies don't apply here.

I am amazed Amex's Corona policies are far worse than BA's - I know that a random TA's might be poor, but Amex?

2 questions

1) does the above make sense? Eg no Book with Confidence for Amex purchased Tix?
2) Will the Avios and Cash for the UUA automatically come back onto the BA a/c and card used for the cash element?

Thanks

Happy in the air

KARFA

It makes no sense. FTVs are available all bookings whether made directly or with a TA. For TA ones they FTV is done through your TA though. There is no exclusion from BWC/FTV for your booking which I can see here.

Everything would normally be on an FTV, so cash, avios, and cash for the UuA. As you will have done your UuA with BA it may be worth calling them to see what they say, but they may well probably tell you that you need to speak to Amex.

I think it very clear Amex have lied and messed this up for you completely.

happyintheair

@KARFA - thanks. I have tried BA on Twitter, but no response.

Any clues about how to take this next? Do you think the Avios and ££ will come back?

Very down about this. Like I say, 1st time using a TA for non-work travel in 15 years, and I really expected Amex to be better than this. Or for BA to help me out.

Plus rebooking will involve a lot of phone calls and faff .

happyintheair

Update from Amex travel

"I have spoken with xx from British Airways and he informed me that as you booked a non-refundable ticket, and this cancellation is voluntary, you are not eligible for a refund. He also said that vouchers are only issued to those whom booked directly with British Airways."

And the Gold line says Amex spoke to someone in BA Travel Trade yesterday (guess it was the same person) - so BA Travel Trade are telling Amex that those are the rules - but are they right?

Very curious if so.

Am on the phone with BA now; they agree it's odd, are seeing if it's correct.

KARFA

Absolute bs.

There is a whole section on the BA travel trade site dedicated to how TAs can request and process FTVs for bookings made through them. Amex should be using this, they have no need to call up BA trade support - and if they have and BA trade support told them this rubbish there is no reason BA trade support should be getting this wrong.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...covid-policies
https://www.britishairways.com/asset...ce-gds-faq.pdf

happyintheair

Update 1500 today

Someone helpful on the gold line went off for a long time, and came back with some 125 ticket numbers, one per pax. These apparently have the Avios and tax paid for UUA embedded in them. With these, I can ring BA ticketing, and book manually. The original price paid is 'held' in them.
So I don't need to use AMEX to rebook - I am beholden to price changes between me seeing the fare on BA.com and ticketing issuing it - but that's OK(ish) and I have the UUA protected (assuming availability on the sector(s) I want)

They said this roundabout shenanigans is indeed SOP - apparently the combo of cash fare booked with a TA, followed by a UUA done with BA, means that standard Corona BWC stuff doesn't apply (????)

They agreed it was indeed slightly odd.

I can't be bothered to fight anymore - but I did say to them - this surely means no-one will UUA at the moment, and that surely no-one should be using a TA if they want Corona protection. She sort of agreed. I asked about the links @KARFA mentioned - she said they didn't apply when UUA had happened (??? again)

What a palaver, but glad it's almost done. Thanks for helpful advice as always on here.

KARFA

Still rubbish I am afraid. Just because you did a UuA does not mean BWC/FTV shouldn't apply. I agree it makes it messy though. Amex and BA are making this up, UuA'ed bookings are not excluded and nowhere does it say this.

I really feel for you on this one happyintheair