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-   -   BA: LHR to Charleston, SC (https://britishexpats.com/forum/trailer-park-96/ba-lhr-charleston-sc-924302/)

Steerpike Apr 27th 2019 8:39 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 12676557)
CLT is 90% controlled by one airline and thus fares even when connecting tend to be high.

Ah, so the challenge is getting out of CLT. I get it.

Pulaski Apr 28th 2019 12:50 am

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Steerpike (Post 12676542)
..... I haven't paid OVER $900 for a UK trip 'ever', and that's from the West Coast! ...

:cry_smile:

Is this a west coast phenomenon? I've traveled to MAN 6 times in the last 18 months (sick mother) and used IcelandAir, Thomas Cook, AA, BA, United. Usually 1-stop as MAN isn't a typical destination (though Thomas Cook do it non-stop).
Here's a complete list of all the airlines actually flying (not code-shares, actual aircraft) directly to the UK from CLT:
  • American
All other options require a connection, and as Jsmth said, short flights are also stupid expensive out of CLT. On one occasion my wife was looking at travel options while I was in London on business - the flight to London was a bit pricy at over $1,000 (this was in 2005), and she also looked at a flight to Greenville, NC (i.e. an in-state hop), with US Airways (which controlled the CLT hub even before the merger with American), and the price for that was $800!!! :blink:

When pricing flights to the UK, we've often looked at splitting the journey with flights from CLT to IAD, PHL, NYC, or even Detroit, Chicago, or Boston, but those flights are usually $300 minimum on any one day, and unless you want to fly at 6am or arrive at 11pm then the tickets are more likely to be $500+, and often would require a night in a hotel, not to mention burning a day of PTO too. So there is very little scope for gaming the system to tap into more reasonably priced tickets from major airports to the north of CLT.

newadventure Apr 28th 2019 4:50 am

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 12676532)
People who live in the Carolinas. :nod: :(

Finding anything much less than $1,500 out of CLT is a challenge - there are occasional flash/24 hr sales, but unless you get lucky, flights out of CLT start at $1,500. As far as I can tell, Atlanta isn't much better, and DC is usually only around cheap enough to make going up there a break-even proposition, though we did drive there once and netted a saving of about $1,200 (aggregate for three of us) after car rental night in a hotel and extra meal.

I haven't seen a CLT-LON ticket under $900 in at least a decade and I usually pounce on anything in the $1,100 - $,200 range. For $750 PHX-LHR it might be possible to save money, on the ticket price at least, by flying CLT-PHX-LHR return. :lol:

How about $661 CLT-LHR May 19 - May 23 non-stop?

scrubbedexpat091 Apr 28th 2019 6:42 am

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by newadventure (Post 12676634)
How about $661 CLT-LHR May 19 - May 23 non-stop?

Where are you seeing that fare?

For those dates for a non-stop fares on 3 major sites for those dates are:

Expedia $2,844

AA website $2,825

Priceline $2,843

carcajou Apr 28th 2019 6:45 am

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 
I would imagine there is fairly heavy corporate involvement on the CHS end.

AA's RDU-LHR non-stop has been subsidised/guaranteed by corporations in RDU for a very long time.

Pulaski Apr 28th 2019 11:32 am

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by newadventure (Post 12676634)
How about $661 CLT-LHR May 19 - May 23 non-stop?

I can see the prices Jsmth mentioned, and that there's a two stop flight at $1,598, but that's it. I have never seen a flight CLT-LHR at $661 in sixteen years living in NC. .... My guess would be that you're looking at a "half a round trip" as some sites work that way, you choose the outbound leg, then the return leg, and get the aggregate price, and the price you've quoted is around half the best price I can find for those dates.

For May 26 - June 4, dates that for some reason Google thought I might want to travel, the cost of a direct flight CLT-LHR is $1,464, and alternatives, with one or more stops, are in the range $1,173 - $1,195. I tried again a few days later, when my daughter is out of school, and prices started around $1,500, for flights with one or more stops, and direct flights at $1,674.

newadventure Apr 28th 2019 1:10 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 
I went to Orbitz (think this is Expedia), select Package: Flight and Hotel, select dates and airports. Choose one night of hotel accommodation. When it comes up with hotel selection, sort by Price and choose the cheapest (probably a dorm room in a hostel). Select room, then select flights. Still showing $661 this morning. It is up to you whether you make use of the accommodation you have booked - i haven't yet

Pulaski Apr 28th 2019 1:29 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by newadventure (Post 12676736)
I went to Orbitz (think this is Expedia), select Package: Flight and Hotel, select dates and airports. Choose one night of hotel accommodation. When it comes up with hotel selection, sort by Price and choose the cheapest (probably a dorm room in a hostel). Select room, then select flights. Still showing $661 this morning. It is up to you whether you make use of the accommodation you have booked - i haven't yet

Thanks I'll have a look at that approach. I have tried packing with a hotel previously and didn't get any startlingly good deals, but I will certainly try that in future.

robtuck Apr 28th 2019 6:00 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 
Yep, Orbitz on those dates with a last night stay can get you flights plus the one night for $661 and for $750 ish you can stay next to LHR for that night. I've done this a few times, staying at the Novotel which seems to be Expedia's favourite hotel for a deal. It's not always available though, other times it works out ore expensive. Worth a good shopping around day when looking for flights. We bagged some cheap World Traveller Plus seats when BA opened the Nashville route, under $1000 each which was a good $600 or so less than Atlanta, making the 4 hour trip worth it.

lansbury Apr 28th 2019 6:17 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 12676744)
Thanks I'll have a look at that approach. I have tried packing with a hotel previously and didn't get any startlingly good deals, but I will certainly try that in future.

or if you are doing a car rental package the flight and car rental. Doing that I got 40% off flights in June and a Ford Focus for 15 days for $153, and that included CDW. I normally use Delta vacations.

Done a package the last four trips and 40% is the worst discount I have got, 62% being the best.

newadventure May 8th 2019 6:45 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 
Feedback from CHS-LHR flight: Arrived back in US on Sunday evening. Plane was busy but not packed each way (ie empty rows towards the back of the plane). Took about 50 mins from touchdown to leaving the terminal on arrival at CHS, most of that spent waiting for luggage which is picked up before clearing immigration. I was unable to check in online either way as the app (and website) insisted on accepting only 8 or 9 digit numbers for green cards. Mine has 10. Consequently unable to choose a seat on check in and ended up boarding group 5 (lowest of the low). Flight itself was fine (787 Dreamliner), service at the back of the plane seemed no better or worse than Delta/Virgin/AA. Departure from CHS on Sunday was 11:30pm so i got the whole weekend to enjoy before heading to the airport. Odd feeling only being handed one boarding pass!
Would i use again? Possibly the outward leg, but i only got to the office 15:00 on Monday. Couldn't justify the trip if i then had to leave midday Thurs, so i would return Friday via CLT and therefore lose the direct flight advantage. In which case i might as well go Virgin/Delta. So no game-changer for me yet

Olly_ May 8th 2019 7:36 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by newadventure (Post 12681117)
I was unable to check in online either way as the app (and website) insisted on accepting only 8 or 9 digit numbers for green cards. Mine has 10. Consequently unable to choose a seat on check in and ended up boarding group 5 (lowest of the low).

For future reference they want your Alien number without the A prefix - is that 10 digits?

newadventure May 8th 2019 8:00 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Olly_ (Post 12681131)
For future reference they want your Alien number without the A prefix - is that 10 digits?

Groan. Alien number is indeed 9 digits. I did think about that, but they specifically asked for Green Card number, no mention of Alien number. Thanks Olly, will know for next time

Olly_ May 8th 2019 8:29 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by newadventure (Post 12681145)
Groan. Alien number is indeed 9 digits. I did think about that, but they specifically asked for Green Card number, no mention of Alien number. Thanks Olly, will know for next time

BA IT at its finest!

I guess PR's are a relatively small percentage of travelers to the US so no real thought about the wording has gone into the process, and I bet nobody high enough to be able to influence anything at BA and has actually used online check-in is a US PR.

Steerpike May 8th 2019 10:11 pm

Re: BA: LHR to Charleston, SC
 

Originally Posted by Olly_ (Post 12681164)
BA IT at its finest!

I guess PR's are a relatively small percentage of travelers to the US so no real thought about the wording has gone into the process, and I bet nobody high enough to be able to influence anything at BA and has actually used online check-in is a US PR.

This kind of sloppy shit really bugs me! Online forms should be precise! Fire that person!


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