Avios (old Lloyds voucher) – seats gone by the time my call is answered

[Mick S]

Trying to book a Club World flight, full 355 days in advance, using the old Lloyds upgrade voucher.
By the time the number opens the seats are gone. I assume there is no fix to this, guess its hope for the best?

• This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[Tracy100]

I thought all old Lloyds vouchers expired at the end October 2021.

[Mick S]

need to amend the booking so i can get home. I booked the outbound 355 days in advance a few weeks ago.

[zio]

Always a risk that the flight doesn’t go back into reward inventory but I had 100% strike rate booking return online and then cancelling just before ringing up the next day.

[Mikeact]

Mick S. I for one don’t understand your predicament.
As Tracy 100 said, the Lloyds voucher finally expired with no more extentions on October 31st..no arguments!
I have two voucher bookings for next year and I was told, October 31st, that no future changes, amendments will be allowed, and if cancelled, by me, voucher is lost. However, I couldn’t get an answer if BA cancelled which is looking likely with my first booking.
Please keep us informed if you are able to make any changes.

[Mick S]

to clarify, I booked the outbound 355 days in advance a few months ago – to fly out in August 2022. I used a Lloyds upgrade voucher, so I needed to ring the Avios (not BA) call centre and have this booked for me.

As I couldn’t book the return flight for December 2022 at the time, I was informed I should call back later in the year (which is roughly now) to have the booking amending to add the return, and pay the uplift in taxes. I have both an Avios and BA reference number for the booking.

Seatspy tells me around 1am that seats are available, but they are gone by the time the Avios call centre is open. So my question, if I stayed up until 00.01 would someone at BA able to sort this for me?

[Mikeact]

Gotcha…sorry, now I understand.
Did you use the voucher for 2 people going out or just you and now you need to book the return ? If its 2, then you’ve obviously used your voucher.
And is it a popular route you need to get back from ?
Bearing in mind that BA now offer 4 Club seats per flight.
However,I’ve never tried to book a return, with the lloyds voucher separately like you.
(I’ve stayed up before now to grab seats to Sydney and Cape Town !)
Look at your Avios booking details as you may be told by BA that “it’s not our booking, you need to call Avios “, and that,as you’ve surmised, may be your problem, time wise.
I think I’d call Avios/BA in the morning and get their advice.
Do let us know the outcome and good luck.

• This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[Mick S]

Single traveller, London to Sydney.

so the outcome here – couldnt do anything on the BA website.
Availability for December 2022 showed up today, courtesy of seat spy.

Called Avios (not BA), call answered within a couple of minutes. Return leg added. Additional avios and taxes taken.

anyone who says air miles and vouchers arent worth the hassle ……well Manchester to Sydney, Club World, 130000 avios and £850 in tax. Thanks 🙂

[yorkieflyer]

My understanding from what I was told when booking was that a Lloyds voucher booking is amendable for a fee within the same zone and dates changeable, but I guess within ticket validity ie 365 days of booking date

[Mick S]

correct.
but if you cant book the return because it’s so far in advance then this can be done later, without a fee.

[NorthernLass]

That sounds like a great result, Mick S, proof that perseverance pays off! I had some great deals from the 6 (!) Lloyds vouchers I managed to accrue over 2 years. We had a couple of good trips using the 241 for 2 of us and Lloyds for the 3rd person. I ended up using my last one for MAN-NICE as I could only manage a short haul in the time available but when this was cancelled avios changed it for me to PRG at Easter weekend next year which I’m happy with, especially if it goes from LHR T3! Been trying to introduce my OH to The Qantas and Cathay lounges for about 3 years now …

[zio]

Glad you got a result @Mick S. Enjoy Australia! I left my final voucher on the table in October but ringing Avios a couple of weeks ago about a twice rescheduled voucher flight (fingers crossed for Easter) was so painless compared with trying to contact BA that I was reminded again what a loss this voucher scheme is.