Changing some BA flights - goodwill?

[Maxf]

I fly longhaul with BA most months due to my girlfriend living abroad. Either I fly to her, or she comes to me. It works well, although appears odd to many people!

Anyway, at Christmas I mangled my leg up (on a visit to her) and need an operation. I've been told I can't fly and will therefore have to either move or cancel a flight I have booked for mid February.

I was hoping to call BA and see if, with a bucket of goodwill, they would either let me have some kind of 'flight credit' I could use on another flight in the near future (I've already booked March) or transfer it into her name so she can come and see me.

The standard answer, I'm sure, is that I can move the flight to a new date for £90 and whatever extra it costs, but at the moment I'm unable to pick a date.

Are BA likely to show any goodwill at all, or will I get the 'computer says no' message? I've only been doing this since October and am virtually already a Silver flyer, so I'm making quite a few flights (obviously not the same level as business flyers, but I'm self funing/personal).

Any ideas how best to approach them (aside from just calling and asking)?

[Olf]

To be fair to them when I had similar they were very accommodating. Just ring and tell the the situation straight.

[Nickyboy]

If they're anything like Us Air you can rebook and fly up to 12 months from the date of your original booking, you might have to pay a rebooking fee and difference in flight cost however.

[davepoth]

travel insurance at all?

[Maxf]

Just spoken to them, they need me to pick a date for a new flight (and pay the extra, obviously) - so it looks like I'll just have to pick a random date and hope it works out. I was hoping I could just have an amount of credit on file.

I do have holiday insurance, but was hoping to minimise the claim (as I'll be claiming hospital bills) and not go down that route. I might be better off claiming now though and just booking new flights fresh, when I know the actual dates I can travel.

[F i F]

Maxf said:

Just spoken to them, they need me to pick a date for a new flight (and pay the extra, obviously) - so it looks like I'll just have to pick a random date and hope it works out. I was hoping I could just have an amount of credit on file.

I do have holiday insurance, but was hoping to minimise the claim (as I'll be claiming hospital bills) and not go down that route. I might be better off claiming now though and just booking new flights fresh, when I know the actual dates I can travel.

I've done this, pick a random date a year in advance and hope it worked out. It was a PITA. If it had been covered by insurance then would have gone down that route.