All WT seats abolished LHR-HKG: has ba.com got completely mad?
Apr 6, 2009, 2:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
All WT seats abolished LHR-HKG: has ba.com gone completely mad?
So using ba.com for a return LHR-CGK (Jakarta) in WT (a birthday present for my nephew), leaving around early August, coming back around late August, what does it throw up?
A return fare of £2100 whatever day one travels with the message on the LHR-HKG leg in both directions of
So BA has abolished Economy on the HKG route? Interesting.
If I then actually specify I want WTP, it throws up the same flights, with WTP LHR-HKG and Economy in Cathay on HKG-CGK, but for a total fare of £2950. It seems that in this case I get a W fare, whereas when I asked for Economy I got a T fare.
I've tried with different web browsers, and with a range of different travel months, and all give the same issue. Any clue why ba.com is so rubbish here?
Or have they really introduced 150J aircraft on the HKG route? Maybe it is to keep the WTP pax well away from the Club Kitchen.
A return fare of £2100 whatever day one travels with the message on the LHR-HKG leg in both directions of
Your requested class is not operated on the above flight. The most appropriate alternative has been displayed.
If I then actually specify I want WTP, it throws up the same flights, with WTP LHR-HKG and Economy in Cathay on HKG-CGK, but for a total fare of £2950. It seems that in this case I get a W fare, whereas when I asked for Economy I got a T fare.
I've tried with different web browsers, and with a range of different travel months, and all give the same issue. Any clue why ba.com is so rubbish here?
Or have they really introduced 150J aircraft on the HKG route? Maybe it is to keep the WTP pax well away from the Club Kitchen.
Last edited by LeisureFirst; Apr 6, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Apr 6, 2009, 2:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,212
So using ba.com for a return LHR-CGK (Jakarta) in WT (a birthday present for my nephew), leaving around early August, coming back around late August, what does it throw up?
A return fare of £2100 whatever day one travels with the message on the LHR-HKG leg in both directions of
So BA has abolished Economy on the HKG route? Interesting.
If I then actually specify I want WTP, it throws up the same flights, with WTP LHR-HKG and Economy in Cathay on HKG-CGK, but for a total fare of £2950. It seems that in this case I get a W fare, whereas when I asked for Economy I got a T fare.
I've tried with different web browsers, and with a range of different travel months, and all give the same issue. Any clue why ba.com is so rubbish here?
Or have they really introduced 150J aircraft on the HKG route? Maybe it is to keep the WTP pax well away from the Club Kitchen.
A return fare of £2100 whatever day one travels with the message on the LHR-HKG leg in both directions of
So BA has abolished Economy on the HKG route? Interesting.
If I then actually specify I want WTP, it throws up the same flights, with WTP LHR-HKG and Economy in Cathay on HKG-CGK, but for a total fare of £2950. It seems that in this case I get a W fare, whereas when I asked for Economy I got a T fare.
I've tried with different web browsers, and with a range of different travel months, and all give the same issue. Any clue why ba.com is so rubbish here?
Or have they really introduced 150J aircraft on the HKG route? Maybe it is to keep the WTP pax well away from the Club Kitchen.
Apr 6, 2009, 2:38 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
why when I ask for WTP does it give an even more expensive seat in the same cabin? This point alone proves it is a bug and not a feature.
And why, if I just book to HKG, does WT come out cheaper (barely half the price of WTP)?
Also, even if it were giving cheapest seat, it wouldn't be true that the "requested class is not operated on the above flight". Again, clearly a f***-up.
Apr 6, 2009, 2:51 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
By the way, I'm aware it could be some weird fare rule about what fares can be combined with the Cathay fare between HKG and CGK. (I doubt that is the explanation but I'm definitely not expert enough to be sure). But even then, if they can cobble together a T fare with a B fare when I ask for "Economy", there is no earthly explanation for why they then cobble a W fare with a Y fare when I ask for "Premium Economy". Clearly something is wrong with the latter, which rather supports my view that something was probably wrong with the former as well.
Apr 6, 2009, 3:02 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,209
By the way, I'm aware it could be some weird fare rule about what fares can be combined with the Cathay fare between HKG and CGK. (I doubt that is the explanation but I'm definitely not expert enough to be sure). But even then, if they can cobble together a T fare with a B fare when I ask for "Economy", there is no earthly explanation for why they then cobble a W fare with a Y fare when I ask for "Premium Economy". Clearly something is wrong with the latter, which rather supports my view that something was probably wrong with the former as well.
Apr 6, 2009, 6:50 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF SG(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,771
Buy a ticket LHR-SIN and a separate cheap ticket SIN-CGK......
Unless you want the stopover in HKG
If you are worried about SE Asia airline maintenance practices, there are a number of European or Australian airline flights on the route
Fred
Unless you want the stopover in HKG
If you are worried about SE Asia airline maintenance practices, there are a number of European or Australian airline flights on the route
Fred
Apr 6, 2009, 10:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine, & London, UK
Programs: BA Gold; HH Gold; M&M; PS Classic; VV Silver (deceased); BD Silver (deceased).
Posts: 3,604
Or book with CX for circa 690GBP return.
Apr 7, 2009, 4:12 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
Advice is much appreciated - considering all options at the moment.
But it would still be good to have the BA booking engine working properly. What I may do, especially if there is a WTP sale in the next month or so, is try to buy him a WTP return and treat him to an upgrade to CW (with my miles) on the return leg. This would have to be done over the phone if it involves CX legs too on the same ticket, but I'll need ba.com working to figure out prices before I make the phone call.
But it would still be good to have the BA booking engine working properly. What I may do, especially if there is a WTP sale in the next month or so, is try to buy him a WTP return and treat him to an upgrade to CW (with my miles) on the return leg. This would have to be done over the phone if it involves CX legs too on the same ticket, but I'll need ba.com working to figure out prices before I make the phone call.
Apr 7, 2009, 4:39 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
Apr 7, 2009, 8:42 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: Virgin Silver, BA Blue, HHonors, Priority Club
Posts: 300
I'd just like to comment that I hope Leisure First's nephew appreciates what a kind and generous uncle he has! The most I ever got from any of my uncles was a £10 WHSmith book voucher... 
Apr 7, 2009, 9:01 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Tallinn / Isle of Man
Programs: Finnair Platinum; Intercontinental Ambassador
Posts: 578
Apr 7, 2009, 9:31 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
.By the way, I did mention to him that I would try to find a cheap way to get him in Club, but I wasn't promising anything. His reaction was "Wow! Does that mean I can use the lounge with the free sandwiches?" The idea of free sandwiches seems to be more of a draw than a flat bed. I offered to make him some "free" sandwiches, but he said that wasn't the same somehow.
Last edited by LeisureFirst; Apr 7, 2009 at 9:38 am