Right now you can book British Airways first class from Johannesburg or Capetown, South Africa to Barcelona or Madrid, Spain for $880 roundtrip. That’s incredible. In fact it’s a base fare of just $111.20 in each direction plus taxes and fees. For international first class.
For instance,
Key details of fare basis ADL0NNM7:
- Refundable
- No penalty for changes, however changing these tickets will cause them to reprice to the then-current fare (which will be much higher)
- Travel departing Africa permitted January 16 – May 31, July 3 – July 31
- Travel departing Europe permitted January 14 – July 31
British Airways First Class
South Africa has been struggling, so I choose to see this as a deep discount short-term airfare sale. However British Airways could easily get a case of seller’s remorse and decide they do not wish to honor the tickets. So I would not make any non-refundable travel plans in conjunction with these tickets right away. We’ll have to see how they handle the deal.
(HT: One Mile at a Time)
The fare basis for that fare is ADL0NNM7 and specifically says applicable to economy travel although if booked in class of service listed does auto price in first class to London and business to Barcelona. As a travel agent I would hesitate to issue because BA would probably not honor it since the rule says economy.
OK, so this (sketchy) fare is good if you want to fly roundtrip from South Africa to Spain in biz class, but how many of your readers want to do this? Are we all supposed to drop everything, fly to South Africa (which I do recommend) and then fly to Spain, return to South Africa, and then fly home? Really? Just to experience the joy of flying first class on BA?
@chopsticks yes, that is my plan. Giving myself a month in Spain as well. Highly doubt this will be honoured though.
And now I can’t see this booking nor my current booking that I am in the middle of flying when I view my account.
@chopsticks
That is exactly what I am doing, if it sticks.
Fly nonrev to JNB, then fly JNB-LHR-MAD, stay a night in MAD, then fly MAD-LHR-JNB, and then nonrev back home. Think of the experience and the number of miles you earn!
19,000 EQM, $3,800 EQD on AA. Easy way to get to EXP.
@ nerdabroad — Okey dokey. Enjoy. I sometimes stop in Europe ON MY WAY to South Africa (it’s a logical routing if you can’t get one of the few nonstops), but the idea of flying all the way to South Africa, then hauling my butt to Europe and then returning to South Africa to fly home seems, um, ridiculous. Why do I want to pay for a comfy seat for the privilege of needlessly flying an extra 10,000 miles?
@chopsticks – no idea. You do you. Meanwhile I’ll enjoy my trip exploring some new places and flight experiences..
The LHR-BCN RT legs seem pretty random. Do any other cities on the BA network also work on this fare I wonder?
I can see my booking in the BA website, but nothing has hit my CCard yet. Amex Gold. Anyone else with similar concerns?
Well, lower fares is not surprising , I read that less people are travelling to South Africa due to the bad publicity of crime everywhere, the murder of white farmers by people who support land reforms and the corruption. Some other African countries are cheaper and safer. Even some airports are unsafe .
Not for me .