Looking at a round trip package on BA
and there’s a huge savings if you include
a hotel stay


I don’t actually need a hotel in the UK, but this deal is so good I’m thinking if I just check in to the hotel on arrival and check out at departure I’ll ‘fill the boxes’ for this requirement understanding that if I don’t show at the hotel at all my return would be canceled


Am I missing anything? I’ve asked BA and the Hotel this question and they don’t seem to think it a problem but there’s often
things that are overlooked

You don't need to add a hotel for all days of your trip. See if you can get it even cheaper by only having a hotel booked through BA.com for the first night.

Max Q wrote:

Looking at a round trip package on BA
and there’s a huge savings if you include
a hotel stay


I don’t actually need a hotel in the UK, but this deal is so good I’m thinking if I just check in to the hotel on arrival and check out at departure I’ll ‘fill the boxes’ for this requirement understanding that if I don’t show at the hotel at all my return would be canceled


Am I missing anything? I’ve asked BA and the Hotel this question and they don’t seem to think it a problem but there’s often
things that are overlooked

I was hoping someone with specific knowledge would answer this, but no takers thus far.
first, I think the prior answer had a good idea, which is the possibility of booking fewer nights (like absolute minimum possible at the front end of trip) and saving more money.

But I am truly curious - you are saying that there's a savings by adding hotel nights in the UK vs just a bare airfare? You are certain (cuz its sounds impossible/glitch) ? Is this a TATL booking from US/Canada, not a domestic UK flight, right? I'd love to know what route makes this possible (pm me if you care to share...) , as I may encounter this at some point, would love to take advantage.

But here's my contribution: having booked a fair number of flight + hotel package from airlines (but not BA), its always been clear to me that the airline has no communication or interest in the hotel booking, that they are simply providing a travel agency function, and reaping a commission on the hotel booking (just as they would on a car hire). I am very, very doubtful (lets call that ~100%) that BA will know or care (doubtful there's any mechanism, and why would there be?) if you show up at the hotel.

In fact, my observation of the hotel industry is that they won't care either, and might even happily let your room "go" (ie give it away to another paying customer at high occupancy time) by the second night.
Overbooking isn't just for airlines

Thanks B74 and FH


I was informed of this savings while talking to BA res on an upcoming Tatl trip from the
US


There was a big savings for my travel dates if I added a rental car or a hotel stay


In fact the agent stressed it was important to show up and actually rent the car or the return would be canceled, I assumed the same policy would apply for a hotel room

Max Q wrote:

Thanks B74 and FH


I was informed of this savings while talking to BA res on an upcoming Tatl trip from the
US


There was a big savings for my travel dates if I added a rental car or a hotel stay


In fact the agent stressed it was important to show up and actually rent the car or the return would be canceled, I assumed the same policy would apply for a hotel room

wow, I'm floored.
first, that you actually called a human to inquire.
second, that they stressed the car hire part
third.... I just randomly checked a BOS-LHR flight, and I'll be damned - you're right, flight was cheaper by a significant margin to take a week at a hotel I do not want........

I'm utterly baffled.

just to add to my confusion... I've determined that in fact, the same hotel for 2 night (vs 6) is still quite a bit more expensive, yet a little less then no hotel at all....

something is really, really backward in BA-ville !
maybe the hotels are actually clandestine locations for involuntary organ harvesting?

FlyHappy wrote:

just to add to my confusion... I've determined that in fact, the same hotel for 2 night (vs 6) is still quite a bit more expensive, yet a little less then no hotel at all....

something is really, really backward in BA-ville !
maybe the hotels are actually clandestine locations for involuntary organ harvesting?

That could well be


And another good reason to just check in and then leave thereby retaining all
your organs


I was surprised, I was discussing a Rt fare
of over 4K when he mentioned, out of the blue a rt of around $1100 if I booked a rental car and on a subsequent call a fare
of around $900 if I reserved a hotel room


All included in the price


Furthermore, when I mentioned I didn’t really need a car he said ‘just pick it up and park it at the airport, then return it when you leave !’


Interesting, spending a lot less to get more.
Must be a collaboration between the rental
car and hotel companies on a promotional basis



Or, as you say it could all be about organ
harvesting..

Max Q wrote:

That could well be


And another good reason to just check in and then leave thereby retaining all
your organs


I was surprised, I was discussing a Rt fare
of over 4K when he mentioned, out of the blue a rt of around $1100 if I booked a rental car and on a subsequent call a fare
of around $900 if I reserved a hotel room


All included in the price


Furthermore, when I mentioned I didn’t really need a car he said ‘just pick it up and park it at the airport, then return it when you leave !’


Interesting, spending a lot less to get more.
Must be a collaboration between the rental
car and hotel companies on a promotional basis



Or, as you say it could all be about organ
harvesting..

I believe I may have sleuthed out the "truth"... tell me if I am wrong.

it appears that BA's "close in" fare penalties (3 weeks, 2 weeks, whatever) are effectively being waived, by adding the hotel/car. I cannot reproduce the odd "discount" by adding those if I go out further in time... in those cases, the more logical outcome of actually paying for those add'l services become obvious.

Are you booking something quite near (as I originally did, assuming you were looking to travel very soon)?

FlyHappy wrote:

Max Q wrote:

That could well be


And another good reason to just check in and then leave thereby retaining all
your organs


I was surprised, I was discussing a Rt fare
of over 4K when he mentioned, out of the blue a rt of around $1100 if I booked a rental car and on a subsequent call a fare
of around $900 if I reserved a hotel room


All included in the price


Furthermore, when I mentioned I didn’t really need a car he said ‘just pick it up and park it at the airport, then return it when you leave !’


Interesting, spending a lot less to get more.
Must be a collaboration between the rental
car and hotel companies on a promotional basis



Or, as you say it could all be about organ
harvesting..

I believe I may have sleuthed out the "truth"... tell me if I am wrong.

it appears that BA's "close in" fare penalties (3 weeks, 2 weeks, whatever) are effectively being waived, by adding the hotel/car. I cannot reproduce the odd "discount" by adding those if I go out further in time... in those cases, the more logical outcome of actually paying for those add'l services become obvious.

Are you booking something quite near (as I originally did, assuming you were looking to travel very soon)?

That’s exactly what I was planning, a short
notice trip


Events have changed my plans however
Useful information for the future!

You can do the same thing on Delta add a two night hotel stay and your airfare gets much cheaper.

FlyHappy wrote:

Max Q wrote:

Thanks B74 and FH


I was informed of this savings while talking to BA res on an upcoming Tatl trip from the
US


There was a big savings for my travel dates if I added a rental car or a hotel stay


In fact the agent stressed it was important to show up and actually rent the car or the return would be canceled, I assumed the same policy would apply for a hotel room

wow, I'm floored.
first, that you actually called a human to inquire.
second, that they stressed the car hire part
third.... I just randomly checked a BOS-LHR flight, and I'll be damned - you're right, flight was cheaper by a significant margin to take a week at a hotel I do not want........

I'm utterly baffled.

What's wrong with calling a human it's called customer service and an airline is part of the service industry.