paulaf

Hello,

I'm having to book or at least pay a deposit on accommodation for next March/April 2021, I know not everyone would do this but its a very popular place and self catering accommodation gets booked up very early and they even have bookings for 2022, so I am trying to 2nd guess the schedule for next year. It is LGW (or LHR) to TFS outbound on either 27th or 28th March and back 10th or 11th April, my question is how close or similar will next years timetable to this years? I know we can always get a flight but I'm trying to pick the best flight times, there also seems to be a lot of changes, is March a winter timetable and April a summer one? Is these flights have been on the same schedule for the last couple of years that would be useful to know if anyone can advise. Do you need the flight numbers to help me? Many thanks

A P Yu

Flight times for March/April 2021 will probably be considered firm by early December 2020.

Days of the week do change too. Days of the week should probably be considered firm by the end of summer 2020.

gms

The switch from winter to summer timetables is generally linked to the date the clocks change.

lcylocal

I seem to remember LGW to TFS changed a little when BA took over the Monarch slots. So past timetables may not be a particular good guide to the future.

I think it is a safe bet to think there will be a flight from Gatwick every day. If you book one when they are on sale and the timetable subsequently changes significantly you should be able to move free of charge to another flight if that works for you better.

When they do on sale the outbound flights on 27 Mar should be pretty similar to those on sale at the moment for Feb 2021 as this is part of Northern Winter 2021 season. Summer season 2021 starts on 28 March 2021 so 28 Mar and the April dates are a little harder to predict.

paulaf

I see so the weekend the clocks change will give me a better idea.

That's what I thought too, is April 2021 likely to be similar to April 2020? I will probably not be able to change flights as my accommodation dates will get fixed especially if due to the high demand the days either side will get booked up so I will have no flexibility unfortunately.

lcylocal

The timetables will change from Winter to Sunmer on 28 March 2021. This is the same day as the clock change.

April 2020 will be a reasonable guide.

Any change in the flight that you book is likely to be a change of time on the same day rather than require a change of day.

paulaf

Thank you that sounds fine. Can you recommend a website to view BA timetables regardless of availability please as I am looking at BA for this year and of course some days are completely booked so I can't see the times, Thanks.

Globaliser

I'll take a wild punt here: how about ba.com?

email2markt

I would call up BA, they can often book you more than 365 days ahead. I think they go off the existing timetables, so expect some flight time changes if the timetables changes - build in some contingency.

lcylocal

https://www.britishairways.com/trave...s/public/en_gb

Note whatever the date this will give you a table for the whole week and the formatting on mobile can go a bit strange.

However this year for the equivalent dates in 2020 you have

Sat 28 Mar 2020:
BA 2702 LGW 10:10a → TFS 2:40p
BA 2730 LGW 1:50p → TFS 6:25p
BA 2664 LGW 2:30p → TFS 7:10p
BA 414 LHR 10:05a → TFS 2:35p

Sun 29 Mar 2020:
BA 2730 LGW 9:25a → TFS 2:05p

Sat 11 Apr 2020:
BA 2731 TFS 6:50p → LGW 11:00p
BA 2665 TFS 8:40p → LGW 12:50a
BA 415 TFS 6:25p → LHR 10:45p

Sun 12 Apr 2020:
BA 2731 TFS 2:55p → LGW 7:10p

paulaf

Perfect many thanks, I've looked for timetable info before on ba.com and never been able to find it so i will save this link, I was using "book a flight" and its very difficult. Hopefully if I book Sun 28 March 2021 and back 11th April it will be the same as 29th and 12th 2020.

paulaf

I just called BA and they told me they definitely can't book more than 355 days ahead, they get the info the same time we see it. Have you managed to do it?

Sam Bee

Can they? I have never ever ever ever heard of this happening, so would be very interested.

Virgin has an agreement with a few travel companies that includes an allocation of seats (Florida is typical) and these agreements can extend beyond 355 days, so they can pre-book you onto flights over a year ahead out of their allocation at a firm price (not that you'll ever know the price as its' packaged with hotel etc). I expect BA does the same (oddly don't know). But not any route any day etc... BA contracts actually include instructions on how to book return seats when you can only book the outbound due to dates.

email2markt

Oh apologies, on the website it used to say if it's more than 355 days ahead then call us. I notice the wording doesn't say that anymore.