British Airways has announced two new Summer routes to Preveza (Greece) and Bastia (Corsica) starting from May 2019.
Flights to Preveza will be operating on Wednesdays and Sundays starting on 26th May, departing London Heathrow at 08:20 on Wednesdays (arriving 13:45) and 11:25 on Sundays (arriving 16:50) and returning from Preveza at 14:45 on Wednesdays (arriving 16:10). This seasonal flight will be operated until 29th September.
Starting on 25th May there will also be a once weekly flight from Heathrow to Bastia. This flight will be operating on Saturdays leaving Heathrow at 07:40 (arriving 11:00) and returning from Bastia at 11:50 (landing at 13:10). The last flight of the season will be on 28th September.
As new routes, London Heathrow to Preveza and Bastia are wide open for Avios availability and bookable as of now.
To maximise your miles when paying, your best bet is the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card which earns double Avios (3 per £1) when you book at ba.com or via BA Holidays. You do not get double Avios if you book with the free British Airways American Express card. Another option is American Express Preferred Rewards Gold which offers double points – 2 per £1 – when you book flight tickets directly with an airline.
On the downside, British Airways has announced that flights to Murcia will not resume next Summer. There has also been an unannounced cut in the weekend services from Manchester to Ibiza, which drop from four weekly flights to just one.
(Want to earn more Avios? Click here to visit our home page for the latest articles on earning and spending your Avios points and click here to see how to earn more Avios from current offers and promotions.)
About Head for Points
As a follow on to the stansted escape lounge, I’ve heard that’s it’s almost impossible to gain entry in the early mornings.
What about prior to a 5pm departure?
I will of course report back
The thing that annoys me about the Stansted Escape Lounge is that it closes at 8.30pm, when the last flight normally departs around midnight. Yes, it is true that there are relatively few flights after 8.30pm, but there are some. Also, there are often a few flights that have been delayed. If my flight is delayed – that’s when I most want a lounge.
+1. They’re not interested in serving the stragglers I expect. they are open for the good hours not to provide a service.
Not sure if Stansted could be lobbied to require opening times up to 1 hour before the last flight? else we could really really do with another lounge under different ownership at Stansted and I’m sure it would make money
The only airport I dislike more than Stansted and Luton is Berlin Schoenefeld. Just about OK landside if not too crowded, but rubbish at all times from the point you start going through the xrays.
I’ve always got in at 4.30am.
Much after that though, and I see people being turned away.
Large parties that book there can close off lots of the lounge. Even at that hour. They seem to reserve tables hours before the people who booked them will arrive.
Without a lounge I don’t think I’d have the strength to use Stansted airport. IMV it’s a hellhole that only exceeded in hellishness by Luton.
OT-Marriott
Any advantage of using Marriott APP Check-in?
Staying at JWM Singapore.
None IMO. Much better dealing with people face-to-face.
Not until the day they convince us that you won’t get a better upgrade at the desk (which you usually will).
Stayed here for one night on points in Feb this year after disembarking from cruise ship, super hotel!! I’m a Marriott Gold, so at the time was in line for lounge access/breakfast/late check out etc. Didn’t do online check in, but upgrade was showing in the app the night before.
Did a “walk off with luggage” from ship, so arrived at the hotel just just after 8am, couldn’t do enough, wonderful check-in desk experience then shown to the “lounge” to enjoy breakfast. Just over half an hour later someone from the front desk arrived up and presented me with my room key! Made our way up before 9am to be greeted by our suitcases in a suite overlooking the city/Clarke Quay area, marvellous! Hotel right next to Raffles and a short walk into town.
Late flight home next day, so given a 6pm checkout, then some food and a few aperitifs in the lounge again before taxi to airport… even gave us both a free arm and hands massage over afternoon tea in that lounge!
With the early check in and late departure we spent almost 2 full days there and never it cost me a penny.
You’ll love the place, wish I was going back tomorrow…
“I’m a Marriott Gold, so at the time….”
….except now, everything has changed.
Thus the majority of what you mention would not be on offer to a mere ‘Gold’ today (or at least, certainly not guaranteed)
OT: Do CE passengers flying out of LCY get any vouchers in lieu of lounge access?
Nope.
From what I can ascertain, you get the following “perks” flying CE out of City:
– priority boarding. This means you’re hemmed into a sub-pen at the gate and allowed to start the dash to the plane a few moments before the rest of the passengers
– a light meal, the value of which depends on time of flight. Quality was decent IIRC and the booze is freely available (not that it’s usually restricted in ET – remember LCY isn’t on “buy on board” and shows no signs of going that way).
– extra tier points and Avios if it’s a cash booking.
IMO it’s really not worth it unless you need the TPs.
And 2 large suitcases. I recently cancelled a Y redemption and booked one in J from LCY to AMS when I needed to take a lot of kit across – much cheaper than the fees they wanted to charge for extra bags in Y!
Another perk more useful for LHR than LCY – CE can also check in w/ checked luggage from 5AM whereas ET need to wait for T-3 hrs approx
I always forget about luggage as we never use more than one bag short haul, and never fly less than business long haul*.
*not being boastful here – I keep the receipt for a WT+ flight we took in 2014 as a reminder of how much we have learned in the last two or three years about premium travel for non-premium prices…
O/T compo news: I mentioned a couple of weeks a that people have won MCOL cases claiming EC261 compo against BA for delayed flights due to in house strikes – which are no longer seen as extraordinary circs. (You wouldn’t stand a chance with ATC strikes.)
Now CAA is advising Ryanair passengers hit by Ryanair strikes to claim compo
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/holidays/article-6232711/Watchdog-tells-Ryanair-passengers-claim-compensation-strike-delays.html
You can go back 6 years.
If this is comp under EC261, can I go back and make a claim from Lufthansa for their own, frequent, industrial action? Flight was GER to UK.
Sure – CAA is encouraging it against Ryanair for the same reasons you would probably win against Lufthansa. CAA considers the airlines have NOT done their best to keep the flights going in these in house strike situations (which are foreseeable and manageable). Be prepared to fight, though. Or consider Bott & Co if you don’t want the hassle.
Do you think that’s fair @Shoestring?
I think that’d depend on the size of the airline & it’s ability to sort out crew issues – for Ryanair, BA, Lufthansa: they’re huge and should make back-up/ contingency plans. Also all 3 seem very poor at managing staff to avoid strikes. Also knowing that 95% of people won’t claim, then yes I would look after number 1 even if it was slightly unfair to these huge corporations. Maybe make it fairer by not letting crews go on strike without 15 days’ notice.
Planning to do a Fri-Sun somewhere reachable via Eurostar in the middle of November. Any particular good SPG hotel redemptions I should be aware of?
Hum. November. Freezing and foggy in a lot of places. However wine, mushrooms and truffles wonderful at that time. Game in season. Sorry I don’t know any nice SPG /Marriott hotels in Piedmont/Alba, or Burgundy. But I wish I did.
OT. I’ve been told it’s best to order Thai Baht before arrival. What is the cheapest way to do this? Can I order it from somewhere in Baht and have it charged to Curve, therefore saving on FX fees? Thanks, sorry if this is a stupid question.
I thought physical cash in Bangkok is best?
Rule always used to be: take USD banknotes and get them changed locally (in BKK) for the best exchange rate. Can’t see you stand to lose much if you used an ATM (there’ll be a small fee such as 200 Baht) and withdraw (say) £300 a time on a card such as Clarity. All the hotels will accept cards. I wouldn’t get Baht n the UK – crap rate everywhere.
Same for AUD?
Thanks, might take some USD then as 200 Baht is nearly 5 quid a time.
I was wondering if ordering Baht online can I also PAY in Baht, therefore avoiding any FX fee… I guess not otherwise how would they make any money!
Mr Dee – in Aus just use the ATM 🙂
Oh right AUD – should be true same as GBP/ EUR I guess
Yes. Take £50 notes and change them at SuperRich on Sukhumvit.
If you must use a Thai ATM then do large withdrawals.
O/T amongst a lot of the usual dross on FT there is a gem today – BA AGP-LGW £13.50 ow (Malaga-Gatwick) – various dates January through May 2019.
Decent long weekend for £50 return. Not an error fare. Cheap car hire in off season as well. H/T FT.
Wow. That’s good. I booked for end of April but via LHR. Shame not refundable.
Wow. Easyjet will be trembling in their shoes.
Not everyone is a BA fan. Many more people travel with easyJet than with BA
OT – Marriott 29 ways game
looks like Marriott has changed their T&C to state per day,
The total maximum ARV of all prizes is $3,731,553.40USD. Limit one (1) Instant Win Prize per person, per day.
Another 50 points closer to my next holiday
Hurrah! Thanks for the heads up, another 50 points each for us. Marriott seems to have done more U-turns than I don’t know what.
…than a corkscrew?
Whoop! Just won a second 50pts on my partner’s account.
Worked out I can play in the time it takes our vending machine to make a cup of tea so persevered on my own account but I’m now back to two plays a day for both of us.
Thanks for heads-up.
Awesome! 1000pts instant win for me today…