destere

Just looking at some ex EU fares out of AMS, possibly to HKG.

I've done some digging, but can't come to a conclusion of where things with ex EU fares stand. Forgive me if I've missed an obvious recent thread about this. I gather BA started to clamp down somewhat a couple of years ago?

Basically, on the return leg, BA is offering me me a HKG-LHR-LGW-AMS connection. Conveniently my bags can't be interlined on that LHR-LGW sector, so am I still good to get off at LHR and just not turn up at LGW? Or is it no longer that simple?

rossmacd

I do not personally see a problem with it, however, please book directly with BA (either online or by phone) and not with a Travel Agent (who can be chased for the fare difference, as per their contract with BA).

I trust the National Express bus from LHR to LGW broke down somewhere on the M25

henkybaby

As long as you did not book via a TA, you'll be fine.

corporate-wage-slave

In terms of bags, you are correct.

In terms of clamping down, well I don't think we've seen a hard case in recent weeks, but I would always advise you to complete the flight as booked, or at least on paper you risk being repriced or audited. BA have noted a lot of no shows on certain flights and there is a task force out seeing what can be done about it, but so far it seems mainly "encouraging" people to find the gate for DUB!

LondonElite

Do as you wish but understand that there is a very small risk BA may wish to reprice the fare for you, ex post.

destere

Thanks for all the replies so far!

The LGW flight is actually the next day... a lot can happen in that time. Does it help at all if I contact BA with an excuse to cancel, rather than just being a no-show?

If I can find the time, maybe I'll make something of it and fly back to AMS via LHR and spend a day or two there. That said, it does feel like a solution looking for a problem (If I know I can get away with it... )

orbitmic

+1. That and the fact that this is a collective action problem and that the more people buy people buy tickets from cities that they are not interesting in with an intention to not complete their trip, the more their actions are likely to penalise both those needing to fly from those places and their own ability to find good deals for a detour in the long term.

Finally remember to check multi-city bookings. Often AMS-XXX // XXX-LON will provide a significant saving over LON-XXX-LON without any risk at all.

henkybaby

About as big as getting hit on the head by a meteorite made out of diamonds and vanilla ice cream.

rossmacd

No, I would not do that. Just do not turn up. If you call to cancel, they could re-price your 'new' itinerary.

destere

Oh that's very interesting. I'll check that out. ^

LondonElite

I agree (maybe not quite so), but caveat emptor!

corporate-wage-slave

It's possible that the other contributors here have better information than me, but from my reading of the situation - and having spoken to the team concerned - I think you need to be aware of the risk. It makes no difference if you ring up to cancel after the penultimate sector, indeed you may get a few quid back on taxes refund, you will still flag up however. I am told they do not re-price in that specific scenario, but would re-price ahead of travel. The other thing you could quite reasonably do is find out the cost of moving that AMS sector to another date which is more useful to you - could be a win-win.

NWIFlyer

Indeed - then you will know the cost of the re-price if BA happen to go down that route, and can balance the equation of risk v reward in your mind. Only you can determine which side of the line you fall.

The reality is that BA is very unlikely to try a re-price, given it would be so much simpler to just close your BAEC account and take any status/Avios away. That's the real deterrent, and it's not easily measurable in risk terms either because we simply don't know. First time offender? Not going to happen. Repeat? Anyone's guess, but it's clear BA are tracking activity on certain routes (particularly DUB, but AMS must be a clear favourite for attention as well).

henkybaby

DUS-HKG is significantly cheaper, by the way....

scottnothing

I dropped the last leg of an ex-OSL trip last week without issue/penalty.

I originally had the intention of completing the full itinerary and had booked a flight OSL-LHR for later that day. But when faced with the prospect of a 24 hour flight from Australia, tacking on another full day of travel when I could have been sleeping off jet lag in my own bed suddenly seemed beyond me.

In an effort to reduce the human impact/inconvenience to BA's ground staff,
I went to the check-in desks in Sydney and asked the kind Qantas desk agent to check me through from SYD-SIN-LHR but NOT to check me through to OSL. I made up something about my business plans possibly changing - the agent smiled nicely and didn't really seem to care.

I also did not check in for my OSL-LHR flight. That way no search parties were out looking for me on either sector.

I booked via ba.com and flew hand baggage only.

My tier points and Avios posted promptly and without issue.

And this was my first offence.