monkeytennis

Hi All.

I have recently been studying the availability on the Lhr -SYD route and while it seems possible to pick up club seats on the ba15 all the way through to SYD at t-355, first seems far less common. On the BA11 however, first seems more achievable.

Is there a recommended strategy for securing seats on the BA11 connecting to the BA15? I can't seem to find any seats at t-355 on the SIN-SYD leg.

Any help appreciated, honeymoon planning is stressful!

cornishsimon

Grab whatever is released and upgrade nearer the time.

That's how I bagged a 4 sector 241 to SYD for honeymoon with 2 sectors in CW and 2 in F. Started with the dates I wanted in Y and went from there.

Also if your not using a 241 with the haribos don't be afraid to think outside of the routing box, especially if your haribos Rich. Perhaps via DXB, LAX, DFW, KUL, HKG etc. The options are endless


cs

PETER01

On reading the OP's post before your reply I remembered that and it worked out well for you ^

pauldb

But you've not really answered the question.

The OP can either book a single segment BA15 LHR-SYD in CW, or book BA11 LHR-SIN F and BA15 SIN-SYD Y (I'm assuming Y is available for the last leg).

If they book the single segment, they can only upgrade to F if the single segment opens in F, which I would say is very unlikely. It's more likely the last segment opens in CW or F, but it costs more avios and the risk is greater: having to settle for a Y leg. You can't switch from LHR-SYD direct to LHR-SIN-SYD (2 segments, on a 241). So how important is F to you? Personally looking at how little CW/F there is on that last leg I would settle for the direct CW, unless stopping over in SIN is also desirable.

I'm also assuming this is a 241. If not, book both the LHR-SYD CW and the LHR-SIN F for now?!

monkeytennis

Thanks all.

I have about 400k in avios and a 2 for 1. Booking the 15 all the way in CW (if I am quick enough) is seeming like the best option at the moment. I presume you can't upgrade individual legs within the LHR-SYD booking? I might make up for it with a cash SYD - AKL return in F on EK.

The other option is to find an ex-eu nearer the time to HKG, upgrade to F with avios then try and get HKG - SYD on avios with CX. I guess I could still cancel the avios booking and do that at a later date. I'll also only be 240 tier points from silver by then so it might be worth doing.

pauldb

No you wouldn't then be able to break up the LHR-SIN to upgrade either half.

If your ultimate destination is NZ I would certainly consider booking your 241 as LHR-HKG/KUL F and then look to add SYD-(SIN-)LHR when the dates allow (this open jaw is perfectly permissible). For whatever reason, CW SYD-SIN does get opened up unlike the reverse. Then book KUL/HKG-AKL on MH/CX.

Unfortunately there looks to be little available on CX direct and it's a rather painful 90k avios pp. MH is 75k pp (though the LHR-KUL leg in F is 17k more anyway) - their policy is also unhelpful in that they seem to offer 2Y and 1J seat per flight but their availability is very dynamic and I would be pretty confident if you book 1Y + 1J as a backstop you'd later be able to change to an 2nd J.

EDIT: Actually, with a preference for HKG as a stopover and CX J over MH, and much lower CX surcharges, I would probably opt for HKG/CX. If you can't find HKG-AKL availbility then there is usually more to BNE, MEL and maybe SYD in the lower band 75k pp. Then it's a bit of a toss up if you use 20k for QF trans-Tasman or buy a ticket. I assume (or would encourage you!) that you might either enter or exit NZ from another point than AKL (ZQN?) so flying via Oz doesn't really add another leg.

monkeytennis

Thanks very much for the replies everyone. I think initially I will try and grab 2 CW to SYD as that will certainly be adequate for us, then with those in the bank I can start getting a bit more creative. I would certainly like to try F on the 787 so that could tempt me via KUL.

dolfinco

Reading some of the replies on here and a little confused about my own situation as im flying BA11 to SIN then 15 to SYD and same coming back 16 > 12.

I managed to get an upgrade to First on BA11 but am i right in reading above i wont be able to get one on the 15 to SYD as you need to be on the full journey for that ? Or am i reading it wrong?

pauldb

You're fine. BA15 exists in BA's system twice for availability: as a single segment LHR-SYD and separately as two split segments LHR-SIN, SIN-SYD.

If you book LHR-SYD like the OP (because that's what's available), you need upgrade availability for the LHR-SYD single segment to upgrade (not LHR-SIN and/or SIN-SYD).

If you book LHR-SIN, SIN-SYD you can upgrade the legs independently (regardless of whether you start on BA11 or BA15).

To complicate things, you cannot change a 241 booking from LHR-SYD to LHR-SIN-SYD or vv. in order to achieve a full or half-way upgrade, because this changes the pricing band (requires canx and rebook).

You probably have the best option at the moment for getting a chance of an upgrade, as you've already seen from the first leg. The difference for the OP is that they had a better initial option for LHR-SYD than for LHR-SIN-SYD (CW/CW versus F/Y). You could also switch yourself to BA15 LHR-SIN if that flight has space in F, whereas the OP can't switch to BA11 without cancelling. But if you see F availability on LHR-SYD single segment (unlikely), you couldn't change to that: it will have to be BA15 SIN-SYD.

pauldb

One more then: it's a surprise to me at least but KUL-MEL is shorter than KUL-SYD and in a lower band (60k vs 75k e/w J) so if you want/must transit Oz it's better value but maybe not the obvious choice.

dolfinco

Just to clarify as im not fully up with the differences, i booked LHR-SYD as a return journey, its just that I picked the legs that suited me as F was available on the 11 at the time and i also wanted to fly J in the A380 to see the difference from previous experience on the 7's. I also understood this was maximising TP. Is this still ok from what you describe above?

pauldb

Sorry I assumed you had a redemption booking too, but it makes little difference. Yes your booking is four segments (4 flight numbers) rather than 2 so you can upgrade any of the 4 segments individually.

dolfinco

Thanks Paul.