Akoz

I have noticed something odd recently on several occasions (including the one I'm trying to book now - out 25/04 back 26/04).

I have recently been flying LGW-EDI quite a lot, usually with an over night stay. However recently BA.com has stopped offering LGW as a return option on a short trip (only giving LHR & LCY options) despite allowing me to select LGW on the outbound. It will however allow me to book two singles LGW-EDI & EDI-LGW.

Is this new policy, BA IT or just me and my pc.
Any thoughts...…..

KARFA

Deleted.

InsomniaBA

No problems while booking my weekly LGW-AMS r/t so far

george77300

Just had a look and is certainly restrictive. On some of the outbounds for your dates there is no LGW return but others do.

If you pick the flights in Google Flights it finds them and can select and book on BA website through link. Presumably an IT issue then...

Akoz

Glad it is not just me seeing this issue. This only seems to have started happening in the last month or two. I have today found that I can get round this (at no additional cost) and see all options for the days in question by using the multi city search and simply putting my return trip into that, which is OK as long as you don't want to see prices for days either side.

corporate-wage-slave

I think I've seen this before, and I reported it in. I was told it was an IT glitch and it was duly resolved. There is a thread on it elsewhere in the forum. The symptom is that if you select single / one-way trips, all flights come up; if you select a return trip then BA.com cuts out some potential options. It now looks worse since all the LGW options have gone. For example, selecting out 10 April, back 11 April. The 3 LGW service show going to EDI, none at all on the return. It makes no difference if you enter LON or LGW.

On the other hand if you use Multi City you can do this in the normal way without issue, if you enter LGW. I actually think this is quite a serious failure since BA are advertising - on the 10-11 April - a lowest return fare between London and Edinburgh with a morning return of Ł100.34 when in reality the correct lowest fare is Ł70.34. I don't believe that this is allowed under consumer regulations - it's plain misleading.

So I would be pretty sure this is an IT glitch, and I would encourage you to ask a Contact Centre agent to report the fault. The Contact Centres can also book the tickets without additional fees in this scenario. Alternatively use BA's Best Price Guarantee against their own website!

Ldnn1

Is the reason behind it simply that the search algorithm looks for a finite N number flights on a route, and for EDI-LON it looks for EDI-LGW last of the three, so those results get missed out? If that's not it, do you know what else it could be?

corporate-wage-slave

On those days there aren't that many services, and in any case it picked up the 06:10 and 08:45 services but not the 06:40. I just think the logic has not picked up LGW as a LON valid option on the return sector. The perils of Agile methinks.

In the past there could have been a legitimate reason since not all fares are combinable, but not only is the Ł70.34 fare combinable but it is offered on a late LHR service.

That Ł70 fare is a simple 2 x Ł35 so it could be bought as two singles if necessary.

Akoz

It does annoy me that the website keeps giving you LON-EDI when you search LGW-EDI
While I appreciate the options I would wish it gave the airport I specified at the top!!!

bisonrav

Have you tried using google flights as a front end?

Akoz

I do some times, but I sometimes have a day or two were I can be flexible and like to see the prices for other days at the same time (easier on U2 but Ok on ba.com).
Plus since having the issue described above when on google flights I press the button that takes you to ba.com to buy, I get the message;
"Flights on this route are filling up fast. One or more of your chosen flights have sold out. Continue to see what's still available or start a new search"
and I am back to the BA mixing deck with no LGW returns showing.

MSPeconomist

Akoz

Done as advised - hopefully fixed soon

MarkFlies

Google Flights is the answer.

BA.com is fine when you know what you want and are clear on the fares. It's not helpful for searching various times/dates/routes.

Akoz

Since having the issue described above when on google flights I press the button that takes you to ba.com to buy, I get the message;

"Flights on this route are filling up fast. One or more of your chosen flights have sold out. Continue to see what's still available or start a new search"

and I am back to the BA mixing deck with no LGW returns showing.