[AnthonyDunn]

@ TiredOldHack – 23/07/2015 11:58 BST

And by way of proof, I have just been checking out an itinerary ex-LON and ex-AMS on CX and the latter is less than one-half of the ex-LON one. Same days and even the routings that comes back via LHR are over £1,500 cheaper when starting at Schipol. The added advantage of AMS is it’s not that far for a dog-leg and there are plenty of airport hotels for en route overnights.

[svallis]

It’s easier to put all of the european starting points. Some of the fares from Oslo and Stockholm are significantly less than those from AMS.

[PhilipHart]

@Alexthegreat, What was the business class experience like on the DUB-CLT sector?

It’s been years since I flew to Charlotte on US Air (from LGW) and it was a rather dismal affair.

BTW, your observation (and @coudntthinkofaname‘s explanation) regarding the 210 Tier Points for the CLT-LAX sector is most illuminating, and I will be incorporating that in future bookings 🙂

[MartynSinclair]

Other considerations for ex-Europe starting points – I try to choose airports where you don’t have to go further than the boarding gate.

Example, ex-Linate, on the bus, through the terminal and back round again

ex-Amsterdam, up the air bridge and wait. No need to go through the system.

Can someone remind me about ex-Dublin – can you remain airside or do you need to go landside..?

[AviationGeek]

I’ve just done DUB on BA – it depends a little on where your inbound (to DUB) flight arrives and where your outbound departs from.
All BA flight go to/ from Terminal 1 in DUB but some park at the 200’s gates (remote stand), some from the 300’s (jetty). If it’s the former and you’re getting straight back on the same aircraft I guess you could do it (HB only, BP in hand), the latter you definitely have to follow the arrivals / flight connex route.

If you have hold baggage and / or don’t have a boarding pass or don’t know for certain which gate your flight leaves from you’ll have to go via immigration, baggage hall & re check in. The flight connection in Dublin is just a little side door up from the baggage hall where security will scan your boarding pass and you join the line for security search, it’s not like LHR’s FCC at all.

[Alexthegreat]

@philiphart
the DUB/CLT flight was operated by A332 and you got a fully flat bed 1 x 2 x 1 which is better than the 757/767 product offered by AA from DUB-JFK/ORD. Cabin crew were US not AA (and called most passengers ‘honey’) and the service inflight was good. The only negative was that immediately after lunch was served they wanted to have all window shades down and as I resisted (it was 11am!) she stopped calling me ‘honey’ thereafter! As mentioned before, my experience of transiting CLT was great and plan to use same routing on my next trip.
Having said that, it looks however that AA will cease operations between DUB & CLT as I couldnt find flights for travel in November/December but maybe they still finalising the operation because of the merger and official disappearance of US in October

[PhilipHart]

@Alexthegreat

Many thanks for the additional info.

I tend to agree with you about CLT. Big enough to have plenty going on, but not too big for getting around.

[LuganoPirate]

I remember years ago it was much cheaper to buy tickets in Cairo, Bangkok and Colombo (Sri Lanka) for example than in Europe, then by much as 50%. Not sure if it’s still the case but if so and you visit regularly it could be worthwhile.

For a while it was cheaper buying tickets ex JNB to Milan but that seems to have changed despite the currency weakness and it’s now the same.

[FaroFlyer]

Like many others I have also bought tickets in mainland Europe to take advantage of low business class fares, and like many others have not used the final leg. However, this appeared recently, so maybe we need to be wary?
http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/07/20/british-airways-clamping-down-on-dropped-final-legs-on-ex-eu-tickets/

[MartynSinclair]

As I have mentioned previously, one of the reasons I use all legs is that I collect and very easily use avios for frequent trips into Europe.

[TiredOldHack]

FaroFlyer – I was warned of this a couple of years ago by Skyclub, who I use from time to time (though they do not seem as good as they once were). I think there’s zero chance of BA enforcing a full fare payment, but they certainly could, and might well, withdraw Avios and TPs.

[Carajillo2Sugar]

I’ll tell you what I want (what I really really want…), is for someone who gets penalised by any airline for not using the final coupon to turn it into a court case and let’s get this matter decided once and for all.

Whether they get invoiced for an additional payment or the airline withdraws frequent-flyer privileges, all it will take is a common-sense judgement and in my opinion the airlines will lose.

And that’s why they won’t be pushing for that to happen…..

[PhilipHart]

Advice Sought (slightly OT, but marginally relevant)

My wife needs 140TP to reach BAEC Gold, so we are looking at an ex-DUB trip to PMI in Biz on Iberia with transfers in BCN/MAD.

In principle this should net 160TP (4 Sectors * 40).

However, some of the sectors on the routing via BCN are operated by Vueling, and I seem to recall that, although one can earn Avios with them, one can’t earn TPs.

Anyone more au fait with the situation?

[TiredOldHack]

If you’ve booked with Iberia, then you should get the TPs, even if Iberia uses Vueling as the carrier.

[PhilipHart]

@TiredOldHack Thanks for the info.

I haven’t booked yet, for fear of getting a tongue-lashing – or worse – from SWMBO for not getting her across the BAEC Gold finishing line!

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