ozflier

I've had no luck finding business award seats LHR to Belfast and return anytime june to september 2024..
I am trying to use Qantas Frequent Flier points.
Not a great issue as there are y seats and they are only 90 minute flights .
There is business award availability via LCY but I would be connecting from overseas so a bit of a hassle.
The flights listed do have business class availability.
I'm just wondering if there is some reason for no J award seats on that particular route.

1Aturnleft

Perhaps there's a data issue with QF in getting the Business avaiito show?
When I check availability as a BA Executive Club member, award flights appear wide open in both cabins in both directions including peak dates over Christmas and Easter:






You don't mention any specific dates but from my perspective availability appears wide open throughout the year.

jerry a. laska

I'm also seeing availability for J and Y LHR-BHD for various dates I checked in JUN24 at as.com and aa.com.

ozflier

Just checked LHR-Belfast June/July 2024 on Qantas rewards search.
Plenty LCY to Belfast but zilch out of LHR!
Hopefully it is a bit of a glitch but the fact that AA has plenty of seats suggests Qantas is not releasing those seats to its members !

etiene

I doubt there's a conscious QF decision here, much more likely to be a website bug. Have you tried calling to ask? [often if the BA site isn't showing availability that it should be the phone agents don't have the same issue]

ratechaser

More like 50-55 mins in the air, depending on wind direction. So it might be worth it for lounge access (if you need it, and can actually get in) but personally I wouldn't burn points on an upgrade for this route.

1Aturnleft

You're welcome for the research!

southsquare

I do this route often, using using BA Avios but occasionally using my QF points (just to keep my QF account active). Availability on the QF website can be tricky. Those flights are rarely full (except very peak times at peak times of year) and BA typically release additional seats on that route (in both cabins) into reward inventory at a few minutes after midnight, the day before travel. However, for early flights (i.e. around 32 hours later) that's too late for a QF FF reward ticket to be issued because in QF time, it's already > 24 hours before travel. If BA economy is currently available ex LHR, my advice is take it. There's little point in an upgrade on that 50 minute flight and trailing from LHR out to LCY just for a J seat would be grim. If you're desperate for an upgrade, ask at BA check-in at LHR: it may be available for around £69-£89 (which, in my humble opinion, is not money well spent for a 55 minute flight).

And if you're absolutely struck, remember you can fly LHR/DUB on BA and then get a frequent coach (every hour or so) from Dublin airport to Belfast. The coach takes around 1.5 hours and costs around Euro 15 (or half that if booked in advance). That hassle and cost of the coach is broadly equivalent to the hassle and cost of traipsing from LHR out to LCY i.e. both are do-able but avoid if possible.

docdee

I've been unable to book any reward flights on this route for the last two weeks, I just get an error message. Occasionally I get to see what's there (and LHR seats show up mostly CE and hardly any econ) but can't complete the booking. I'm booking direct on BA.com. Normal BA IT gremlins by the looks of it. I nearly rang up but decided life was too short and booked with Easyjet as the times suited me better anyway.

JeffBHD

...especially when the LCY flight is operated by an Embraer 195, which is configured 2x2 regardless of being ahead of or behind the curtain and LCY has no lounge.

flarmip

Pedantically, an Embraer 190

BearX220

Why does it have to be CE on a flight barely long enough to drink a cup of tea? (An £89 cup of tea?) I don't get it.

ozflier

Thanks so much for the feedback and suggestions.
I am not planning on an upgrade - these sectors would be part of an international oneworld business award with Qantas so there would be no extra points needed to get into business class.
I will check with Qantas to see if seats are available for specific dates once i have firmed up award flights to from UK.
These are as rare as hens teeth at the moment so I am not holding my breath.