I've not tried this but there are/were some extremely cheap fares ex-OSL (presumably to compete with Norwegian on its home territory and to deal with its aggressive pricing ex-LGW).

Has anyone flown ex-OSL?

I attempted to check in bags for the LHR-JNB portion of a AMS-LHR-JNB before flying to AMS in December and was told that it was not possible even though I have heard of this being allowed previously. YMMV.

Cheap and easy mini-TP run
 

In all the constant talk about not flying the fourth sector of an ex-EU, I wonder if we sometimes lose sight of something?

If you have no checked baggage, or your fourth sector is one which allows you to retrieve your bags before it (eg XXX-LHR/LCY-AMS) and store them or take them home, then some can use the fourth sector as part of a cheap mini-TP run. This seems to me to work particularly well if the fourth sector concludes at a place where you can easily turn around immediately and fly back to London on the same aircraft (eg AMS).

An AMS-LON can often be bought for cash for about £50 or so. Completing the fourth sector (LON-AMS) in CE and then returning to London for £50 means 50 TPs for £50. Alternatively, if AMS-LON is on an RFS ticket, it's 40 TPs for £17.50 + 4,500 Avios (and of course you'd earn back at least 750 by flying the fourth sector in CE and many of us would earn back 1,250).

YMMV indeed. I did exactly this route in December (just before Christmas) and although the check-in agent had to phone to confirm what he needed to do, he was told that it was allowed, and duly checked the bags for LHR-JNB only.

Has anyone who is not a EEA citizen done this? I presume even if planning to drop the last segment, you would actually need to buy a refundable ticket from Europe back to the UK, otherwise BA is meant to deny boarding on the return?


It may be a good idea to buy these tickets through Amex Travel rather than directly from BA. You get charged in GBP at the IATA exchange rate, earn 4 MR per £ if you have the Gold charge card as it tends to give 2x travel bonus, and no need to lie about living in Ukraine (not sure if the fee applies for non-UK origin though)

Downsides are can't book WTP or different classes outbound and return, and potential difficulty with or additional charges for changes and refunds.

As an addendum to the Matrix booking codes, I usually use the following to get WT+ fares:

/ F BC=E|BC=T|BC=W

This ensures you get pricing in all three WT+ fare buckets.

... and a few more if you pay it on a credit card that gives you miles/avios etc. (e.g. bmi)

Does anyone have information for a fast turnaround in Oslo? Could I arrive and depart on the same plane?

There have been some great CW fares originating from OSL recently, especially to BOS and I have one planned for April.

Thanks to you all for this really informative thread.

Ex-Mainland Europe Travel Planning Guide
 

GVA is actually easier than implied here. It's 30 seconds at most back to the departure gate. Down all the stairs to the basement but instead of following other passengers to immigration, turn round and go back up to the departure gate. It's absolutely impossible to miss the incoming flight. No security, no immigration, no nothing. Probably little chance to visit the lounge which is a good 5 minutes walk away in the main terminal the other side of immigration, through which you will have to pass on your way back to the gate.

I had a transfer in Bucharest (OTP) earlier this week, and it was very good. Since it's in the higher TP bracket I believe it is worth an entry here. Very similar to WAW.

Gate to security = 5 minutes. Security back to gate = 5 minutes.

Security only, special route with few other passengers, 5 minutes. Follow signs for Tranzit and Arrivals. Just before the escalators for Arrivals bear left. There is a security officer staffing the metal detector and baggage scanner, then you are allowed through a glass door back into the departure area.

Terminal facilities
•Wifi: In lounge and some food stores.
•Toilets: WCs are present through the terminal and near the gate area
•Smoking: severa; designated smoking areas including near the lounge
•Food/beverages/book shop: a couple of cafés and shops in the gate area.
•Duty free options throughout the terminal.
•Mastercard Lounge: above gate 7.

•Terminal map

FT back to back turn-around rating: Good to Excellent
FT airside transfer rating: Good to Excellent
FT landside transfer rating: Reasonable, but not plausible for a back to back.

Anyone know anything about MRS? I wouldn't be doing a turnaround, but handing over a document to someone travelling MRS LHR after me arriving on the LHR MRS. Arrives 10:50, departs 12:15. I'm pretty sure arrivals and departures aren't mixed there?

Hi!

I flew into MAD 3 days ago on BA, and unlike my last trip in November where we were spat out directly into departures, this time we were sent up to the arrivals level, at the end of which was a boarding pass check (and a transfer desk if you need a bp) then security (no fast track). A security enhancement :(

With no queue at security, you can be back in departures in a few minutes. With a big queue, it could take 20 mins or so. This week, we also parked at the very end of the terminal, so a same plane turnaround would have cost a fast walker a good 15 minute walk + security. A slow walker could happily take +20 mins. After security, take the escalator down, then walk through the duty free. The lounge is to the left in the middle of the shop.

Just following up on this question--how did the ex-OSL trip go? Did you have any problems with the turnaround? How about checking a bag at LHR (either before the ex-OSL leg or during your layover at LHR in the middle of your OSL-LHR-BOS trip)?

Just a quick one regarding MAN and domestic-domestic connections.

It says above that one exits the air-bridge, waits and reboards. If you do that, you won't have had your photo taken.

What will happen when you try to board and they find no photo?

Or maybe you have to go downstairs on arrival from LHR where they do something?

You can't exit into the gate area at MAN - you have to exit and re-enter. There is a flight connections route however I've never been through and you have to ask the agents to let you through.