Ex-Europe fares

Jaycee30 · Dec 30, 12, 11:15 am

Hi
I have a possibly stupid newbie question...
earlier this year we were able to get a great deal on CW flights to SFO by using AMS as our start point (almost 50% cheaper than ex-LHR). We have also recently been looking at longhaul CW flights from DUB via LHR and onwards which were looking very favourable compared to ex-LHR prices, however, now that we are looking to book another long haul CW flight for 2013 there no longer seems to be a price benefit by using a European departure point.
Have we missed something - has there been a recent change in the "rules" as ex-Europe fares now appear higher rather than lower

jdbelfast · Dec 30, 12, 11:18 am

Air Passenger Duty is higher in CW for flights ex-LHR than ex-DUB. From memory ex-CPH and Ex-DUB are two of the lowest APDs in Europe. Would that explain it?

corporate-wage-slave · Dec 30, 12, 11:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaycee30

Hi
Have we missed something - has there been a recent change in the "rules" as ex-Europe fares now appear higher rather than lower

There's a Sale going on the UK at the moment. When that Sale ends, there may be a Sale in the Netherlands. Or Greece. Or Ireland.

yawa · Dec 30, 12, 11:34 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

There's a Sale going on the UK at the moment. When that Sale ends, there may be a Sale in the Netherlands. Or Greece. Or Ireland.

There's a sale in the Netherlands at the moment which runs until 24/01

shorthauldad · Dec 30, 12, 11:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdbelfast

Air Passenger Duty is higher in CW for flights ex-LHR than ex-DUB. From memory ex-CPH and Ex-DUB are two of the lowest APDs in Europe. Would that explain it?

APD is some of the saving but the majority of the difference is BA setting pricing according to local markets (= trying to "steal" pax who might otherwise fly [direct] with other airlines)

Check out the CW fare for IST-LHR-JFK-LHR-IST, for example... somewhere around £1650 a.i. depending on the €/£ exchange rate. Note - not a sale fare, either, although there's an advance purchase requirement, but I'd certainly rate it a "good deal" compared with the LHR-JFK-LHR fare.

Is it worth going all the way to IST to start your journey? Maybe not.

Is it a co-incidence that BA chooses to offer a very competitive price to JFK for those starting in IST (hint: which is where TK are based)? IMHO definitely not!

Physci · Dec 30, 12, 11:48 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by yawa

There's a sale in the Netherlands at the moment which runs until 24/01

Very true - just booked AMS - LGW - LHR - DEN return in CW which, including Y positioning flight from LGW is £1,000 cheaper than direct from LHR.

Raffles · Dec 30, 12, 12:10 pm

If you look in the sticky thread you will see how to use the ITA website, which lets you check every European capital city in one search.

angatol · Dec 30, 12, 12:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Physci

Very true - just booked AMS - LGW - LHR - DEN return in CW which, including Y positioning flight from LGW is £1,000 cheaper than direct from LHR.

Does the sale include CW? Looking at a random date in March it's cheaper from MIL to DEN in CW that it is from AMS and there's no sale on in Italy at the moment.

angatol · Dec 30, 12, 12:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raffles

If you look in the sticky thread you will see how to use the ITA website, which lets you check every European capital city in one search.

It's not reliable though. Especially if you do a month long search.

Frequentflyer99 · Dec 30, 12, 12:32 pm

One problem to be aware of is that the cheap fares generally do not work if your stopover in London on the outbound journey is more than 10 days.

shorthauldad · Dec 30, 12, 12:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Physci

Very true - just booked AMS - LGW - LHR - DEN return in CW which, including Y positioning flight from LGW is £1,000 cheaper than direct from LHR.

<cheeky> Mind telling us what you paid?

For random dates in Feb I found AMS-DEN-AMS in CW from £1865 a.i. (fare basis I7SALE)

angatol: what did you find in March?

shorthauldad · Dec 30, 12, 12:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frequentflyer99

One problem to be aware of is that the cheap fares generally do not work if your stopover in London on the outbound journey is more than 10 days.

I7SALE doesn't allow stopovers at all, only transfers.

Code:

Stopover restrictions

  STOPOVERS NOT PERMITTED ON THE FARE COMPONENT.

angatol · Dec 30, 12, 12:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorthauldad

For random dates in Feb I found AMS-DEN-AMS in CW from £1865 a.i. (fare basis I7SALE)

angatol: what did you find in March?

The prices looked so unremarkable I didn't look at the fare basis.
26 March £1749 MIL-DEN-MIL (IV0EUS), £1867 AMS-DEN-MIL (I7SALE)

Edit: Oh IV0EUS is a sale fare:

Code:

Travel restrictions
  VALID FOR TRAVEL COMMENCING ON/AFTER 23MAR 13 AND ON/
  BEFORE 14APR 13.
Sales restrictions
  TICKETS MUST BE ISSUED ON/BEFORE 02JAN 13.

angatol · Dec 30, 12, 12:53 pm

I had a quick grep of all the BA sites and these are the only ones that mention sales:
GB, IE, NL: world sale
CZ, PL: Free one-way upgrade to F from CW
SG, US: Hilton sale

shorthauldad · Dec 30, 12, 12:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by angatol

I had a quick grep of all the BA sites and these are the only ones that mention sales...(snip)

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck...

BA doesn't have to actually say "it's a Sale" for it to be a sale but you know that