wittenscafe

Our direct flight from CVG to LHR was randomly cancelled via email a few hours ago. Talking to the agent now and he is unable to find anything else to put us on in order to get us to London by 7/3. It's three of us: myself, wife, and 2-year-old daughter, booked in economy using Avios.

He is saying that LEX and SDF are more than 350 miles from CVG. Checking with Google Maps, LEX is 82 miles from CVG (via car).

Any recommendations? I've looked up available flights on Google Flights to see what options we have, but I'm wondering if those flights are simply overbooked

corporate-wage-slave

You must have an agent who is mistyping stuff. CVG is 264 miles from ORD and PIT is slightly closer. LEX is the same state as CVG airport. That said, the 350 mile rule applies to BA services , there are none from LEX or SDF - and ORD and PIT are booked out already.

Did you suggest Delta to JFK, then Virgin to LHR? Eg DL4951 or DL4937, then VS138. That earlier Delta gives multiple JFK options. These have well over Y3.

I would ring again, ask for specific flights, and get them to articulate clearly why they cannot book them. If it's policy or ticketing (probably incorrect) this then gives you leeway to buy tickets and charge it back to BA under their failure to meet their EC261 obligations. Don't mention EC261 to the agent, just ask why specific flights cannot be used, and note it down.

flarmip

Plenty of CVG-LON options coming up when I look on Google Flights, including a few OneWorld options via JFK and DFW:


So no need to travel to LEX or SDF as far as I see.

wittenscafe

UPDATE

The British Airways "computer" shows LEX/SDF as >350 miles from CVG. He spelled the airport code back to me phonetically and had it correct. He said he and his boss looked it up online and the boss was able to make an exception due to their system clearly being incorrect.

I was then able to give him flight numbers based on what I was seeing on Google Flights. Knowing BA is part of Oneworld, I chose that network and added a minimum of 2-hour layover (to add delay cushion) and sorted by Emissions. He was able to get us on the top result: LEX-ORD AA 3215; ORD-LHR AA 98. LEX is much closer to our house, but BA 120 is the only direct flight to Europe in my area, hence why we were originally making the drive to CVG.

Success!

corporate-wage-slave

Good for that result. On the Great Circle Mapper - which I assumed BA would also use in some form or other - it's 70 miles.

After you get to Europe, just check on the BA app that the return flight is correctly in place. No point checking now, it's just in case something goes wrong with ticketing and you are deemed to be no shows due to the shift over to AA. You can check via the details panel on the BA app, where you're looking for a number beginning 125.

MADPhil

I would be inclined to check that the tickets have been correctly re-issued now and then get the AA PNR and check that they know about it, but perhaps I am a bit too cautious! Anyway a good result for the OP. Even Google maps shows 84 miles by road so BA are really going the pretty way.

wittenscafe

We’re flying back on United.

Just out of curiosity, how can I confirm my flight on the AA side? I don’t want to get to the airport tomorrow to find out they don’t know about the change. Also, is picking seats a possibility?

I tried the originally BA booking number in the AA app to no avail (as I expected).

miles_navigator

Try this link to find the AA PNR look at the 4th post by DCdeacon below. It is burred under Manage My Booking on BA.com
Finding AA PNR from BA booking reference number

And If you have time, call AA to confirm they see you as ticketed on their metal and have given you seats.

wittenscafe

That did it. Thank you all!

JAXBA

Quote:

Originally Posted by wittenscafe

The British Airways "computer" shows LEX/SDF as >350 miles from CVG. He spelled the airport code back to me phonetically and had it correct. He said he and his boss looked it up online and the boss was able to make an exception due to their system clearly being incorrect.

Huh, weird, Amadeus does have a funny ' ticketed point mileage' number for LEX-SDF. The GCM (great circle map) number is more accurate:

etiene

For future reference, you also have the option of CVG-CDG direct on DL.

Alex_I

- Yes, always make sure that your reservation is ticketed, i.e., that you get your ticket number. Finding your reservation in another airline systems and even ability to select seats simply means that an itinerary was created and does not constitute ticketing (i.e., a record that someone paid for your ticket).