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Very high CE pricing LHR-AMS

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Old Jan 12, 2020, 1:44 pm
  #1  
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Very high CE pricing LHR-AMS

I'm doing an ex-AMS for a work trip to the US in May, and am looking to get my positioning and final return home segments sorted. I was going to get CE (purely for the TP) but CE is £600+ LHR-AMS (1st May) and nearly £600 AMS-LHR (9th May)!! As a comparison I can get ET for £70 out and £40 return. Expertflyer is showing empty cabins and 9s all across for availability.

Any idea whether this is a glitch that will clear, or if this is as good as it will get and I should just get ET?

Last edited by Lucanesque; Jan 12, 2020 at 2:07 pm Reason: Corrected 8th to 9th May
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 1:48 pm
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Don’t forget Eurostar offer an excellent alternative in 4hrs.
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 1:49 pm
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There’s the May Bank Holiday which has moved to 8th May this year, but don’t suppose it’s causing such an uplift in price? I’d grab those in ET and keep an eye on reasonable POUGs
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 1:49 pm
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Hi,

LGW prices for 1st /8th May look more reasonable if LGW helps ( ie GBP 237 rtn)
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 1:55 pm
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1st May to AMS is definitely pricing high, but it is a European holiday and a Friday, with only J and C class fare buckets left across most flights (which will price high). May 8th is showing very reasonable prices in CE on the return and quite a few flights still have I class availability, so as TBS pointed out above, if you can get a LGW - AMS flight out bound, you will have cheap returns to all airports available on the return. Alternatively, buy ET and hope for £59 POUG’s on each sector to become available!

Pilot37
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 2:06 pm
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Originally Posted by Skipcool3
Don’t forget Eurostar offer an excellent alternative in 4hrs.
Not even considered that - might be a nice way of doing it, thanks!

Originally Posted by mikeyfly
There’s the May Bank Holiday which has moved to 8th May this year
Didn't even realise it had moved, that might explain why it's so dear.

Originally Posted by The _Banking_Scot
LGW prices for 1st /8th May look more reasonable if LGW helps ( ie GBP 237 rtn)
Actually, I could make LGW work on the way out, solving one way at least - thanks

Originally Posted by Pilot37
1st May <snip> is a European holiday and a Friday. May 8th is showing very reasonable prices in CE <snip> Alternatively, buy ET and hope for £59 POUG’s on each sector to become available!

Hadn't thought of it being a holiday in Europe, thanks. Also, I'm an idiot, I leave JFK on the 8th so I should have typed the 9th! But, regardless, I think you're right for the trip back re ET as I want to do a back to back LHR-AMS-LHR
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 2:14 pm
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There may be a bit of Eurovision Song Contest effect contributing slightly.
Don’t forget if you get the Eurostar from Amsterdam to St Pancras, there’s a passport check at Brussels which makes the journey slightly longer.
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/netherlands
”...On the return journey, you’ll need to take a Thalys train from Amsterdam Centraal or Rotterdam Centraal to Brussels-Midi/Zuid. On arrival at Brussels Midi/Zuid, you’ll need to go through security and have your passport checked before you hop on a Eurostar train back to St Pancras International.”
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Last edited by FlyerTalker39574; Jan 12, 2020 at 2:19 pm
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 2:24 pm
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Thanks for the extra info on the Eurostar ^ I'm starting to think that's a lovely idea for a leisure trip, but not after coming back from the US
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 2:48 pm
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Update.. I've just found out (when I came to book a hotel at AMS on the 1st) that the Dutch Grand Prix is that weekend, hence the high prices on the way out. Doh
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 5:31 pm
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Originally Posted by richardwft
There may be a bit of Eurovision Song Contest effect contributing slightly.
Don’t forget if you get the Eurostar from Amsterdam to St Pancras, there’s a passport check at Brussels which makes the journey slightly longer.
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/netherlands
”...On the return journey, you’ll need to take a Thalys train from Amsterdam Centraal or Rotterdam Centraal to Brussels-Midi/Zuid. On arrival at Brussels Midi/Zuid, you’ll need to go through security and have your passport checked before you hop on a Eurostar train back to St Pancras International.”

Eurovision isn't until the middle of May - semi finals on 12th / 14th and final on 16th. Unlikely yo affect ex AMS at the begining of the month.
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 11:16 pm
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Can't you just book ET and then wait for the obligatory "upgrade your seat for £60" message on the app. Don't think I've ever not received it short haul. I mean it is a risk but like I said it's always been there for me.
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Old Jan 13, 2020, 12:25 am
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What I’ve ended up doing is flying LGW-AMS on the 1st, and booked a reward CE seat on the way back (oddly, ExpertFlyer was showing zero availability, but BA had CE reward availability on every AMS-LHR flight on the 9th - assume because I’m gold?)

Thanks for all the advice ^
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Old Jan 13, 2020, 1:07 am
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Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
Eurovision isn't until the middle of May - semi finals on 12th / 14th and final on 16th. Unlikely yo affect ex AMS at the begining of the month.
The qualifying word I used was ‘slightly’. The 8th/9th is close to the 12th. Individuals working on the contest for broadcasters may arrive much earlier than audience members. Slight effect maybe, just a bit of a guess.
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Old Jan 13, 2020, 1:15 am
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Originally Posted by Lucanesque
(oddly, ExpertFlyer was showing zero availability, but BA had CE reward availability on every AMS-LHR flight on the 9th - assume because I’m gold?)
there is no extra gold reward availability in C (or any other class except Y). It’s purely a Y benefit (up to V bucket).
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Old Jan 13, 2020, 1:57 am
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Originally Posted by richardwft
There may be a bit of Eurovision Song Contest effect contributing slightly.
Don’t forget if you get the Eurostar from Amsterdam to St Pancras, there’s a passport check at Brussels which makes the journey slightly longer.
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/netherlands
”...On the return journey, you’ll need to take a Thalys train from Amsterdam Centraal or Rotterdam Centraal to Brussels-Midi/Zuid. On arrival at Brussels Midi/Zuid, you’ll need to go through security and have your passport checked before you hop on a Eurostar train back to St Pancras International.”
The break of journey in Brussels is supposed to go so, with checks happening in Amsterdam. It was supposed to have happened in December but hasn’t yet AFAIK.
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