How risky is it to have two separate bookings on flights departing the same day?
Jan 2, 2020, 3:53 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,225
Having flown on a 6pm service to MAN for a 9.30 QR service to AKL - which worked out absolutely fine - but made me worry for the weeks leading up, I would always recommend a night before for absolute peace of mind. As you mention, if the saving is huge why worry about a Ł100 hotel room. Especially if the night before flight is late enough you wouldn't need to take any annual leave 
Jan 2, 2020, 4:56 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
We have done ex-OSL a number of times and always go the day before. Always have a plan B. Our first go was when the ‘beast from the east’ struck but we managed to bring the positioning flight a further day forward. Last time they announced pilots strikes so we booked a cheap SAS one way flight for later the same day as our planned BA flight.
That late QR departure is inconvenient though as there is a wait between hotel checkout and airline check in. So go early and stay in town, or buy a bottle of gin at LHR and drink heavily. A bottle of gin in DF is cheaper than a single G&T in Norway - but we haven’t found anywhere at OSL that sells tonic!
That late QR departure is inconvenient though as there is a wait between hotel checkout and airline check in. So go early and stay in town, or buy a bottle of gin at LHR and drink heavily. A bottle of gin in DF is cheaper than a single G&T in Norway - but we haven’t found anywhere at OSL that sells tonic!
Jan 2, 2020, 6:22 am
#18
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
We have done ex-OSL a number of times and always go the day before. Always have a plan B. Our first go was when the ‘beast from the east’ struck but we managed to bring the positioning flight a further day forward. Last time they announced pilots strikes so we booked a cheap SAS one way flight for later the same day as our planned BA flight.
That late QR departure is inconvenient though as there is a wait between hotel checkout and airline check in. So go early and stay in town, or buy a bottle of gin at LHR and drink heavily. A bottle of gin in DF is cheaper than a single G&T in Norway - but we haven’t found anywhere at OSL that sells tonic!
That late QR departure is inconvenient though as there is a wait between hotel checkout and airline check in. So go early and stay in town, or buy a bottle of gin at LHR and drink heavily. A bottle of gin in DF is cheaper than a single G&T in Norway - but we haven’t found anywhere at OSL that sells tonic!
Tonic can be purchased in supermarkets.
Torn hote Rosenkrantz has late check out option.
Jan 2, 2020, 6:36 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,624
Jan 3, 2020, 1:03 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,773
I'm going buck the trend here, but a bit of this depends on your risk tolerance and how you value your time. If you do this sameday 10x a year, you'll probably make the connection 95% of the time. Now, if this is your once in a lifetime trip and you wouldn't be willing to pay the change fee to a later Qatar flight (which would be punitive as it'd involve a refare), then by all means lose a night of your life in a Scandi airport hotel.
Doing this 20x in a row however, the cumulative savings in time mean that the rare time it goes wrong can be viewed as a "cost of doing business". I'm typing this from an ex-EU where I had a 2.5 hour connection, and lo-and-behold it was completely fine, even with a go-around for my inbound flight.
It's a bit like paying for insurance: on average you lose money. but many people still like buying insurance for peace of mind.
Doing this 20x in a row however, the cumulative savings in time mean that the rare time it goes wrong can be viewed as a "cost of doing business". I'm typing this from an ex-EU where I had a 2.5 hour connection, and lo-and-behold it was completely fine, even with a go-around for my inbound flight.
It's a bit like paying for insurance: on average you lose money. but many people still like buying insurance for peace of mind.
