BA paternity status extension issues

[Ray]

Hi all,

Will keep this short:

– Emailed baby@ba.com earlier in the year with my son’s birth certificate and all requested details
– No response received, but assumed all OK
– Status downgraded recently – just as I’m looking to book several SFO flights in the next few months
– Spoke to BA (after 60 mins hold) – advised that the request was valid, but that the team that deals with these requests is only contactable through baby@ba.com
– I have since e-mailed 4 more times to baby@ba.com, but no response (or action) has been forthcoming

May I ask if anyone has had any luck with status extension requests, or if there is indeed another way of contacting the team? Many thanks in advance!

[GJS]

Eventually got a reply and extension earlier this year, but it took ages. Chased via the Gold line a couple of times but not sure it helped.

[alig4th]

Hopefully a useful datapoint:

3 June: First email sent to baby@ba.com, asking for a clarification on the best order to get the 1,000 Avios for baby – extension request then open their BAEC account, or BAEC account then request extension. No reply.
5 July: chaser email sent.

26 August: Reply received with a case-number. Mostly cut-and-paste/generic wording stating that, given 8 Jan Tier Collection End Date, it’s not necessary to extend yet, but to contact just before then and it would be reviewed. Additional wording suggested sending paperwork through once I’ve opened baby’s BAEC account and the 1,000 Avios will be deposited.
*I’d have assumed the paperwork (birth certificate, proof of Shared Parental Leave) would have been for the extension, not to get the 1,000 Avios, but oh well…
28 August: I send the paperwork through.

13 September: Reply received, with a different case number, but with the same generic wording asking me to recontact closer to my Tier Collection End Date. No mention of the 1,000 Avios, despite the fact my my last message with the paperwork attacked – presumably the one being responded to here – was specifically about the 1,000 Avios and not about Extension, which I’d already been told to recontact them closer to the End Date.

25 November: Further email received (with the second case number), confirming 1,000 points had been added to baby’s account (which they were), and asking me to remember to get in touch closer to Tier Collection End Date [8 Jan] for review.
25 November: I replied saying I’ll get in touch mid-December because I know they’re busy and the Christmas period will undoubtedly slow things down.

So not smooth, not seamless, nor quick, but it was progress (First email sent 3 June, bonus points added 25 November, and still have to contact later about extension in mid-December). Why they need to review it closer to the End Date I don’t know, as nothing will have changed by then, but the process is the process, I suppose.

Let’s just hope that when I send another message in mid-December they’re quicker to reply than they have been.

[CasaDeTony]

I emailed a week ago to ask for the status freeze and haven’t received any reply. Just sent another chaser.

Looking at the previous comments, I’m lowering my expectations that we’ll be able to actually receive this benefit.

As an aside, I thought I’d call the local contact centre, but the line disconnects (overwhelmed?) I can’t login to the EC online account either, due to some outage they’re experiencing. Maybe this is the universe telling me I need to focus on nappies duty instead 🙂

[BP]

Didn’t get a reply to my request from May and my status has now been downgraded.

[Thegasman]

I chased by e-mail 3 times & they sorted 1 week before my run off period as Gold ended on 31st August. I was concerned they may extend me as Silver but I got another year as Gold despite 0TP’s in last year. First e-mail sent on 6th July

Seems like they may only review these at the end of your TP year.

[CasaDeTony]

CasaDeTony wrote:

I emailed a week ago to ask for the status freeze and haven’t received any reply. Just sent another chaser.

Looking at the previous comments, I’m lowering my expectations that we’ll be able to actually receive this benefit.

As an aside, I thought I’d call the local contact centre, but the line disconnects (overwhelmed?) I can’t login to the EC online account either, due to some outage they’re experiencing. Maybe this is the universe telling me I need to focus on nappies duty instead 🙂

Good news! BA have responded to our request via email and will be updating our account.

[BP]

I chased and have been told they won’t consider extending me as my Silver status was as a result of a COVID status extension, it wasn’t earned by TPs.

Anyone had their COVID extension further extended by the paternity benefit?

[SteveJ]

Probably a bit dramatic but reading this thread it’s a bit of a scandal that BA activily advertise this as a benefit for Silver and Gold yet seemingly make it so difficult to obtain.

[TicknBash]

Took a follow up email and 2 months but mine was extended in Dec 22. I also benefitted from the COVID extensions and wouldn’t have otherwise retained.

[mcmagnus4]

Just thought I would add my experience.
I e-mailed last week and had a response from BA yesterday saying they had received & will process my request for the extension. So seems like I got lucky with it only taking a week. (My collection year ends in Feb 2024 & card expiry is March 2024.)
My wife also did hers at the same time & also got a response yesterday.

It states our silver will get extended for a year. My wife’s e-mail also said – “The extension will not appear on your account, however it will ensure you remain at your current Tier for your next collection year.” My email did not state this though – does anyone know if it does change the ‘card expiry’ date on your account?

For reference ours were not Covid extensions.

[rhysk]

I too, sadly, have experienced no responses and poor customer service regarding the paternity benefit for 5 months! Emailed baby@ba.com on 12th January, ahead of my year coming to an end on 14th February. Sent birth certificate and all relevant details. It’s now June and I’ve chased every few weeks. I got one response with a case reference saying “email baby@ba.com with a copy of the birth certificate”. Good to know they didn’t read the email chain where they would have seen it was sent already. Anyway I sent it again. That was 2 months ago.
Customer service can do nothing – they say they don’t have access to that system.

I’ve now lost all my tier points and will be downgraded. Unfortunately only got a few trips planned due to becoming a parent.

BA really have made this a frustrating experience and I’ve completely lost my trust in them.

[SteveJ]

@rhysk your best bet at this stage I’d to use BA’s complaint route. Normal customer service can’t help.