bisonrav

Some trips seem a better idea when you book than when they start becoming imminent.

I figured early last year that doing 8 Sofia B2Bs would give me a stonking start to the TP earning year at highly affordable prices, and at that time also returned a handsome number of Avios per leg. So I booked in 2 groups of 4 in consecutive weeks starting late Feb and into March, with a weekend and a bit gap. These were nested booking pairs, it was a little intricate, but not too bad really.

There were then numerous changes of timing, and some changes of circumstances, so a month or two back I took advantage of the former to deal with the latter, and created a detailed spreadsheet for the GGL team. Unfortunately because of policy not allowing the movements of a just a couple of bookings to where I wanted them, I had to juggle them around one by one, creating a detailed spreadsheet for the GGL team to explain the movements.

This resulted in a set of interlocking bookings now so excrutiatingly complex that a future interaction on a different subject induced a plaintive note from the team saying that they now experience mild trauma when they see my name on an email in relation to a retiming. Indeed I'm not certain even I have the faintest idea how to unoack what I ended up with if there are IRROPs, so let's hope there aren't any. Anyway they managed to implement the changes, and the only slight drawback is I find myself way back in the CE cabin on one of the flights, in 2D. These flights are unaccountably popular, even some time out, and the seats seem to get taken quite quickly.

I now have everything scrunched together with 4 flights from Tuesday to Friday, a day off on Saturday, and another four from Sunday to Wednesday. This should yield 1280TPs. I've booked a moderately price purple coloured hotel across the whole period, so given my day off near Heathrow also booked a day trip to Derry as part of my "fly to all the commercial airports on the island of Ireland" project. This also seemed a good idea at the time.

Now it's possible that others on the board have coped with multiple Sofia B2Bs, and it would be good to hear any tips for surviving these. I have done a number of Sofias, and my observations are there are several problem areas (I don't believe jetlag is likely to be an issue):

1. Is it still beefcheeks? I don't believe I can survive on beefcheeks alone, and the alternative when I did something similar being stodgy pasta or salad, I think I need a food strategy. When I did multiple AUH->CMB->CGK runs I did work my way around the entire menu, but it wasn't beefcheeks. Can anyone reassure me? The ideal would be if they changed the menu daily, but that's a forlorn hope and I may have a look at booking special meals.
2. How does one cope with being on 1C on one flight and 1D on the return (for example)? Does this not disorientate the crew? It's really likely I'll screw this up after 3 or 4 rounds, and I do have also to find my way back to row 2 for one flight. Would it be unreasonable to occupy 1C regardless and request that the legal occupant move to my seat? I am a GGL, and thus very important.
3. Do the cabin crew laugh at you?
4. Is Derry sufficiently different from Sofia such that I won't try just to walk up the ramp to the duty free and go back to the gate (possibly via the Duty Free)?
5. Which is the best lounge in T3?

Any tips or hints or even hacks gladly received.

Markie

The most stressful parts for me are:
- arriving in to T3 in the evening behind two flights from India and the consequent queue at immigration
- Whether T3 arrival will be a stand or a bus. The bus drops a fair distance from immigration requiring some brisk walking
- No more beefcheeks - was nice lamb last week
- I go to the BA lounge in T3 and enjoy the restaurant there. The staff are lovely. Ask for an invite card when they scan you BP on entrance as GGL
- Choosing whether not eat on the way out or the way back. I cannot deal with two meals!

South London Bon Viveur

Sounds too stressful for me. I'd go back to the drawing board. Maybe try the new TLV via Larnaca B2B (x4)

KeaneJohn

I feel your pain.

I almost did the same as you but found the prices ex-SOF either nested or one way not as low as if they’d formed a return so gave up. Given in mind the recent membership year adjustments I am pleased that I did,

I’m now at the tricky stage of having over 1500 TP planned but nowhere near close to getting 5000 and losing 6 months as I see it doesn’t give me much inkling to book much more with BAnfor the time being, That said lounge hopping in T3 forllowed by a decent meal, few drinks, a snooze a stretch of legs and another meal and few drinks does sound a fairly decent way to spend a day so I might bite the bullet and do one.

salut0

You missed mentioning what to do when you have an embolism from eating too much cheese in the SOF lounge — didn’t seem to be much else on offer when I was there!

PUCCI GALORE

1. Beefcheeks are one or a pair of hot items - you could vary them.

2. Your command of the alphabet does you credit but were I the occupant of 1C you would be told to go forth and multiply. If you are stunningly good looking and my husband was not in 1a, I'd let you sit there, but then it might be someone else's seat and that might be tricky.

3. Do Cabin Crew laugh at you? Why would they? Still, that's why there are curtains - so that Galley FM can be updated and they can laugh at whomever they please.

4. If is in Cryllic, it is probably not Derry.

5. La Creme des Lounges has to be Cathay for me

Does this help?

fluffymitten

I have had the crew laugh with/at me on a SOF B2B. It was the most fun I've had on a flight TBH.

You'll have to look at the CE menu thread to see what's being served but I think beef got swapped for lamb recently? I could be wrong.

I've heard good things about the fancy section for GGLs in BA T3 lounge but have not visited myself. I find CX F a bit pokey and service in the restaurant is hit and miss. Rather prefer how the noodle bar in the J lounge is run. I continue to have a soft spot for the QF gin bar. AA F is depressing. If you have Amex Platinum, mix things up and visit that lounge. It's not bad.

bisonrav

Darling PUCCI GALORE , if you asked me to go forth and multiply, I would very happily accept the offer.

bisonrav

Is that it that sort of lamb mush with mash though? 8 of those on the bounce and I'd be considering veganism

Markie

This was last week on the outbound:

LSunbury

I don't think I can help with survival tips but thanks for posting this. I will show it to my wife to persuade her that in comparison my planned day trip to Helsinki (x1) purely to test out the new A350 J seat is a perfectly rationale and sensible idea!

Horatio

Splendid. If someone could edit the forum code so I can double-Like this please.

bisonrav

Goodness. What does that purport to be exactly? I recognize the "medley of british plastic cheese", and the "cracked grain du jour salad with carrot", not to mention the unmentionable "Jelly au D&Co chocolate", but the cheeky smiling muffin with mangetout is surely not natural.

JapesUK

Some trips seem a better idea when you book than when they start becoming imminent.

isn’t that the truth!

1. Randomly book special meals and then forget what you booked, that way every flight comes with a surprise element

2. Absolutely take your rightful place, you are a very important person after all and I am sure that 1C will understand. Unless its me in 1C in which case, no chance!

3. They’ll only laugh at you when you are in 1D or row 2. when in 1C you have the entertainment of being in the galley peanut gallery.

andrelux

Is there going to be one of these threads for each and every BA flight?

If so, may I suggest a template?

1. Board
2. Place hand luggage somewhere
3. Sit down
4. Be watered and fed (or not)
5. At end of flight, stand up and collect hand luggage
6. Disembark