Spider

North Africa is becoming the favourite vacation spot for Europeans. Packages to Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Western Sahara are bargains. Libya is bound to jump on board of this tourist boom!

It is a lovely country but just as you cannot choose your relatives, you cannot choose leaders of some countries. So, jog along and become a part of the team... just go along with the flow.

I would not be surprised if soon after this thread premium fares ex-TIP/BEN had an instant case of severe inflation.

virtualtroy

The bearded one has been a frequent visitor to Libya recently, but then that might have more to do with his balloon antics. Libya remains suitably difficult to get into for the less determined, so I remain optimistic about prices for a little while longer (maybe a year or two).

yorweb

So has this died a death or are people still looking into it?

stut

I did look into it for an upcoming long-haul, but the fares weren't available.

However, I want to visit Libya anyway, so will most likely attempt it in the next 6 months, now that the visa situation sounds a lot easier.

studyolic

Instead of faffing about with the LHR - TIP leg, and not dong the return, etc, why not just go LHR-TIP and then EK DIRECT TIP - DBX and thence to your final destination? On the return, you go back into TIP and have the return leg of your LHR-TIP-LHR ticket?

Many of the cheapest flights I could find to PER ex TIP were on EK direct to DBX. Would seem to save time and a wasted leg, too.

riddster

Problem with that is it would mean getting a visa twice to get into Libya. There doesnt seem to be a fancy flight connections centre.

And it's EK......

firstclasslad

I haven't contacted the above TA, but I'm guessin is went well Brian_1 (p.s Luv ur determination )

As for virtualtroy's 350 Euros for his trip via MagicLibya.net...

Jaxx

I'm also looking at doing a Sydney trip. I emailed quite a few travel agents in Libya, but only 1 got back to me and it took them 10 days.

Thought I would share the info.

www.libtratours.com offer a 3 night/4 day tours for 650 Euros with a 50 Euro single supplement. It seems pretty inclusive - visas, transfers, all meals, tours of Tripoli, Leptis Magna and Sabratha. 4* accomadation.

Now I actually have a proposed date for this, I will step up my efforts. I think I'll try faxing before I resort to telephoning them though.

firstclasslad

On Wednesday March 29h 2006, the shadow of the moon will curve a band starting from Brazil, running across the globe passing over Libya and ending in Mongolia.

http://www.libtratours.com/Eclipse-2006.htm

Now we all an extra reason to go!

Funster

" Why not join the giraffes, and see the total eclipse of the sun in Libya."

Ha ha ha ha ha! Fantastic. Wildlife and an eclipse, plus ex-TIP? What a brilliant combination.

Can't wait till 2006 for my next premium, long-haul BA fare though. I may resign myself to one of the ex-Euro locations for now.

Gazza75

So I'm mad keen on this offer, I've got a couple of questions though that I'm seeking advise on.

Is this a limited time offer, e.g. is it about to expire March 31... Ideally I'd like to wait a month or so before booking, but if its limited, I'm gonna have to do it now.

And, if I buy an F for the stated price (class = F that is), is it fully refundable with unlimited stops etc? How do I check this? I've looked on itasoftware and came up with

British Airways Flight BA899 on an Airbus A320 (jet) in first class
(snack)
Departs Tripoli, Libya (TIP) Thur, Dec 1 4:00p 3 hrs 55 min
Arrives London, United Kingdom (LHR) 5:55p
1 adult in booking code F, covered by fare (A1) below
Layover in London 3 hrs 50 min
British Airways Flight BA15 on a Boeing 747 (jet) in first class
(meal)
Departs London, United Kingdom (LHR) Thur, Dec 1 9:45p 12 hrs 50 min
Arrives Singapore, Singapore (SIN) Fri, Dec 2 6:35p
1 adult in booking code F, covered by fare (A1) below
...

So from my understanding if I managed to book this either though BA direct of Opodo that it is infact a fully flexible? I really need the flexibility to change the LHR->SYD to include Singapore stopover, and dates are not 100% set yet.

This is my first First so excuse my asking obvious questions


All advise most appreciated.

Thanks
G

virtualtroy

It's not an offer nor does it run for a limited time. This is standard IATA pricing ex-TIP. The ticket is full fare F, so therefore fully flexible / refundable. It's not a RTW ticket so not sure what you mean by unlimited stops, but you could elect to be 'creative' with the routing an incorporate a few transfers (ie stops of <24 hours) between your point of origin and ultimate destination. For example, if SIN is your ultimate destination, you could try something like: TIP-LHR-HKG-PVG-SIN-BKK-LHR-TIP.


Despite what the above states, LHR/TIP/LHR is a 2-class service: Economy and Business (Club Europe). Provided it's offer on the route, all of your long haul segments will be in F.

If you book LHR-SYD and decide that you want to build in a stopover after it has been ticketed, you will have to have this re-ticketed, subject to the usual charges that accompany that. Be mindful that on the way back from SYD via SIN, flight timings for BA and QF mean that you're unlikely to get a proper overnight stopover, to comply with the requirement to keep your transfer sub 24 hours, but you could certainly book it to enjoy a full day in SIN should you choose to do so. Alternatively why not book the return leg along the lines of SYD-HKG-SIN... If you take the morning QF flight from SYD, you could squeeze in an overnight in HKG, pick up a lunchtime flight to SIN the next day (with SQ - an experience if you haven't yet tried...), have an afternoon shopping in SIN and then hope on one of the post 2200 departures back to London (and Tripoli )

Morgo

I too am pursuing TIP as a destination and a way to get a cheap J fare to NZ. For the missus and I, routing TIP-LHR-HKG-AKL-SYD-BKK/SIN-LHR-TIP, it comes to £2400 for the both of us and this is right bang-slap in the middle of the Xmas period... amazing! I'm speaking with Amoun Travel at the moment with regards to a quick trip to TIP for one night, but taking in as much as possible. Will report the info when I have it for people's reference.

Pyeinthesky

Just tried to book a Christmas trip to SYD from TIP and it would not let me book in either J or F with a child, though if I just tried two adults it worked.

BTW as I pointed out in another thread there is still an anomaly that two adults in J comes out at LYD24k, but in F it's only 8k... Guess which on I'd choose

P.S. Perhaps this is because they have started serving Krug in J!!!

firstclasslad

I'm slightly confused with "<24". I thought if you booked & paid for a (direct)TIP-SYD rtn in F... and later wanted a two week stopover in either LHR or SIN, you could because it's a Fully flex ticket?