Yetak

Ah ok thanks . Plus I’ve just looked and the available returns are ridiculously expensive if booked as a single when compared to an actual return.

drpabs

A peculiar thing just happened when I tried to book a BA Holiday. The booking is relatively simple, consisting of flights BA0015 LHR-SYD, then a few days later QF0649 SYD-PER, then a week and a bit later PER-LHR via BA6383 PER-DOH and BA7003 DOH-LHR. In the middle is a car hire. The holiday was constructed fine on BA's website, and with everything correctly selected I proceeded to pay the deposit. My bank was duly contacted, but before payment was taken the booking failed with the following message:

"Sorry, there has been a problem confirming the following products so we have not taken any payment. o Flight - LON > SYD (Sydney Kingsford Smith (Sydney)) o Flight - SYD > PER (Perth) o Flight - PER > LHR (Heathrow (London)) We would ask that you try again and select an alternative product. Please accept our apologies for the time you have spent."

It is not a problem with my payment card as I have tried several with the same outcome. It is not a problem with my computer/browser as after my failed booking attempts I tried to get an agent to book this on the telephone for me and he similarly failed twice.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone who knows about such things could shed some light on what might be going on. I am particularly puzzled that booking was only rejected after an attempt was made to pay the deposit.

edrags

My wife and I booked a round trip BOS-LHR-MXP in F for September so that we can have our recently matched gold status extended to next year.

I assume that by adding a rental car for five or more nights to this itinerary the trip becomes eligible for double TPs?

Or do I need to cancel the flights and re-book them along with the rental car?

Finally, would transforming this trip from just flights to a “vacation” invalidate the matching challenge?

golfmad

As set out in the terms and conditions, the holiday component (car and/or hotel) must be booked at the same time as the flights in order to qualify for the double tier point promotion. You can't add it on later. Here's the specific term:

"For the avoidance of doubt this offer does not apply to any British Airways flight only bookings made without a hotel or car or where the hotel or car is added to a booking in a separate transaction."

oxtailsoup

Has to depart ex- UK to qualify for this promotion.

golfmad

Departing from the USA has been included for some time now. I'm leaving ex-BOS first thing tomorrow on a double-tier point qualifying BAH.

oxtailsoup

My apologies!

Tobias-UK

Have any of our US based brethren booked a BAH with the car rental or hotel component booked for a period less than the total length of the trip? If so, were you awarded double Tier Points?

golfmad

Only very marginally. I’ve booked a car where I typically return it the evening before departure. They have been awarded double points but I’ve tried anything more risky than that. I would also be interested to hear from others.

Tobias-UK

I ask because there is some vagueness in the wording and wondered what happens in practice. The T&Cs do not define ‘vacation package’ and thus provides a little ambiguity in construction.

golfmad

You’re right, there are only passing references to ‘package’ or ‘vacation package’ like this one here:

“The booking must be for a British Airways Flights + Hotel or Flights + Car or Flights + Hotel + Car package booking originating in the USA only, booked in one transaction.”

The terms should define ‘package’ and/or ‘vacation package’ and then refer to those definitions in the clauses. I wouldn’t say it was vague, just poorly drafted.

Tobias-UK

Indeed, but I’m using ‘vague’ in a legal sense where it may be possible to invoke the ‘contra proferentem doctrine’ which dictates how ambiguous clauses in a commercial contract should be interpreted.

Your experience in receiving double TPs when not having the car rental package booked for the whole period of travel is very interesting, and in fact this anecdotal evidence adds to the ambiguity of the he T&Cs. Hopefully we’ll receive more data from US based travellers to help us work out how BA/BAH are applying the rules of the promotion.

edrags

Thank you. Now I have to decide if canceling my flight tickets and starting again as a bundle is worth the cancellation fee

tenn_ace

I experienced very similar issues trying to
book couple of holiday packages back in February... I ended up calling an agent and getting him to do it for me. He was happy to and also admitted there was glitch and they are working on it. We are now in May and it looks like it still hasn't been... I have to say it was annoying as h3ll to go through the process twice putting all flights in, car rental in... and not being able to pay... good luck!

aks120

I was just thinking we should discuss ‘contra proferentem doctrine’ in this thread ………

This forum never ceases to amaze me with the knowledge and experience everyone brings to the discussion!

aks120