I've just received an email saying I have 12000 OB points that expire on the 31st Dec. I've never really used them before so curiosity got the better of me.
So, having never flown first before I was looking at DME as I have a day free in London now en-route from JER-IST early February.
My question is it possible to fly the roundtrip on the same aircraft without a visa etc. Google tells me no visa is needed but I figured if anyone had first hand experience of such a thing then here would be the place to find them.
It works out at roughly 9K OB points plus £88 outbound, 30K Avios and £25 back which if it does work seems to me good value and something different rather than kicking my heels in London
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDinJER
Hi All,
I've just received an email saying I have 12000 OB points that expire on the 31st Dec. I've never really used them before so curiosity got the better of me.
So, having never flown first before I was looking at DME as I have a day free in London now en-route from JER-IST early February.
My question is it possible to fly the roundtrip on the same aircraft without a visa etc. Google tells me no visa is needed but I figured if anyone had first hand experience of such a thing then here would be the place to find them.
It works out at roughly 9K OB points plus £88 outbound, 30K Avios and £25 back which if it does work seems to me good value and something different rather than kicking my heels in London
Thanks
RD
I've no personal experience of this, but anecdote suggests that you won't get on the plane without a Visa.
Thanks Littlegirl, I guess that having never flown First before the unexpected opportunity to do so for 8 hours for roughly £100 is the appeal.
Opalfruit, I have transited Russia several times without a visa before, DXB-SVO-LHR and LHR-SVO-HKG so it can be done, its the getting back on the same aircraft that's causing the doubts I guess
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDinJER
Thanks Littlegirl, I guess that having never flown First before the unexpected opportunity to do so for 8 hours for roughly £100 is the appeal.
Opalfruit, I have transited Russia several times without a visa before, DXB-SVO-LHR and LHR-SVO-HKG so it can be done, its the getting back on the same aircraft that's causing the doubts I guess
Personally I wouldn't try it in Russia !!!
cs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDinJER
Thanks Littlegirl, I guess that having never flown First before the unexpected opportunity to do so for 8 hours for roughly £100 is the appeal.
Opalfruit, I have transited Russia several times without a visa before, DXB-SVO-LHR and LHR-SVO-HKG so it can be done, its the getting back on the same aircraft that's causing the doubts I guess
The aircraft is on the ground for 1 hour and 40 mins, so I would think you could do it. You couldn't turn around a 747 much faster than that, even if it was running late.
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If the "connection" to a return flight does not qualify as a transit, BA may insist that you have a visa as they would be liable for costs associated with un-visad entry.
Country A -> Moscow -> Country B == transit, no visa needed
Country A -> Moscow -> Country A == not transit
You may get away with it if you flew LHR-DME on BA, then DME-TXL on Air Berlin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genius1
I don't think I'd want to try this in Russia - you're asking to be questioned, IMO. Besides, why not spend a night in the city and see some of Moscow?
I'd guess because (1) then you'd need a visa (enjoy your couple of visits to the consulate, long queues, and grim faces), (2) he said cheap was the attraction and Moscow while a great city is everything but, and (3) he said he has a day free in London on his JER-IST trip in February so presumably would miss the LHR-IST part of his trip if he overnighted in Moscow.
Like you I certainly wouldn't try the turnaround in Russia. Too many things can go badly wrong. As mentioned by others, BA could get worried he was not entitled to travel to Russia for lack of a visa and refuse boarding to not have to foot the bill (very different from a ticket which is booked as a connecting itinerary), and Russia is such a bureaucratic system that there are quite a few people who could decide that indeed 'this is wrong' even without necessarily needing to provide a clear reason as to why they think so and still make one's trip a miserable experience, F or no F.
I have spoken to exec club this afternoon and they have confirmed that as far as BA is concerned there is no issue in doing this. One suggestion they made which I will heed is to ensure I have the return boarding card before leaving London.
As I said, I have 1 free day in London and it appeals to my inner child to try it. It's not as If I'm risking a non refundable paid fare on this so in the worst case I'm not going to be significantly out of pocket, even if my personal avios for the return were sacrificed along with the cash paid.
I crew ships for a living and have enough Russian numbers in my phone that I feel happy enough that I have at least a little backup on the end of the line speaking the lingo should things go seriously south in DME.
I'll post a trip report and feedback here after the trip, again thanks and a very happy 2013 to all
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I know a few people who have done back to backs to DME and have had no problems apart from a little tiff on departure (at the gate) at T5 about no visa but this was mainly down to the utter incompetence of the G4S goons BA outsource their "security" to. But all resolved so I would go for it!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDinJER
Evening all, thanks for taking the time to reply.
I have spoken to exec club this afternoon and they have confirmed that as far as BA is concerned there is no issue in doing this. One suggestion they made which I will heed is to ensure I have the return boarding card before leaving London.
As I said, I have 1 free day in London and it appeals to my inner child to try it. It's not as If I'm risking a non refundable paid fare on this so in the worst case I'm not going to be significantly out of pocket, even if my personal avios for the return were sacrificed along with the cash paid.
I crew ships for a living and have enough Russian numbers in my phone that I feel happy enough that I have at least a little backup on the end of the line speaking the lingo should things go seriously south in DME.
I'll post a trip report and feedback here after the trip, again thanks and a very happy 2013 to all
Rgrds
RD
Good luck and i look forward to reading the TR !
What sort of ships do you crew out of interest ?
cs
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