FRA-JNB. IB or BA?
Jun 1, 2009 | 6:27 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,460
FRA-JNB. IB or BA?
Hi all,
Which OW airline would you fly from FRA-JNB, Y
class?
IB: FRA-MAD-JNB
or
BA: FRA-LHR-JNB
I expect to be AA Executive Platinum (OW Emerald) for the return flight, if that matters.
__________________________________________________ __________________________
All, thanks for the feedback. As posted elsewhere I will be flying via BA in early July.
The August trip is still up for grabs.
Which OW airline would you fly from FRA-JNB, Y
class?IB: FRA-MAD-JNB
or
BA: FRA-LHR-JNB
I expect to be AA Executive Platinum (OW Emerald) for the return flight, if that matters.
__________________________________________________ __________________________
All, thanks for the feedback. As posted elsewhere I will be flying via BA in early July.
The August trip is still up for grabs.
Last edited by Gamecock; Jun 13, 2009 at 6:03 am Reason: update
Jun 1, 2009 | 9:19 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
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Pretty painful if you're travelling on a rainy/snowy day and you are on one of the many BA T5 flights that are subject to coaching....uncovered aircraft steps, big puddles on the tarmac, severely overcrowded busses poorly fitted for airport transfers.... If your trip is planned for the winter, you are best advised to book away from LHR T5 when you have an alternative.
Jun 2, 2009 | 12:36 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Japan
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Terminal 5 Concourse C is under constraction.
That will improve gate availability, but, weather concern in winter is still problem.
That will improve gate availability, but, weather concern in winter is still problem.
Last edited by Wasabi Tofu; Jun 2, 2009 at 6:47 am Reason: typo
Jun 2, 2009 | 2:50 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Jun 2, 2009 | 3:19 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, UA Prem Exec, BA blue
Posts: 156
If price, scheduling, etc. are broadly comparable, then I'd say go for Iberia. Assuming you're on a cheap Economy ticket, you'll get slightly more base miles on Iberia (30% vs. 25% on BA). Also, I think Iberia still has bonuses for GLD/PLT/EXP while BA doesn't.
Anecdotally, IB is also more generous with op-ups for other OW elites on crowded flights, but obviously you can't count on that happening.
Jun 2, 2009 | 4:29 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Posts: 5,460
If price, scheduling, etc. are broadly comparable, then I'd say go for Iberia. Assuming you're on a cheap Economy ticket, you'll get slightly more base miles on Iberia (30% vs. 25% on BA). Also, I think Iberia still has bonuses for GLD/PLT/EXP while BA doesn't.
Anecdotally, IB is also more generous with op-ups for other OW elites on crowded flights, but obviously you can't count on that happening.
Anecdotally, IB is also more generous with op-ups for other OW elites on crowded flights, but obviously you can't count on that happening.
I will be flying on the Government's dime and I think they will be paying for a refundable Y ticket, so hopefully either way I'll get full miles.
A confounder is I will not be coming straight back to FRA, but rather DFW for a week. I'm thinking JNB-MAD-DFW-FRA might be a little more tolerable than JNB-LHR-DFW-FRA.
I think I need to go over to the BA section and check out fare bases and upgrades to Premium Ecomomy.
(As you can tell I am chasing my tail on this....)
Jun 2, 2009 | 6:00 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SFO/OAK/CCR
Programs: AA LT PLT
Posts: 997
but taxes in general are always higher even on tickets that only transit London. for me anyway. On AA from Spain to the US via MAD is usually about $90 in taxes; thru the UK the taxes are more like $180.
Jun 2, 2009 | 6:11 am
#12
Moderator, OneWorld
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As an AA Plat you'll be able to select seats on BA flights; "selection" on IB is an iffy thing - frequent "re-seating" stuff happens pretty often it seems.
OTOH the Plat bonus is a significant thing, even at a reduced earning rate; these are long flights.
OTOOH, my recollection is that the IB flight arrives quite a lot later than the BA flights, so if connections are planned, it might be a factor. I know BA is starting a morning flight to JNB (I'm on it in a couple of months) so that's another factor if you're flying Y - easier on the system IMO.
I would definitely see if my budget could handle WT+ however.
OTOH the Plat bonus is a significant thing, even at a reduced earning rate; these are long flights.
OTOOH, my recollection is that the IB flight arrives quite a lot later than the BA flights, so if connections are planned, it might be a factor. I know BA is starting a morning flight to JNB (I'm on it in a couple of months) so that's another factor if you're flying Y - easier on the system IMO.
I would definitely see if my budget could handle WT+ however.
Jun 2, 2009 | 8:12 am
#13
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
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While I don't agree with the human feces part, I do agree with the overall recommendation. I would also take BA and not IB. Much better service and hardware. I am not sure how the new IB lounges are but the BA F Lounge is very nice (on the way back for the OP).
Jun 2, 2009 | 9:10 am
#14
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Bath, UK
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I agree with the above BA over IB any day - having lived in SA for many years IB have one of the worst reputations of any of the European carriers in the SA market - basically considered cheap and nasty.