KL 241 booking help

[kelliea1]

Hi, this is only the second time I’ve used a 241 on long haul so although have read up just hoped you wouldn’t mind checking that I’m doing this right!
I want to book KUL return for July 2025, I work in a school so has to be school holidays. I can see flights available for 23.07.25 in business but cannot book return 3 weeks later as flights not released yet.
23.07.25 is peak time are any dates around this time off peak or should I snap these flights up now?
When I want to book the return do I do the 1am check and book as recently I’ve seen a lot of availability for KL but it will be summer holidays then? I don’t think I’ll have enough avios to book then ask for the avios to be refunded. Apologies if questions answered before but want to make sure if hit this correct. Thank you all.

[NorthernLass]

Usually Tuesdays and occasional Wednesdays are off-peak in school holidays. You can do a dummy booking and you’ll see the off-peak days for the 3/4 days before and after your travel date (even if they haven’t been released yet).

If you haven’t got enough avios for the return, you’ll need to call. Don’t forget, as well, when you do this, the agent should be able to see any “extra” availability your voucher unlocks, though these aren’t always released so far out.

[ekposh]

Snap what you can up. KL getting busy.

I’ve secured the outbound (1am in internet) and will be looking to call the US to book the return. I have the added complication (maybe you do) that I need to then connect to MAN, so I’ll have to call again as the LON-MAN will be day later.

[Simey]

NorthernLass wrote:

Usually Tuesdays and occasional Wednesdays are off-peak in school holidays. You can do a dummy booking and you’ll see the off-peak days for the 3/4 days before and after your travel date (even if they haven’t been released yet).

If you haven’t got enough avios for the return, you’ll need to call. Don’t forget, as well, when you do this, the agent should be able to see any “extra” availability your voucher unlocks, though these aren’t always released so far out.

When you say you need to call.. do you mean that the person has to have enough Avios to book the flights as if it was without the voucher first, then call to merge and refund the points?

[kelliea1]

I think if you’ve only got enough avios to book the flight using your 241 voucher you call up as they can see the voucher? NorthernLass will correct me?
Thank you for your help. I’ve never had to call before at 1am so will research that and also Skype.

[NorthernLass]

If you book the outbound with the 241, you don’t have it in your account any more, so when you come to book the inbound you either need enough avios to book it at full price online, or you’ll have to call and ask BA to add it to your outbound leg.

If you book it online and then request the 50% avios back, there is no merging and you will be left with 2 PNRs. The “booking the return with the 241 thread” is fount of all knowledge for this process!

[e14]

Don’t be fixated on having to return from KUL, likely there will be space on one of the SIN flights as well

[kelliea1]

As an open leg can I fly back from Singapore, I guess it’s not too far distance wise so would be eligible? Are Singapore or KUL flights more difficult to come by?

[polly]

Or from BKK and HKG. Plenty more options now. HKG tax way lower. End up with a 2 centre trip if you like also.

[SamG]

BKK doesn’t run in the summer but I agree – book back from somewhere else and build it into the trip!

[kelliea1]

Yes happy to try any of those for the return as we are also visiting Indonesia so can get a low cost flight to SIN, KUL or HKG.
I would still need to call at 12.45am though wouldn’t I?

[SamG]

Yes to make it an open jaw you’ll need to call in

[kelliea1]

Would Shanghai work? Last stop on trip is Bali and they do not have direct flights to Hong Kong only Shanghai?

[NorthernLass]

If you have enough avios you can still book it online and request the 50% avios refund. If you think the seats are going to be difficult to get, if you don’t get through to someone quickly, you need to be trying to book online.

Shanghai would work – don’t know if it’ll become significantly more popular with VS cancelling the route.

[kelliea1]

I don’t have enough avios to book online which is the problem. Not feeling confident about calling at 12.45am as Skype issues still not working. Will try to sort that out if not see if I can call on my mobile with a cheap plan and do a dummy call to the US office. Thanks for all your advice and help.

[e14]

kelliea1 wrote:

Would Shanghai work? Last stop on trip is Bali and they do not have direct flights to Hong Kong only Shanghai?

I will assume that you’ve read up on the TWOV (transit without Visa) requirements for China.

And as I’m currently sitting in Nusa Dua, Bali I can assure you that there are flights going to HKG, SIN, BKK, DOH, DXB and KUL as well as internal and Australia and New Zealand. Am sure there is a JAL one as well but not seen that …

[kelliea1]

I’ll check again as Skyscanner didn’t show any direct to HKG, thanks for the heads up.

[NorthernLass]

You might not need to worry that much, @kelliea. SeatSpy is showing excellent CW availability from HKG, and a bit from KUL and SIN in the first week of the summer holidays next year, I think it’s unlikely that you’ll be stranded with no return options.

Re Skype, I’m sure that can be resolved, I used it every day from the Caribbean recently to call our landline as the teenager kept forgetting to charge his phone while we were away. Daily cost was about 5p for 10 minutes, or something equally silly!

[NorthernLass]

Just going back through this thread, has anyone done this successfully via the US office recently (probably need to check in the “booking the return” thread)? There have been reports of them refusing and people having to call Australia and Japan instead.

[SamG]

Personally I’d call one of those so they aren’t closing. I happened to be in the US trying to do a UuA at that time and the guy told me he wouldn’t have time to finish it as he was going home!

[RK228]

NorthernLass wrote:

Just going back through this thread, has anyone done this successfully via the US office recently (probably need to check in the “booking the return” thread)? There have been reports of them refusing and people having to call Australia and Japan instead.

Yes, I called the US number to add returns from HKG for an Amex 241 booking for son and me and a Barclaycard booking for my wife about 10 days ago.

[kelliea1]

Thanks NorthernLass. I think Skype is a problem with my caller ID being disabled and every time I try to enable it with a code it isn’t working. My phone package may do a cheap plan, I’ll check.
Do you think with the availability in SeatSoy that I would be able to call the UK line at 8am and get either KUL, SIN or HKG? I would need around 2nd week of August to return. Thanks

[kelliea1]

@RK228 what number did you call please and what time? Thanks

[e14]

kelliea1 wrote:

Thanks NorthernLass. I think Skype is a problem with my caller ID being disabled and every time I try to enable it with a code it isn’t working. My phone package may do a cheap plan, I’ll check.
Do you think with the availability in SeatSoy that I would be able to call the UK line at 8am and get either KUL, SIN or HKG? I would need around 2nd week of August to return. Thanks

That’s a piece of string question … if you are flexible with your dates then there is always likely to be a return available – looking now there are two seats out of KUL and SIN on the 27th Jul per SeatSpy.

[RK228]

kelliea1 wrote:

@RK228 what number did you call please and what time? Thanks

I phoned the US Bronze line at 00:42.

It might be helpful to have a question or two prepared (even ones you know the answer to), just in case you get through really quickly ahead of the 01:00 release.