How to tell if booking is using a new Voucher and why can’t Agent see flight?

[HughR]

A friend has an existing booking made with a companion voucher. When the booking was made there was no J Availability. If I look online and do a dummy booking using my companion voucher I can now see 3 seats available, so I told her to call in and try to change her existing booking. The agent could not find any availability, but I can still see it! We are both convinced she is using a new style voucher which unlocks extra seats. I don’t know how to check this, I know you used to be able to see old vouchers but I can’t find how to do that anymore under the new improved user interface! Does anyone know?

Assuming she does have a new style voucher, should she be able too make this change? Is there a reason the customer service agent can’t see the availability?

[AJA]

There is (or was) a specific page under manage my account in BAEC titled e-vouchers or just vouchers that shows all your vouchers and when they were redeemed.

As for the lack of availability the only way your friend can check is to take a chance and cancel and rebook. Personally I wouldn’t take that chance. Or use another voucher to book and then cancel the first booking.

I think the issue is that just because the Amex voucher opens up additional availability, that does not mean that it’s available for existing bookings to be upgraded. That needs normal reward seat availability.

[JDB]

There is no special ‘upgrading’ process, it is a cancellation and rebooking, even when calling BA and the agent needs your voucher to see the extra availability and I’m not sure they can do that while your booking is in place.

Also, just in case, as you mention three seats being available, if your friend’s booking is for three, you can’t use the voucher for the extra availability for three people.

[HughR]

It is now sorted. I probably didn’t explain properly, it was a change of route from SFO to YVR as well as an upgrade. It turned out that she did not quite have enough Avios, which is probably why the first Agent said there was no availability. The 2nd Agent was more helpful and let her change to a different Avios Cash mix, and she was able to book.

Thanks for your help,