FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Buy on board: Implemented on BA short haul - opinions on the concept
Old Oct 2, 2016, 3:23 am
  #1038  
CoweyB
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
Posts: 745
Originally Posted by allturnleft
I like flybe too
They had very bad press a few years ago with rip off fees and hidden extras; they have backtracked now and now appear reasonable.
I just did a dummy booking for LHR-BHD with BA (£98) and LCY-BHD with FlyBe (£90)

I live in SE London and it takes me 1 hour 30 mins to get to LHR and 20 to LCY and I have been puzzling why I would always go BA and not BE to Belfast when both give Avios...

I think it was the desire to (1) get the tier points and keep Silver, (2) lounge time, (3) better flight experience with BA.

The better BA flight experience has now gone and the 2x2 seating on BE actually removes the fear of getting the middle seat. I will lose the lounge access but the attraction of the shorter check-in time at LCY and it's nearness to home compensates for that. If I feel lounge withdrawal there is the perfectly acceptable Aspire in BHD for £20.

And 5 TPs per flight isn't going to do much to keep Silver especially as I no longer do travel for business.

So for UK domestic flights it's looking like BE is now the airline of choice for me. I have enough for Silver next year but am resigned to Bronze after that. And I won't miss the pressure of TP runs to get to 600.

It's taken me a long time to realise that the free glass of asked-for champagne in the Galleries Lounge is actually very expensive and buying one for £11 in Caviar House outside the lounge is going to be overall cheaper, quicker and certainly less crowded...
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