News: British Airways reroutes Buenos Aires, get airport takeaway via Priority Pass

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• Tariq says:

  14 Apr14 April 05:31

  The Barclays setting is within the ‘View your Avios’ page in the app, where incidentally you can also change the reward option for the Premier Avios annual reward and also see a progress tracker towards any sign up bonuses on the Avios credit card.

  • CarpalTravel says:

    14 Apr14 April 19:40

    Thanks!

• Robert says:

  14 Apr14 April 06:13

  OT had a 5 hour delay due to the bad weather issues at LHR this week, and wondered if it’s worth asking BA about any compensation? Are we still covered by the EU rule that pays out a fixed amount? Thanks in advance.

  • Ian says:

    14 Apr14 April 06:54

    If you arrive at destination more than 3 hrs late I believe you can claim compensation exactly as the EU rule explains.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    14 Apr14 April 07:01

    Weather delay = zero compensation.

  • Lou says:

    14 Apr14 April 08:24

    If because of the delay you needed to book a hotel or a taxi, e.g. no public transport, then BA may refund you

    • Robert says:

      14 Apr14 April 08:47

      Thanks for the tips. Got re-booked to a later connecting flight, so just meant a longer lay over in LHR. No harm in asking them I guess.

      • Nick says:

        14 Apr14 April 12:40

        EU 261 does still apply but BA can’t control the weather so there’s no compensation here. They will reimburse duty of care expenses (e.g. meals) against receipts if they didn’t offer a voucher on the day.

  • Jack says:

    14 Apr14 April 19:14

    As it was a weather related delay no compensation would be payable . However, if the delay caused you to need to book a taxi as there is no public transport you should be able to get compensation for this as well as any meals you purchased etc.

• Alex Sm says:

  14 Apr14 April 06:54

  How is a change of flights in Madrid better than a short stopover in Rio without even changing planes? If there is a massive price difference then probably yes, but otherwise?

  • Ed says:

    14 Apr14 April 07:00

    Agreed. But Iberia business seat on the A350 is miles better than Club World (less of a difference with Club Suite but still better) and also Avios redemptions with Iberia are, presently at least (and say it quietly cos it’s the next thing to go I worry) much better value if you start in Madrid…..

    • Richie says:

      14 Apr14 April 07:39

      I’d rather be in the MAD T4S lounge before my flight.

  • JDB says:

    14 Apr14 April 07:29

    @AlexSM – the stopover in Rio isn’t so short (1h30) and it means that you arrive in Buenos Aires at 11.40 rather than 08.25 when the nonstop flight was scheduled to land, too late for our usual lunch booking. This new flight via GIG is also on a 777 vs the direct flight that was on 788 and in the winter season just passed, the flight via GRU was always on A350 (couldn’t really change owing to two crews down route) and a few nonstops were scheduled on the other days. Winter 2024 was originally scheduled to nonstops five days a week.

    16h30 in a B777 is a long time! I wasn’t looking forward to 14h in what might still have been CW on 788. Iberia via Madrid is the superior option in every regard including choice of two daily flights.

    • DorsetFlyer says:

      14 Apr14 April 07:43

      I can see it both ways.
      We recently flew via Madrid with Iberia to Bogota. On the way back we had a long delay at Madrid due to problems with the connection on to Heathrow.
      So although Madrid lounge is awesome and nice to get out/stretch legs, there can be issues with any transfer.
      We have just been switched from LHR-EZE direct to this new stopping service. I am going to stick with BA rather than switch to Iberia. Never tried Club Suite and we end up with a transfer or stop over either at GIG or MAD no matter whether BA or Iberia.

  • Alan says:

    14 Apr14 April 07:54

    If you would have had to connect at LHR anyway from UK domestic and can get a flight direct to MAD and connect there instead then would be one less connection vs flying BA. Sadly MAD not as good an option as the like as AMS from non-London airports.

  • JDB says:

    14 Apr14 April 08:04

    It is also 62,500 Avios cheaper on IB via Madrid, even on single ticket for checked though bags and protected connection. Not much difference in cash.

    The new BA routing’s 11.40 arrival (vs 10.05 currently and was scheduled for 08.25 on nonstop) allows for more domestic connections, most of which are from the other airport.

• Matt says:

  14 Apr14 April 07:26

  Slightly OT, but I’m looking to book an Iberia flight on 31/03/24 or 01/04/2024 but the Iberia website and Avios is only showing flights to 30/03/2024. I have checked multiple destinations so isn’t a destination specific issue but seems Iberia hasn’t loaded flights past 30/03/2024, I’ve been checking over the last couple of days and it’s been the same. My understanding was Iberia releases flights 355 days in advance..can someone advise?

  • Richie says:

    14 Apr14 April 07:40

    I’d just keep checking.

  • jjoohhnn says:

    14 Apr14 April 10:44

    It will be because the summer schedule starts on that day along with summer time clocks change. You’ll have to wait for the summer schedule to be loaded.

    • Matt says:

      14 Apr14 April 10:47

      Thanks John – do you know when that will likely be loaded?

      • jjoohhnn says:

        14 Apr14 April 12:57

        No idea, sorry!

• SM london says:

  14 Apr14 April 07:27

  My November flights were moved to include rio stopover – it says the new aircraft is 777 but I can’t check the seat map until I accept the new itinerary. I think it’s club suite based on my research but can anyone confirm/deny (appreciate it’s never 100% confirmed until you fly!)

  • Alex G says:

    14 Apr14 April 09:15

    Do a dummy cash booking. You should get seat selection before you get to the payment stage.

  • Rizz says:

    14 Apr14 April 09:16

    New Club Suite, at least based on a couple of Nov dates I looked at.

  • Lady London says:

    14 Apr14 April 10:39

    Club Suite wouldn’t make me accept a 777 voluntarily. It’s a tiring aircraft regardless of the seat and the longer the flight the more tiring it is. The noise and air in the 777 are just so oldfashioned compared to the A350 or A380.

    In recent weeks BA’s night flights to South Africa have switched between 777 and A380 and I’m reminded of this when the 777 rumbles over my house – I always know it’s a 777 regardless of the height it’s flying at by the vibration, before I check Flightradar to confirm.

    Similar with Virgin and their flights to Nigeria or South Africa at same sort of time – you hear the A350 much less than the others. Funnily enough the Boeing Dreamliner is still noisier than the A350/A380.

    • DeB2020 says:

      14 Apr14 April 10:56

      And there I was thinking that I am the only one who thinks that the B787 is noisier than the A380 and A350, even on-board.

      Lost count of the number of people who told me that I am daft. 😄

    • SteveW says:

      14 Apr14 April 11:32

      Ha Ha, we live near Billingshurst and I hear all those flights too. My wife rolls her eyes when I say oh that’s probably the LGW to MRU or the BA 57 etc.

    • JDB says:

      14 Apr14 April 13:48

      @Lady London – shock, horror, probe, I agree with you 100%! The worst aspect of these creaky old BA aircraft (newer QR ones very different) on the South American routes is that there is almost invariably severe turbulence crossing the south Atlantic and the noise and vibration inside these old 777’s is terrible.

      On receiving our cancellation emails for the nonstop 788 flights, even my wife who abhors connecting flights/extra journey time immediately said let’s go with Iberia instead.

• Alan says:

  14 Apr14 April 07:55

  Shame to see the Avios alternative is as rubbish as predicted and also that you can’t exchange a previously earned voucher (where a pittance may be better than nothing).

• John G says:

  14 Apr14 April 08:06

  Grrr I just triggered my upgrade voucher last week and already in by BA account. Would have been great to have the option for 7k Avios instead of the voucher going to waste.

• AW says:

  14 Apr14 April 08:37

  I have Barclays Avios Rewards via my bank account. It says my anniversary date is 20 April. It also says I have just earned the voucher. Does this mean it’s too late to change because the voucher issued at the start of the month when my 12th payment of the year was taken and my 12th 1,500 Avios were issued? Or do we think I could ask them to switch before 20 April?

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