Calling British Airways - how to get through?

[Mattg]

I'm trying to redeem some of my BA Avios for a QantasLink flight, which you cannot book on the British Airways website.

I've tried calling British Airways several times to book, and each time after a lengthy wait on hold, my call just gets disconnected.

Any tips to actually get through and/or to complete my booking?

 

[SYD]

I read that QFLink are now bookable via ba.com

QantasLink flights in Australia bookable with Avios on ba.com

For the first time ever, QantasLink domestic services in Australia are showing on ba.com for booking with Avios points. This is how you to do it.

www.headforpoints.com

Or has that been enhanced again?

 

[MELso]

And another thought - can they be booked on AY, IB or - highly unlikely it must be said - QR?

 

[Mattg]

I read that QFLink are now bookable via ba.com

QantasLink flights in Australia bookable with Avios on ba.com

For the first time ever, QantasLink domestic services in Australia are showing on ba.com for booking with Avios points. This is how you to do it.

www.headforpoints.com

Or has that been enhanced again?

Sadly nope, there is no QantasLink availability showing on BA.com currently. (The route is ADL-CBR)

And another thought - can they be booked on AY, IB or - highly unlikely it must be said - QR?

Qantas availability doesn't appear on the QR website, and AY wants $200+ taxes for ADL-CBR one-way. I guess in theory I could call QR to book through Privilege Club.

 

[Mattg]

So, after calling 5 times, I eventually got through to somebody and asked them to call me back as all the previous calls kept disconnecting.

This person agreed to call me back, and did straight away from a UK phone number. He said he'd never made an Avios booking in the 3 years he'd been working at the BA call centre (there is normally a different department that does that), but he decided to give it a go since he didn't want me to keep having to call back over and over. He was actually pretty good and completed the booking for me.

For future reference, the trick seems to be:

1. Keep calling until you actually get through to a person (the call may drop out) - this took me 3 attempts
2. After you speak to someone and your call gets disconnected, if you call again a short time later you seem to go to the front of the queue
3. When you call back again, ask for the operator to call you back.

 

[SYD]

So, after calling 5 times, I eventually got through to somebody and asked them to call me back as all the previous calls kept disconnecting.

This person agreed to call me back, and did straight away. He said he'd never made an Avios booking in the 3 years he'd been working at the BA call centre (there is normally a different department that does that), but he decided to give it a go since he didn't want me to keep having to call back over and over. He was actually pretty good and completed the booking for me.

For future reference, the trick seems to be:

1. Keep calling until you actually get through to a person (the call may drop out) - this took me 3 attempts
2. After you speak to someone and your call gets disconnected, if you call again a short time later you seem to go to the front of the queue
3. When you call back again, ask for the operator to call you back.

Unrelated, but I’ve had that call timer dropout problem with Latitude… Really frustrating.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Sadly nope, there is no QantasLink availability showing on BA.com currently.

I'm seeing CFS-SYD-CFS flights on BA.com

 

[Mattg]

I'm seeing CFS-SYD-CFS flights on BA.com

Interesting - I'm not seeing any availability on BA.com for that route either. Maybe I'm the problem?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Are you using the App or webpage? On the App I get No Flights Available. On the web I get the following:

 

[Mattg]

Are you using the App or webpage? On the App I get No Flights Available. On the web I get the following:

View attachment 515578

Hmm - I'm using the website. Am logged in and browser is Safari. So what am I doing wrong then?

 

[madrooster]

Are you using the App or webpage? On the App I get No Flights Available. On the web I get the following:

Which country is your account domiciled in? I suspect your account has a non-AU domicile.

AU PoS can't see QantasLink redemption inventory.

 

[SYD]

Hmm - I'm using the website. Am logged in and browser is Safari. So what am I doing wrong then?

View attachment 515579

I don’t see anything either. AU account using Safari in Oz.

My Avios balance is zero but I can see award seats on QF between SYD-MEL.

 

[Mattg]

Which country is your account domiciled in? I suspect your account has a non-AU domicile.

AU PoS can't see QantasLink redemption inventory.

What a stupid restriction for Australian account holders.

So, how easy is it to change the country of residence on your account, make a QantasLink booking, and then change it back?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Which country is your account domiciled in? I suspect your account has a non-AU domicile.

AU PoS can't see QantasLink redemption inventory.

Ah yes! My account is domiciled in Europe; originally used my friend's address in the Netherlands then changed it to a former address in the UK where I used to live in the 70s.

What a stupid restriction for Australian account holders.

So, how easy is it to change the country of residence on your account, make a QantasLink booking, and then change it back?

Why would you want to change it back to Aus?

 

[Mattg]

Why would you want to change it back to Aus?

You ask a good question.

 

[SYD]

You ask a good question.

Presumably you created the EC account after BA allowed Oz residents to do so? (it wasn’t possible to join with an Oz address during the QF/BA partnership days and then for quite a few years after).

But a virtual move to Old Blighty should fix the issue?

I assume they don’t post anything out these days, so it’s probably safe to leave the address offshore?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Yeah I joined during the BA/QF partnership so I couldn't use an Aussie address.

 

[Mattg]

Presumably you created the EC account after BA allowed Oz residents to do so? (it wasn’t possible to join with an Oz address during the QF/BA partnership days and then for quite a few years after).

But a virtual move to Old Blighty should fix the issue?

I assume they don’t post anything out these days, so it’s probably safe to leave the address offshore?

I originally signed up with an Austrian address (not for the obvious reason - I actually lived there at the time!) but switched to an Australian address once that became an option. Perhaps another move to Europe is on the cards...

 

[tassie6]

I originally signed up with an Austrian address (not for the obvious reason - I actually lived there at the time!) but switched to an Australian address once that became an option. Perhaps another move to Europe is on the cards...

Keen to see how you go with it, being in Tassie nearly everything requires qantaslink, and as you noted, calling to book is painful!

(although the two times I have booked via phone, I didnt have the issues getting through that you did, about 12 months ago)