[BigTimeCharley]

SO what an absolute disaster this has been trying to book this seat!

BA show availability for 23 SEP LAS LAX SYD in Y for 24,700 + 460.30 in tax. I was around 2500 avios short so purchase 3000 avios to bridge the gap. Try and book and met with error that you cant book this fare please contact BA.

Contact BA, they say flight is sold out although still shows 3 seats. I advise them that it is showing available as i am looking at it online right now. BA rep essentially calls me a liar. Says 1905 from LAS LAX is sold out.

I check availability on single route LAS LAX and shows available on 1905 which was advised previously sold out by BA rep. Was advised to book at 12000 avios and LAX SYD would be booked by BA rep and added to the booking.

BA rep then advised i didnt have enough avios to book the other flight LAX SYD showing at 18050 so would need to buy more!!

Back and forth then continues as i ask why i cant just book the flight i can see on the BA website.

BA rep then says… BA/AA doesnt allow this flight to be booked as a through ticket. Now without trying to sound like a condescending so and so, i work in the travel industry. I know how it works, you can book that exact flight 1905 LAS LAX connecting with 2305 LAX SYD should you wish to pay cash. It is plenmty over the minimum connecting time.

Long story short i am holding a seat currently at $1400 instead of booking the exact seat that is currently STILL showing available on the BA avios portal at 11.47pm SYD time.

Can anyone give their opinion on how to proceed trying to book this seat? After an hour and 51 min phone call i have made a complaint with BA but right now that doesnt get me very far.

[BigTimeCharley]

Yes and annoyingly it is no longer available via BA portal either which is even more annoying! My own fault for procrastinating and not getting things done sooner. Its not like ive had 4 months to book these flights haha.

AA73 for me, pending aircraft review 🙂

[BigTimeCharley]

It actually would be 3 hours in total. The QF flight would be an additional 45 minutes as opposed to the AA FLIGHT

[BigTimeCharley]

Findings is, QR don’t show the QF12 as available on their portal = only the AA73 and is 51k Avios as opposed to options at 28k via BA so BA cheaper on this one but its a good exercise

[BigTimeCharley]

Thanks all for the opinions. Decision made, QF12 here we come.

I hadn’t considered checking QR/Finnair. Would make sense as I am utilizing the QR Bonus scheme just released today to bridge the small gap I have so its definitely worth checking. I will report back my findings

[BigTimeCharley]

That was my initial thoughts but where travelling with new airlines I have been really over thinking what really should be a simple decision. Now for the painstaking call to BA to get it booked as of course the website doesn’t work to book that option

[BigTimeCharley]

Understood, but could it be used for 1 other person to travel? Or is that solely for the use of the voucher holder?

[BigTimeCharley]

I know the way schedule changes work can be so frutrating at times. I have had it before where i have a flight the same day has been cancelled and the airline still inform me that the flight is running ontime.

You should be transferred to the date closest to your original departure but to be sure i would try again in a few days time.

Hope it helps!

[BigTimeCharley]

I have just had a look at the availabiltiy for you and it seems that the 12th and 13th flights with CX MAN-HKG have been cancelled so you would have been transfered onto the 11th or 14th (More than likely 14th). Same on the 20th and would hazard a guess changed to the 21st. No telling when this cancellation would have taken place however.

It can sometimes take some time for them to send through schedule change information but I would maybe suggest trying calling CX again another day to speak with someone different.

[BigTimeCharley]

That’s given me hope! In due to go SIN SYD on 18 Feb. Could do the it being brought forward to around 13/14 to either go straight through or just 1 night stop over instead of 5

Alert is setup so fingers and toes crossed

[BigTimeCharley]

Luckily both days i have originally booked are already peak dates so assuming if i can move them, I wouldnt get the decrease in avios back?

Yeah i do notice this so will keep actively checking the BA website too

[BigTimeCharley]

Yeah I have come to notice that haha!
Unfortunately I dont have the BAPP card just standard Blue however 60k avios for return sydney flights i am more than happy with. Just would rather spend an extra few days in Sydney than hanging around in Singapore when i dont really need to.

It would alert me for any cancelled seats on the SIN SYD though wouldnt it? This is the only way i would get the chance to bring that flight forward i would assume?

Also, assuming this doesnt come with any additional avios cost by moving the flight dates?

[BigTimeCharley]

Noted! I had looked just after that to no avail. I suppose its only the same as doing it from other airports to access other avialabiltiy when paying with cash instead.

I have setup an alert now with SeatSpy so fingers crossed something comes up!

Thanks for all the help all.

[BigTimeCharley]

I hadnt even considered that! So you think its worth a try checking say MAN – SYD / NCL – SYD etc to find better availability (possibly)?

[BigTimeCharley]

Thanks! I actually managed to miss the seat I was going for in the end grrrr

It is in Economy (Not blessed with a Business Class Companion unfortunately :().

Going out in Feb on a peak date and returning in Sept on an off peak date, with 1 AMEX Companion comes to 60k miles and £325 taxes. Or I think it was 57.5k for an off peak departure date too