ex-Europe start in Amsterdam..

You immediately mix with departing pax so as long as you already have your boarding card. Not sure however how it will work for luggage given the short turn around time …

Thank you and appreciate the responses.

No issues with luggage. Will already have checked my bags in for the Bangkok flight in London..

Looking forward to doing this trip without having to switch terminals as previous..

Hi Marcus – I always tell the crew, just in case something happens – remember Linate is a bus back to the terminal. Sometimes I was lucky was allowed to stay put…

Yes this is an ex-Europe to BKK instead of a direct from London.

Savings – LHR-BKK-LHR came to £3,850. I have paid £2,200 for ex AMS + a separate LHR-AMS ticket (avios). A client is giving me a lift back from AMS into Luton when I return.

I have used BA for this trip as I am on for an avios bonus which effectively means this trip is worth 13 economy sectors or 7 club Europe sectors, in effect, the ticket is net free!!!!

I have done this with SWISS, saving a similar amount. There are some significant savings to be made. Some of their start points in Europe have very attractive fares in J and even F rather than originating in ZRH.

Usually the departure ex ZRH needs to be within 24 hours of arrival on the inward 1st sector.

Anthony, until recently, Milan was the most cost effective for my ex Europe’s to BKK. Besides the upfront cost saving there was the additional benefit of the tickets being “more changeable” than UK tickets i.e. smaller fee!

Now with the BKK flight time changes and not so flexible tickets, Milan is no longer attractive.

With regards to the luggage – everything checked in at Heathrow and any carry is stored at Heathrow. Just take my phone, wallet and passport to Europe and back.

Works very well….

LP

Yep, there is no problem with skipping sending the bag via your continental dog-leg; you just tag it direct from LON-final destination. On your return, you can either have it follow you or, more reliably, just send it straight to LON and pick it up from BA Baggage Services later that day, upon your return.

Frankly, quite a lot of check-in staff appear entirely unaware of this routine as do some corporate travel agents so we have had some educating of Snr Mgts travel fixers.

As we managed to miss the first leg flight for Snr Management’s most recent trip to JNB/RCB (bad traffic on the North Circular) we had to rebook her first leg – on this occasion onto a slightly later flight to CDG. The BA ticketing guy was entirely unphazed by what she was doing – after all it is the airline that is making up the fare rules and she was following them. You just have to ensure that the first and last sectors are on a different itinerary from your principal return journey.

It’s transparently the case that carriers are exploiting the preference of most business people to minimise their time in the air – and price accordingly. And as others have posted, it’s not just BA doing this to maximise the transit traffic through their hub; other carriers do this too across the continent.

Playing the systems, always satisfying and a game we can play.

Personally, I use AMS anyway, as fares on most Airlines are less, with No LHR charges, few fuel supplements, and no government taxes. This knocks off at least £300-500 each flight (Business class), and many Airlines you can now access from AMS.

CDG also have great savings using MH, “Saver Business Class” fares, not available from LHR, saving £1,500 on an EU – KUL trip, or more to Australia for eg. All A380’s also.

With LHR putting up the charges by 11% for the Airlines (and for some years ahead), we will end up paying this.
Departing from the EU on your preferred Airline, directly to your destination, saves quite a lot of money each trip and each year.

Equally, I have used KLM Business class Ex LHR via AMS for £1750 a few times.