Flights with British Airways via RSSC

[lprp]

Has anyone tried to get flights and upgrade prices from Regent for long-haul flights with BA?

 

I’m hearing that BA have pulled their “contract/IT/flexible” fares for ALL cruise lines since January while they renegotiate 🤔

 

Notwithstanding all their shortcomings, which are manifold, we have Tier status with them that means we book them where it’s appropriate.

 

This POSSIBLY only affects UK based passengers;

[1982CruzStart]

Though on the other side of the pond, within the last 2 weeks we deviated our flights for our August cruise and we are booked with BA for 2 parts of the itinerary. 

[minotaur]

We're booked with BA from LHR to Rio for our cruise commencing 19th March and back from Lisbon on 6 April. These have been booked since last August.

[lprp]

I believe the issue only started this January, for new longhaul flights 

[flossie009]

3 hours ago, lprp said:

I’m hearing that BA have pulled their “contract/IT/flexible” fares for ALL cruise lines since January while they renegotiate

I seem to recall BA doing something similar a few years ago (pre-covid)

[Dirtygerty]

Hi, we booked BA business class flights a couple days ago for grandeur next January through Regent, LHR-LAX-MIA-LHR, without any problem. 

[Timeflies]

13 hours ago, lprp said:

Has anyone tried to get flights and upgrade prices from Regent for long-haul flights with BA?

 

I’m hearing that BA have pulled their “contract/IT/flexible” fares for ALL cruise lines since January while they renegotiate 🤔

 

Notwithstanding all their shortcomings, which are manifold, we have Tier status with them that means we book them where it’s appropriate.

 

This POSSIBLY only affects UK based passengers;

WC 24 to from MIA was scheduled with Virgin. We also asked for BA for Indian Island Oceans in Dec 24 and instead got Virgin. BA seems off the menu.

[GOARMY]

lprp:

 

Recent experience utilizing RSSC Air.  Splendor, June 21-July 5 segment--London(Southampton) to Iceland.  Coordinated by our trusted TA, of course. 

 

Regent offered NO non-stop SEA to HLR flights when this was booked in early January.  Were only offered an intermediate stop in USA via either Delta or Virgin.  Result would have been late June 20th arrival at HLR.  This would have left little time for enjoying some relaxing time at Regent's hotel and surrounding downtown London area.    

 

So--took advantage of being able to "deviate"--without a fee.  Accepted a Business Class BA Non-Stop leaving SEA in early afternoon of June 19th, with arrival at HLR 0700H on the 20th.  Ample time for stay at hotel and another visit to some of our favorite London spots for a nice lunch and dinner. 

 

"Air differential" cost: $500.00 pp. Well-worth it. 

 

Have taken BA on three other pre-COVID Regent cruises either going to, or returning from, London. All were N/S. In those days, BA utilized 747s.  We always chose upper deck seats. Quiet.  Those days are, of course, gone.  Will be on a Boeing 777. 

 

BTW:  Return from Reykjavik will be Icelander Air, Saga Class, N/S to SEA.

 

GOARMY!

      

 

.     

 

 

[Nachosdelux]

FYI if you are referring to London Heathrow, it's airport code is LHR

[GOARMY]

Nachosdelux:  

 

Opps.  Thought I had corrected this.  Obviously, not. 

 

GOARMY!

 

[Techno123]

@GOARMY it's OK we know what you meant 😁

 

In fairness, the only way to ensure your luggage arrives with you if flying BA is to ensure you fly non stop. So many people on our Navigator cruise out of Miami in 2022 had luggage go missing. Fortunately ours only went missing on the way back 😜😜. Took them a week to get it back to us.

[jo-b]

We are in the UK cruising Cape Town to Cape town December. . We asked for BA flights as they fly direct LHR to CPT but we were quoted an additional £1000 pp per leg as Regent don't have an arrangement with BA.  

[lprp]

1 hour ago, jo-b said:

We are in the UK cruising Cape Town to Cape town December. . We asked for BA flights as they fly direct LHR to CPT but we were quoted an additional £1000 pp per leg as Regent don't have an arrangement with BA.  

This confirms what my TA has told me. Our return flight from Singapore to London for next January is currently with Qatar Airways via Doha. Now, I really like Qatar, but BA fly direct to LHR as do Singapore. Regent offered Singapore but with another £2.5k each on top of the Business class upgrade for Qatar……

I’m hoping BA and Regent agree terms soon!

[swansong]

We are also on the Capetown to Capetown in December and elected to fly with Virgin direct. The upgrade cost to Business ( Upper Class on Virgin ) was £5298 pp. return. The air allowance (economy in the UK) was £1400pp so the true cost is £6698pp. Currently on the Virgin website the same flights are listed at ( around) £11000pp so there is a saving with Regent. BA has a similar price if you average between business and First which is what Upper Class is on Virgin.

Edited March 21 by swansong

[papaflamingo]

18 hours ago, lprp said:

I’m hoping BA and Regent agree terms soon!

I suspect it has less to do with "terms" and more to do with passenger loads.  I'm retired Delta and live in Atlanta. Delta is flying so full that prices, especially on desirable flights, are going full.  There is no incentive for them to grant contract rates.  That'll change as the hiring increases and eventually passenger loads will lessen.  However for the time being, we all have to expect less desirable routing or fairly hefty up charging.  

[vistaman]

I had to book BA long distance  to Barbados last month joining the Splendor. I did it by myself

I took BA just because it was the most convenient way  , living in Belgium and not willing to change in the US

I travelled business - Club World  ex Heathrow   -  unfortunately not the best experience on board.   A far cheaper sour  Champagne , no more rosé Champagne , cheap wines - there was no single French wine -  and steak replaced by stew  and they made it very clear cheese or dessert - not both -  no more cognac only Baileys or Cointreau   on the way back they ran out of ice rather fast  - lukewarm soft drinks ???  poor breakfast 

For long distance i do prefer Swiss or Lufthansa ,( the catering is better on Swiss, the planes are bigger and newer  exception for the 747 - on Lufthansa )   far above BA 

 

 

[lprp]

1 hour ago, vistaman said:

far above BA 

I think you could insert pretty much any other airline in front of those 3 words 😏.

 

if there was any other airline flying direct to multiple countries from London I’d change loyalty to them in a heartbeat……

 

[GOARMY]

In view of Post #16 critique of BA on a much more recent long-distance flight than ours described in Post #8--

 

Will note level(s) of service changes--if any--on our upcoming June N/S SEA to LHR. Starting with BA's SEATAC Lounge.

 

Times being what they are in this new era of air and cruise service levels, will report observations at a later date. 

 

Now, here is another factoid which goes way, way back to an earlier era.  That would be on Northwest Orient Airlines.  Long-hauls from SEATAC to Far East destination. The 747's upper deck setup was a cocktail lounge replete with comfortable sofas.  United had a similar layout. 

 

GOARMY!

 

   

[piscean]

We’re flying BA to Athens in October, return Istanbul.

Booked September 2023 we took advantage of an upgrade promotion (at a cost) to Business/club Europe.

We have just received an email from BA advising that they are leasing an Airbus A320 from Danish Airlines for our Athens flights.

Looking at DAT it doesn’t show a business section in their seat plan.

Has anyone flown this arrangement with BA?

Thanks

[swansong]

We flew with Finnair which replaced our BA flights last year and the only difference we noticed was that the staff were much more friendly and obliging than our recent experiences have been on BA. Everything else was BA branded. Business was exactly the same as on a BA branded plane.

[piscean]

Thank you Swansong that was just what I wanted to know.