Query on changing date of outbound flight with companion voucher

[NickySW12]

I booked a return flight using my companion voucher, so “half price” avios. The outbound is direct from Lon to SCL with BA. The return is EZE to Lon via MAD with Iberia. I need to change the outbound to a few days earlier, an avios fare is available, also off peak showing the same avios and “taxes” as the one I booked. I called the executive club and while very polite, made out this would be extremely difficult to organise and suggested I cancel and rebook online. However, the return flights with Iberia are not available any more (and BA direct flights were sold out when I booked). The colleague could not manage to sort this out and has referred it to the ticket team. I had hoped that it would be simple to just change the first flight without touching the Iberia flight but the agent said no and did state that the avios cost would be higher (although it was minimal). He has not yet been able to confirm what total difference would be in avios and taxes or if it is possible. I thought it would just involve a change cost of £35 so would welcome any advice on this while I wait for the ticket team to get back to me and hope the avios seats don’t run out! Many thanks

[e14]

NickySW12 wrote:

I thought it would just involve a change cost of £35 so would welcome any advice on this while I wait for the ticket team to get back to me and hope the avios seats don’t run out! Many thanks

The ticket needs to be repriced to the current fare so it’s not just as simple as paying the £35 change fee, so it does need to go to fares to get updated then you will need to approve and probably pay the difference and then it will go to ticketing to be reissued.

If it was a simple BA return then it would be a lot easier and the robot should have been able to auto price the change.

[NickySW12]

Thanks for this. I was hoping they could just reprice the element I was changing but this makes sense.

[e14]

NickySW12 wrote:

Thanks for this. I was hoping they could just reprice the element I was changing but this makes sense.

And with apologies, I did edit my post to admonish the BA CSR – you are paying the £35 change fee for them not to be so lazy and do the work that you require to be undertaken .. suggesting that you cancel and rebook, is frankly a very lazy response from the CSR and wouldn’t have worked in your case as you’d pointed out.

[NickySW12]

Thanks e14. When I hadn’t had any contact after a few days I called again and got an extremely helpful and experienced agent who managed to organise the date change herself. There was no additional cost in avios or £’s on this occasion, just the £35. I appreciate that not all colleagues have the experience but sometimes I do think it is worth calling off and trying again with another agent when the current one seems to think it is too difficult!!