juldan

Well, my mother finally saved up enough points to fly to Euroupe to visit me and my family in Business class, she has health issues and needs the leg room. She is set to fly home on Monday morning and unfortunately fell ill two days ago. We have visited the hospital and she has been put on a round of strong anitbiotics and pain killers, our first plan was to extend her visit with 2 weeks so that she would hopefully be better when making the 15 hour trip. When we called British Airways they refused to let her change her date of departure because she had already started her trip. Finally, we talked to someone that would let us change her flight but not until the 2nd of April, because according to them that was the only seat avaialable for people who had used points to buy their ticket. Well long story short, I called again asking if we could buy a regular ticket and upgrade her with her remaining BA points but aparently the same dates applied! Then to make matters worse, the ticket agent informed me that she was flagging my mother as a passenger needing a "fit to fly" notice because she said in the phone call I had mentioned that she was not well 3 times, that was their policy which means we would now have to go back to the hospital and get a foriegn doctor to fill in paperwork from their website to state she was okay to fly. So I had to wake up my mother and get her to persuade the ticket agent to not flag her, in doing so she recorded my mother saying that she was able to fly repeatedly. So the lesson is what... don't call customer service asking for help because they just might make it harder on you! I am so disappointed in they way they treat their customers, and it will be the last time me or my family fly BA.

AJPeabody

Keep calling. You may get lucky if someone with an earlier points ticket has to change flights and a seat opens up for your mom.

socaltraveler

You know, I'm sorry for your situation, but the truth of the matter with all airlines is that FF miles are always going to have limited seat availability. And I can hardly blame the airline for asking for a 'fit to fly' letter since it appears that you did repeatedly mention that your mother was ill and needed special considerations. To be fair, they should have some concerns about transporting passengers who had medical issues on a 15 hour trip. Again, I am sorry for you, and your mother, but it hardly looks like BA is any sort of villain here.

janisj

I know you are in the middle of this an it looks like BA is messing you about. But they aren't --honestly.

Why wouldn't they need a doctor's assurance your Mom is fit to fly? My guess is you (understandably) piled it on that she is elderly and not well and <i>really needs</i> special consideration. If so -- I'd assume they'd require clearance from her doctor.

P_M

juldan, I am sorry for the situation you are in and I wish you the best. I think BA has the right idea in asking for medical clearance for her to fly. It is a very long trip and it could be very harmful to her to get in the air and need help. Please take her to a doctor and make sure she's OK before taking her on the plane.

And as mentioned above, please keep calling for award availbility. New seats do open up, even at the last minute. Good luck.

juldan

Thank you for your replys, perhaps I should have been more clear, my mother is getting treated for shingles, which is very painful if anyone has had them, but not life threatning, so as for me piling it one, not sure that repeating that sitting in a seat for so long with shingles is really that. I thought that BA might make an exception, because everyone knows that flying a long haul flight is hard enough without feeling like your skin is on fire. Her shingles are on her back and even clothing touching it is painful. So I sorry I disagree a fit to fly for shingles in my opinion isn't warrented. I was trying to get her seat changed so that the trip would not be so hard on her. Two weeks would have made all the difference. I truly believe that if they wanted to they could have given her another seat, we have a doctors note stating it's shingles, very painful, and not contagious.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Oh, shingles are supposed to be truly awful to go through. I'm sorry to hear that and I hope your mom gets well soon.

Whether you think the certification of clearance is warranted or not, that's what BA is requiring. You have no choice at this point but to get it.

Good luck.

qwovadis

Sorry for your moms negative experience

Shingles is extremely painful I have had them.

www.insuremytrip.com always wise especially if travelling sick

However www.ba.com is behaving as all airlines are required to

in this situation to benefit the majority of travelers.

Change fees are a part of the picture for most also these days

Southwest is the only one that does not charge them currently.

Might contact a supervisor sometimes if you intimate you

might file a dispute with your CC company or a complaint with

www.bbb.org they will cut you a break...

The sqeaky wheel tends to get the grease.

Overall I like BA got 200000 miles with their Amex card

Still getting free flights with them so they are not all bad.

Good luck!

P_M

Thanks for clarifying that, without knowing what was going on I think we were imagining something much worse. My Dad had shingles and it is awful. I hope your mom will feel better soon and once again, good luck with this situation.