Flying to U.K., airlines, what is good and bad?

[Janeway]

Helping friend find flights for her child who will study abroad. Are there any airlines to avoid or to prefer? There seems to be a significant difference in prices. Also, any other advice on booking?

[TravelingChris]

Delta is bad.

[Bootsie]

much depends upon where you are flying from.  Are direct flights possible?  If not, where are the connections?  How long are the connections.  Some of the airlines will be located in a nicer terminal and have nicer gates, but that will vary be airport.  Some airlines will have better food--but not better enough to pay a difference for.  

 

I think any major carrier will meet the needs of a student traveling.  It is likely the ground crew is not even employees of the airline flown.  DD and I had flights leaving several hours apart from the same airport.  I took her to check in for her flight on one airline.  When check-in opened for my flight, it was the same employees who now moved to American Airlines check-in and changed into their American Airlines uniforms (same blue skirt and white shirt, but with an American Airlines scarf rather than the tie of the airline my daughter was flying.)

[diplomum]

Just check all the "hidden" costs, like the cost for checked bags, food and drink on the plane etc. Also sometimes a more expensive flight ends up cheaper for us because the timing means we don't need hotels prior to departure or upon arrival. Generally speaking, people tend to prefer European carriers over US ones, and I hear a lot of complaints about transferring at CDG in Paris. I would probably only use these last examples as criteria between two very similarly priced options, though. As a single student, cheapest is the way to go.

[Janeway]

Are there student discounts? Is British Air good? Or United? Is there a day or a month that is best for purchasing tickets for Sept to December?

[diplomum]

Most airlines no longer offer student discounts. You're just an adult. British Airways and United are both major, reputable airlines. I think many would choose BA over United just for customer service reasons if the prices were similar.

[diplomum]

For September and December I'd say book as soon as possible. Both are prime travel months, and prices are unlikely to go down significantly. Possibly I can see waiting until late summer or early fall to get a December ticket at a better price, but it's all a bit of a crapshoot, honestly.

[J-rap]

When my children are flying alone, I look for schedules that work out the easiest, with a layover that's a decent time but not too long, if possible (3-4 hours).   Also, it's nice to arrive in the arrival city not too early in the morning and not too late at night.  If they are going to be finding their way somewhere alone in the city after arrival, then I try and find a flight that arrives there before dark.  

 

The airlines itself can be hit and miss.  Someone earlier said Delta is bad, but on the last several Delta int'l flights I took, Delta was wonderful.  Sometimes it really just depends on the particular flight.  I try to avoid the real budget flights if possible (the long ones), unless we're really trying to do the absolute cheapest option (and sometimes we do!).  When I say budget flights, I mean the ones where you don't even get an assigned seat.  

 

Often I'll go to travel sites like Kayak to try and find the best options, but then try and book the ticket itself on the airline's site.  That way if you run into trouble, it's easier for the airlines to help you.  (Sometimes it's so much less to go with a third party site though, that I do that.)

 

I generally buy international tickets about 3 months early, although for December, if it's a popular area for travel then, I book it by August if possible.  However, you can start looking now to get a generally idea of what prices run.  If you suddenly hit a few days when they seem to drop substantially and the schedule is good, grab it.

[mumto2]

She should also look at where her daughter's destination in the UK is. If her destination is in the North flying into Manchester (for instance) which has easy train connections might make much more sense.

 

Airline wise I would look at hidden costs and number of stops/transfers. There are great prices frequently on major airlines that might mean a number of transfers depending on where the daughter is departing from. Things like clearing immigration and customs takes time, normally more than the hour that some airlines booking systems seem to allow for.

[Lanny]

What is her origin airport? What is her destination airport?  Fares can vary a lot, for reasons that include some airlines charge passengers for everything except using the restroom.  My wife has a friend who goes from California to Colombia, once or twice a year, on Spirit.  If we went on Spirit, it would probably end up costing us far more, because we do not understand their system. COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.

 

If a connection is involved, look at the total elapsed time, from origin airport to destination airport.  When I was looking at the schedules for our trip from Cali, Colombia to Orlando, where a connection is involved, I discovered they list itineraries that take about 6 or 7 hours total elapsed time, up to about 24 hours elapsed time. Same fare, but a LONG layover in the connecting city.  We took flights that had 2 or 3 hours connection time in Bogota, because I like to allow for possible delays for the first flight, so that we do not misconnect.

 

 

[Janeway]

She should also look at where her daughter's destination in the UK is. If her destination is in the North flying into Manchester (for instance) which has easy train connections might make much more sense.

 

Airline wise I would look at hidden costs and number of stops/transfers. There are great prices frequently on major airlines that might mean a number of transfers depending on where the daughter is departing from. Things like clearing immigration and customs takes time, normally more than the hour that some airlines booking systems seem to allow for.

Edinburgh. 

[TravelingChris]

There probably are direct flights to Edinburgh.  

 

We flew United to Belgium with no issues at all.  We had horrendous issues with Delta including arriving at the airport and having animal procedures suddenly change (I researched, called, verified again before traveling, had travel agent call and verify, and still problems).  Then we had the nightmare from hell problems once we arrived in the US including having our plane delayed five hours, then we finally boarded, then when we were taxiing down the runway, the lights went out momentarily so a group of passengers demanded a return to get off the plane, by that time the crew had timed out and then we waited a few more hours on the plane for a new crew, and finally flying with our arrival now at 3am instead of 6pm.    Dh has flown Delta since then and within the last year he has decided not to fly them again because of the lousy service he was getting and the overcrowded waiting areas, etc, etc,  I then told him about my experience with Delta in 99 and how I had an unpleasant trip with overcrowded waiting rooms.

 

[mumto2]

Regarding Delta to the UK......Delta and Virgin are now partners. We flew Delta to the US recently because we had a direct flight on Virgin Aircraft the whole way. Virgin is our airline of choice but booking via Delta can be cheaper. That particular flight was crowded but service was as good as economy is ever going to be...... ;)

 

Your friend should be able to book into Edinburgh. Maybe not direct. Make sure the luggage allowance is the same the whole journey.

[Starr]

If a student hasn't traveled out of the country before I wouldn't worry about finding the cheapest tickets. I would make the experience as direct and easy as possible within reason. If they have a connecting flight give extra time in case the first plane is late, be sure they don't arrive late in the day for the connecting flight and that sort of thing. Also, do they need to arrive when the school is open to get into their housing?

[Lanny]

Regarding Delta to the UK......Delta and Virgin are now partners. We flew Delta to the US recently because we had a direct flight on Virgin Aircraft the whole way. Virgin is our airline of choice but booking via Delta can be cheaper. That particular flight was crowded but service was as good as economy is ever going to be...... ;)

 

Your friend should be able to book into Edinburgh. Maybe not direct. Make sure the luggage allowance is the same the whole journey.

 

This post brings up "Code Sharing".  The same flight on the same aircraft can have 2 or 3 different airlines selling space on it. And, the fares, probably can be different. Maybe very different.   If it is a "Code Sharing" flight, find out which airline actually operates the aircraft, before you purchase the tickets.

 

And then, there is a thing, new to me, of "Virtual" airlines. We have one here in Colombia. Wingo. Wingo is operated by COPA Colombia, which is by COPA (an excellent Panamanian airline).  I think Wingo is something like Spirit, in that they add on a lot of different charges, so one would need to compare, very carefully, the total cost.  Compare Apples to Apples.  

[diplomum]

Regarding Delta to the UK......Delta and Virgin are now partners. We flew Delta to the US recently because we had a direct flight on Virgin Aircraft the whole way. Virgin is our airline of choice but booking via Delta can be cheaper. That particular flight was crowded but service was as good as economy is ever going to be...... ;)

 

Your friend should be able to book into Edinburgh. Maybe not direct. Make sure the luggage allowance is the same the whole journey.

If it's all one ticket and airline (or codeshare), the luggage will be booked through to the final destination, and it shouldn't matter if the domestic leg or second leg ostensibly has a smaller baggage allowance. Do watch carry on limits, though.

[Lanny]

Often I'll go to travel sites like Kayak to try and find the best options, but then try and book the ticket itself on the airline's site.  That way if you run into trouble, it's easier for the airlines to help you.  (Sometimes it's so much less to go with a third party site though, that I do that.)

 

I mentioned this in another thread, earlier this month. If you book through a Travel Agency (Brick and Mortar or OTA (Online Travel Agency)) they "own" you. If you then call the airline involved and ask them to change something in your PNR (Passenger Name Record) the airline agent will tell you they cannot do that and that you need to contact your travel agency.  That's normal.  So, if one should have an issue and need to change something (phone number, etc.) and it was booked via a Travel Agency, the passenger needs to contact the Travel Agency who made the reservation and issued the ticket(s.  

 

I prefer to book directly on the web site of the airline we will be flying on, for that reason, but sometimes we book on the web site of one of 2 OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) here in Colombia. 

[Corraleno]

If a student hasn't traveled out of the country before I wouldn't worry about finding the cheapest tickets. I would make the experience as direct and easy as possible within reason. If they have a connecting flight give extra time in case the first plane is late, be sure they don't arrive late in the day for the connecting flight and that sort of thing. Also, do they need to arrive when the school is open to get into their housing?

 

:iagree:

 

I would be willing to pay quite a bit more for a direct flight if you can get it, because an international layover is not like a domestic one. Flying into Europe, you will have to go through customs and passport control in the layover airport, which is usually in a different terminal and the lines can be incredibly long. I've flown through Amsterdam several times in the last year, and there are always panicked people waiting in line who had no idea that their 90 minute layover was not nearly enough.  Even two hours is really squeezing it tight, and the student may need to be proactive enough to flag down a customs employee and ask to be fast-tracked. That's what I had to do last time I flew through there, as our plane arrived late and our transit time was significantly reduced.

 

If you have to have a layover somewhere, try to get info from people who have recently flown through that airport, to see what the wait times are like, what kind of faciltities they have (places to eat, places to stretch out if it's a long layover after an all-night flight, etc.).  In our experience, Frankfurt was the easiest and most efficient airport to get through customs and passport control, and there was plenty of seating and places you could stretch out. But I usually just go with Amsterdam just because it's usually closer and the timing works out better (early AM arrival).

 

My airline preferences for international travel are Delta for a US carrier and Lufthansa for a European one. I like Virgin as well, but haven't flown them in a while. Personally, I have never had a bad experience on Delta. I do not like United and will not fly them anymore, as they have too many cancellations, and the planes I have been have been older with very uncomfortable seats — not something you want to deal with for the length of a transatlantic flight.

 

I have also flown Icelandic and they were very good, but the Reykjavik airport is very confusing, there is not nearly enough seating, and the boarding procedures are unusual. Icelandic is often cheaper than other airlines for transatlantic flights, but I would not use them for a teen traveling abroad for the first time.

 

[Lanny]

If it's all one ticket and airline (or codeshare), the luggage will be booked through to the final destination, and it shouldn't matter if the domestic leg or second leg ostensibly has a smaller baggage allowance. Do watch carry on limits, though.

 

If the flights are on one ticket (same ticket number) it is an International ticket. International Baggage limits stipulated by the carrier flying the International leg will prevail. The passenger is an International passenger, flying under International Laws and International Airline rules.  

 

 If we go from Cali to Bogota and then from Bogota to Orlando on Avianca, the International Baggage limits apply for the entire trip, not just for the segment from  Bogota up to Orlando.  

[TravelingChris]

If the flights are on one ticket (same ticket number) it is an International ticket. International Baggage limits stipulated by the carrier flying the International leg will prevail. The passenger is an International passenger, flying under International Laws and International Airline rules.  

 

 If we go from Cali to Bogota and then from Bogota to Orlando on Avianca, the International Baggage limits apply for the entire trip, not just for the segment from  Bogota up to Orlando.  

Agree completely with this one.  That is why we are having the same travel agency that is handling my dd's study abroad group travel arrangements also book her flight arrangements within the US and they will be added to her ticket.  Carry on baggage is a whole different animal.  Even within the US, many times the carry on limits change depending on the aircraft.  But what happens then is your carry on bag is checked at the gate.  We are always happy when that happens because we never open up our carry on bags in the airplane and then all we have to do is get the carry on at the incoming gate or when we walk down the stairs if it is one of those airports.  No hoisting up luggage makes me a happy traveler.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Only two I didn't like were Iberia and Luftunsa.   

 

 

[Lanny]

Agree completely with this one.  That is why we are having the same travel agency that is handling my dd's study abroad group travel arrangements also book her flight arrangements within the US and they will be added to her ticket.  Carry on baggage is a whole different animal.  Even within the US, many times the carry on limits change depending on the aircraft.  But what happens then is your carry on bag is checked at the gate.  We are always happy when that happens because we never open up our carry on bags in the airplane and then all we have to do is get the carry on at the incoming gate or when we walk down the stairs if it is one of those airports.  No hoisting up luggage makes me a happy traveler.  

 

I tried to reply from my phone but apparently my reply didn't make it.  The key words above are "added to her ticket".  Her Domestic flights need to have the same Ticket Number as her International ticket. That is to say, everything needs to be on one (1) ticket.  That has implications for the taxes and fees one pays, for the baggage limits, and also legal implications.  That makes the entire trip an international trip, and not one Domestic U.S. trip and one International trip, that are entirely separate.

 

ETA: If there were separate tickets (Not issued in Conjunction) and there was a problem with lost baggage or something, there would be a lot of finger pointing and probably little or no help available to the passenger. Misconnection would be another possibility which IMO requires everything be on one ticket. If a passenger misconnected and needed to stay overnight in the connecting city, the way they would be helped (or not helped) would be FAR better if it is on one ticket.  Separate tickets are a path to problems, if there is an issue.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Lanny

[Laura Corin]

If changing in London, try to avoid changing airports.  There are direct coaches (buses) between the airports (there are two major ones and a slew of smaller ones that are less likely for a transatlantic/London to Edinburgh flight), but it's one more thing for a young person to manage.

[Pam in CT]

My daughter used to live in Edinburgh.  Unless she was doing carry-on only, I'd pay up to $150 more for a direct flight (which exist) rather than transferring at Heathrow because...

 

If it's all one ticket and airline (or codeshare), the luggage will be booked through to the final destination, and it shouldn't matter if the domestic leg or second leg ostensibly has a smaller baggage allowance. Do watch carry on limits, though.

... this was not true -- she had to do immigration and customs at Heathrow, which meant having to retrieve her bags, clear customs, and then re-check her bags.  At a minimum that meant hauling them from one end of the terminal to the other before re-checking them, and too often it meant hauling them on a bus to another terminal before re-checking them.  Twice in two years it meant missing her ongoing flight to Edinburgh, which once meant she had to stay the night in Heathrow.  As well, while she usually had 2 bags free on the long haul, she only had 1 on the Heathrow-Edinburgh leg.

 

 

 

(We've found this same issue to hold on the US side when returning from Central America through Miami on our way back to New York -- we've had to clear customs in Miami, requiring us to pick up checked bags, clear customs, and re-check them, again sometimes at additional cost.  And again, delays at the transit airport once forced us into an unplanned overnight.)

 

Direct is worth a premium if it's available.

 

 

[Laura Corin]

 

 

 

(We've found this same issue to hold on the US side when returning from Central America through Miami on our way back to New York -- we've had to clear customs in Miami, requiring us to pick up checked bags, clear customs, and re-check them, again sometimes at additional cost.  And again, delays at the transit airport once forced us into an unplanned overnight.)

 

Direct is worth a premium if it's available.

 

Yes. I've often had to clear customs in the US at LA when coming from Asia before flying on to Texas, despite being theoretically booked through. I agree that direct is good.  Edinburgh airport is a manageable size and there is a tram into the city (or taxis, buses, etc.)

[Corraleno]

Yes, it's always true that you have to clear customs in the first port of landing in the US. And sometimes airline employees themselves are not aware of that! I once had a ticketing agent tell me that 1 hour was plenty of time for a layover in Houston when returning from the UK, because we would not have to go through customs or collect baggage until our final destination. When I explained that was not accurate, he argued with me and insisted he knew what he was talking about! I ignored him and insisted on a 3 hour layover. If I had listened to him, I would have been standing in the security line while our second flight left without us. 

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have TSA PreCheck that does not apply on the US leg of the return flight, since it starts as an international flight. So once you get your bags, go through passport control and customs, and recheck your bag, you then have to go through TSA security all over again. And if you are used to having PreCheck you need to plan ahead because you will have to take your shoes and jackets off, take your liquids and electronics out, and all the stuff required in the non-PreCheck lines. That is also true for Global Entry (although GE does make the trip through passport control much faster, unfortunately it doesn't provide any advantage when going through the regular security line.)

[whitestavern]

She might want to ask the question on the Trip Advisor UK forum. Those forums are full of very knowledgeable people :)

[Bootsie]

Is she attending a program that is arranged through her home university?  Will other students from her university be attending?  If so, coordinating travel plans with them may be helpful.

 

Her university's study abroad office may have some suggestions about what has worked well for students who have gone before.

[FriedClams]

Delta is bad.

I've had very good experiences with Delta. 

[Lanny]

@Janeway   What is the Origin Airport? The Destination Airport is apparently Edinburgh.  If we know the route for the trip, possibly we can give you some ideas.

[mum]

I try and avoid Heathrow, it's very busy. Manchester is better. I usually try and fly non-US carriers. Air France is nice.

[Janeway]

@Janeway What is the Origin Airport? The Destination Airport is apparently Edinburgh. If we know the route for the trip, possibly we can give you some ideas.

DFW

[Bootsie]

Depending on the exact dates, it appears that there are some flights from DFW to EDI in the $1220 range with one stop--some United flights with a change in Newark or O'hare and American flights with changes at JFK or Heathrow.  Remember that she will arrive in EDI the day after she leaves DFW

[Lanny]

Wonderful. One of the best airports in the world and with nonstop service to many cities. Thàt was my home airport. Edinburgh is destination. Approximate dates? If the return to DFW is close to Christmas I would book that in the near future.

 

Sent from my SM-G355M using Tapatalk

[Lanny]

I am on my phone. I used the App of a Colombian OTA.  Despegar and I checked DFW to Edinburgh on 12 September. As I recall on that date there was one stop service on Delta United Air Canada Finnair. Possibly some of those are code shares​ on the same aircraft. That is important because different airlines​ selling seats on a codeshare flight may have different fares and conditions

Sent from my SM-G355M using Tapatalk

Edited March 30, 2017 by Lanny

[Lanny]

OP if the return flight is near Xmas I would book that ASAP. If possible have a range of a few days or a week because some flights do not operate daily. Also the fare may be different on different days

Sent from my SM-G355M using Tapatalk

Edited March 30, 2017 by Lanny

[Lanny]

I am going to search for the airlines on that route on FlightAware. The actual airport codes (for the aircraft systems and F.A.A.) are KDFW and EGPH, but for normal purposes, they are DFW and EDI.  For your reservations and ticketing, you will use DFW and EDI...  This is the main URL for that route: http://flightaware.com/live/findflight?origin=KDFW&destination=EGPH

 

You can select different options on the left side. 

 

NOTE: This has nothing to do with fares or buying tickets. This is to show you which airlines operate on that route and give you an idea of the type of aircraft, elapsed time, etc.

 

NOTE #2:  If there is a connection involved (not just an enroute stop and continuation on the same aircraft) on the Eastbound leg i would suggest 2 or 3 hours scheduled time in the intermediate airport.  On the Westbound leg, in December, I would probably want 3 or 4 hours time, to allow for delays at the origin airport, congestion in the terminals, delays in Customs and Immigration, etc. That will be in December...

 

NOTE #3: The schedules shown on FlightAware on the above URL, today, are for scheduled flights for today. Not in the future, as you will find on an OTA (Online Travel Agency) such as Travelocity or Expedia and many others.  On an OTA you can specify the dates you want, or if you are flexible on the dates, you can specify that and they can search for lower fares on nearby dates. 

 

NOTE #4: You can see in the status that AA278 is expected to be late, from JFK to EDI.  If you click on that, at this time they expect it to be 32 minutes late.  They show flight time from JFK to EDI is 6 hours and 19 minutes.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Lanny

[Lanny]

Deleted due to error in routing

Edited March 30, 2017 by Lanny

[Laura Corin]

 

ETA: Correction: I believe the airport code for Glasgow International is GLA.  Someone above had posted EDI and I began with that code, but that is (I think) the code for the Glasgow area which has 2 airports)

 

To avoid any confusion: the OP says that the destination airport is Edinburgh, which is EDI.  Glasgow does indeed have two airports (Glasgow GLA and Prestwick PIK) but Glasgow is not Edinburgh.

 

[Lanny]

To avoid any confusion: the OP says that the destination airport is Edinburgh, which is EDI.  Glasgow does indeed have two airports (Glasgow GLA and Prestwick PIK) but Glasgow is not Edinburgh.

 

 

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT MAJOR BLUNDER ON MY PART. I WAS UP AT 2 A.M. checking this out on my phone, but now I'm on my laptop and how did that happen?   

[Lanny]

In post #37, you can see that American is expecting the flight from JFK to EDI tonight to be late  leaving JFK. That is NOT a problem and they might make some of that time up, when crossing the Atlantic.   The problem would be if the flight from DFW to JFK had a bad delay and the passengers misconnected in JFK.  That is why our family allows plenty of connecting time.  Delays frequently become what are called creeping delays. An expected 15 minutes can become 30 minutes and then 60 minutes, etc.  A delay on the first flight can turn the trip into a very problematic one, if you misconnect.  A delay on the last flight is simply an inconvenience and you arrive at your final destination airport late. 

[Lanny]

Helping friend find flights for her child who will study abroad. Are there any airlines to avoid or to prefer? There seems to be a significant difference in prices. Also, any other advice on booking?

 

In addition to my other comments, I would suggest that your friend book the EDI to DFW segment, which will be during December 2017, during April 2017.  I would suggest to her that it is unlikely that she is going to find an inexpensive fare if it is around Christmas and certainly now this far out.  If it were my DD, I would buy that ticket during April 2017.

 

For the flights from DFW to EDI during September, if she does not want to book that now, I would try to book it before June 1, 2017. On that one, there is a chance that if she waited that she could get a lower fare, but it is also possible that the fare might increase... Depends on Fuel prices, the value of the U.S. Dollar, which is extremely strong at this time, passenger bookings, etc.

 

She is not going to be getting a $600 Round Trip for this particular trip from Texas to the UK. It is going to cost some money. 

 

I suggest that she book these flights in the near future, *especially* the one for December.

[Bootsie]

In addition to my other comments, I would suggest that your friend book the EDI to DFW segment, which will be during December 2017, during April 2017.  I would suggest to her that it is unlikely that she is going to find an inexpensive fare if it is around Christmas and certainly now this far out.  If it were my DD, I would buy that ticket during April 2017.

 

For the flights from DFW to EDI during September, if she does not want to book that now, I would try to book it before June 1, 2017. On that one, there is a chance that if she waited that she could get a lower fare, but it is also possible that the fare might increase... Depends on Fuel prices, the value of the U.S. Dollar, which is extremely strong at this time, passenger bookings, etc.

 

She is not going to be getting a $600 Round Trip for this particular trip from Texas to the UK. It is going to cost some money. 

 

I suggest that she book these flights in the near future, *especially* the one for December.

Is there a way to book the two flights at separate times and it be considered a round-trip flight?  I have found that booking the two flights separately to be much more expensive.