Author Topic: BA miles availability (Read 6604 times)

txtmax4 · « **on:** March 10, 2010, 12:00:57 PM »

Anyone knows if there are any tricks to get spots with BA miles NO MATTER WHAT?
Oficcially there's no availability right now, can I pull anything off?
I'm looking for tickets to buenos aires, possibly would be put on a LAN flight... or AA.

Thanks.

gozalim · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2010, 01:29:51 AM »

try searching econ. + or buis. or 1st. more miles but possibly better availability

Dan · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2010, 01:36:07 AM »

Quote from: txtmax4 on March 10, 2010, 12:00:57 PM

Anyone knows if there are any tricks to get spots with BA miles NO MATTER WHAT?
Oficcially there's no availability right now, can I pull anything off?
I'm looking for tickets to buenos aires, possibly would be put on a LAN flight... or AA.

Thanks.

Did you search AA and LAN?

Dan · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2010, 04:07:57 PM »

Um, although creativity is usually a good thing, let's try to keep the answers to kosher ideas guys.
The posts in question have been deleted.
Thanks!

txtmax4 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2010, 06:59:19 PM »

Quote from: Dan on March 11, 2010, 01:36:07 AM

Did you search AA and LAN?

Well, I thought that I can only book through BA if the miles are from BA, so even if AA or LAN have award availability, it doesn't necesarily mean that BA has access to those seats.
if the above statement is correct, than thats why I didn't search AA or LAN.

Is it correct?

SuperFlyer · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2010, 07:04:19 PM »

Quote from: Dan on March 11, 2010, 04:07:57 PM

Um, although creativity is usually a good thing, let's try to keep the answers to kosher ideas guys.
The posts in question have been deleted.
Thanks!

you are disappointing me Dan. Compared to some other stuff here, this is bada"ts glatt mehadrin, yoshon, non-gebrokts.

Dan · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2010, 07:09:01 PM »

Quote from: txtmax4 on March 11, 2010, 06:59:19 PM

Well, I thought that I can only book through BA if the miles are from BA, so even if AA or LAN have award availability, it doesn't necesarily mean that BA has access to those seats.
if the above statement is correct, than thats why I didn't search AA or LAN.

Is it correct?

If AA or LAN has availability you can book it using BA miles.
You just can't fly AA over the Atlantic using BA miles.

Dan · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2010, 07:09:58 PM »

Quote from: SuperFlyer on March 11, 2010, 07:04:19 PM

you are disappointing me Dan. Compared to some other stuff here, this is bada"ts glatt mehadrin, yoshon, non-gebrokts.

lol...but it definitely wasn't chasidisher shchita!

SuperFlyer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2010, 07:36:12 PM »

Quote from: Dan on March 11, 2010, 07:09:58 PM

lol...but it definitely wasn't chasidisher shchita!

Very chassidish, unless the passengers would be called; mr ktsays, mr taysfes, etc.

(you removed another message from me too, suggesting that a question was to unspecified to be able to answer it.)

txtmax4 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2010, 11:53:35 PM »

Quote from: Dan on March 11, 2010, 07:09:01 PM

If AA or LAN has availability you can book it using BA miles.
You just can't fly AA over the Atlantic using BA miles.

Called Lan, they had availability (9 seats).
They didn't let me redeem my BA miles for it. They said I can only use LanPass when calling them (don't have LanPass...)
Called BA, told them there were 9 award seats on that flight, and they said they had zero award seats on that flight.
How can that be explained?

PS (which, by the way, reminds me to remind ppl of my original question: "can I get award seats with some kind of trick or sommething even though they have zero award seats?")

yudel · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2010, 12:41:32 AM »

Had the same issue, i wanted to use my BA miles for a domestic flight on AA. AA showed availability but when I called BA they said they had nothing. They explained to me that AA only releases a certain amount of seats to their partners and then releases more for their own mileage holders.

On a side note I already used 100.000 BA miles (courtesy of Chase) for 4 domestic Flights on AA and saved over $1200 so the chase deal worked out great for me

Dan · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2010, 12:49:36 AM »

I'm not buying it. They sound like lazy agents, I encounter them all the time with every airline. Just have to call back.

The way to play the game is to tell them you just called BA earlier and found award availability but you had to confirm it with your wife before booking, and now you're calling back, and you have the exact flight numbers that worked earlier...

If you see it on AA.com there's no reason BA can't book it. LAN is trickier because they have 3 award levels, and indeed only if the lowest level is available can partners book it. That requires using LAN.com to determine if the lowest level is available.

You can also check lots of OW alliance availability on Qantas.com

txtmax4 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2010, 12:57:42 AM »

Dan's the man!

I'll try ur advice tomorrow, BA is closed now... will let u know.

By the way, what do u mean "lazy agents"? U mean they're sitting there and they have the spot on the screen in front of them and out of the blue they're telling u there's no spots??

Dan · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2010, 01:03:35 AM »

Quote from: txtmax4 on March 12, 2010, 12:57:42 AM

Dan's the man!

I'll try ur advice tomorrow, BA is closed now... will let u know.

By the way, what do u mean "lazy agents"? U mean they're sitting there and they have the spot on the screen in front of them and out of the blue they're telling u there's no spots??

Just had it happen to me today with UA.
One agent insisted that there was absolutely nothing on any *A carrier, I hung up, called right back and gave them my shpiel and it worked like a gem.

txtmax4 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2010, 01:27:58 AM »

why the heck would they say there's nothing? what do they gain?

I mean its probably more fun to answer the phone and do a booking than to answer the phone and be there for 10 mins just to say "there's nothing..."

What do u mean "ur shpiel"?

Dan · « **Reply #15 on:** March 12, 2010, 01:34:31 AM »

Quote from: txtmax4 on March 12, 2010, 01:27:58 AM

why the heck would they say there's nothing? what do they gain?

I mean its probably more fun to answer the phone and do a booking than to answer the phone and be there for 10 mins just to say "there's nothing..."

What do u mean "ur shpiel"?

Lazy agents is my only guess.
The shpiel is telling them how if you're talking to BA that a BA agent already told you it was available. If you say you saw it on AA they'll just make stuff up like you experienced...
A small white lie that works wonders.

gozalim · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2010, 11:51:18 AM »

Quote from: Dan on March 12, 2010, 12:49:36 AM

If you see it on AA.com there's no reason BA can't book it. LAN is trickier because they have 3 award levels, and indeed only if the lowest level is available can partners book it. That requires using LAN.com to determine if the lowest level is available.

are you sure? when viewing online i've seen there be a lot more available on AA's site then what BA shows on their site...

SuperFlyer · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2010, 11:53:42 AM »

Quote from: Dan on March 12, 2010, 01:34:31 AM

Lazy agents is my only guess.
The shpiel is telling them how if you're talking to BA that a BA agent already told you it was available. If you say you saw it on AA they'll just make stuff up like you experienced...
A small white lie that works wonders.

Correct approach, and please don't call it a lie, just call it a joke (otherwise I feel guilty).

Dan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2010, 12:07:34 PM »

Quote from: gozalim on March 12, 2010, 11:51:18 AM

are you sure? when viewing online i've seen there be a lot more available on AA's site then what BA shows on their site...

Yes, AA does not offer non-EXP's members expanded availability. It will be the same across all channels.

Quote from: SuperFlyer on March 12, 2010, 11:53:42 AM

Correct approach, and please don't call it a lie, just call it a joke (otherwise I feel guilty).

If it makes you feel better, lol.

gozalim · « **Reply #19 on:** March 12, 2010, 12:11:21 PM »

Quote from: Dan on March 12, 2010, 12:07:34 PM

Yes, AA does not offer non-EXP's members expanded availability. It will be the same across all channels.

what are "non-EXP's"?