the_outcast

Hi,

I'm looking at flights from DUB - JFK via LHR on Jan 2, 2025 in business class for 4 pax. All the options on the BA site are limited to no more than a 1 hour and 55 minute connection time. Ideally, I would like a 3 hour connection to allow for delays and going through Heathrow security again.

Google flights shows options whereby I can get an earlier departure from Dublin and connect on to a later flight with BA to JFK, leaving a 3 - 4 hour connection, but when I click through on the link, the BA website tells me that these flights are sold out. But the flights are available when paired with tighter connections.

I haven't seen this before - is this a feature or a bug of buying a connecting flight?

Bullswood

Did you try building your own connection by using the multi-sector tool? You'll obviously need availability in the original fare category.

KARFA

If you try using the multi city tool on ba.com and separate out the DUB-LHR and LHR-JFK, does it give you the longer connection options?

DeathSlam

It is also pretty easy to do this over the phone. The agents there are well used to people asking for different amounts of time for connections although by default they will also try to book you on the shortest connection that meets MCT.

Pierre_m

I made the booking yesterday by email and even made the final confirmation payment over the phone,

The combination I wanted was not available in the multi seg option and I sent the GGL team the itinerary on the matrix I wanted and they asked me to pay by phone within a certain time after creating the booking. Maybe you can do the same by email or phone.

the_outcast

Thanks for the responses. I did try multi-city but it shows even fewer options, i.e. it doesn't even show all the options from DUB - LHR. I think there are 14 flights from DUB - LON (LHR and LCY) but when I enter this a s a multi-city itinerary, it only gives me the first 6 flights in the morning, up to the 8:55 Aer Lingus departure.

Then it only gives me 3 options to NYC (2 to JFK and one to EWR), and the price jumps up massively as well. From looking at Google Flights, there should be about 12 options, including two on American.

I'll just take the minimum connection - 1 hour and 55 minutes should be enough but I just find it curious that the system doesn't show all the connection options - it's like they don't want you spending too much time in Heathrow.

cauchy

More like not investing in the website biting them in the backside... obviously in general it's better for the airline if people have medium length connections, so that the 15 mins delay loading the baggage doesn't lead to an EC261 claim when they misconnect. If there was proper investment in the website it could not only provide this option, but also steer folks towards it.

Pigeon49

How long before a 15 year old in Blackpool solves all of this using AI?

FlyingScientist

The advice I received on FT is to use ITA Matrix with the Chrome plug-in that links to BA (in fact, an old version of the webpages). That works reasonably well for me.

A very strange feature is that multi-city bookings work well for Avios bookings on the BA website, but not if one wants to pay with real money.

Lefly

Out of curiosity, was that a BA only flights booking?

Pierre_m

I had to book a multi-leg from CGK to TFS via HKG, LHR/LGW with the first leg last leg being a CX flight and I needed a BA stock ticket for the GUF to apply.

BA multi-segment booking came up with a similar itinerary but not for the long connection I wanted (I didn't want a 4 hour Gatwick - Heathrow transfer or a 1 hour 30 minute transfer at Heathrow) so I sent them what I found in the matrix for that and they did a great job

They said they can't give me a long hold because CX can drop the booking quickly I was in KL for work at the moment so I didn't want a long phone call. After initial communication with them by mail

I called them to issue the booking they created.

Lefly

Thank you.
I asked because the last time I tried to have a multi-city BA + AA booking set up by email, and then call to pay, the answer was "not possible anymore due to partner flights in the itinerary". It happened end of 2023 and I was a bit annoyed by this, as I had to call and feed all the flights to the phone agent... only to have them putting the itinerary on hold anyway since there was an issue with the price. In the end I paid 2 days later...

GlasgowBlue

My home airport is GLA and this is something I’ve noticed over the last few years. Particularly where there are multiple flights per day on the long haul sector, BA.com will generally only show connections of between 90 mins and 2 hrs.

IIRC you used to be given the option of booking any same day domestic to LH, as long as they met MCT rules. In recent years BA.com seems to try and force the booking of shorter connections.

If a long haul destination has only 1 or 2 flights per day I tend to get a much better spread of connection times and options for my domestic flight.

Sometimes moving your departure date a day forward or back can show up slightly different options with regards to your SH flight and therefore occasionally will throw up longer connection times.

Like the OP I’ve found the multi city tool absolutely hopeless. It throws up far less options and a lot of times with absolutely wild pricing.

If you can’t get BA.con to play ball, it’s worth pricing up your preferred connections on ITA Matrix and then phoning with the details.

Pierre_m

I issued 2 days ago a little self-reward for my GGL renewal...

Personally, I think the problem with BA agents is unequal knowledge and training levels... I did 3 hangup call again for GUF split a few days ago.

Banksy76

100% use the IATA Matrix tool and the chrome extension. You can set the min connection time in that. Either that or call up.

The IATA Matrix tool puts you in more control though.