Have Avios long haul ex LHR but want connecting EDI flights on same bkg ref

[karen.crowley]

We have an Avios return to KL and I want to add on a return Edinburgh to LHR (which ideally will be paid for rather than points) to connect with the KL flights. We want to transit and not have to collect baggage and re check in at LHR.
How can we combine the bookings to get a single reference so that are bags are checked straight through from Edinburgh to KL and back again?
Is it possible?

[NorthernLass]

You need to call BA and they will add the EDI-LHR legs for free, as long as there is award availability. There’s no cash option to do this, but you don’t need one in these circumstances. Depending on when you booked the long haul legs, there may be a charge for changes and/or a phone booking.

Lots of articles and threads on this site about this kind of thing!

[NorthernLass]

*You could also have booked from EDI to start with, so BA may charge change and phone fees to add the domestic flights at this stage.

[karen.crowley]

Thanks for your reply.

I used a companion voucher for the return long haul flight LHR – KUL . When I tried to price and check availability for the flights, it appeared to only apply the 2 for 1 to the EDI-LHR sector not the whole flight to KL. So I thought the only way was to book the long haul flight and at least lock in the availability for these more important parts of the trip.

Would you recommend phoning the regular BA customer service or is there a separate one for Avios bookings? The person I already spoke to at BA did not really understand my questions and suggested I ask Edinburgh airport to check if they could check the bags straight through.

All in all a very poor and confusing experience.

From your post it appears I can add on the Edinburgh sector to the booking but will this have to be booked using Avios points or can it be cash? A phone number would be great (if different from the main CX one)

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

You call executive club. Number available on the BA website.

It is simply not possible to mix points and cash flights on the same booking so you will have to use avios.

[JDB]

The EDI-LHR sector can be included in your long haul 241 at no additional cost in Avios, but possibly a small sum for any extra taxes/charges, but because you didn’t add this originally (if the flights were within the booking window at the time), you may now have to pay a £35pp change fee. You call the main BAEC number and go through the options for Avios and vouchers.

[NorthernLass]

As @JDB clarifies, there should be no avios cost for the domestic leg, but possibly a small cash amount, depending on how generous the agent is feeling!
BA will not interline bags on separate bookings, the agent you spoke to was spouting the kind of nonsense we’re hearing more and more from CS these days.

If you’re planning to make similar bookings in future, use the “stopover” option and select your EDI flights separately from the long-haul ones. This normally works, although you need to make sure you’ve got at least the minimum connection time between sectors (you can’t make the booking otherwise), and I would suggest flying to LHR the night before your connection to avoid issues arising from (very possible) delays and cancellations.