laf747

Given the disparity between the price of a coach and a business class seat, am I correct that the only difference in regard to a LHR-EDI flight is the ability to change or cancel a reservation without penalty?
Also, since I have lost BA Silver status, even if I purchase a business class ticket I will still be unable to use the BA lounge?
Any information would be very much appreciated. Thanks

gleff

Since I think your question is a British Airways one, I'm going to move this thread to the British Airways forum to help you get the best and most informed answer.

Regards,
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz and Delta moderator

Aerotec

The discount ticket will only earn you 25% BA Miles, no Tier Points or Lounge Access.

the Businss UK Ticket will allow you to change flight times, earn 20 Tier Points and 500 BA Miles. It will also give you lounge access since the change to let Business UK passengers use the lounge.

edi-traveller

Also there is no difference in service and no separate cabin (i.e. the convertible seats are all set in economy 3x3 config).

So (OLCI not withstanding) - you could pay £300 for a ticket, sit on the back row, next to someone who has paid £59, and eat the same deli-box snack of vegetables and dips.

Also even though it prints "Business UK" on the BP - BA do not market it as a business class product. It is classed as "Economy(flexible)" on fare explorer.

They just confuse the hell out of everyone by using "J" as the fare code - which is mainly used by airlines for long haul business class.

dnw

This has to be one of the silliest things they've done in a while... when re-organising the booking classes they had the option to drop the euro-biz 'C' totally from domestic and use only Y (the sensible option). Instead, they replace it with the intercontinental-biz J .

edi-traveller

Agree that it is dumb.

It must be something to do with connecting to onward flights. Even though you cannot buy D, I or Y fares directly on UK Domestic, they are available if you travel onwards.

So if you ask for a fully flexible Y fare from EDI-LHR-BCN the first sector will also be booked in Y. If you want discounted Club from EDI-LHR-BCN the first sector is also booked in D.

I still think it would have been easier to just use Y for fully flexible instead of J on UK Dom as dnw suggests.



[This message has been edited by edi-traveller (edited Feb 19, 2004).]

WHBM

The UK domestic business class fare, as stated, entitles you to use the Terraces lounges and be flexible with your ticket. But not to any other seating than 3+3 mixed in with everybody else, and the Bistro Bag.

A day or so before the flight, and indeed at the airport on the day, it may also be the only class offered. I have taken many BA domestic flights (I book a lot the day before) which are "Y no availability, J available" which turn out to have more empty seats than can be accounted for by no-shows. Aer Lingus are even worse in this respect. It afflicts the business peak flights more than middle of the day.

Furthermore we sometimes get quotes in the office for both J and Y on the same flights which are only say £2 apart on approx £250 fares. I had to explain this one to our accountant too !!

dnw

Its interesting that you mention the 'more free seats than can be accounted for by no-shows'. I've been thinking for a while that BA are still being a little naughty in this respect- I often find that a euro-fare quote when booked within a few days of departure comes up only with the top fare buckest showing availble (YBH) yet when you get on the plane its half empty. It does often seem that they empty the lower buckets a few days before departure, irrespective of load .

Its a bit like having a secretive advanced purchase rule- the V,N etc fares have no such requirement but if the buckets are emptied up to a week before departure, they may as well have!

ajamieson

Yup, naughty - and BD have followed suit. Try getting an EDI-LHR BD shuttle less than 48h before departure and, is if by magic, all flights appear to have sold out in anything lower than S class - £115 per sector - regardless of how empty they were prior to the 48hr mark.

dnw

mmm definitley a 'stealth' AP rule then...

laf747

First, my apologies to Gleff, I had meant to put this post in the BA Forum instead of Miles Buzz. Secondly, thanks to everyone who responded to my inquiry. I booked two roundtrip coach tickets for $350.00. The cost of the two business class tickets would have been $1150.00. For the $800.00 difference I will give up the Terrace Lounge and the 500 BA miles.
As an aside, when I tried to book these tickets on the BA website I was unable to do so. When I logged into the US website, it only provided for US departure cities. I then logged into the UK website, however it would not accept my US credit card. Hence, I booked the tickets through Expedia

Steve Fenton

I tried a few date options on BMI ad they were all similar to these prices, what a difference. If you can get a refund I suggest save your money, book BMI and spend the rest in Edinburgh.


departure: Tue 20 Apr 2004 London > Edinburgh

< previous day | next day>
web fare standard fare departs arrives

BD050 11.00 GBP web only 06:50 08:10

BD052 15.00 GBP 20.00 GBP 08:35 09:55

BD054 11.00 GBP web only 10:40 12:00

BD056 11.00 GBP web only 12:50 14:10

BD058 11.00 GBP web only 14:40 16:00

BD060 11.00 GBP web only 16:25 17:50

BD062 15.00 GBP 20.00 GBP 18:45 20:05

BD064 11.00 GBP web only 20:50 22:10

op = operated by another carrier



return: Fri 30 Apr 2004 Edinburgh > London

< previous day | next day>
web fare standard fare departs arrives

BD051 11.00 GBP web only 06:45 08:15

BD053 26.00 GBP 31.00 GBP 08:55 10:25

BD055 26.00 GBP 31.00 GBP 10:35 12:05

BD057 11.00 GBP web only 12:40 14:00

BD059 26.00 GBP 31.00 GBP 14:55 16:15

BD061 26.00 GBP 31.00 GBP 16:40 18:05

BD063 15.00 GBP 20.00 GBP 18:35 20:05

BD065 15.00 GBP 20.00 GBP 20:50 22:05

710 77345

You're forgetting that those prices are in sterling; it converts to almost 350 US Pesos at the current rates

Alpha Golf

I've had this problem too -- strange, you'd think they want our ex-LHR business.

I've managed to buy ex-LHR from AA.com, without extra fee.

mAAine_flyer

[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alpha Golf:

Quote:

I've had this problem too -- strange, you'd think they want our ex-LHR business.

It's silly. Just about every other airline website lets you book travel originating in a country different from your country of residence. Every time I get one BA's web surveys, I point this out -- I've yet to see any of my suggestions implemented (and I'm sure these are things that are common to many other users).

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
I've managed to buy ex-LHR from AA.com, without extra fee.

Yes, and usually for a lower price, too. Unfortunately you can't get an e-ticket, though.