I am more doubtful of the bit about including a non-BA flight.

Sorry that was a typo. It should have said it will not work if there IS a BA flight in the itinerary !

ex-AMS to BKK
 

This is a really helpful guide!

I a flying ex-AMS in a few months. I've booked a flight that departs LHR at 6:50 and gets into AMS at 9:10. Then, I am booked to fly back to LHR at 11:35, and then onto BKK at 15:40.

I have a question about checked baggage. I will need to check-in one large suitcase. Will it be possible for me to check-in the suitcase at LHR early in the morning for the BKK flight, before heading out to AMS and back? Won't the BA agent realise what I am doing and ask questions? I am worried that if I check-in the suitcase with me to AMS for the 6:50 flight, I might not have time to collect it at AMS if there is a delay...

Any help much appreciated. Thanks

I'd be amazed if you could do this prior to you starting your trip. Your AMS-LHR-BKK trip starts in AMS not in LHR, so you need to check in luggage at AMS. And that obviously means you need to get your luggage to AMS to start with.

Just thinking this through, I guess you must be allowed to check in luggage after taking your first leg? For example you may have bought a case at a connecting airport. In which case if you could leave your luggage at LHR, you could then do the LHR-AMS and AMS-LHR legs, and then pick up your luggage and check it in when you get back. Alternatively after the first two legs, if someone could drop off your luggage at LHR, you could pick it up and check it in.

I have never had any problem doing this, they just checked it from LHR on to the longhaul flight for me and no need to schlep it to AMS and back. I have read somewhere else though that it might be a problem if you don't have status as you may not be able to check in bags early but if you have status, I have never had any issues.

First, thanks for a hugely helpful guide. FT has saved me a huge amount of money and gained me a higher status thanks to ex-EUR travel alone.

I wondered whether it was worthwhile adding a section on transfers/stopovers in North America (eg AMS-LHRxLHR-JFKxJFK-SFO rather than AMS-LHRxLHR-SFO; and replacing some of the transfers with stopovers if the rules permit it - as they would in one direction in that example if you make it F not C, for a relatively small increase in fare). I would be happy to volunteer to write it as I have developed a certain geekiness around this...

Hi, sorry if this has been answered previously, can you redeem a 241 voucher against an ex EU Avios points flight? Thanks.

Thanks for this. Very helpful to know it might be possible. I am a mere SCH - is that status enough?

That's fine. Then you are allowed 5.00am for Bag Drop on day of departure and your longhaul flight complies with this even when you check in for your positioning flight.

Brilliant, thanks for the info. Will make things much less stressful!

No, except from JER.

Thanks.

To be pedantic, JER isn't in the EU.

The usual reason for ex-EU (lower base fare) doesn't apply on 241s, although I suppose APD comes into it until next April when it will drop.

I for one would appreciate this. I'm thinking of something like AMS-LCY-JFK-SFO-JFK-stopover-LON-stopover-AMS and repeat ...

Not sure if this is the correct thread to be asking, but here goes. (Great information in thread. Will be printing out and using in DUB ... and will try AMS next time)

I've got a TP run coming up in a few weeks time, and am debating whether to take luggage or not. My positioning flight to DUB I will only take hand luggage. DUB - LHR is Thu night. LCY/JFK on BA1 Fri. 2 nights in NYC hoping to take advantage of great exchange rate, including buying items which cannot be taken in hand luggage. JFK/LHR Sunday night on AA106, with 2 hour transfer to BA flight back to DUB on Monday. 50 minute turnaround from DUB to LHR, and I'd prefer to check my bag at T1 left luggage.

Will AA force me to check luggage through to DUB at JFK?

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to writing up first TP run report.