First time CW flight booked!!
Nov 21, 2011, 9:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
First time CW flight booked!!
I've finally bitten the bullet and booked my first CW flight alongside my better half having spent the past couple of years in WT+ wherever I went, before that, WT.
I've flown CW before on a last minute op up to the upper deck en route to SYD (well done BA - this is why i wont go back to WT+ on long haul), but have never had the 'full' experience before. I'm on BA27 going out and BA26 on the way back. I have a few questions directed at the regulars to the front of the plane:
1. I've booked both tickets together - will we be treated as a group and seated together? I'm not paying Ł240 for advance seating but she'll kill me if we're not seated adjacent
2. It's an MFU from WT+. What would the options be for changing the dates of the flights, particularly the return leg?
3. With a 2055 weekday departure, how early would you recommend getting there to book the Elemis Spa? My girlfriend is looking forward to this more than the flight...
Anything else to make the first trip go swimmingly would be equally well appreciated...^
I've flown CW before on a last minute op up to the upper deck en route to SYD (well done BA - this is why i wont go back to WT+ on long haul), but have never had the 'full' experience before. I'm on BA27 going out and BA26 on the way back. I have a few questions directed at the regulars to the front of the plane:
1. I've booked both tickets together - will we be treated as a group and seated together? I'm not paying Ł240 for advance seating but she'll kill me if we're not seated adjacent
2. It's an MFU from WT+. What would the options be for changing the dates of the flights, particularly the return leg?
3. With a 2055 weekday departure, how early would you recommend getting there to book the Elemis Spa? My girlfriend is looking forward to this more than the flight...
Anything else to make the first trip go swimmingly would be equally well appreciated...^
Nov 21, 2011, 9:55 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Congratulations and I hope you enjoy your trip ^
1. You will be treated as travelling partners, so once OLCI opens you should be able to bag 2 adjacent seats. If you are on one booking, BA does tend to try seat travelling companions together.
2. You can change your return provided there is reward availability in CW for the date you want to change to. You will pay the change fees associated with you WT+ ticket (Ł100-200 per change??)
3. I would not expect to get a Spa treatment. If you do expect one, the I'm afraid you will likely be disappointed. Change your expectations and if you girlfriend does receive a treatment, then you can be happy
I do not see the attraction of a spa treatment before a flight personally. Also, I wouldn't recommend any more than 2 hours in the lounge pre-flight.
1. You will be treated as travelling partners, so once OLCI opens you should be able to bag 2 adjacent seats. If you are on one booking, BA does tend to try seat travelling companions together.
2. You can change your return provided there is reward availability in CW for the date you want to change to. You will pay the change fees associated with you WT+ ticket (Ł100-200 per change??)
3. I would not expect to get a Spa treatment. If you do expect one, the I'm afraid you will likely be disappointed. Change your expectations and if you girlfriend does receive a treatment, then you can be happy
I do not see the attraction of a spa treatment before a flight personally. Also, I wouldn't recommend any more than 2 hours in the lounge pre-flight.
Nov 21, 2011, 10:11 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,513
You've found the "tips for making the most of CW" thread I hope. Full of valuable advice.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l#post13303139
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l#post13303139
Nov 21, 2011, 10:17 am
#4
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,144
I've finally bitten the bullet and booked my first CW flight alongside my better half having spent the past couple of years in WT+ wherever I went, before that, WT.
I've flown CW before on a last minute op up to the upper deck en route to SYD (well done BA - this is why i wont go back to WT+ on long haul), but have never had the 'full' experience before. I'm on BA27 going out and BA26 on the way back. I have a few questions directed at the regulars to the front of the plane:
1. I've booked both tickets together - will we be treated as a group and seated together? I'm not paying Ł240 for advance seating but she'll kill me if we're not seated adjacent
2. It's an MFU from WT+. What would the options be for changing the dates of the flights, particularly the return leg?
3. With a 2055 weekday departure, how early would you recommend getting there to book the Elemis Spa? My girlfriend is looking forward to this more than the flight...
Anything else to make the first trip go swimmingly would be equally well appreciated...^
I've flown CW before on a last minute op up to the upper deck en route to SYD (well done BA - this is why i wont go back to WT+ on long haul), but have never had the 'full' experience before. I'm on BA27 going out and BA26 on the way back. I have a few questions directed at the regulars to the front of the plane:
1. I've booked both tickets together - will we be treated as a group and seated together? I'm not paying Ł240 for advance seating but she'll kill me if we're not seated adjacent
2. It's an MFU from WT+. What would the options be for changing the dates of the flights, particularly the return leg?
3. With a 2055 weekday departure, how early would you recommend getting there to book the Elemis Spa? My girlfriend is looking forward to this more than the flight...
Anything else to make the first trip go swimmingly would be equally well appreciated...^
Mine is over a year away unless my bank balance improves somewhat over the coming months
Nov 21, 2011, 11:18 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,144
Is that a 777 flight? Oh, how sad, no upper deck. 
If you're typical, BA will provisionally stick you in a 'middle pair' so you'll be together, for sure ... but boxed in. Just keep checking the seat assignments in MMB ... although the prospects of changing to something better at T-24 are, I suggest, minimal on that route.
If you're typical, BA will provisionally stick you in a 'middle pair' so you'll be together, for sure ... but boxed in. Just keep checking the seat assignments in MMB ... although the prospects of changing to something better at T-24 are, I suggest, minimal on that route.
Nov 21, 2011, 11:31 am
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
If the flight to which you want to change has CW award availability, you can simply move the MFU to that flight and stay in CW.
If the flight to which you want to change does not have CW award availability but does have availability in WT+, you can still change it. You will be rebooked into WT+ (for the change fee and any difference in fare), and (if you are more than 24 hours before departure of your currently-booked flight) the miles you used for upgrading and the extra tax etc will be refunded to you.
To be reasonably sure of getting a spa appointment, you'd probably need to be there by 1500 (and even then there's no guarantee). And there's a real danger of over-selling the spa treatments to someone who hasn't had one before. IMHO, they're a nice little extra if it happens that you can get an appointment, but they're not really worth going seriously out of your way for.
Last edited by Globaliser; Nov 21, 2011 at 11:41 am
Nov 21, 2011, 11:33 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Is that a 777 flight? Oh, how sad, no upper deck.
If you're typical, BA will provisionally stick you in a 'middle pair' so you'll be together, for sure ... but boxed in. Just keep checking the seat assignments in MMB ... although the prospects of changing to something better at T-24 are, I suggest, minimal on that route.
If you're typical, BA will provisionally stick you in a 'middle pair' so you'll be together, for sure ... but boxed in. Just keep checking the seat assignments in MMB ... although the prospects of changing to something better at T-24 are, I suggest, minimal on that route.
As long as we're sat together I don't really care where it is. The people whose legs i'll have to climb over can complain to BA, not me, if we're stuck in the middle pair. Window pair would be preferable as a slightly nervy flyer but there's not a cat in hell's chance I'm paying that much just to choose a seat
I take it HK is a busy route filled with plenty of status passengers?
Nov 21, 2011, 11:36 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
You can change the underlying ticket for the change fee, now usually Ł100 per person per transaction, plus any fare difference - and subject to any other rules about when you can change the underlying ticket. (Often there is no fare difference if you are only changing the return half.)
If the flight to which you want to change has CW award availability, you can simply move the MFU to that flight and stay in CW.
If the flight to which you want to change does not have CW award availability but does have availability in WT+, you can still change it. You will be rebooked into WT+ (for the change fee and any difference in fare), and (if you are more than 24 hours before departure of your currently-booked flight) the miles you used for upgrading and the extra tax etc will be refunded to you.Are you sure it's 2055? BA27 looks like it's at 2100 now, at 2200 during northern summer 2012, and at 2155 during northern winter 2012/3.
To be reasonably sure of getting a spa appointment, you'd probably need to be there by 1500 (and even then there's no guarantee). And there's a real danger of over-selling the spa treatments to someone who hasn't had one before. IMHO, they're a nice little extra if it happens that you can get an appointment, but they're not really worth going seriously out of your way for.
If the flight to which you want to change has CW award availability, you can simply move the MFU to that flight and stay in CW.
If the flight to which you want to change does not have CW award availability but does have availability in WT+, you can still change it. You will be rebooked into WT+ (for the change fee and any difference in fare), and (if you are more than 24 hours before departure of your currently-booked flight) the miles you used for upgrading and the extra tax etc will be refunded to you.Are you sure it's 2055? BA27 looks like it's at 2100 now, at 2200 during northern summer 2012, and at 2155 during northern winter 2012/3.
To be reasonably sure of getting a spa appointment, you'd probably need to be there by 1500 (and even then there's no guarantee). And there's a real danger of over-selling the spa treatments to someone who hasn't had one before. IMHO, they're a nice little extra if it happens that you can get an appointment, but they're not really worth going seriously out of your way for.
The booking says 2055 - the date is 6th Feb 2012??
Nov 21, 2011, 11:40 am
#9
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Yes, they do.You're quite right - so it is. Apologies.
That's what happens from trying to carry these times around in my head.
That's what happens from trying to carry these times around in my head.
Nov 21, 2011, 11:41 am
#10
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,428
Depends on season and day. This year I have seen flights where nothing is left to pre-allocate a week out, and others where 2/3 of the cabin is open. The one thing you will have to be very lucky to score is the UD.
Nov 21, 2011, 11:43 am
#11
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Nov 21, 2011, 1:51 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Plus, as something of a tech geek i'll be quite happy listening to/watching the GE90s on the 300ER