[BJ]

Self-drive or public transport?

They could take the stress out of it and do a Rabbies tour. They have 4-5 day options that will fit the bill. They use mini buses with panoramic windows that let them get off the beaten track, and they incorporate short beginner hikes.

http://www.rabbies.com

[BJ]

CX via Alaska MP used to be the cheapest way but probably not anymore. I’ve lost touch with changes to scheme over the last 2 years.

[BJ]

True @HamoshireHog such as hiring a car to explore Krabi and Satun provinces or taking a 40 minute flight on a Bsngkok Airways ATR-72 to Hat Yai to explore Songkhla abd Patthalung provinces for those who want to experience Thailand as it once was.

[BJ]

Flights are fine, sadly Phuket isn’t anymore. Last two visits were hugely disappointing, far too many tourists, migrant businesses and migrant workers. Flights might be attractive to those within reach of LHR but for everybody else one stop in DOH with Qatar will be a far more attractive and cheaper option.

[BJ]

Scotrail Autumn Family travel Pass £50 one week unlimited:

For just £50*, up to 2 adults and 4 children can enjoy unlimited train travel across Scotland for 7 consecutive days. Start your week of adventure any day between 13–20 October.

Why you’ll love it:

One great price for the whole familyUnlimited travel for a whole weekSpend less and explore more, together… see Scotrail

[BJ]

Presumably this is quite common amongst HFPers on the two year break strategy and those trying to hit SUB targets. I cannot recall ever seeing a comment to suggest it’s an issue and I’ve been reading since HJP launched.

[BJ]

Interesting to note comment from @kevinchoi. I’ve searched the route numerous times across various partner schemes without success.i concluded few seats are released.

[BJ]

Consider buying a miles- and TP-earrning revenue flight for around £1100 and save the avios for a more sensible redemption.

[BJ]

headforplanes wrote:

Hi all,

I managed to get a 241 redemption business for London to Tokyo a year ago for 1 person. Since then I’ve met my wonderful missus and bought her a business ticket with cash and also paid for our seats to be together. Lately I’ve been reading about 241 enjoyers being downgraded at check-in for these popular routes, and this terrifies me. I’m a couple weeks out now, is there anything I can do to protect myself or that I should know before going in? I read that I get 75% of my avios back (but not my voucher), which seems like a huge loss, and I need to not accept any alternative from BA. I doubt that I’d get our (£200!) seat selection fees back. I was thinking that it seems less likely if I check-in online asap rather than in the airport? Our flights are currently on different tickets (and hers doesn’t even appear in my BA account for some reason), I’m not sure if it would help to try get them on the same ticket?

Thanks

I could understand you might be terrified of the plane crashing, gettiing stuck in the loo for 12 hours or snakes on the plane … but a downgrade??

Relax, I’ve nener had an imvpluntary downgrade in 45 years including many flights with amex vouchers. On my last BA flight about 2 years ago we were upgraded from CW to F despite only ever being Blue with a Bronze stint for two years. Status foes not work as simply as most would believe.

[BJ]

JDB wrote:

zio wrote:

JamieK wrote:

You can also ask BA to do a “Total (or “To”) Complete Party” cross reference for your PNRs. This lets them know the bookings are linked and in theory you are less likely be split up. I have done this with two separate companion voucher bookings (4 passengers total) in the hope that we are seated together and remain on the same flights in case of rescheduling etc.

Are you Gold? I could be wrong, please do correct me, but I thought this was only a thing if you have gold status with BA.

Anyone can have bookings connected with the TCP SSR, but it’s only for Golds that this can be used to give free seat or priority seat selection to another non or lower status passenger travelling in the same cabin.

Not only for Gold, also for those with special needs.

[BJ]

1. Nepal
2. Nepal
3. Nepal

(also 4, 5 & 6)

All BMI DC redemptions.

[BJ]

I’ve had my eye on one particular house in Elie for years, I’m now praying it doesn’t go on the market before you guys get through puberty 🙂

[BJ]

Ah sounds about right per @memesweeper.

[BJ]

According to my OH status lasts 12 months from the date of qualification. He also says that you get 2 shots at requalification based on either the previous 12 months or 24 months, if you fail in the last 12 months alone. Yes to soft landings. Please don’t shoot the messenger if that’s wrong 🙂

[BJ]

All my JAL flights except one were booked via Alaska MP but there have been devaluations since. Key was crediting to Alaska at 300% and topping up by buying in sales.

[BJ]

Alex G wrote:

Are you both travelling on British passports?

And if so, have the details been correvtly entered?

If not British passports and you are checked in but no boarding passes issued then it is likrly it’s just for a document check.

Qatar also only allows a limited time to complete the check-in process. It is generous but one time I was distracted and barely managed to check in but it then timed out before I picked my BP option , I couldn’t rectify that and had to go yo the desk.

[BJ]

No cost if you cancel within 24h of booking. That’s what’s probably ringing bells for you.

[BJ]

Yes, same IME.

[BJ]

If you checked how busy Apple service floors are relative to sales floors you might draw the conclusion that there are no good iphone offers.

[BJ]

@JDB, I think either you or I are missing something here. You seem to be under the impression Karen got something for her 25% cost while I an under the impression she got nothing for it? I am assuming that the downgrade/failed upgrade (depending on viewpoint) occurred before gate and that she lost fast track and lounge access as a result, these could ofcourse have still been provided but the question then arises whether they were provided as part of her contract or as goidwill with the downgrade.

[BJ]

I would have chased this as 1 from the outset on failure to honour contract. Unfortunately you’ve chased it via the downgrade policies and ended up with 2 at a loss to yourself. It’s all a bit of a mess abd a bit grey but I would not be too hard on yourself or BA that it has become so. You’ve already had a bit of a result in that you’ve gone from getting nothing back to getting 75% of what I consider BA rightly owes you. A lot of effort has clearly already gone in to getting this result, the question for you now is whether the extra effort to try and get the remaining 25% is worth it to you or whether just to lick your wounds and consider it a lesson learned. Personally I would be doing the latter but fully understand you and others here may favour the former as a matter of principle. I am not sure you can go any furthrt down the route you are currently on. If you do want to take it further I think I would be inclined to do so with a very short and precise letter to BA legal office seeking a full refund of upgrade costs for failure to deliver on contractual agreement than pushing thd CEDR thing further. Forget 3, pigs might fly.

[BJ]

@davel, @Hbommmie, @danfog you folks are missing a trick here, positioning flights from UK-HEL should be booked via QR not AY or BA, Base is 9k economy, 18k business, the latter probably only worth it on LHR A350 SofaLounge rotations. From Monday 31/3 Edinburgh or Aberdeen to Bergen which is in Finnair Zone 1 will be 6500 avios.

[BJ]

dc27 wrote:

davefl wrote:

Yes this https://www.flighttimecalendar.com/

Simple, quick and accurate. Shows IB flights bookable via BA.com

FANTASTIC!

thanks

+1, big thanks davefl, I was unaware of this one.

[BJ]

Very late to the party but seems rather obvious to me. Karen booked a holiday, upgraded the flight, was downgraded ending up back where she started with what she originally paid for. Therefore, refund due isr 100% of both avios and cash for the upgrade as BA failed to provide what Karen paid for. If they don’t she ends up paying BA 25% of the upgrade cost for essentially nothing in return. The problem here is that it is being treated as a downgrade when infact it should be treated as BA failing to deliver its contractual agreenent to provide Karen with a service she paid for, i.e. the upgrade. One caveat, I am unsure if multiple secors were involved and if all or only one sector was affected; if only one of two or more sectors was involved the BA is correct in processing this via downgrade policies.

[BJ]

There is at least one dedicated thread on this so you might want to search the forum in addition to the information you received here. Unless you are within read of the convenience of a direct flight from LHR then BA would be my last choice. It is relatively poor value even with a voucher, and products and services on the alternatives are generally a bit better. Also, if LHR is not your local it’s best avoided anyway as even T5-T5 connections can be a horrible experience.