[DerekVH]

AhmadAR
The flight to Sri Lanka stops en route in Male, it does not fly on and double back. The flight will show the departure time and arrival time so it is not as if BA are trying to hide something. The aircraft is on the ground in Male for 90 minutes max.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

BA clearly states that there is 1 stop on its flights to CMB, but does not indicate where. Hardly difficult to work out, so have no sympathy for passengers who don’t realise.

Triangular routes on certain holiday flights are quite common from LUX and BRU. Good from a commercial point of view but they are a pain and add significant time to your journey. I actually prefer to disembark at intermediate point (happened this year on a flight from Djerba via Enfidha) instead of sitting on plane.

[nmh1204]

Ahmad, it clearly states there is 1 stop if you click the flight number, that is not hiding it.

A direct flight does not have to be non-stop. Trains, buses, coaches etc are mostly direct, and may or may not have stops. As long as there is no change of aircraft, BA have no need to alter the advert. Nor do they have to comply with the ASA ruling, they do not have any legal power.

[KarlMarx]

The definition of stopping direct flights is well past its sell by date and I support the ASA, who whilst they may not have ‘teeth’, do have the ear of agencies who do.

[canucklad]

I would have thought that the ASA could have focussed on other misleading tactics that the airline industry uses….

I’d have liked to see the complainants face, when after booking a “Y” BA flight they find themselves on an AA plane having to pay for their drinks.
Or BA’s NYC to JFK adverts, that made it out to be frequent departures throughout the day!

As frequent flyers, we know some of the shenanigans the marketing people get up to persuade us, that might mislead infrequent flyers, but “Direct” is not one of them.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Correction canucklad…wine and beer are free on transatlantic AA flights. Even for peeps in Ecomony. Happy Days 😉

[BigDog.]

canucklad – 31/07/2014 11:46 GMT

..I would have thought that the ASA could have focussed on other misleading tactics that the airline industry uses

..As frequent flyers, we know some of the shenanigans the marketing people get up to persuade us, that might mislead infrequent flyers, but “Direct” is not one of them.

+1

Needlessly pedantic when there are so much truly misleading terms being used – especially as already stated – Fuel Charges.

Should the ASA ban EWR from being referred as a “New York” airport? Unnecessary meddling imo.

[Ahmad]

DerekVH,

Unless things have changed in the past few years (pun intended), Male remains about 900 km southwest of Colombo. I have never flown BA there so don’t know their route. However, if one takes the shortest route over the North Sea, Urals and the Indian Subcontinent, Colombo comes first. In this case it would be flying on and doubling back. On the other hand, if BA takes the longer Central Europe, Middle East route, it would be a shorter deviation and technically no doubling back. Nevertheless, there will be an increase of several flying hours in addition to the layover and additional take off and landing, all contributing to increased discomfort. Especially in cattle class which the majority fly in.

[Author]

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