Flights originating outside country of origin
Jan 29, 2004, 3:11 am
#1
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Flights originating outside country of origin
I am temporarily living in Spain so I was booking some flights back to the UK. I did my research on the BA website as it is often the best place to find cheap fares. I think that there booking engine design is second to none.
Imagine how annoyed I was when I found out I could not complete my booking because I didn't have a Spanish credit card. I booked it with Opodo and was charged Ł10 extra. I've just contacted Opodo and, adding insult to injury, they tell me that the Ł10 charge is levied by BA for flights originating outside the UK!
Imagine how annoyed I was when I found out I could not complete my booking because I didn't have a Spanish credit card. I booked it with Opodo and was charged Ł10 extra. I've just contacted Opodo and, adding insult to injury, they tell me that the Ł10 charge is levied by BA for flights originating outside the UK!
Jan 29, 2004, 3:14 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,900
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by sam:
I think that there booking engine design is second to none.
</font>
I think that there booking engine design is second to none.
</font>
Wow, most of us think it is cr@p! When it comes to doing anything but a standard RT you are screwed. Like you say booking outside of country of origin is a no no. Also combining discounted WT+ tickets with domestic sctors doesn't give the best prices.
If you do a search on this forum you will see that many people complain about it. The normal answer tends to be book BA tickets on AA.com
[This message has been edited by CT-UK (edited Jan 29, 2004).]
Jan 29, 2004, 3:28 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,398
This comes up a lot, especially for UK people trying to book cheapo ex-EU deals online.
FWIW salvation may be on the horizon... AskBA answer ID 1916 5th/Dec/03
FWIW salvation may be on the horizon... AskBA answer ID 1916 5th/Dec/03
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">At the present time, ba.com can only accept credit cards which are issued and billed from the country of your departure.
Please note that we are currently working towards expanding this capability.</font>
Please note that we are currently working towards expanding this capability.</font>
Jan 29, 2004, 3:31 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,398
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CT-UK:
Wow, must of us think it is cr@p!</font>
Wow, must of us think it is cr@p!</font>
I know, I know... whats a 'lowest fare'?!
[This message has been edited by dnw (edited Jan 29, 2004).]
Jan 29, 2004, 4:58 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: uk
Posts: 218
If you do a search from say LHR to your destination in the class you choose,say WT+, note the price, then do same search from your departure airport, say, MAN, the prices are extortionate.
Try MAN to SYD in WT+.... then compare it to LHR to SYD
Last time I tried it the difference was enormous.
How wrong can that be????
Try MAN to SYD in WT+.... then compare it to LHR to SYD
Last time I tried it the difference was enormous.
How wrong can that be????
Jan 29, 2004, 10:07 am
#6
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by CT-UK:
[B]
Wow, most of us think it is cr@p!
Just had a look at the AA website. Although I put in a preference for evening travel it only returned morning flights. The BA website shows me every flight going that day. I stand by what I said about the BA engine. I think it is very good for finding the best price on short haul trips. It positions BA very well when competing with the likes of Easyjet. I guess that is probably their objective. It obviously doesn't meet everyone's requirements.
I will now start checking AA.com though. They don't seem to have pointless restrictions on country of origin.
[B]
Wow, most of us think it is cr@p!
Just had a look at the AA website. Although I put in a preference for evening travel it only returned morning flights. The BA website shows me every flight going that day. I stand by what I said about the BA engine. I think it is very good for finding the best price on short haul trips. It positions BA very well when competing with the likes of Easyjet. I guess that is probably their objective. It obviously doesn't meet everyone's requirements.
I will now start checking AA.com though. They don't seem to have pointless restrictions on country of origin.
Jan 29, 2004, 5:19 pm
#7
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by sam:
Imagine how annoyed I was when I found out I could not complete my booking because I didn't have a Spanish credit card.</font>
Imagine how annoyed I was when I found out I could not complete my booking because I didn't have a Spanish credit card.</font>
Jan 29, 2004, 5:57 pm
#8
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This "rule" seems to vary by country. I recently bought an ex BKK ticket from UK telesales with no problem (apart from lack of shareholder discount).
Similarly I have bought comair flights in the past via BA UK telesales too.
On these occasions the UK fare quited was identical to the sterling value of the fare issued in local currency (at a very good exchange rate). If this happens more generally, I don't see why anyone would call reservation in the country of origin unless it was a restricted special e.g. ex LIS.
Similarly I have bought comair flights in the past via BA UK telesales too.
On these occasions the UK fare quited was identical to the sterling value of the fare issued in local currency (at a very good exchange rate). If this happens more generally, I don't see why anyone would call reservation in the country of origin unless it was a restricted special e.g. ex LIS.
Jan 29, 2004, 5:59 pm
#9
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Forgot to add, that obviously spain telesales take UK credit cards, since I am calling the spain/portugal telesales team for ex LIS fares and using my UK card with no problem.
Jan 29, 2004, 6:57 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LAX
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Land-of-Miles:
On these occasions the UK fare quited was identical to the sterling value of the fare issued in local currency (at a very good exchange rate). If this happens more generally, I don't see why anyone would call reservation in the country of origin unless it was a restricted special e.g. ex LIS.</font>
On these occasions the UK fare quited was identical to the sterling value of the fare issued in local currency (at a very good exchange rate). If this happens more generally, I don't see why anyone would call reservation in the country of origin unless it was a restricted special e.g. ex LIS.</font>
Anyway, the bottom line for purposes of this thread is that people shouldn't assume that just because the website won't take their credit cards they can't get the fare from BA.
Jan 29, 2004, 8:25 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2001
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An article in the Wall Street Journal today (Thursday) mentioned some independent review of travel related web sites.
BA was singled out as a travel web site that did not understand the global reach of the internet ... by requiring that you use a credit card issued in and with a mailing address in the country of your trip's origination. When asked a BA spokesman made some comment to the effect that he thought it was a measure to prevent credit card fraud. (I'm paraphrasing as I don't have the paper in front of me at the moment.)
At least I thought it was good to see this issue being brought to BA's attention publicly...
BA was singled out as a travel web site that did not understand the global reach of the internet ... by requiring that you use a credit card issued in and with a mailing address in the country of your trip's origination. When asked a BA spokesman made some comment to the effect that he thought it was a measure to prevent credit card fraud. (I'm paraphrasing as I don't have the paper in front of me at the moment.)
At least I thought it was good to see this issue being brought to BA's attention publicly...
Jan 30, 2004, 12:15 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2002
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Ready2Go:
I think that perhaps you could have held the reservation on line, and then called the BA reservations line in Spain to pay for it. I recently made a booking on ba.com for domestic travel in South Africa on BA(Comair). I couldn't pay for it on line, but I held the reservation and then called the local reservations number for SA. They had no problem taking my US credit card for the e-ticket, and this enabled me to get a dirt-cheap fare that only applies to tix "issued" in SA.</font>
I think that perhaps you could have held the reservation on line, and then called the BA reservations line in Spain to pay for it. I recently made a booking on ba.com for domestic travel in South Africa on BA(Comair). I couldn't pay for it on line, but I held the reservation and then called the local reservations number for SA. They had no problem taking my US credit card for the e-ticket, and this enabled me to get a dirt-cheap fare that only applies to tix "issued" in SA.
</font>
Jan 30, 2004, 3:15 am
#13
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Short term, the same technological revolution that has brought us the Internet has also brought us dirt cheap international calls.
Long term, though, the Internet and other forms of easy international communications must be increasingly chipping away at the rationale for fares that have geographical sales restrictions.
Long term, though, the Internet and other forms of easy international communications must be increasingly chipping away at the rationale for fares that have geographical sales restrictions.
Jan 30, 2004, 4:47 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,398
Isn't this exactly what the current EU probe is about? Not about the fare differences themsevles, but about the fact that if you want BA in the UK to ticket you, for example, an ex-LIS ticket they will charge you 4x what BA in PT would charge for the identical itinerary...