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Interesting post from Bagoly about seat selection, and the emergency exit row not being bookable depending on which route you take.
I flew back from Faro a couple of weeks ago, and when checking in with the app at T-24 the exit rows (11 and 12, CE) were not available to select. I moved my allocated seat from 10A to 9F (I like the view over London when landing at LHR).
Once on board, row 11 was empty, and people sitting in row 10 were asked to move to row 11, so someone could operate the exit doors in the event of an emergency.
(Incidentally, is the Faro lounge the worst in Europe?)
Yes @Gordon and I do those things already it was more about (a) the speed of the change and that (b) the CP is cheaper than the HIX.
Yes @Gordon and I do those things already it was more about (a) the speed of the change and that (b) the CP is cheaper than the HIX.
Indeed! I have been monitoring property prices at various locations in Southern East Asia for sometime, re a planned trip, and I’ve been surprised by the volatility of prices.
HIX is often more expensive because breakfast is included which increases demand from certain nationalities. Also, there are some that would book it because they assume it will be cheaper. I imagine it has a larger percentage of rooms books hence the price?
I’ll never understand hotel pricing.
Checked earlier for the LHR CP T4 for next Wednesday and it was coming up as £ 150.
Was going to book but got distracted. Just searched again and it’s £ 127.
Same booking conditions and everything,
The HIX is going for £ 187!
Or for an extra few minutes walk the Premier Inn is only £71. Doesn’t come with or count towards the IHG benefits of course, but to arrive, sleep and leave the beds are just as comfortable for half the price in generic terms.
I’ll never understand hotel pricing.
Checked earlier for the LHR CP T4 for next Wednesday and it was coming up as £ 150.
Was going to book but got distracted. Just searched again and it’s £ 127.
Same booking conditions and everything,
The HIX is going for £ 187!
Or for an extra few minutes walk the Premier Inn is only £71. Doesn’t come with or count towards the IHG benefits of course, but to arrive, sleep and leave the beds are just as comfortable for half the price in generic terms.
Exactly, Example – I booked the PI for LGW North terminal, for November at £88, flexible rate (a slight increase of £2 so far) a few minutes walk to the terminal,
The Hampton by Hilton opposite is almost double, for the same date!
With the expansion in the Pipeline, Dominic Paul Seems to be moving the brand in the right direction.
Virgins process of needing to book companion vouchers on separate PNRs is so frustrating – and being reluctant to pay for seats – causes unnecessary stress about being seated with the family.
I have a small kid and yet I believe it’s just one of the costs of raising a child. Pay up and have peace of mind or keep worrying until the last min.
£19 is pretty cheap compared to BA. In the grand scheme of things, it’s tiny, probably less than a meal for one at a restaurant.Seat selection is free for all the family on Singapore Airlines if there’s a child in the group.
Has anyone with status used the CP T4 and asked for a late checkout and had any luck?
Is there any timeframe for when Virgin open the Seoul route for bookings?
It was open but Virgin forgot to get some permit from the local authorities there, so sales are suspended until it gets sorted.
BACF are starting flights to Chambery from Stansted Sunday 14th December 25 with inbound flights on Saturdays.
Hi. I checked in for a flight I have tomorrow morning. I’m Gold so chose my seat a while ago. My booking was showing a seat number when I checked in but now it says ‘no seat assigned’ It’s not letting me download my boarding pass either. Has this happened to anyone before? I know BA IT isn’t the best so wonder if it’s a glitch
Any word on other coffee chains joining nectar now cafe Nero are leaving? Starbucks? Costa?
Nectar has lots of collecting partners but only a few spending options – hardly any worth while to me outside of cafe Nero, so won’t be going out my way now to collect nectar.
On the subject of Cafe Nero – do you get stamps on your app when using the 25% compare the market discount? Oddly that’s not on their FAQs. Thought that would be one of the first questions….
Greetings from my easyJet flight where they are playing boarding music. Quite a nice instrumental. A new feature.
Good evening from the 5b lounge which is at no more than 20% capacity despite the sign after security claiming 84%.
The food remains disappointing for vegetarians.
Mrs Aston has decided she is a vegetarian this week and has somehow managed with a plate full of Stilton and a vegan scotch egg.
Hoping the food onboard is better.Once on board, row 11 was empty, and people sitting in row 10 were asked to move to row 11, so someone could operate the exit doors in the event of an emergency.
(Incidentally, is the Faro lounge the worst in Europe?)[/quote]
Definitely bad and now with the direct FAO flights to the USA and Canada it’s common to be denied entry if returning to LGW at 13.20. The American flights are bigger aircraft, full of status passengers, so you simply get turned away. Have flagged to BA but zero response so far.
Have learned my lesson, pre booking the Railair bus back from LHR. Our flight back from VIE recently was badly delayed (2hrs so not enough for any compensation but enough that the only remaining Railair bus would have got us to within 3 miles of home at a tad past midnight.
Asked Railair for either a refund or voucher and the response was a blunt “we were available to transport you at the time you booked, so tough”. Realising that there are regular airport or flight delays, I’ve told them that their inflexibility has lost them a regular customer. Elizabeth line next time.
Could someone let me know the answer to my question. If I have used my BA Amex companion voucher for a one way flight to Sydney in September, can I still add a return to the ticket. If so, do I have to book the return before I take the outward leg of the flight? Thanks.
Yes you have to book the return before you fly the outbound, and it has to be within 12 months of it. Availability might be an issue, though, unless you’re leaving a big gap or doing an open jaw.
I know it’s hard to keep up, but I’ve had an email today offering 80% bonus on IHG points. I think it’s about 5 days since the 100% offer ended?! Anyway, I’m not in the market for anything less than 100%!
Is there any timeframe for when Virgin open the Seoul route for bookings?
It was open but Virgin forgot to get some permit from the local authorities there, so sales are suspended until it gets sorted.
It’s quite normal to sell seats on new routes without government approvals which are usually expected. It seems to me to be more a convenient device by VS to avoid obligations arising from cancellations after selling seats on a route they may very well bin before launch due to the ongoing restrictions on Russia overflights.
If they bin the route they lose the slot pairs they have been given to enable them to operate it.
It’s also likely that other airlines / airports will become increasingly sceptical about their reliability as a partner.
https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/28/virgin-atlantic-seoul-flights-not-on-sale/
If Virgin Atlantic operates the remedy flights to Seoul for the next three years, as it has agreed to, it will be gifted the Heathrow slots to use as it wishes. However much money it might lose flying to Seoul for three years, it should be less than the value of a Heathrow slot pair.
Yes you have to book the return before you fly the outbound, and it has to be within 12 months of it. Availability might be an issue, though, unless you’re leaving a big gap or doing an open jaw.
I know it’s hard to keep up, but I’ve had an email today offering 80% bonus on IHG points. I think it’s about 5 days since the 100% offer ended?! Anyway, I’m not in the market for anything less than 100%!
Thank you Northern Lass. Yes I would be leaving a long gap before returning.
@damboy5 I think return has to be within 12 months less one day, of the date the ticket is issued rather than the outbound date. It won’t be able to be changed to a date beyond that last date later either.
Personally I’d phone to change it when a return is found and pay the £35 change fee with the idea of asking the agent if it’s possible to create a new ticket whilst keeping hold of the original seat and putting it in the new ticket.
But if a sought after route and the return seat comes up then I’d have prepared knowing costs etc and just booked the return as a one way – but I guess with a Companion Voucher this isn’t gonna help. So I’d be phoning and hope to connect with a willing, quick and capable agent.
If they bin the route they lose the slot pairs they have been given to enable them to operate it.
It’s also likely that other airlines / airports will become increasingly sceptical about their reliability as a partner.
https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/28/virgin-atlantic-seoul-flights-not-on-sale/
If Virgin Atlantic operates the remedy flights to Seoul for the next three years, as it has agreed to, it will be gifted the Heathrow slots to use as it wishes. However much money it might lose flying to Seoul for three years, it should be less than the value of a Heathrow slot pair.
True but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out given their track record.
HIX is often more expensive because breakfast is included which increases demand from certain nationalities. Also, there are some that would book it because they assume it will be cheaper. I imagine it has a larger percentage of rooms books hence the price?
The HIX side has more rooms but only because they are smaller than the CP side
In general the HIX is cheaper than the CP. In October the HIX is £ 93 but the CP is £ 145 (inc breakfast)
True the HIX room rate does include brrakfast but that doesn’t always maker it cheaper
For next Wed night (when I need to stay) The HIX is £ 187 but the CP is £ 127. The CP rate with breakfast is £ 142.
Perople shouldn’t just assume the HIX is cheaper.
@damboy5 I think return has to be within 12 months less one day, of the date the ticket is issued rather than the outbound date. It won’t be able to be changed to a date beyond that last date later either.
Personally I’d phone to change it when a return is found and pay the £35 change fee with the idea of asking the agent if it’s possible to create a new ticket whilst keeping hold of the original seat and putting it in the new ticket.
But if a sought after route and the return seat comes up then I’d have prepared knowing costs etc and just booked the return as a one way – but I guess with a Companion Voucher this isn’t gonna help. So I’d be phoning and hope to connect with a willing, quick and capable agent.
Thanks Lady London for your advice. Do you know whether it’s possible to use the return portion of the companion voucher to book business class flights from Sydney to Singapore (only) instead of having to return all the way to London?
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