Bits: bigger BA Holidays discounts in the BA sale, Etihad Guest devalues

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• Hingeless says:

  8 Sep8 September 04:21

  I find the best use of Etihad miles for me is on domestic Virgin Australia flights, eg Sydney to cairns for 13,900 in business each way. Its better value than using BA, QF, or VA miles.

• Sanjay says:

  8 Sep8 September 05:49

  Have just burnt through a few million miles over the past couple years on EY and American and booked a couple more before the last devaluation.

  With these changes, happy I have only enough for 1 more trip. Many other airlines have more acceptable use of miles and taxes/cash with decent hard and soft products.

  With all the cuts, Etihad is gouging its customers for the mistakes of its previous management.

• Alex H says:

  8 Sep8 September 08:05

  O/T but BA related. Mrs H off to JFK from Edi via LHR in CW. This was booked last October prior to the introduction of CE on the connection. Tried on the phone to BA to get the connection changed from ET to CE but they said as it was booked through Avios using a Lloyds upgrade voucher we would have to take it up with them. They said no seats left. Mrs H now on the delayed 8am flight in ET and at least 3 empty seats in CE. Also she was refused entry to BA lounge as “your Business Class ticket doesn’t count until you get to Heathrow ” they weren’t interested that it was on a through ticket. Not the best customer service

  • the real harry1 says:

    8 Sep8 September 08:17

    agent got it wrong (unless the lounge was full):

    ‘Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights:
    First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
    Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight.
    You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight. ‘

    BA’s rules are similar, ie connection Economy 1st leg to Business/ First second leg (on the same day) means you get 2x lounge access

    • Tom says:

      8 Sep8 September 08:24

      Does the booking have to be on the same Reference or could you have two separate, but connecting bookings, i.e. return economy flights to Heathrow then another return trip in business and first abroad (but on a different ref)?

      • the real harry1 says:

        8 Sep8 September 08:29

        does not need to be same PNR

        • Genghis says:

          8 Sep8 September 08:30

          Interesting

      • Genghis says:

        8 Sep8 September 08:29

        I’m no expert as London based but to ‘connect’ implies to change planes on the same ticket.

        • the real harry1 says:

          8 Sep8 September 08:38

          but ‘You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight’ indicates there can be separate documentation/ PNRs

        • Nick says:

          8 Sep8 September 08:49

          Harry is right about the entry rules but it DOES need to be on the same PNR. Genghis is right about the ‘connect’ wording, it has to be a verifiable through booking.

        • Nick says:

          8 Sep8 September 08:50

          Whether the agent notices if you have BPs is another question entirely…

        • Alan says:

          10 Sep10 September 17:42

          I’ve never seen a same PNR requirement – you’re still connecting between two OW flights – if you just show both BPs I’ve never had an issue (this was prior to having status for me although know others without status that have done it more recently)

    • Alan says:

      10 Sep10 September 17:43

      Good visual summary of rules here too:
      http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20421104-post5.html

  • Andrew says:

    8 Sep8 September 09:48

    Three empty seats?

    Do BA still keep some free on certain morning flights from EDI for Business Carnet holders for key business contracts, Scottish Government officials and the Royals when at Holyrood?

  • JamesB says:

    8 Sep8 September 15:33

    She should have got CE check in, fast track and lounge. Had the same circumstances with booking as your wife exINV on Wednesday. All staff were clued up on the rules though and had no issues, even at the lounge which was Aspire. I recommend your wife save the rules page referred to by Harry for next time if she fails to get CE on any shorthaul or domestic sectors. Might even be worth trying aspire or No1 lounge but I’m not sure if they can allow access under these rules when the airline
    has it’s own lounge. I’ve experienced numerous problems with fast track access at EDU before but so far not in the lounge.

    • Alan says:

      10 Sep10 September 17:59

      Can’t see #1 or Aspire being able to help for BA booking but perhaps even just having the OW lounge access rules bookmarked and showing them it on your phone would help. Generally EDI have been excellent and it’s LHR (on the return leg) where the problems crop up!

  • Erico1975 says:

    9 Sep9 September 21:35

    Since the new CE Domestic, the cash cost of an Avios Long Haul redemption from EDI has spiralled although the Avios remain the same.
    eg LHR to BOM for 2 one way, off peak 125K Avios, + £691 where as EDI – LHR- BOM 125K Avios+ £884
    A difference of nearly £190!

    • Alan says:

      10 Sep10 September 18:00

      Did you progress through to the final payment page? There seems to be a bit of glitch with BA.com where it overestimates the taxes/fees/charges until you get to that page. It IS higher than before but shouldn’t be that level!

      • Erico1875 says:

        10 Sep10 September 18:15

        No I didnt Alan. I have now and the difference is down to £60ish which I can live with. THANKS

        • Alan says:

          10 Sep10 September 18:17

          Excellent 🙂

        • the real harry1 says:

          10 Sep10 September 18:21

          lots of tight Scots around

        • Alan says:

          10 Sep10 September 18:22

          LOL we just don’t like paying BA more than necessary – a sentiment I suspect you share given your status as #KingofBoBclaims… 😉

        • the real harry1 says:

          10 Sep10 September 18:27

          I salute you 🙂

  • Alan says:

    10 Sep10 September 17:37

    Very disappointing to hear that – EDI lounge never been an issue previously in that situation as access rules are clear re same-day connection to CW flight. Worth lodging a complaint for (hopefully) some Avios…

• Rashad says:

  8 Sep8 September 08:11

  Thanks Rob for Etihad update, would you say that it’s a best time to book a redemption flight before changes been implemented?

  • Rob says:

    8 Sep8 September 08:31

    Yes – if only because you can cancel and rebook should the cost on your route drop, so you’ve lost nothing except the cancellation fee.

    • gomigo says:

      8 Sep8 September 09:56

      10% Etihad Miles deduction is the penalty for any award seat cancellation + 100AED change fee. The same clause apply for partner airlines. So think twice before cancelling Biz / First class award ticket. I lost a huge junk recently for cancelling Biz class on ANA route to SYD for family of 3 !!!!

      • Louie says:

        8 Sep8 September 11:42

        I booked internal Australian flights using Etihad miles which would have expired otherwise. Plans have changed – does anyone know if can I change the flights (still within Australia and costing the same miles but between different airports) or do they simply redeposit the miles (in which case I think I will lose them as they will instantly expire)?.

• Ian says:

  8 Sep8 September 08:54

  I’ve got about 50k miles expiring in December. there is now way of extending the life of the miles is there? Is Malaysia airlines the only one looking when trying to redeem in South East Asia?

  • Rob says:

    8 Sep8 September 09:14

    Etihad miles can be turned into cash via PointsPay, don’t forget. Rate is decent due to collapse of £.

    • Ian says:

      8 Sep8 September 09:26

      That’s a great idea, thanks Rob. And I looked into some items on their shop, which I can then sell via ebay as well. Etihad redemptions are really poor!

• the real harry1 says:

  8 Sep8 September 08:55

  O/T Bristol Airport SEP17 gives you 10% off car parking

  (Bristol Airport official parking often tough to find any discount)

  • Cate says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:48

    +1 and each month it changes i.e. AUG17, JUL17, etc etc.

    When you book over the phone tell them you have a code BEFORE they start looking for availability or it will slip off the radar when it gets to the quote stage.

    The Hampton at Bristol is very nice too.

• Ben says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:09

  +1 Just what I need…will book now.
  Helpful as always Harry

  • the real harry1 says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:46

    should have mentioned I booked parking with DriveFly – I have used them many times now, excellent service though it pays to announce your arrival back in LHR as soon as you land as they take 15-20 mins to get your car from their secure parking compound into the short term multi-storey carpark

• Janeyferr says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:37

  OT:
  Social chitchat.

  Who will be doing Mail Rail this weekend? I’ll be there Saturday afternoon.

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