[Anonymous]

[london2k]

Hi everyone,

I just discovered this wonderful forum, and having read a number of posts I’d like to say thanks for all of the useful advice!

I wonder if some of the very knowledgeable posters here can be of help. I need to fly from Manchester (though it could be London if need be to get the right fare) to San Francisco in early June. I will take my wife and 2 1/2 year old son.

We wouldn’t stand a chance in economy with the noisy monster (lol), and even business is touch and go. So I am hoping to find a decent deal on 1st class. Unfortunately, even though our son would end up sharing the seat with his mother and never actually USE his own seat, it appears that he will still have to pay for an expensive seat of his own.

I have done extensive google searches for companion fares, special deals, etc, and have not really turned up anything. I don’t mind paying £2,500 a person or so, but £7,500 is (to me at least) a slap in the face.

Does anyone have any info on any deals out there at the moment that might be of any use?

Thanks a million!!

[Bullfrog]

My immediate response without any great knowledge of fare deals is that with BA ex LHR & a UK purchased ticket, you would be lucky to see much change out of £ 2,800 + for Business Class per ticket.

First Class which you mentioned, my guess would be £4k+ on BA per ticket.

US carriers may be cheaper in F, or you may get a better deal with KL/ AF ex Manchester via AMS or CDG in J Class.

[MartynSinclair]

I had a quick look on Kayak but ex Milan (using generic dates in June). £2700 on a Continental in F (op by LH) or £2100 op by Air France

I would research the aircraft type and product offering, for each sector as the business and first class products differ.

Downside means you have to fly 2 additional sectors, i.e. UK-MIL-UK and you have to plan your luggage as you wont want to take it to Italy and back.

Upside is that you will be saving a lot of cash.

[KSHaggag]

Dear London2k,

I would strongly recommend and suggest you try to get a fare quote in First Class from Swiss Air Lines ( LX) ..they fly nonstop from Zurich to San Francisco after a short connex in Zurich upon arrival from London or even better from Manchester ….optimal connex both ways and a GREAT GREAT service ..Swiss is renowned for its superior First Class product and has won the award of best First Class seat design lately !….the A340-300 plying the SFO route has the new product ..they are always keen to offer promotional fares out of UK to US since u should be prepared for the backtrack from UK to ZRH both ways !!!………..consult them and see …..you should get an attractive fare ..In business they do sell the US East Coast for GBP1300 plus taxes ..am not sure what their F class fare level could be like …..try it …..at the end of the day since u wanna fly F ,u only have 4 major carriers from Europe offering F ,notably BA,AF,LH,LX …..ONLY ….unless you opt for US carriers e.g. AA,UA…….

Let us know if you manage to get a good rate with LX …good luck !

[Bullfrog]

Based on KSHaggag, I checked Swiss website for a random week in July ex LHR/SFO & the website quoted £ 6500 per person.

Be good to know which travel agency(s) can offer better consolidated fares in F & J.

[KSHaggag]

Dear Bullfrog,

Thanks for your prompt reaction …!…Well,u might have fallen on days where the lower booking subclass in First Class was not available ….yes,a travel agency can tell on which days the lower class ( A/cl ,i believe ) ,is indeed available …
I have a tel nbr of the Swiss ticket helpdesk in London but am not sure how well they can handle the matter …here it is +448456010956..thanks !

[MartynSinclair]

Never managed to get a cheap F fare with LH or Swiss.

Thanks for the telephone number Mr KS Haggag, I shall use it before it is removed.

[KSHaggag]

Thanks MartynSinclair !

Please do ,..I just hope it turns out to be useful if any !..
Well…generally speaking ,you can NEVER EVER get a keen fare ,especially in Premium ( First or Business ) on any carrier in Europe specifically for a journey starting at their own home base because they consider this is a guaranteed traffic /business and that direct ,nonstop services deserve a premium ….however when these carriers need to syphoon off customers from the home national carrier in that country ,they will always be veryyyy keen to deal and wheel ……..this said ,fly from UK on LX,LH,AF …..from France on LX,BA,LH….from Germany on LX,AF,BA …for example u get superb fares on BA if u are starting your trip in Frankfurt ( via London ) ,whereas the LH fare in comparison will be extortionate ..still in Premium ……….thanks !

[london2k]

Hi KSH, and thanks very much for your help (and thanks to all the other helpful posters as well). I fully take on board (haha) your point about never getting a keen deal from a carrier when departing from that carrier’s home country. No deals for the sheep that live on the farm, so to speak.

But in this case, the quoted fares ALREADY reflect that tactic, as the 1st class fare quoted by Swiss is about £6,400 from the UK, but unbelievably, it’s about £10,000 when departing Zurich. So I guess they might say I am already GETTING a deal by flying them from the UK.

When you talk about trying to do a deal……jeez….I struggle to see myself ringing up the agent on the phone and saying “£6,500, are you mad….I’ll give you £3,000 a person”. I love to haggle on cars, property, etc…..but I assume that this isn’t what you meant as far as trying to negotiate a better fare. Is there a favoured travel agent that might have enough clout with Swiss to say “look, I’ve got £9,000 for you, but you’d have to give up 3 seats”? I could see a well attached agent having that conversation….but I can’t imagine the airline having it with a “civilian”.

[KSHaggag]

Hi London2k !

My great pleasure !….let me tell you that I am not really familiar with good ,worth-their-salt consolidators in UK ….I will try to get you some names ….I have something interesting to add ..Swiss specifically can offer you a (special) deal for parties ( defined as 10 in Eco,6 in biz ,4 in First ) travelling together and this is indeed published on their website ..you just submit your request and wait for a fare quotation reply ..but watchout the min nbr of pax travelling together as requirement …………………could this inspire u in a way or another ???an

[london2k]

Thanks a million KSH, I would really appreciate that. I see all the ads for “consolidators” boasting about their “huge discounts” in Biz and 1st, but then when I ring them the fare is EXACTLY what I see on the airline’s own web site.

A REAL consolidator, who has enough clout with an airline to actually make an offer for less than published fares and have it possibly accepted would be great.

Thanks again.

[KSHaggag]

Hi London2k !

Well…..try this one ….Americana Vacations ,11 Little Portland street ,London W1W7JQ tel 020 7637 7853 email <a href="mailto:[email protected]“>[email protected]
Am not sure he is a consolidator for LX tickets but you can still try ….in all cases he should be able to quote you the BEST EVER First Class fares he has ….
Hey….something crossed my mind ……Kuwait Airways is flying daily from LHR to JFK with a B777 and they have extreeeeeeeeeemely keen First Class fares ….you just have to add up a sector from JFK to SFO in First …why don t you fly Virgin America First on that leg for around USD1100 one way ????…..give it a try ….just a suggestion …there used to be Air India flying LHR/JFK with extra keen First Class fares and a great onboard service ….it is always those lesser known airlines ( still with good products but lower market identity ) that are the keenest to deal and lure those high paying customers …

Cheeeeeeeeeers !

Karim

Cheers !

[LuganoPirate]

I just checked on Expertflyer out of curiosity, and while there are still seats available, there are not that many in the premium classes. Admittedly I only looked at *A using the dates mid – end July +- 3 days, but it is indicative that the flights are filling up si deals will be few and far between.

I could suggest the following:
Try flights to New York/Chicago/Boston then on a US domestic flight.

Go via Vancouver or Montreal. Opens up the possibilities.

Have a look at some all inclusive packages, such as Kuoni, Hotel Plan, Thomas Cook etc. Sometimes they have very good all inclusive deals flying with the main carriers.

Sit tight and wait till late June. You’ll risk not flying but you may get some good deals if seats still remain!

[pomerol]

LuganoPirate

I seem to be missing the point here, I thought London2k wanted FC for the beginning of June.

I would agree if at all possible, Swiss would be the best bet by far, unless BA have a promotional booking CW with complimentary upgrade to FC

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