Help please - Royal Jordanian to Bangkok - a good idea?
 

Hello,
Please can you advise me. I want to fly LHR-BKK return in November, in business class. I need a OneWorld carrier as I’ve decided to hang onto my BAEC Gold status. My options are limited. I had intended using Qatar but the World Cup has sent fares sky high. Finnair’s only cheap fare is via Stockholm, meaning a cramped BA Club Europe connection to London, rather than a flat bed. LHR-HEL-BKK is now c£2500+ for decent times - not good value for a rather utilitarian carrier. And this winter there’s no BA- hardly inspiring, but still a modest TP earning option.
This brings me to Royal Jordanian. It has obvious disadvantages, being only a 3 star airline, but it’s cheap, looks reasonably ok on video reviews and, more importantly, earns good Tier Points. I notice the LHR-AMM-BKK route earns 140 + 140 Tier Points each way although BA values LHR-AMM at only 80 TP. This is my point. Can you tell me please? When I try to transfer the tier points to BA, will they give me only 80 for the LHR- AMM leg or will I get 140 because I earned them on a RJ aircraft and on a RJ ticket? Also, are there any major disadvantages in using this airline? I know times have to be coordinated carefully as there are not many flights and that they’re mean with Avios. This fare’s below £1700 on Skyscanner. It’s cheap but am I being a fool? I feel everything’s poor value at the moment so perhaps it’s time to take a punt on a cheapo!
I’d really appreciate your views please. Should I go for Finnair instead! Or any other airline you suggest? Or should I take a totally different strategy and ignore TPS and fly with someone like SQ, ( although it’s Star Alliance) as it’s currently offering a terrific deal and do some separate day trips like LHR-HEL for my tier points instead? It smacks of desperation, I know, but it all depends on how poor the other options are.
Please do comment. Thanks so much.

LHR-AMM is showing for me as 2,290 miles so it should earn 140 points in business if you stick in your BA exec number. I'm actually trying RJ myself for the first time next month so I can't comment yet on the airline.

Whether you stick with oneworld or not is a subjective decision that only you can really make. I'm sure others will be along with advice on that topic.

When BA downgraded their own LHR-AMM service to Club Europe instead of Club World they downgraded the TPs to 80 as well for one way in J. They also downgraded the RJ service TPs as well I am afraid.

Oh! That's annoying. I thought all tier points were calculated based on simple mileage bands and class of service.

I would go with AY. c£2500 isn’t that bad for U.K. - BKK. It costs extra, yes, but saves you on the hassle and expense of unnecessary TP runs later on.

Depending on how the long the layover is in AMM, I'd be tempted to save 800 quid and go RJ.

Finnair is pretty basic (although haven't tried the new seat) but for that kind of saving I'd certainly go via AMM.

The lounge at AMM is fairly sizeable, upstairs in a horseshoe shape but apart from having lots of seats the catering isn't all that so I wouldn't want to spend too long there.

How fixed are your dates/times? Quick search I can find AY return flights LHR-HEL-BKK £1731. Business Light (as long as you're happy with using OW status for luggage and lounge access).

Thanks. I’ll be interested in your views on the airline.

No brainier to go via AMM given the difference in price. Even if you value Tier Points at £3 each there’s still a huge difference, and any other option adds significant inconvenience for not very much extra. Given the challenge of border crossing and IRROPS at the moment too, this seems the best option

That’s what I suspected too as I thought there would be consistency. Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I saw that fare but I thought the return was via Stockholm, meaning a horrid BA Club Europe end to my trip! I’ll check again.

Just thought it’d be worth having a look at BA to SIN then JetStar to BKK.

Then saw the price. £4,500 😅

I flew LHR-AMM a few months back. I got the full 140 TPs for the route when crediting to BAEC. The seat was absolutely fine, as long as I can lie flat I'm happy. It does have an old school 2-2-2 seating arrangement which is fine if travelling with someone but a bit annoying if you're stuck next to a stranger (especially if you're in a window seat and have to jump over them to get out).

The lounge at AMM is pretty big, food options were a bit lacking but they did have a free bar.

I'd say go for it - obviously QR is much nicer but not sure it's worth paying thousands of extra pounds for.

Interesting that you got the 140 Tier points! Thanks for the reply.

Indeed. I have chosen the left hand of a middle pair which makes sense for me. Interesting about the TPs received. I'll update this thread once mine post mid May too.