Consolidated thread about Ex-DUB and other Ex-EU travel.

Always Chillled, I'm doing similar to you except ex Amsterdam. We are positioning to AMS and returning to LGW the day before the VS flight to Vegas. That way there's no need to take any luggage at all, we'll simply leave ours at our room in Premier Inn. We'll then just chill that evening back at Gatwick and check in for our VS flight to LAS the following morning.

Ahh, now that is interesting. This could save on lugging our baggage over to Dublin and back. So the Gatwick Premier Inn will let you check in early enough before jumping onto the AMS flight? We'd have to check in at the hotel around 12/1pm to make it to Dublin and back that day. Also, I take it they don't ask why you never checked anything in at AMS but will the next day?

Cheers again,

AC.

To be honest it's not the airliine's business regarding the baggage, for all they know you've been on a short stay to see family or friends in AMS hence hand luggage only. The ticket allows for an overnight in UK before the VS flight so it's entirely the business of the passenger what he/she decides to take luggage wise on the transatlantic sector. Re the Premier Inn check in is 3pm (although I'm sure they'd allow earlier) & our flight to AMS 4.30, then we're back at LGW for 9pm. We actually live close to LGW so could have simply gone home for the night but it's more fun to stay over and allows for an chilled experience in the morning before the VS flight

So, excuse my dumb question, but you simply book the flight on Expedia or wherever, (but not VS website/call in) through Dublin, and return likewise, to get these far cheaper options. clever. and I like Dublin.

+ I wonder if it works for Shannon too - to have West Coast Ireland break.

So, excuse my dumb question, but you simply book the flight on Expedia or wherever, (but not VS website/call in) through Dublin, and return likewise, to get these far cheaper options. clever. and I like Dublin.

+ I wonder if it works for Shannon too - to have West Coast Ireland break.

No the trip to the USA has to start in DUB not just go through it. It is a small linguistic quibble but a vital one.

So you would book a full itinerary as

Ticket 1 - UK to DUB

Ticket 2 - DUB-LHR-USA-LHR-DUB*

Ticket 1 - DUB-UK* (* we'll ignore skipping the last legs at the moment)


It is possible that you could get good prices if you started in SNN but it depends on the competition from airlines there and how big the travel market is.

Other options include starting your trip in AMS,FRA,OSL. MAD, or LIS

It appears the cheapest starting city moves around so people shouldn't get too hung up about DUB for ex-EU trips.

Just when I was about to try ex-EU (BA DUB to LHR, VS LHR to LAX) American have loaded a pile of fares in May, June, September and October on many different dates all of which are only about £100 more than the bargain £399 ex-EU Y fares I found out of Dublin. £430 to NYC, £512 to LAX. Seems fair enough as the difference is mostly the UK APD.

How proactive are VS in terms of pricing when this sort of thing happens - at the moment the AA service to LAX on the new 777-300 undercuts VS by almost £300 on the dates in September I favour! They'll surely sell no seats if they keep that up?

Don't forget to check BRU. That was the cheapest place to fly from pretty much all last year for Ex-EU fares. Main benefit is a real BA lounge with good coffee and breakfast snacks.

DUB is providing some level of consistency of being the cheapest Ex-EU location at the moment.

Don't forget to check BRU. That was the cheapest place to fly from pretty much all last year for Ex-EU fares. Main benefit is a real BA lounge with good coffee and breakfast snacks.

DUB is providing some level of consistency of being the cheapest Ex-EU location at the moment.

I've also noticed that a mix can bring the price down - eg ex BRU or DUB & back to AMS or vice versa.

DUB is providing some level of consistency of being the cheapest Ex-EU location at the moment.

For the US, yes. Not necessarily for destinations east though.

For the US, yes. Not necessarily for destinations east though.

Apologies I should have clarified. Yes DUB for the U.S. and AMS was cheaper than both this week going to HKG. That was until I booked a M>G upgrade instead

I am trying to mess around finding "cheap" flights to Christchurch NZ Dec/Jan and even though it is going to be expensive given the occassion, the price savings are not to be sneezed at. I have about 500k Star Alliance miles and trying to find reward travel is rather frustrating ! But, that "trick" is just so worthwhile, as someone said you can get to DUB for £18 sometimes.

I think for Oz or NZ, try ex OSL. Heard people getting OZ business for 2300 quid...

I think for Oz or NZ, try ex OSL. Heard people getting OZ business for 2300 quid...

HEL is also apparently good for hkg and oz

Thanks, I was messing around just now and it saves about 550 GBP per person today. I am hoping that Star Alliance partners start to release flights soon-ish, I can get flights OK to SYD (with Asiana I think it was via Korea, no clue about them so grateful for any input), but not coming back. But, even just searching over the past couple of days it really does change daily.

Thanks, I was messing around just now and it saves about 550 GBP per person today. I am hoping that Star Alliance partners start to release flights soon-ish, I can get flights OK to SYD (with Asiana I think it was via Korea, no clue about them so grateful for any input), but not coming back. But, even just searching over the past couple of days it really does change daily.

Which class are you looking at? If economy forget using miles as the cash fares ex Europe make this poor value when you consider the tax on a award flight. If business class I'd say grab what you can when you can as awards are tough to get. OZ and TG will usually be your best bet. Have flown OZ business class several times and the service is good but the seating is inconsistent between horizontal flat and slopey flat seats. SYD tends to always get the latter though.

You don't say which programme you have your Star miles in which might affect how easy or otherwise it might be to snag seats but we're veering a little off topic on that anyway on a ex DUB thread!

back on topic though and sometimes it is better to save the miles for another day and earn more instead if the cash fares are cheap enough.

Well we decided that the hassle was not worth it as we know it will be tough over Christmas so we just paid cash to go LHR-CHC-LHR on Singapore Air so just 2 flights. And the plane was pretty crowded so there was no way that Star Alliance was going to release them for 3 of us. I will save the miles for another day as you say.

Outbound, yes your bags should be checked straight through from DUB-LAX.

Coming back, yes you need to ask the check-in staff at LAX to tag them to LHR only. VS should do that without a problem although there've been reports of some BA staff refusing and insisting on checking bags through to their final destination.

This is still the bit that makes me nervous. When I booked I never thought to make the return flight the following morning or from another airport. Our booked flight back to DUB is over 5 hours after we land back at LHR. I've also heard the reports of some BA staff refusing to check bags to LHR, but has anyone ever had the same problem from Virgin check-in?

As we're flying UC, will it be enough to tell them we're intending to use Revivals (which we are if we land on time) and we need cases as there's things in them we'd want to get out to use (toiletries, change of clothes etc)?

In the worst case scenario and they only check the cases to DUB, are they allowed to let the cases go on the flight if the pax don't show?

Tell them you need your baggage as you have presents in there for people that you are meeting at the airport that cannot be carried in your hand luggage so the bags need to be short-checked, or as you point out, say there is a change of clothes and stuff you want in there when you shower, etc etc. It shouldn't be a problem, it is our luggage after all and not theirs.

It shouldn't be a problem, it is our luggage after all and not theirs.

True, but they're also contractually obliged to deliver it to the destination you specified when you bought a ticket.

I've never heard of VS refusing to short check luggage though, only BA.

Tell them you need your baggage as you have presents in there for people that you are meeting at the airport that cannot be carried in your hand luggage so the bags need to be short-checked, or as you point out, say there is a change of clothes and stuff you want in there when you shower, etc etc. It shouldn't be a problem, it is our luggage after all and not theirs.

The presents thing is a good idea.

I always come back with a couple of bottles of booze that I put in the cases (wrapped in towels and placed in the middle of clothing to keep them safe) as they can't be taken through security due to liquid restrictions. Who's to know they're really for me and not a gift for someone I'm meeting at the airport on arrival.

And as far as they know that is exactly what will happen after a brief hiatus in LHR.

My strategy to get around the short-checking of bags is to book the final sector to DUB out of a different airport from which you arrive, i.e. if arriving on VS into LHR, book the final sector on EI from LGW-DUB. Fare rules allow this. Bags can’t be through checked between London terminals so they are forced to return your bags in LHR. Even safer, if you are arriving into LGW, book the return to ORK which only departs from LHR. That way you avoid someone being overly helpful and rebooking you from the same airport in the event of irregular operations!

Revivals and presents both good ideas! I have a friend who lives in Dublin so at the moment I'm considering actually using my last leg, but even if I do I'll want them to short check my luggage to LHR only so that I can give it to my Dad to take home. Then I can book my flight back from Dublin a few days later as hand luggage only. After two weeks in the USA I don't want to lug all of my stuff around Dublin for a couple of days if I don't need to!

In the worst case scenario and they only check the cases to DUB, are they allowed to let the cases go on the flight if the pax don't show?

I don't believe they are, it is a security risk.

No, the luggage should be removed if that is the case.

No, the luggage should be removed if that is the case.

Although I do wonder just how annoyed they'd be if I then turned up asking for my luggage back.

Give it a go !