Big Sorry, Small Prices from British Airways

[Tony Flynn]

Got this email from BA this morning titled ' Big Sorry, Small Prices from British Airways '. It goes on to say no more industrial action, everythings nice now etc and says there's four days of special deals on the BA website. So I rustle up my executive club membership number, log on and check the price of lgw/tpa 9th of October 'cos I bought a two tickets a month ago for £860. ****** me but the price is now £577, ring up customer services and am told tough sh1t. The moral of this story is book last minute and don't bother with any loyalty scheme. I like the BA product a lot but the marketing sucks.

Rant over.

[mainfrog2]

I think the moral is actually book well in advance as from your example the expensive flight was one month ahead, your cheaper price was two, if I read correctly.

Now edited, sorry Tony, having reread your post and mine I've just talked b*****ks.

[Globaliser]

The moral of the story is to ask yourself how much risk are you prepared to take for the chance that one of these sales will come around.

I have a regular pattern of trans-Atlantics to see friends up and down the east coast in Jan and Feb each year. This relies on the annual post-Christmas fare sale, when you can get fares of £180 return and less. But you have to have the nerve (in both senses) to say to the friends "I may come if I get a cheap ticket" and to wait for the sale to arrive. If it doesn't, the trip just gets canx.

If you must, must fly on certain dates and have the trip confirmed, you pay the price you pay for the certainty of having a seat at that price (and not possibly at several times the price if they've sold out all the cheap seats and you have to go business class) - and I often end up paying like Tony Flynn has done.

For the good news in this sale, you can get World Traveller Plus seats at bargain prices, too (booked in T class). Select "Premium Economy (lowest)" on the website. A friend has been looking for a ticket to go to Joburg for a weekend at the beginning of November. Her luck was in. Normally all the cheap fares are 7 day minimums. These sale fares are Sat night, but availability in economy was terrible on the days she needed (would still have paid over £1K for Thurs out Mon back). But WT+ returned a fare at £710. Absolute bargain.

[Tony Flynn]

No premium economy on this route unfortunately, if there was I'd pay extra happily for it. In fairness The price I paid wasn't bad considering there's no competitor on this route, it's just £300 difference pointed out by the airline in an unsolicited email kind of spoilt my day.........