British Airways

[Chilli Pepper 5]

Got a price alert from Skyscanner today,  BA London - Bangkok £399 direct.

Always go Eva or Thai and avoid BA, but for £399 would you go for it, or wait and hope

Eva price comes down?

 

[jacko 8,815]

I flew them last year from Bangkok to Manchester and back, I got a ticket via Expedia in Club world. My complaint was the domestic connections between LHR and Manchester which were all late and boarding was only missing the border collies. Service on board for Club World was poor, so god knows what Economy will be like, deaf and dumb stewardesses desperately ignoring you I expect. They aren't far removed from a budget carrier. Positives, non-stop between Bangkok and LHR gets it over with. £400 is super cheap and worth enduring it for. 

[Rawhide2 1,346]

No baggage allowance though. Its showing on the sites I normally use as well

 

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by Rawhide2

[Gottsy 46]

It was down to £372 a few weeks back. I wouldnt fly them at any price. Cramped old 777's.

There were some cracking KLM and Air France fares on Skyscanner too with pretty short connecting times.

[Chilli Pepper 5]

Thanks guy's for replying, think I will give BA a miss.

[Rawhide2 1,346]

Am reading various reports that BA whilst having no hold baggage in tbe price will allow 23kg into the cabin and overhead bins. Dont take that as gospel but sources Business Traveller amongst others are good

[jacko 8,815]

1 minute ago, Rawhide2 said:

Am reading various reports that BA whilst having no hold baggage in tbe price will allow 23kg into the cabin and overhead bins

That's an awful lot to be allowing into a cramped 777-200ER, Boarding alone would be hindered. 

[Rawhide2 1,346]

5 minutes ago, jacko said:

That's an awful lot to be allowing into a cramped 777-200ER, Boarding alone would be hindered. 

Yes I should have added its not "suitcases" but "holdalls" style of bags.  I used to have a very long one I bought in Pattaya in the 90's very light weight but strong and used to load it up with gear. Only once from memory did it get taken off me and put in the hold where my main bag was

Edited...will see if I can find relevant links bit later

Edited April 3, 2019 by Rawhide2

[thinkingallowed 39]

BA cabin luggage is one carry on at the largest size, 56x45x25cm, which can be up to 23kg heavy but the basic premise is you must be able to lift it into over head lockers. Plus one small laptop bag type thing that must go under the seat in front of you.

They are well known for enforced gate checking of cabin luggage.

[Butch 3,456]

How much is the charge for hold baggage?. if it's an extra £50 - £60 then it is still good value, 20kg hold then 23 kg carry on, 40 odd kilo on a £460 economy fare perhaps?. Seems like good value, plus the times aren't too bad either I think (well, outwards isn't).

We flew BA LHR-HKG last year, econ wasn't actually that bad tbh, and they really went above and beyond when we almost missed out flight due to a late PAL ex MNL.

[Rawhide2 1,346]

15 minutes ago, Butch said:

How much is the charge for hold baggage?. if it's an extra £50 - £60 then it is still good value, 20kg hold then 23 kg carry on, 40 odd kilo on a £460 economy fare perhaps?. Seems like good value, plus the times aren't too bad either I think (well, outwards isn't).

We flew BA LHR-HKG last year, econ wasn't actually that bad tbh, and they really went above and beyond when we almost missed out flight due to a late PAL ex MNL.

I believe it is indeed £50 Butch for a 23kg load having read that elsewhere only yesterday from guy who had asked same question

[thinkingallowed 39]

4 hours ago, Butch said:

How much is the charge for hold baggage?. if it's an extra £50 - £60 then it is still good value, 20kg hold then 23 kg carry on, 40 odd kilo on a £460 economy fare perhaps?. Seems like good value, plus the times aren't too bad either I think (well, outwards isn't).

We flew BA LHR-HKG last year, econ wasn't actually that bad tbh, and they really went above and beyond when we almost missed out flight due to a late PAL ex MNL.

As far as I'm aware LHR-BKK is mixed fleet staff who are on newer, worse, contracts as opposed to the LHR/HGK route where the staff are happier workers. The Bangkok flight also gives the staff a night out in Bangkok and so is known as the party plane with many FAs suffering from hangovers on the way back to London.

[goldtop1 1]

if you buy a hand baggage only ticket t on BA, you cant then pay for a checked bag.

[thinkingallowed 39]

33 minutes ago, goldtop1 said:

if you buy a hand baggage only ticket t on BA, you cant then pay for a checked bag.

From BA's website...

If you are travelling on a hand baggage only (Basic) fare, checking in baggage costs extra. However, if you’re travelling with an infant or a child up to 11 years old, you can check two items, such as a fully collapsible pushchair (stroller), a car seat or a travel cot for free for each infant or child.

You can pay and check in bags at any time before you fly, but you’ll get the best rate if you pay online in advance.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/checked-baggage-allowances

[jacko 8,815]

13 hours ago, thinkingallowed said:

BA cabin luggage is one carry on at the largest size, 56x45x25cm, which can be up to 23kg heavy but the basic premise is you must be able to lift it into over head lockers. Plus one small laptop bag type thing that must go under the seat in front of you.

They are well known for enforced gate checking of cabin luggage.

Plus your duty free and any other shopping at the airport, that could catch you out at the gate. 

(That said no gate checks in Bangkok)

[thinkingallowed 39]

34 minutes ago, jacko said:

Plus your duty free and any other shopping at the airport, that could catch you out at the gate. 

(That said no gate checks in Bangkok)

I'm pretty sure that latest BA carry on luggage allowance says duty free etc must fit in your carry on. I had a particularly officious gate agent make me repack boarding a BA flight from Amsterdam even though I was in business class. This is pretty rare though.

[Rawhide2 1,346]

16 hours ago, thinkingallowed said:

. The Bangkok flight also gives the staff a night out in Bangkok and so is known as the party plane with many FAs suffering from hangovers on the way back to London.

They dont just have one night off and fly again its a rostered 16 hour "assignment" for want of a better word from coming on duty 2.5 hours before and off 1.5 hours after.

They dont do more than 2 sectors a week on that routing because of the jet lag same with non stops to Kualu Lumpar and Hong Kong

[thinkingallowed 39]

4 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

They dont just have one night off and fly again its a rostered 16 hour "assignment" for want of a better word from coming on duty 2.5 hours before and off 1.5 hours after.

They dont do more than 2 sectors a week on that routing because of the jet lag same with non stops to Kualu Lumpar and Hong Kong

You explain it better than me but I'm just repeating what BA customers and staff say on websites like flyertalk and pprune. Maybe the timings of the BKK flight gives two nights out? Or actually on checking KUL and HGK return flights are late in the evening where as BKK is lunch time so much more likely for the hangover to still be around.

[Chilli Pepper 5]

Just an update, booked with Eva for £440 a few days ago. 

Happy days roll on June.

[jacko 8,815]

Good price.

I hope the Thailand weather breaks, I am thinking to fly the other way to get out of this damned oppressive heat.

Sat in a beer garden early evening with a pint as it cools from 20 down towards 10 is sounding awfully pleasant about now.

(My Pattaya area is 37/28 most days).

[Bob Belzy 150]

4 hours ago, jacko said:

Good price.

I hope the Thailand weather breaks, I am thinking to fly the other way to get out of this damned oppressive heat.

Sat in a beer garden early evening with a pint as it cools from 20 down towards 10 is sounding awfully pleasant about now.

(My Pattaya area is 37/28 most days).

Perth is very nice this week, 25C up to around 30C by the end of the week. Nice low humidity. Downside is you'll pay a fortune for a hotel (by comparison with Patts) and a one hour root with a visiting 20 something Chinese girl will cost you $180 to $200.

[jacko 8,815]

50 minutes ago, Bob Belzy said:

Perth is very nice this week, 25C up to around 30C by the end of the week. Nice low humidity. Downside is you'll pay a fortune for a hotel (by comparison with Patts) and a one hour root with a visiting 20 something Chinese girl will cost you $180 to $200.

I got feedback that Perth had it's first winter storm (19th),  rather early and perhaps suggesting a long winter down there.

Even the UK was getting good weather over Easter. But sitting at the traffic lights on my bike yesterday in Pattaya I sure was believing in global warming!

Hopefully it will be better for your June trip. Consider the PT crawl if you can!

[Butch 3,456]

Pushing 26 degrees C Saturday Sunday, slightly cooler today in East Anglia. Nothing a cold bottle of Aspalls Vintage Cider can't cure though, sitting in the garden on the bench watching the planes coming over destined for Stansted and a few coming out of LHR heading towards Asia, while eating a pint of cockles and listening to some Rolling Stones.

Manila pushing 50 degrees C in some Urban areas (Urban heat Island effect) , Mrs Butch just got back (Sat) and said it was opressively hot, so I'm expecting a massive bill from Meralco as the A/C's have been running non stop for about a month now.

It's my turn to head out to Manila soon, I hope to get a side trip into LOS planned if I manage to get the time, hopefully this time Cebu Pacific won't lose my luggage.