Using Avios to book S7 connections
Sep 11, 2014 | 8:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: Qantas PlatinumOne (OneWorld Emerald)
Posts: 89
Using Avios to book S7 connections
Hi all,
I'm trying to book flights from either UUD or IKT to LHR (flying via DME).
This should be entirely possible within Oneworld, because BA obviously flies DME - LHR, and S7 flies to DME from both UUD and IKT.
When I tried the BA website, it couldn't offer me anything to do with UUD or IKT whatsoever (even though I could see that the flights existed on the S7 website), but I phoned BAEC and they could offer me a cash fare from UUD/IKT to LHR.
So that was a partial success - but I'm keen to find out if there's any prospect of booking the UUD/IKT to DME leg with Avios. The woman in Sales on the BA phone-line checked Avios availability for me, and there was *zero* Avios availability on any date, in any class, from UUD or IKT to DME.
She wouldn't say anything beyond "there's no availability right now", but that situation feels to me as if S7 just aren't actually offering up reward Seats to Oneworld partners - or at least not on those routes.
Does anybody have any experience using Avios to buy S7 flights? Particularly helpful if you were flying a long-haul, internal S7 flight (as I would be if I went UUD or IKT to DME).
Is there anything else I should be trying? (I'm BAEC Gold, in case that's relevant.)
Thanks all!
I'm trying to book flights from either UUD or IKT to LHR (flying via DME).
This should be entirely possible within Oneworld, because BA obviously flies DME - LHR, and S7 flies to DME from both UUD and IKT.
When I tried the BA website, it couldn't offer me anything to do with UUD or IKT whatsoever (even though I could see that the flights existed on the S7 website), but I phoned BAEC and they could offer me a cash fare from UUD/IKT to LHR.
So that was a partial success - but I'm keen to find out if there's any prospect of booking the UUD/IKT to DME leg with Avios. The woman in Sales on the BA phone-line checked Avios availability for me, and there was *zero* Avios availability on any date, in any class, from UUD or IKT to DME.
She wouldn't say anything beyond "there's no availability right now", but that situation feels to me as if S7 just aren't actually offering up reward Seats to Oneworld partners - or at least not on those routes.
Does anybody have any experience using Avios to buy S7 flights? Particularly helpful if you were flying a long-haul, internal S7 flight (as I would be if I went UUD or IKT to DME).
Is there anything else I should be trying? (I'm BAEC Gold, in case that's relevant.)
Thanks all!
Sep 11, 2014 | 8:28 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,952
The woman in Sales on the BA phone-line checked Avios availability for me, and there was *zero* Avios availability on any date, in any class, from UUD or IKT to DME.
She wouldn't say anything beyond "there's no availability right now", but that situation feels to me as if S7 just aren't actually offering up reward Seats to Oneworld partners - or at least not on those routes.
She wouldn't say anything beyond "there's no availability right now", but that situation feels to me as if S7 just aren't actually offering up reward Seats to Oneworld partners - or at least not on those routes.
[KVS Availability Tool 7.4.3/Diamond - Awards/OneWorld/AU-QFA-SP1]
Code:
UUD Ulan-Ude RU [UIUU]
LON London Metro UK = LHR LGW STN LTN LCY SEN QQS ZLS XQE
WED 01 Oct 2014 | 1 Seat
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------
S7 116 UUD 09:25 DME 11:10 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> BA 232 DME 17:15 LHR 18:05 0 FS+ CS- WS+ YS+
S7 116 UUD 09:25 DME 11:10 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> BA 234 DME 19:25 LHR 20:25 0 FS- CS- WS- YS+
S7 116 UUD 09:25 DME 11:10 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> AB 8395 DME 14:45 DUS 16:05 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> BA 945 DUS 20:40 LHR 21:00 0 FS- CS+ WS- YS+
S7 116 UUD 09:25 DME 11:10 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> AB 8353 DME 17:05 TXL 17:50 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+
-> BA 995 TXL 20:45 LHR 21:35 0 FS- CS+ WS- YS+
Code:
IKT Irkutsk RU [UIII] LON London Metro UK = LHR LGW STN LTN LCY SEN QQS ZLS XQE WED 01 Oct 2014 | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ S7 777 IKT 09:35 DME 11:00 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> BA 232 DME 17:15 LHR 18:05 0 FS+ CS- WS+ YS+ S7 777 IKT 09:35 DME 11:00 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> BA 234 DME 19:25 LHR 20:25 0 FS- CS- WS- YS+ S7 775 IKT 18:30 DME 19:45 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> BA 236 DME 05:50 +1 LHR 06:55 +1 0 FS- CS- WS+ YS+ S7 777 IKT 09:35 DME 11:00 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> AB 8395 DME 14:45 DUS 16:05 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> BA 945 DUS 20:40 LHR 21:00 0 FS- CS+ WS- YS+ S7 775 IKT 18:30 DME 19:45 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> IB 3143 DME 07:00 +1 MAD 10:20 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- -> IB 3176 MAD 13:30 +1 LHR 15:00 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- S7 775 IKT 18:30 DME 19:45 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> IB 3143 DME 07:00 +1 MAD 10:20 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- -> IB 3172 MAD 14:40 +1 LHR 16:10 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- S7 775 IKT 18:30 DME 19:45 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> IB 3143 DME 07:00 +1 MAD 10:20 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- -> IB 3166 MAD 15:55 +1 LHR 17:20 +1 0 FS- CS+ WS/ YS- S7 777 IKT 09:35 DME 11:00 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> AB 8353 DME 17:05 TXL 17:50 0 FS- CS- WS/ YS+ -> BA 995 TXL 20:45 LHR 21:35 0 FS- CS+ WS- YS+
Sep 11, 2014 | 8:42 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: Qantas PlatinumOne (OneWorld Emerald)
Posts: 89
Thanks KVS - can you just quickly talk me through what this is actually telling me?
Was I given wrong info by BA? How would I use this tool to check for my travel dates?
Thanks!
Was I given wrong info by BA? How would I use this tool to check for my travel dates?
Thanks!
Sep 11, 2014 | 8:44 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: GGLfL
Posts: 1,195
Yes I've booked DME-IKT and IKT-DME using avios, using ba.com with no problem at all. As I recall, there was loads of availability in both cabins.
You won't be able to book a cash fare to IKT using ba.com as the system doesn't recognise IKT (as no codeshares on the route, S7 codes only). You can only through-book to S7 destinations which are BA codeshare destinations.
You can certainly plug in IKT to book using avios (if seats available).
You won't be able to book a cash fare to IKT using ba.com as the system doesn't recognise IKT (as no codeshares on the route, S7 codes only). You can only through-book to S7 destinations which are BA codeshare destinations.
You can certainly plug in IKT to book using avios (if seats available).
Sep 11, 2014 | 9:01 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,952
http://Help.KVSTool.com/#S7
http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Interpreting
Yes, most certainly.
What particular dates did you have in mind?
BA.com does not currently support these routes, so a call to the BAEC would be required to book.
Sep 11, 2014 | 9:04 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: Qantas PlatinumOne (OneWorld Emerald)
Posts: 89
Thanks MrSimonR.
I wonder if there's been some kind of recent "reset" on availability... I only say that because I have checked every single day between now and July 2015 (when I'm looking to travel), and there is not a single Avios ticket available for IKT - DME in either cabin! (I've searched slightly less comprehensively for UUD - DME also, and there's zero availability for that also.)
I'm used to limited availability, but when there's zero in the near future, zero in the next couple of months, and zero in the summer - that makes me think that the tickets just aren't being offered!
I wonder if there's been some kind of recent "reset" on availability... I only say that because I have checked every single day between now and July 2015 (when I'm looking to travel), and there is not a single Avios ticket available for IKT - DME in either cabin! (I've searched slightly less comprehensively for UUD - DME also, and there's zero availability for that also.)
I'm used to limited availability, but when there's zero in the near future, zero in the next couple of months, and zero in the summer - that makes me think that the tickets just aren't being offered!
Sep 11, 2014 | 9:10 am
#7
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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I wonder if there's been some kind of recent "reset" on availability... I only say that because I have checked every single day between now and July 2015 (when I'm looking to travel), and there is not a single Avios ticket available for IKT - DME in either cabin! (I've searched slightly less comprehensively for UUD - DME also, and there's zero availability for that also.)
I'm used to limited availability, but when there's zero in the near future, zero in the next couple of months, and zero in the summer - that makes me think that the tickets just aren't being offered!
I'm used to limited availability, but when there's zero in the near future, zero in the next couple of months, and zero in the summer - that makes me think that the tickets just aren't being offered!
Sep 11, 2014 | 9:12 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: GGLfL
Posts: 1,195
It looks like possibly avios bookings on S7 have been disabled from ba.com. It certainly was possible. I last booked IKT-DME for avios in June, so it was working.
Also, if you look for DME-MAD it only shows the IB flights, not the S7 ones. So I think just something is broken at the moment. There is normally plenty of availability on S7. Standard 2 seats in J on any route as I recall.
Also, if you look for DME-MAD it only shows the IB flights, not the S7 ones. So I think just something is broken at the moment. There is normally plenty of availability on S7. Standard 2 seats in J on any route as I recall.
Sep 11, 2014 | 9:58 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: Qantas PlatinumOne (OneWorld Emerald)
Posts: 89
Thanks MrSimonR - I'll check back after a while, and hope S7 is live on the BA site again!
KVS - I've downloaded/registered the KVStool now. It looks like a great product. I tried running an IKT - DME award search for 1st October (using Awards/BA-OneWorld because I'm BAEC Gold) but it shows up as "No Award Availability/Route Too Complex". Which I guess would agree with what MrSimonR is saying about the BA-to-S7 integration being broken currently...
KVS - I've downloaded/registered the KVStool now. It looks like a great product. I tried running an IKT - DME award search for 1st October (using Awards/BA-OneWorld because I'm BAEC Gold) but it shows up as "No Award Availability/Route Too Complex". Which I guess would agree with what MrSimonR is saying about the BA-to-S7 integration being broken currently...
Sep 11, 2014 | 10:02 am
#11
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You need to use the [Awards/OneWorld] Method for these routes.
Sep 11, 2014 | 10:06 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: Qantas PlatinumOne (OneWorld Emerald)
Posts: 89
Ah okay. At the risk of getting off topic and into KVS (!), I tried that initially but it wanted a QF number - which I don't have. I've provided my BA number, but it's still asking for QF and won't go forward without it...
Sep 11, 2014 | 11:52 am
#13
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Sep 11, 2014 | 1:18 pm
#14
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S7 availability online was showing a couple of weeks ago. ba.com often just doesn't cover some of the more obscure airports, which might be part of what's happening here. Normally you can't do the search at all though.