Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

Want to change a flight - website gone goofy

Want to change a flight - website gone goofy

Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:21 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
Want to change a flight - website gone goofy

Hi,

Very rudimentary question.

I have a flight departing in 24 hours. I want to change it now. I went through the process on the website but I now get a technical error just before the final stage. It says 'try again later'. Question is - is there a minimum period before the flight to change the ticket? It's gone midnight and I'd like to sleep. But if there is a time penalty I will keep hitting refresh for a while longer.
maastrichtmouse is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:25 pm
  #2  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,476
Can you give a bit more detail about the ticket:
- is it revenue? or redemption?
- is it shorthaul or longhaul?
- was it booked via BA.com or some other channel?
- was it booked by you or someone else? (e.g. corporate)
- critically - is is a Plus or Plus Flex ticket?
- are you using main BA.com or the App?

The above makes a big difference to what you can and can't do. Website acting strangely? Well yes, that certainly happens at the worst time. The more specific you can be the more specific the help that can be given.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:27 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
Revenue
Long haul
Booked by me but with company card
Booked on website of BA
Not knowlingly Plus or Flex
Using main website.
maastrichtmouse is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:28 pm
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
PS Thanks for the quick reply. Technology always fails at the worst moment. I did check it being a connection issue - I'm working in the very far north of Kenya.
maastrichtmouse is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:34 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,642
Originally Posted by maastrichtmouse
Revenue
Long haul
The deadline for changing is dependent on the fare rules, but so long as the ticket is changeable I would be surprised if the deadline is anything earlier than the check-in deadline for the flight for which you are currently booked.

Depending on what change you're trying to make, and which part of the ticket you're trying to change, and by how much, it is possible that delay will affect the amount you have to pay. For example, if the new fare is one that has an AP deadline that you'd satisfy tonight but you won't satisfy tomorrow, then making the change tomorrow could mean that you have to pay the difference to a higher fare. Or a booking class could sell out or be zeroed overnight. But we can only guess about things like this because we know so little about what you're trying to do.
Globaliser is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:35 pm
  #6  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,476
Originally Posted by maastrichtmouse
Revenue
Long haul
Booked by me but with company card
Booked on website of BA
Not knowlingly Plus or Flex
Using main website.
OK, there shouldn't be a deadline given the above, it's not like with Avios where there is a strict 24 hour cut off, or on Plus fare where you have to make the change on the day of departure if you want it free of charge. I should have asked if there is likely to be a currency issue or if you changed it once already, since one reason the website won't allow changes is that it's beyond the scope of BA.com to recalculate all the relevant charges. Or it think it's can't do it! But frankly it doesn't take much for the website to run up the surrender flag. I'm sometimes surprised when it does work!

Either way I think you are fairly safe to leave it until the morning, I hesitate just in case there is some obscure detail in the Fare Rules that I've not come up with before. Clearly you need to do changes as soon as you can but there isn't normally a 24 hour cut off for revenue changes.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:39 pm
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
Hi thanks everyone.

It's a fairly bog standard ticket. I don't think I booked a bargain basement thing.

I absolutely know it's going to cost money - €180, the website tells me this before it goes on strike. This is not the problem. What I was afraid of was there being some kind of penalty in addition to the cost for doing it at short notice.

In which case, before the electricity dies and with it the life saving AC, I'm off.

Thanks everyone.
maastrichtmouse is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:41 pm
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
Originally Posted by Globaliser
The deadline for changing is dependent on the fare rules, but so long as the ticket is changeable I would be surprised if the deadline is anything earlier than the check-in deadline for the flight for which you are currently booked.

Depending on what change you're trying to make, and which part of the ticket you're trying to change, and by how much, it is possible that delay will affect the amount you have to pay. For example, if the new fare is one that has an AP deadline that you'd satisfy tonight but you won't satisfy tomorrow, then making the change tomorrow could mean that you have to pay the difference to a higher fare. Or a booking class could sell out or be zeroed overnight. But we can only guess about things like this because we know so little about what you're trying to do.
I'm trying to change the half of a return from Brussels to Nairobi to a date next week. Booking class O
maastrichtmouse is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:48 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,642
Originally Posted by maastrichtmouse
I'm trying to change the half of a return from Brussels to Nairobi to a date next week. Booking class O
In which case the chances are that you will be fine. I've just had a look at the lowest current BRU-NBO-BRU O class fare, and the change deadline looks like the conventional one of scheduled time of departure of the flight being changed. The repricing should be straightforward as well: historical fares.
Globaliser is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2017, 2:52 pm
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 320
Thanks Globaliser. I've tried on the app (forgot I had that) and the website and neither work. I'm going to surrender tonight and do it in the morning if there appear to be no additional penalties. It says the charge will be €180, which is fine - work is paying. But I just can't seem to give BA my money. The website crashes after the select seat page and gives a "Sorry..." message.
maastrichtmouse is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.