Looking at avios flights. price still madness...
May 29, 2018, 4:26 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
I am only critical of hard product or board level operational decisions where and when appropriate. Which I think is fair. If you ask "100 Joe public" I think you will find a lot of the same gripes I have (8 across business class, BOB and various other "enhancements" to service). I will try and keep those complaints to a minimum to keep the peace then.
May 29, 2018, 4:28 am
#19
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
I have no issue with BA staff. To me they are unquestionably the best in the world. (Always have been).
I am only critical of hard product or board level operational decisions where and when appropriate. Which I think is fair. If you ask "100 Joe public" I think you will find a lot of the same gripes I have (8 across business class, BOB and various other "enhancements" to service). I will try and keep those complaints to a minimum to keep the peace then.
I am only critical of hard product or board level operational decisions where and when appropriate. Which I think is fair. If you ask "100 Joe public" I think you will find a lot of the same gripes I have (8 across business class, BOB and various other "enhancements" to service). I will try and keep those complaints to a minimum to keep the peace then.
May 29, 2018, 4:29 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
*Still working my way through guide.
Quick question. Is booking CW trip and upgrading to F with Avios a good (or better) use case? That would make for a special trip and only cost a CW seat (I assume).
Quick question. Is booking CW trip and upgrading to F with Avios a good (or better) use case? That would make for a special trip and only cost a CW seat (I assume).
May 29, 2018, 4:34 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,235
Excellent use - and a short flight like LHR-JFK I'd only use it outbound and stick to Club / Business on AA on the return
May 29, 2018, 4:36 am
#22
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA and UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 1,351
It really would be an excellent use of Avios in most cases (especially between LHR and JFK because both airports have the Concorde Room Lounge). I think the general consensus is that for the best value of your Avios an upgrade from WT+ to CW tends to steal the show, but CW-F isn't far behind. Remember too that if upgrading with Avios, you still earn the avios and tier points of the base fare, which is nice.
May 29, 2018, 4:37 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Pyrite
Posts: 179
The other good use is for shorthaul Reward Flight Saver (RFS.) There's a section in the guide on that too.
May 29, 2018, 4:38 am
#24
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA and UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 1,351
Indeed this is an important point to make. Because you are travelling on a "Peak" day, the cost is the same on BA as it is on AA. If you would like to try and get on an AA service for the same price, you'll need to ring BA up as AA redemptions are not showing on ba.com at the moment.
May 29, 2018, 4:40 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,235
The benefit of J-F is that you can buy the J from a non LON starting point to save some £££ and also you don't usually have any additional taxes to pay. When WT+ to CW there will often be towards £150 extra taxes per person for a return route. This can narrow the price of WT+ and the exEU price of J
May 29, 2018, 4:44 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
The benefit of J-F is that you can buy the J from a non LON starting point to save some £££ and also you don't usually have any additional taxes to pay. When WT+ to CW there will often be towards £150 extra taxes per person for a return route. This can narrow the price of WT+ and the exEU price of J
May 29, 2018, 4:47 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Indeed this is an important point to make. Because you are travelling on a "Peak" day, the cost is the same on BA as it is on AA. If you would like to try and get on an AA service for the same price, you'll need to ring BA up as AA redemptions are not showing on ba.com at the moment.
May 29, 2018, 4:47 am
#28
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,197
May 29, 2018, 4:49 am
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Also, and I know its a hot potato... but I don't *really agree with kids in F / CCR. So maybe will save my Avios for if the wife and I alone go away.
May 29, 2018, 4:50 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
There is perhaps a minor misunderstanding here. A GLA starting point is unlikely to save you much money, although sometimes depending on route, it won't cost you much/any more.
Staring at Inverness (INV) will save you some taxes, due to an exemption INV enjoys.
Starting outside the UK, a so called ex-EU can sometimes save you significant amounts. As an example, I've just booked a WTP across the pond ex-GLA that has cost me £1100. If I had started in Dublin, the same transatlantic flights would have been £730.
Staring at Inverness (INV) will save you some taxes, due to an exemption INV enjoys.
Starting outside the UK, a so called ex-EU can sometimes save you significant amounts. As an example, I've just booked a WTP across the pond ex-GLA that has cost me £1100. If I had started in Dublin, the same transatlantic flights would have been £730.