Can’t transfer Avios from BA to Aer Lingus AerClub

[BillB]

Never mind! I had tried the Combine Avios page at avios.com, but it was giving me an error message. Now a bit later it seems to be working.

[davefl]

*deleted* since you updated your post 🙂

Be aware that that Aer Club and BA may not have the same flight availablity.

[BillB]

Thanks! I do have the AerClub account, but I was getting an error when I tried to make a transfer via avios.com.
I tried it again just now and it let me get all the way to confirming the transfer, but then gave a different error message “Combine My Avios is currently unavailable. Your move has failed. We have emailed a confirmation of your transaction to the following registered email addresses:”

[chrism20]

You should be able to do it on the Avios website by signing in using your Aer Club account details and selecting combine my avios on there

[BillB]

I’ll try it at avios.com again on Monday and if there’s still a problem I’ll call the contact number in the error email, which came from noreply@cma.ba.com

[BillB]

I tried the transfer at avios.com again this morning and it failed once more with “Combine My Avios is currently unavailable,”
I just got off the phone with BA and they told me that the Avios agreement with Aer Lingus/AerClub is no longer in effect, and there is now no way to move Avios between BA and Aer Lingus, which presumably explains the error messages at avios.com.
The only available transfers are between BA and Iberia or Quatar Airways, as shown on this page:
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/combine-avios/execclub/_gf/en_us

[davefl]

That’s utter bullhockey I’m sure it’s a system issue.

I just tried to move Aer Lingus to Iberia and got “Combine my Avios is not available at the moment. Please try again later”

I reckon they’ve let the BA devs loose on it!

[BillB]

So is it an avios.com issue or is it BA? Do the Iberia transfers also go through avios.com?

After I tried the transfer at avios.com on Sunday and got an error message that it couldn’t be completed, I also received an email from BA: “We’re sorry to say, your request to move your Avios between accounts (reference: 1106318572) could not be completed as the service is currently unavailable.” The email also noted that the Avios had been debited from my account then re-credited, which is reflected when I look at my Avios history at BA.

Being stubborn, I just went back to avios.com and started a web chat. The first agent transferred me to an “AerClub colleague” and she was very helpful. She asked for my BA exec club number and validation details, then for my AerClub number, and initiated the transfer. A few minutes later the Avios appeared in my AerClub account, so the transfer is obviously still possible, but then why does BA’s Combine Avios page I linked to above show only Iberia and Quatar?

Anyway, I now have the Avios where I need them, and if it is a problem at either BA or avios.com and you need to make a transfer, the avios.com webchat is another option.

[davefl]

BillB wrote:

So is it an avios.com issue or is it BA? Do the Iberia transfers also go through avios.com?

After I tried the transfer at avios.com on Sunday and got an error message that it couldn’t be completed, I also received an email from BA: “We’re sorry to say, your request to move your Avios between accounts (reference: 1106318572) could not be completed as the service is currently unavailable.” The email also noted that the Avios had been debited from my account then re-credited, which is reflected when I look at my Avios history at BA.

Being stubborn, I just went back to avios.com and started a web chat. The first agent transferred me to an “AerClub colleague” and she was very helpful. She asked for my BA exec club number and validation details, then for my AerClub number, and initiated the transfer. A few minutes later the Avios appeared in my AerClub account, so the transfer is obviously still possible, but then why does BA’s Combine Avios page I linked to above show only Iberia and Quatar?

Anyway, I now have the Avios where I need them, and if it is a problem at either BA or avios.com and you need to make a transfer, the avios.com
webchat is another option.

You’ve basically answered your own question, it’s just an issue with the website, not the ridiculous reason that the BA person gave you.

You can use Avios.com to go from Aerclub to BA, Iberia and Qatar and back but as the Avios webchat did it for you it’s just a website (potentially security validation issue). My comment about the BA Devs was in jest as they’ve managed to screw everything up every time they’ve done something the past few years.

Good to know webchat can push it through though.