British Expats

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-   -   Flights home (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/flights-home-923033/)

Londonuck Mar 8th 2019 3:08 pm

Flights home
 
I've started tweeting my annoyance at BA and Air Canada at the lack of competition regarding flights home. A flight to London on BA end of May is 1600 yet from Seattle its 1000. I'm so fed up at being ripped off by their lack of competition year after year. If anyone has the time could they join in. I'd love people to register their anger. Who knows, something might happen.

Yours natively,
Londonuck

Vulcanoid Mar 8th 2019 3:40 pm

re: Flights home
 
$300 Vancouver (guessing, as your comparison city is Seattle) to London, WestJet May 27th.

Fastest direct flight is $838 sold by Lufthansa (AC operated) on May 28th, the 5 minute longer BA flight $742 overnight from Finnair.

Pulaski Mar 8th 2019 3:47 pm

re: Flights home
 
There are other choices than BA and AC, use them. That is how the free market works, and so long as AC and BA can sell tickets at the prices they ask, they will continue to do so regardless of any number of tweets. .... You might as well tweet about the price of Bentleys - if you can't afford one, buy a BMW, or a Kia. :nod:

Novocastrian Mar 8th 2019 4:30 pm

re: Flights home
 
It might also be worth pointing out that $US 1000 is roughly $Cd 1350.

Londonuck Mar 8th 2019 5:07 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 12650203)
There are other choices than BA and AC, use them. That is how the free market works, and so long as AC and BA can sell tickets at the prices they ask, they will continue to do so regardless of any number of tweets. .... You might as well tweet about the price of Bentleys - if you can't afford one, buy a BMW, or a Kia. :nod:


You'd be surprised how tweeting works in some cases. I'm fully aware of this free market.

Atlantic Xpat Mar 8th 2019 5:16 pm

re: Flights home
 
We're going back to UK for a summer holiday. 2 adults, 3 kids. Cost via AC on the sole direct flight from St John's to London - $7800 for all 5. Cost going via Halifax with Westjet $4100. Much though I loathe travelling longer than I need to, it was a no brainer decision to go with WJ! No BA or nipping across the border option for us.

Hurlabrick Mar 8th 2019 6:18 pm

re: Flights home
 
We gave up on BA several years ago, after giving them 4 'last chances'! Will not now fly with them even if they are cheaper. Taking a trip back to the UK this summer, will fly WestJet to LGW. Did consider Air Transat. No problem with AC, their international services seem decent enough, although with a very large premium for the dubious pleasure of flying into LHR!

Brooks52 Mar 8th 2019 6:31 pm

re: Flights home
 
We’ve been using Air Transat for Manchester - Vancouver for years now, fantastic value compared to the premium airlines and the service is good.

Londonuck Mar 8th 2019 7:00 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by Brooks52 (Post 12650305)
We’ve been using Air Transat for Manchester - Vancouver for years now, fantastic value compared to the premium airlines and the service is good.


Unfortunately when we checked they were all around the same price.

A year or so ago I had a family member suddenly die. We had flights already booked to go home and we explained why we needed to change them. Air Canada insisted that it would cost $800 to do so and wouldn't budge. I then started attacking them on Twitter and they eventually they gave in and gave me back my $800.

And Novo, that is quite a difference when there's more than one flying.

Look what happened regarding cable prices. As soon as the cords were cut, the prices came down and more deals were available.

BristolUK Mar 8th 2019 10:56 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by Londonuck (Post 12650325)
Look what happened regarding cable prices. As soon as the cords were cut, the prices came down and more deals were available.

Might that be a 'local' thing?
It's something I keep my eye on regularly and the only deals I ever see are the ones that have been going in all the nearly 14 years here, where you get a discount of one to three years. And then that might be extended.

The only change I have seen was the introduction of the 'skinny' package and I think that was a government forced change. It also doesn't allow the add-ons for the stuff people do want to watch


ann m Mar 10th 2019 3:51 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by Londonuck (Post 12650325)
Unfortunately when we checked they were all around the same price.

A year or so ago I had a family member suddenly die. We had flights already booked to go home and we explained why we needed to change them. Air Canada insisted that it would cost $800 to do so and wouldn't budge. I then started attacking them on Twitter and they eventually they gave in and gave me back my $800..

When you booked the tickets it probably said in the terms and conditions it would cost $200 to change them? While I appreciate people passing away is stressful and upsetting (we've been there), it's not necessary for the airlines to help you out. Of course they might oblige when being attacked in a Twitter storm, but really, it's not down to them to cover emergencies in your life. We've had the same scenarios and have mentioned why we need to change flights. Sometimes fees have been waived and sometimes not. I wouldnt have the energy or inclination to argue with them on this one. 😉

Siouxie Mar 10th 2019 7:53 pm

re: Flights home
 
I am Home.


Perhaps this would be better in the MBTTUK forum! :p

FromUKtoBC Mar 11th 2019 8:22 pm

re: Flights home
 
I have booked with AC for 18th March $949 (about £550)

What are people's experiences with flying with AC in general?

Pulaski Mar 11th 2019 8:46 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by FromUKtoBC (Post 12651759)
I have booked with AC for 18th March $949 (about £550)

What are people's experiences with flying with AC in general?

The food is atrocious, and I say that as someone who usually eats all that a transatlantic airline serves to its economy passengers.. :o

Between booking, last autumn, and flying at Christmas, the plane had been upgraded from an Airbus to a 787. The experience of flying on a 787 was totally underwhelming.

Vulcanoid Mar 11th 2019 9:02 pm

re: Flights home
 

Originally Posted by FromUKtoBC (Post 12651759)
I have booked with AC for 18th March $949 (about £550)

What are people's experiences with flying with AC in general?

They're a traditional full service Airline.

Last time I was on there, I had a two-month old plane, a row to myself (we basically all had lay-flat beds in economy ;)), excellent seat-back entertainment, freely dispensed liquor (offered often, and immediately followed up with 'double?'), normal airline food. Kindof a shame it was only from Montreal to London, not the extra few hours from Vancouver :rofl:

Realistically, you're likely to find the full range of experiences from any airline like AC. My enduring experience of BA is that the cabin crew were sullen and the seat-back system barely better than a book. Others will call them fantastic. I found Air France helpful and considerate, others will deliberately seek to route themselves to avoid Paris. Any airline like that, you've got the best chance possible of your plane making it to destination, and you're going to find some people had positive, some negative experiences inside the cabin.


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