Back to permitted (domestic) travel - trip
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Near Manchester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 396
Back to permitted (domestic) travel - trip
First flying experience since October, and a several times rebooked MAN-LHR flight on this mornings 1385.
The whole MAN T1 experience is quite underwhelming, but as its a day trip, and you check check in online, it reduces the amount of time spent in there.
Major annoyance, however is with the security at T1. Only 2 lanes open - which in reality is all they need given the low passenger numbers. However they are opposite each other using a shared body scanner. This means once through the scanner to collect your items there is zero opportunity to keep any form of distance, as everyone is congregating and packing.
I didn't get that at all, every other part of the trip through the airport was fine. Got my free coffee at Pret too!
Usual friendly crew on board, and a fairly well loaded CE cabin.
Glad to be back flying, albeit domestically.
The whole MAN T1 experience is quite underwhelming, but as its a day trip, and you check check in online, it reduces the amount of time spent in there.
Major annoyance, however is with the security at T1. Only 2 lanes open - which in reality is all they need given the low passenger numbers. However they are opposite each other using a shared body scanner. This means once through the scanner to collect your items there is zero opportunity to keep any form of distance, as everyone is congregating and packing.
I didn't get that at all, every other part of the trip through the airport was fine. Got my free coffee at Pret too!
Usual friendly crew on board, and a fairly well loaded CE cabin.
Glad to be back flying, albeit domestically.
#4
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,606
Yes when I have been at T1 at that time earlier in the week there were about 4 lanes open in addition to fast track, for some reason this morning there was just fast track and one normal track lane. T1 security area is pretty cramped sadly so there really isn't much room to wait beyond the scanner, and with the usual MAN farce in selected nearly every bag for secondary there were loads of people waiting. Fortunately I got through without a secondary today.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
LancashireFlyer free coffee? Please explain 🤣
#6
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: UK. West Sussex
Programs: BAEC. Gold
Posts: 786
Did they question the reason for travelling at all?
I'm so envious 😁
Wish they were doing BA short-haul domestic from LGW, as I'm close enough to make a nice long domestic day trip feasable.
#7
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,606
#8
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,431
I've been keeping an eye on some of the domestic schedules since I will want to head to GLA once restrictions relax. Currently, the BA LHR-GLA schedule even into June is quite sparse. Three flights a day in the first half of May increasing to four a day from then through to June. With many of these being operated by A319. The prices on some dates are already high. Will BA put on extra services as demand materialises (or larger aircraft), or will they just stick to the limited schedule and milk it for what they can get?
#9
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Cambridge UK
Programs: BA silver,
Posts: 254
Booked LCY-GLA-LCY for day trip late June last week. Seemed plenty of availability from both LHR and LCY but LCY cheaper. Also preferred LCY because of E190 and LCY location. It may well be cancelled but could then move to the more expensive LHR flights for same price.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Near Manchester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 396
LancashireFlyer free coffee? Please explain 🤣
#11
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,362
Just to reiterate that this is for travel within England only at the moment, and hypoethetically within Wales too, but not England to/from Wales. You no longer need a reasonable excuse to leave home. Scotland and Northern Ireland are on different timelines, and essentially Northern Irleand today gets some easing of restrictions, such as meeting outdoors.. But NI and Scotland are still "stay at home" places. Scoland tomorrow becomes "stay local", and NI on 12 April. England - Scotland travel restrictions may ease on 26 April, but it's not confirmed, so we're into maybe booking territory here.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Near Manchester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 396
I've been keeping an eye on some of the domestic schedules since I will want to head to GLA once restrictions relax. Currently, the BA LHR-GLA schedule even into June is quite sparse. Three flights a day in the first half of May increasing to four a day from then through to June. With many of these being operated by A319. The prices on some dates are already high. Will BA put on extra services as demand materialises (or larger aircraft), or will they just stick to the limited schedule and milk it for what they can get?
Then a raft of emails came through and the EDI had all been cancelled or retimed so would not work. One PNR has had 4 changes to it, the poor customer service team that's been rebooking flights for me!
Of course I'd been keeping an eye on lockdown restrictions and changing dates to suit. Just so happens today is my first day off work since the 29th, and I rebooked them on February 22nd when the roadmap was announced.
#13
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,254
I have to go to Edinburgh at the end of the month for what should be a 6 hour survey. This has turned into an overnight as the last flight back is 10:05 am! Two flights from EDI to LHR and nothing until the next day. Strange timings.
#14
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GLA
Programs: Chevalier de la Gallentrie - Knight of the Platinum Hair Brush, BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,389
Yep - it's been a bit of a pain for me with rescheduled trips in June (same saga as a log of folks on here - trips that were originally planned for Jan to get me to Silver - been rebooked for Feb, then April, then May and currently June). Had 3 "day trips" planned for GLA returns to Dublin originally, which then became 3 BHD trips, and are now currently planned as 1 to Man, 1 to BHD and 1 to EDI (yep - GLA to EDI via London - all in the name of TPs!). Have had to change the outward legs to go via LCY as the LHR timings meant it wouldn't work otherwise. Should go without saying that as this is non-essential then i'll only be travelling in line with government guidance and limitations, so fully expecting these to be pushed beyond June, but really hoping for a bit more frequency between LHR and GLA, or at the very least pushing the last flight of the day back to a later time.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,136
Would you not have taken easyJet down to avoid an overnight ? Seems odd