241:no return for LHR-GRU-LHR around Easter, more appearing later on?
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Have an outbound PE for 11 April
but just nothing any day around 21 for GRU-LHR.
Does anyone have any experience of more availability being
loaded later on? Cash prices always crazy, especially one way.As an aside, if a flight did come up, could I add it on
over the phone, using GRU taxes, as I’m unable to book it online (at present)?Thanks!
Hi Michael, if BA adds this on by phone you will have to pay their surcharges, no getting around that, sadly.
Another reader had a similar question about SIN the other day & there was actually CW availability back to MAN when I searched with the companion voucher. (The reader doesn’t seem to have looked at responses after their rant though!)
I’m assuming you either don’t have a spare one in either of your accounts or a search has come up blank so far?
If you want me to do a search with a 241 (including regional arrivals) I’ll have a look in the morning – in theory if the seats are there, BA should be able to see them!
Only issue will be is that you can only book 2 pax on the “extra availability”; you don’t say what the plans are but I’m assuming it’s an Easter break 🤷♀️
I think it’s unlikely that more PE would appear, due to the size and demand for the cabin.
With 241 vouchers there could well be additional seats released at any time, and yes you can call to add the new segment if it becomes available. The challenge is that most of the additional seats added are available for use with 241 vouchers only, so you can only search for them on ba.com if you have an unused voucher in your account (the usual reward flight tools don’t work for this at least, but there could be a trick that I’m not aware of). There could also be seats that are only available for connecting passengers, ie. GRU-LON-EDI, so you might need to get a bit creative when searching for them.
There look to be economy redemption seats with Iberia. That’s probably your best bet, if only to hold in reserve in case nothing turns up with BA.
They don’t show on BA.com as they are the more expensive ‘Economy’ rather than the ‘Blue’ class seats, so you would need an active Iberia account (at least 90 days old) to book them by transfering Avios out of your BA account though.
Just had a quick and there’s nothing to MAN or EDI at the moment, in any cabin, presumably because you need to come home on Easter weekend which is the end of the school holidays!
I can have another look in a couple of days but have you also set up SeatSpy alerts in case there are any cancellations?
You don’t say if you’re using a 2for1, but if not, the way to avoid the carrier surcharges from Brazil on the way back is simply to book two one-way flights.
In the case of the Iberia redemption I’ve mentioned above you would have to book as one-ways anyway on the assumption your current outbound is booked via BA.com as these have to be booked on Iberia.com (and therefore can”t benefit from a 2for1).
You don’t say if you’re using a 2for1, but if not, the way to avoid the carrier surcharges from Brazil on the way back is simply to book two one-way flights.
In the case of the Iberia redemption I’ve mentioned above you would have to book as one-ways anyway on the assumption your current outbound is booked via BA.com as these have to be booked on Iberia.com (and therefore can”t benefit from a 2for1).
You can book IB on a 241 booking via BA.com, so I’m not sure what you are referring to
You can book IB on a 241 booking via BA.com, so I’m not sure what you are referring to
Not where the availability doesn’t appear on BA.com, as is the case for these particular seats.
Thanks, @HorthernLass et al.!
Yes, just 2 tickets, economy ok and yes voucher, and have the spare 241 for searching, pero nada de nada!
Will look into the Iberia option; surprisingly, nothing at all with them either, at least via BA. I’ve found out in economy back in PE for GBP800 on a Hotline flight…might have to stump up!
As an aside, if a flight did come up, could I add it on
over the phone, using GRU taxes, as I’m unable to book it online (at present)?Thanks!
The flight wouldn’t be added to your existing booking.
You’d have two separate bookings. And since this will be a separate booking the cheaper ex Brazil surcharges would apply.
If you have the avios available you could book this online but you would still need to call to have the 50% avios refunded using the voucher you used on the outbound. Don’t use your 2nd voucher.
Thanks, @HorthernLass et al.!
Yes, just 2 tickets, economy ok and yes voucher, and have the spare 241 for searching, pero nada de nada!
Will look into the Iberia option; surprisingly, nothing at all with them either, at least via BA. I’ve found out in economy back in PE for GBP800 on a Hotline flight…might have to stump up!
Horthern??!!
Hopefully not a Freudian slip 🤷♀️😂
Just had a thought though – BA might well refuse to add the inbound, or refund 50% avios if returns did come up, because of course it’s well past T-355 now.
Hopefully you’ve got enough validity on the 241 to use it on another trip.
Adding an inbound would be ok were there availability to do it, though that would result in the full RFS charges being applied to the round trip.
I had the same thought about calling for a 50% Avios rebate on a separate inbound booking – it might well be refused, especially as you would pay the lower charges. Since there’s no published policy or Ts and Cs for it, to my knowledge, there’s nothing to go off other than anecdotes.
In any case it is moot if there is no BA/IB availability bookable through BA.
It’s all pointing towards a “pay and whinge” scenario!! But that leaves voucher for summer fun, so hey-ho!
What about LATAM – I think there’s a way of using avios?
You might want to watch Iberia’s own website for cash sales. Usualy they run at least 1 or 2 a year to a selection of South American destinations and prices can be really good. Even such as to allow a positioning flight the day before and a hotel in MAD.
Normally I’d expect to see one between October and Christmas.
What about LATAM – I think there’s a way of using avios?
Yes, via a BA or Iberia redemption search. But, as per my earlier post, there is already a way of using Avios for Iberia economy coming back on 21/4 – just not with a 2for1.
LATAM flies direct, but if there were Avios availability you would probably have already seen it.
@Micheal C am I right in thinking you already have the BA PE outbound booked with a 2for1?
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