SteveF

I've just received my second "Contact BA" email regarding the cancellation of First bookings to BOM on BA 199 next January and February. On checking MMB I find that it (and the other one planned for early February) was not actually cancelled, but we have been downgraded (again) to CW.

Before I call YouFirst (again) to reschedule my reward flights (again) and then change my hotel (again) to another date when First is still being operated, does anyone with insider knowledge know if this is a sort of creeping permanent change to a 3-class on BA199 and BA198 and that I'll be wasting my time and energy moving it again?

Pilot37

I think it's a move to making this flight 3-class leaving only 1 of the MUM daily's with F. I was moved to J on the 199/198 in November a month or so ago, so I think they are either making this 3-class for winter or more likely a permanent move.

Pilot37

Jordan D

There was a thread on here about BA199 over the winter becoming a 3 class 777; I know it has just before Christmas as my flight (originally meant to be a 4 class, and normally 77W) was swapped down to a 3 class 777. No chance for an upgrade from CW now!

SteveF

The annoying thing is that after the first change the Thursday (199) and Friday (198) flights remained a 4-class, so I switched to those. Now one of my new flights have gone to a 3-class, although the return and some other dates still have the 4-class operating on Thursday/Friday.

What I suspect is happening is that there is a constant re-assignment of aircraft and that the intention is to change all 199/198 flights to a 3-class as soon as possible. The question (which I suspect no one can answer) is whether the remaining 4-class flights will stick until February, or should I just give up moving the flights now?

FWIW I don't fancy the timings of the other BOM flights, especially the 199, which would mean that I would arrive at the Taj Palace at about 01:30, having paid for the night .

SteveF

Mods: Could you please merge this thread with http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...d-3-class.html, which I also started regarding the same issue a short while back .

My only excuse is that I had probably drunk the best part of a bottle of wine when I started this thread immediately after receiving the latest cancellation message from BA .

Dr P

I see the change is effective as early at end of October 2015..

I hope this doesn't spill over to the 139..

Globaliser

That's the beginning of the new IATA scheduling season, so the timing is quite conventional.

The schedules for northern summer 2016 still show F on both flights.

SteveF

Well I've shifted them again by a couple of weeks, although I fully expect the remaining Thursday/Friday flights to drop to a 3-class soon, at which point I will give up and accept it.

BA6501

The loss of 3-class VIIO (and YMME, 3-class, having been sent to LGW) might change things.

SteveF

Yes, I wondered if that may make a difference too.