AA giving up BOS-LHR

[scotlass]

We received a schedule change today that changes our BOS-LHR direct flights to BOS-JFK-LHR for April 2013. I called to see if there was another time/date that we could get direct flights and was told that AA is giving up the BOS-LHR schedule. They said we can go on BA but it will cost $250 each to change. BA has always had huge taxes added on to their flights which is why I try to avoid booking with them. This is all very disappointing.

A question now is, will the stopover time of 60 minutes at JFK be enough? I have visions of delays in the BOS-JFK flight and then missing the connection. Any thoughts?

[Carolinian]

With BA, it is not really taxes that are the tail kicker. It is really YQ, which translated means fuel surcharge. Several European airlines like SAS and LOT have backed off nailing ff'ers for these on award bookings, but not BA.

Other AA partners like Air Berlin and Finnair do NOT charge these, but that would make a more convoluted routing.

BA's largest homegrown competitor, EasyJet, also does not charge them on any flights, yet had a record profit last quarter, which shows that they are NOT anything that an airline has to charge.

As to JFK, I do not use it as a gateway, because it is an airport I have never liked, as is Dulles. So, I cannot help you there. As an AA Plat, I always use as gateways in order MIA, DFW, or ORD, never JFK.

I saw where AA was adding some TATL flights from other gateways so the planes have to come from somewhere. They ended the route to Brussels as well, but the nuances of European labor law had as much to do with that as anything.

[scotlass]

Since JFK is the closest airport to Boston, it's the most palatable but I am wondering if 60 minutes is enough time between flights.

[Kagehitokiri2]

http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/fivestarservice.jsp
you could talk to them and ask how they would handle it if you booked departure service and experienced delay

[levatino]

I think you will be fine.

JFK is such a hub that even if you missed the flight, another rescheduling would be quite rapid.

I use jfk as a stopover and 60 minutes has worked. Americans terminal at JFK is self contained and quite new and efficient.


There are no immigration/customs stops while going.

[MaryH]

I think you have to clear immigration in JFK to get on a domestic flight but it should be frequent if you miss the connection

[scotlass]

Thanks Mary. My concern is our flight over to LHR where we have 60 minutes connecting. Coming back, when we have to go through immigration, we have 3 hours.

[tschwa2]

Ask them what the on time percentage is for your flight. Some are betters than others. If it were less than 80, you should probably switch. If you still feel uncomfortable ask for an earlier flight from BOS to JFK. Also be aware if it is a commuter jet they will have more restrictions on the luggage and even if you make the flight your bags may not.

[elaine]

We have missed our JFK flight to Rome when there was bad weather (rain) from DC-JFK. I would want at least 2 hr connection. Ju st make sure that you are not on the last flight, as there are plenty of JFK-LHR flights, and they could most likely put you on the next one.

[MaryH]

yeah US to LHR would not need immigration but if you run into any flight delays on the BOS-JFK, you can miss your connection. If there is other JFK-LHR flight then your are likely fine but see if they can move you to the early BOS-JFK flight.

I had some tight 60 min connections where my bags did not make it so if you stay with current itinery, make sure you have emergency clothing, etc for 1 day in your carryons.

[Beaglemom3]

I will miss my flights to LHR from BOS, but another alternative is Icelandair.

It will lengthen my travel time, but a stopover in Iceland would be interesting.


www.icelandair.com Stopover specials: http://www.icelandair.us/offers-and-...ooking-engine/

BOS-KEF-LHR

[levatino]

Originally Posted by tschwa2

Also be aware if it is a commuter jet they will have more restrictions on the luggage and even if you make the flight your bags may not.

In all my international travels, I have never had my baggage allowance altered due to the size of the plane. I have gate checked (for the flight) a carry-on that could not fit in a commuter plane, but got it back at the gate at the termination of that segment.

The amount of luggage however never went down.

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by levatino

In all my international travels, I have never had my baggage allowance altered due to the size of the plane. I have gate checked (for the flight) a carry-on that could not fit in a commuter plane, but got it back at the gate at the termination of that segment.

The amount of luggage however never went down.

I concur. I have never had any reduction in baggage allowance for being on Barbie jets on any airline as long as you have everything on the same ticket. If it is seperate tickets, which is unlikely, that could be a problem.

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by Beaglemom3

I will miss my flights to LHR from BOS, but another alternative is Icelandair.

It will lengthen my travel time, but a stopover in Iceland would be interesting.


www.icelandair.com Stopover specials: http://www.icelandair.us/offers-and-...ooking-engine/

BOS-KEF-LHR

If it was not for missing out on so many elite qualifying miles and on the elite double miles on my primary carrier on TATL flights, I would love to do that on Icelandair. Unfortunately, I missed the best time to go when it was a real bargain basement right after the economic crash there. Now, their economy is on the mend and prices are not as good as they were then.

[Beaglemom3]

My Allen House week is in May and we may do the Icelandair trip over and the Queen Mary (Cunard) back to NYC or vice versa. Actually, the Cunard 7 day crossing costs almost the same price as the flight. There are some bargain rates on balcony rooms and I am watching them.

http://www.cunard.com/destinations/t...ssic-crossing/ Am watching their email specials.






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[tschwa2]

Originally Posted by levatino

In all my international travels, I have never had my baggage allowance altered due to the size of the plane. I have gate checked (for the flight) a carry-on that could not fit in a commuter plane, but got it back at the gate at the termination of that segment.

The amount of luggage however never went down.

It isn't altered but if they need to they will reroute some of the luggage to make sure the plane is within the weight limit. (My DH works for D**** working the ramp).

[MaryH]

Yeah if can be a choice of involuntary deny boarding of some passengers due to weight restriction or reroute some baggages on later flights. Both have happened to me but usually only on small planes, not transatlantic.

[Carolinian]

AA seems to be shifting some of its planes around to better serve the market. The Brussels plane seems to have been shifted to Dusseldorf, where passengers can connect with intra-Europe flights of AA's new One World alliance partner, Air Berlin at one of its two major hubs. I also read that local labor law may have played a role in that AA once had two daily flights to Brussels and when they downsized to one, they could not easily downsize their local staff, which made the one daily flight not economical for them and with no flights they were able to terminate all local staff. The BOS-LHR plane seems to have been shifted to a new Dublin flight. They have also recently added Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, from Miami.

[scotlass]

Received a notice that our BOS-JFK flight is now earlier so we actually have more than 2 hours there. Although I am relieved that they did it, it doesn't replace a direct flight!

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by scotlass

Received a notice that our BOS-JFK flight is now earlier so we actually have more than 2 hours there. Although I am relieved that they did it, it doesn't replace a direct flight!

Well, one consolation is that you will earn more ff miles. Some at FlyerTalk would have tried to route it through LAX if they could find a way to do it! I do not go to that extreme, but I often pass up direct flights if it is a paid flight if they result in earning fewer miles. I am more inclined to do direct flights if it is an award flight.

As some of the planes from AA's massive new plane orders with Boeing and Airbus come in, I am hopeing for more routes to Dusseldorf and Berlin for Air Berlin connections. AB does not charge YQ on award seats while British Airlines will burn you a new one for YQ. I would also like to see better service to Helsinki for connections with Finnair, another One World carrier that does not charge YQ on award seats.

[Beaglemom3]

Non-stops BOS-LHR (as far as I can tell):

Virgin Atlantic ($976, total, R/T in May)
British Airways
Iberia

Thankfully, there are still AM flights leaving around 8:40 am and arrivng 8:40 pm-ish. This works for my circadian clock.

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by Beaglemom3

Non-stops BOS-LHR (as far as I can tell):

Virgin Atlantic ($976, total, R/T in May)
British Airways
Iberia

Thankfully, there are still AM flights leaving around 8:40 am and arrivng 8:40 pm-ish. This works for my circadian clock.

Is the Iberia flight actually a codeshare on BA metal? As both are owned by IAG, I would suspect that they would not have competing flights on the same route. Also, I suspect that AA will ultimately have codeshare seats on that same BA flight. With the TATL joint venture between these three airlines, all of that makes business sense.

[Beaglemom3]

Originally Posted by Carolinian

Is the Iberia flight actually a codeshare on BA metal? As both are owned by IAG, I would suspect that they would not have competing flights on the same route. Also, I suspect that AA will ultimately have codeshare seats on that same BA flight. With the TATL joint venture between these three airlines, all of that makes business sense.

Yes, it is a codeshare. BA & Iberia flights from Bos.

Using AA FF miles, I just booked two flights in September (switched my Allen House dates) Bos (on BA) morning flight to LHR with a return from Paris (CDG) to Bos on AA. All non-stops. Do not like takeoffs/landings.

Total miles = 120,000 ( have a lot thanks to the inflight medical emergency in 2011) plus $775 on AA. This is for 2, multi city, R/T tickets.

If I had used BA Avios FF miles, it would've been 79,000 miles Plus $1,749 ! Ridiculous when two flights can be purchased (no FF miles) for about $2100 total, for both.

Correct, BA miles aren't really worth much. I think I will phase the BA FF miles card out.


ETA: Delta has a nonstop flight from BOS to LHR, but it's an overnight flight. I prefer the AM flight out of Bos and arrival into LHR in the evening. Better for my own internal clock. Plus, I'm not a huge Delta fan.

[x3 skier]

Originally Posted by Beaglemom3

If I had used BA Avios FF miles, it would've been 79,000 miles Plus $1,749 ! Ridiculous when two flights can be purchased (no FF miles) for about $2100 total, for both.

Correct, BA miles aren't really worth much. I think I will phase the BA FF miles card out.

For long haul, Avios stinks, especially on the ripoff BA Fuel surcharges TATL, OTOH, for short haul on AA, they are pretty good, especially since I got almost 100k so far for $95. It nets me a bunch of RT DAY - ORD trips. Comes in handy for getting to ORD for cheaper flights than from DAY.

Cheers

[Beaglemom3]

Originally Posted by x3 skier

For long haul, Avios stinks, especially on the ripoff BA Fuel surcharges TATL, OTOH, for short haul on AA, they are pretty good, especially since I got almost 100k so far for $95. It nets me a bunch of RT DAY - ORD trips. Comes in handy for getting to ORD for cheaper flights than from DAY.

Cheers

Great idea. That would be a better use of the miles I have. Thanks !