Flying non-rev to BCN

[MISSYLOU]

I hope I can ask this here. I know many of the CC members are retired or current airline employees. Have any of you flown non rev to Europe to catch a cruise? We are booked on a Nov cruise leaving from Barcelona considering non rev except that flight capacities may be reduced. We are retired so we have plenty of time. We are experienced non revs but not to/from Europe. Anyone have advice or suggestions on load factors for November or should we just bite the bullet and buy air? Thank you.

[FlyerTalker]

Non-rev is, as you likely know, a crap shoot. Sometimes you'll find availability, sometimes you sit and wait and wait and wait.

 

Try this thought experiment. A cruise ship with 2000 people is departing BCN on day X. How are all of those people getting to BCN? Now, apply that same thought experiment to when the ship returns to port and everyone wants to leave BCN. That's in addition to the normal flight demand in/out of BCN on a normal day. Extend that across the pond both ways. (And if more than one ship is in port, it's even more applicable)

 

If you non-rev, you know the tools/tricks regarding availability. I have no specific info to add, but just the hopefully common-sense approach of Econ 101.

[MISSYLOU]

Thank you for your input. As non rev's we always fly 3 days or more prior to. At this date in time we cannot access availability as it is too early. I guess what I was really asking was if load factors are lighter in November. We will probably buy tickets because of the same issues you brought up. By the time we wait and reroute and wait, we may spend more on hotels and food than a ticket would have cost. We never mind non reving going home, getting there is the issue. Just thought someone might have experience with this route.

[ab0si]

Yes, loads will be lighter in November .. assuming capacity is not cut again before than, of course.

 

Consider flying into Madrid instead. Quite a few more trans-atlantic seats to there than to Barcelona and it is an easy, comfortable train ride from there to Barcelona.

[MISSYLOU]

Thank you abosi. That's what I needed to know. We were considering Madrid also.

[new salt]

Fortune favours the brave but there is a lot of consolidation and cancelling going on in Europe at present. I have just received a reschedule for our flight Venice Barcelona in October that now means we will spend a night in Barcelona rather than get home that evening as planned. I have just cancelled my membership of the happy bunny club:mad:. Fortunately we had not booked the rail journey so we are OK in that regard.

 

NS

[ab0si]

Fortune favours the brave but there is a lot of consolidation and cancelling going on in Europe at present. I have just received a reschedule for our flight Venice Barcelona in October that now means we will spend a night in Barcelona rather than get home that evening as planned. I have just cancelled my membership of the happy bunny club:mad:. Fortunately we had not booked the rail journey so we are OK in that regard.

 

NS

 

Look at this in a positive light....

 

It gives you an excuse to spend a day and evening in one of the great cities of Europe. Relax, drink some cafe, check out a museum, drink some cava, have some tapas, then more cava.

[MISSYLOU]

Thanks for sharing that information. If there is "consolidation" going on now I am sure there will be more by or before fall. We will buy tickets, we are just not that brave.:)