Frequentflyer99

As I understand the rules, MFU is available for booking up to 21 days before departure and a 1 sector upgrade on a 2 sector booking is permitted if the other sector has no availability.

On some routes (HKG for example) it seems to be the case that award seats in J are drip-fed into the system, as the relevant month approaches. I am wondering whether if 1 leg becomes available and I do an MFU, I can then MFU the second sector if that becomes available later, but at least 21 days before departure of the 1st sector (I assmue later would not be possible).

I am wondering whether anyone has successfully done this and whether my assumption on timing is correct.

Dakota

I've never done an MFU, but are you sure that it is only available up to 21 days out? I cannot see the logic of this if seats are desired and available for confirmation later.

Re. the one-way part, the rules are clear that you should indeed be able to book each sector separately if and when they open up.

Will be interested to hear what happens, particularly in regard to the first part.

Frequentflyer99

Curious. I distinctly remember seeing this somewhere on ask.ba but now cannot find it. In fact, it rather looks as though you are right and it is the normal redemption lead time.

"*Standard booking lead times apply, please click here for details. Members are responsible for paying additional taxes, fees, charges and surcharges.

Standard booking lead times

Region eTicket Ticket-By-Mail

UK 3 days 5 days

USA 3 days 10 days

Rest of World 3 days 7 days"

Thanks for correcting me on that one !

senorbob

I did an MFU less than 2 weeks before departure to SFO/LAX, and there was no problem or comment made about a 21 day limit.

I was going to do a one way MFU due to availability, but they insisted that they had to charge the full return upgrade mileage. Then they told me one way upgrades weren't allowed at all, even when it was due to no availability. To be honest, I wasn't conviced they knew 100% what the policy was as I was passed from person to person.

As it happened, they contacted inventory (or whatever the department is called) and extra award seats were relased so I got the return trip in J.

Cheers
Bob

dnw

FF99- 21 days is for MFU-ing a previously booked paper ticket which has to be sent it and reprinted.


This is what the T&Cs say however there was DEFINITLEY an AskBA article that said if award class was not available in one direction you could upgrade one way for half the miles- I found this last time we talked about this issue. However, since the website search was enhanced I can't find it... how annoying .



Welcome to the EC 'Help'line... if only we could get Maws every time we called!


You were lucky... they are very tight about even trying this nowadays

Shuttle-Bored

How realistic is it that BA will open up inventory on request? I'm keen to book an MFU to SFO, but availability in September is virtually non-existent.

I'm in a quandry as to whether to book WT+ now, and hope that inventory becomes available closer to the time, or to replan my trip to later in the year (which doesn't suit my work travel schedule ).

Alternatively, should I hold off on booking until closer to the time (and miss out on the current sale)?

So many questions!

Frequentflyer99

I am in a similar position with a proposed MFU to HKG in Oct. Zilch J award availability but dont want to miss the seat sale. However, my detailed examination of award availability on HKG (and other routes) confirms that award availability does open up a week or two before departure. On the HKG route there are certain days and flights which are busy in F/J every week, so one would need to avoid them.

At the end of the day it really comes down to whether one is prepared to fly WT+ if all else fails. Does one want the certainty of an ex-LIS or the value of a potential MFU ?? Its quite a tough call.

flyclub

Based on my experience ( and advice from dnw in my other thread), I think it is quite remarkable the volatility of the award system. My booking was a MFU from Club and therefore I intially thought my chances were slim - 14 seats in FIRST of which only three were free which miraculously changed to six free in a two week period!

In my case I booked Club as the sale prices were too good to miss. In your case you would book WT+, however surely as there are more seats in the Club World cabin, the chances are higher more would be released as award travel? Also, I am correct in thinking there are two daily services to SFO? People with flexible tickets could possibly swap between the flights, freeing up availability on the one your booked holding a WT+ ticket?

Your only looking for one seat. I'm sure the chances of one seat opening up in Club are good, at least in one direction anyhow. The ex-LIS fares I believe are still around the £1200, however, the current WT+ fares are around £600 mark (are they not). Surely saving £600 for a bit of a gamble on the upgrade is worth it?

Raffles

I'm not so sure, if the alternative is spending 25 hours in WT+ v Club .....

Shuttle-Bored

Looks like I can now answer this, and my own questions...

Spoke to BAEC this morning, having put a flight on hold yesterday. J class availability is there on my outbound leg, but not on the return. I asked very politely if they could check with inventory management about releasing a J Class award seat on the return, and was told (very politely, but firmly) - No! Apparently inventory management will no longer release seats on request - what's available, is what's available - end of story.

I then asked whether, if I book the flight (and MFU the outbound leg for 12,500), whether if J class availability became available on the return I could upgrade that as well (for an extra 12,500). I was told that "the system can only handle one MFU per ticket, so even if availability does become available, you won't be able to use it".

So looks like I either toddle over to Virgin and use some of my miles in my Flying Club account , or book one way NCW and hope that I'm lucky for an OpUp on the way home with BA.

If only I'd booked this two weeks ago when there were J class tixs available..................

Frequentflyer99

I have to say that this does not sound logical and I think that this may be one of those cases where it is worth ringing up again and speaking to someone else, just to see whether you get the same answer.

Shuttle-Bored

Tried that trick In fact the first person I spoke to got so fed up of my disagreeing (politely) with everything he was saying (he refused to accept that a one way MFU was possible when no availability for both legs...), that he gave in and put me through to someone else (who did agree with me, but was equally firm on the one shot at MFU, and no calling inventory mgmt....

Might find out if our BA Account Manager can pull some strings....

Meanwhile, my TA is offering WT+ flights for £580 - might just slum it....

Frequentflyer99

At least book through BA rather than your TA, so you get the chance of a possible MFU. These low WT+ fares are also available from BA at the moment.

I would say it was still worth picking up the phone again to ask someone else. I had this 2 weeks ago. I was - correctly - told it was impossible to change an award ticket on the day of departure: an hour later and a different agent, same day reservation changed with no question or comment.

dnw

This is crap. flyclub posted in another thread that, on our advice, he achieved exactly what you are attempting- one way MFU on a return Club ticket as only available one way and then a week or two later the other leg when availability opened up.

Just call until you get someone that will agree to do the oneway MFU on the return ticket (there is an AskBA article saying just that but I can't find it atm) and then if and when availability opens for the other leg, call again until you find someone that will take the extra miles...

Why, why, WHY is it STILL such a bloody lottery with EC telesales

dnw

The thread where flyclub describes this process and then later upgrading the return when availability opened up is here

Now, if I can find that out in 30 secs, why can't BAs reps?