BA Flights Canada YYZ to U.K. LHR Spring 2009 on British Airways -- Finding the Best Fare

Looking for flights from Toronto, Canada (airport code YYZ) to the U.K (likely London Heathrow LHR) this spring, I took a look at the online flight schedules for BA (British Airways) still searching for the best fare.

I've flown BA several times before, as have family members, and we have always been very happy with BA flight times, fares, seat pitches, crew and amenities. BA leaves from Toronto Terminal 3, which is very easy to get around.

In London LHR , some BA flights use the new Terminal 5, while some flights use LHR Terminal 4 ( good connections to the Heathrow Express, among other options for ground transportation. Assuming Terminal 5 will have similar). Pay attention to our ticket as to which terminal to be at in both Toronto and Heathrow.

BA Fare Finder Page - Choose Travel Dates

This first page on the BA fare finder shows all available flights, and lets you choose by date and fare. Keeping to my tentative travel dates in May 2009, I clicked on Wednesday, May 6 2009 (Outbound) with a fare of $284 (one way, no taxes, fees included - this date offers a lower fare).

For my return flight (Inbound) I again chose the cheaper option -- Monday, June 8, 2009 which also showed as $284 (One way, no fees or taxes included).

BA Flight Finder Choose Departure Times

The next page (above image) shows flight times for the dates I chose, and which carrier is operating the flights. These flights both show British Airways, which is fine with me :-)

British Airways Price Quote Toronto YYZ to London UK LHR Return

The next screen gives my price quote for the total costs including fees and taxes -- AT THIS POINT IN TIME -- as $993.00 CAD. Interesting to see that these fees, etc amount to nearly as much as the cost of the actual flight.

For flights from Canada to the UK, I expect to pay about a thousand dollars Canadian, so this fare is certainly in the ballpark. It is higher than the charter flights (see previous post this topic, link below) but it is comparable to the other scheduled airline I checked (Air Canada; $1,069, all in). I do prefer traveling on scheduled flights, and for me, that is worth paying a bit more.

Cost to Make Changes to BA flights After Booking (Ticketing)

What if my plans change after I booked? Check the costs of changing flights (above screenshot). However, it's still to early in my trip research to book my flights. These fares, times and dates are a good starting point, though, for when I am ready to book in a few months. As well, I now have a base to research hotels, tours and domestic travel. Of course, checking air fares this far ahead of actual travel dates means they can, and likely will, change.

Seat sales, lower fuel and airport charges, etc will have an impact on final costs, as will summer's peak demand travel time. Do you book well ahead and lock in your fare? Or do you wait and watch and hope that fares will be lower in the coming months? It's always a balancing act!

See British Airways for current fares : (http://www.britishairways.com/travel/globalgateway.jsp/global/public/en_ )
See previous post for Air Transat, Air Canada, and other airlines flying from Toronto Canada to the U.K http://snapshot-travel-blog.blogspot.com/2008/12/cheap-flights-toronto-yyz-to-uk-spring.html

Cheap Flights Toronto YYZ to UK Spring 2009 - Travel Planning Step One

I'm planning to travel from Toronto (YYZ) to the U.K. in Spring 2009, and the first thing I like to do is check out the flights. Once you have your flight set, then you can make a start on booking the hotels, tours and ground and domestic travel.

It's early days yet, to actually book a flight for travel in May or June: Airlines are in a state of flux, not sure how they will come through the recession, or what fuel costs will be; others, usually discount cheap air fare or charters carriers, do not start Summer season flights until May or June; and many airlines will not have their summer fares available yet.

But I can at least check what the scheduled fares are right now, so I have a base to help me choose a flight as I get closer to my travel date.

Travel dates are flexible, in that one attraction I really want to see in Britain is Exbury Gardens, to see the rhododendrons in bloom. That event is very weather-dependent, but rhodos can bloom over a 4 week period; Here in Port Credit, that's usually from mid-May to mid June. I suspect the dates may be a bit earlier in the south of England.

With that in mind, I chose somewhat randomly, May 6, 2009, to go from Toronto (YYZ) to London Heathrow (LHR). For flights TO the U.K., I check the arrival time, first. I like to arrive early morning in London; there's a 5-hour time difference ahead of EDT (Eastern Daylight time) and it's about 7 hours flying time.

Air Canada Fares Toronto YYZ to London LHR

So, if I get on a flight that leaves Toronto around 7 p.m. EDT, it's already midnight in London; add 7 hours flying time, and I would arrive around 7 a.m. London time. Good time to get through customs and immigration, and make ground or domestic air connections.

Mind you, a red-eye flight is not a lot of fun, but I prefer it to taking an early morning Toronto departure.

I checked Air Canada, for May 6: All four non-stop direct flights are the same fare at this time. Three flights meet my departure time needs; two have the red star beside them, meaning the cabin interiors have been remodelled. This is good. And of course, I go tourist class.

Air Canada total fares Toronto-London return

For flights from the U.K to Toronto, I like to take one that gets me here around 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. This avoids some of the Toronto airport rush hour traffic; if I have been used to U.K. time, then in effect, I am landing in Toronto close to midnight according to my body clock. If I can stay awake until 10 p.m. Toronto time, then I can often get a good night's sleep and minimize jet lag.

Minor points, to be sure, but if I have a choice to better suit my preferences, why not take it? Especially since this fare is showing as just over $1,000 CAD (Canadian. And who knows what the exchange rate will be in a few months?) As I said, early days to actually book. But now I have a base ticket cost to make comparisons.

I checked Air Transat: I am not a fan of charter airlines to other than all-inclusive holidays to the Caribbean or Mexico. Why, you ask? On an all-inclusive, with the one carrier/holiday package, it doesn't matter much if they change the flight times, or dates. I get there when I get there and the carrier is more likely to care about my business.

Book an air-only charter flight from Toronto, to say, Florida, so that you can take a cruise: See what happens when the flight times get pushed around, and you arrive in Florida a few hours after your ship has sailed.

Will the cruise company care if you miss the boat? Will the charter airline care if you miss your cruise? Not likely. Trust me on this one.

So if I were to get a cheap charter fare to the U.K., I'd not book any onward travel for my arrival date. Leave a day or two to explore London, and then hit the road.

Air Transat -- depart midnight Toronto - arrive noon London

I checked Air Transat fares next, and they are so much cheaper, at this time, that I am sorely tempted. I will keep in mind all the above cautions I outlined before booking onward travel. If the flight times change, I may have to 'eat' one night hotel, but that is still cheaper than full fare Air Canada.

Air Transat Toronto YYZ to Manchester (MAN)

Transat also goes to Manchester, which I plan to visit anyhow, so why not start my U.K. trip there? I checked the cost of a flight to Manchester (MAN): Hm-m-m $100 CAD more. Not sure if this is good value or not until I check the BritRail Flexi Pass I plan to use.

Other carrier options include Flyglobespan.ca, recommended to me by Tourism Ireland for flights directly from nearby Hamilton Ontario International Airport. However, Globespan isn't showing any flights at this time. There's also Canadian Affair, for around $650, all told. The flights shown are on Transat, so the rate is a bit lower via Canadian Affair, though the charter airline issues are the same.

Now on to British Airways, to see how those fares compare.

See also Air Canada flight finders and Air Transat schedules.

West Jet to Kamloops B.C. New Route December 2008

Finally! West Jet will begin flying to Kamloops, B.C. ! That is the good news. Friends and relatives in Kamloops have been longing for the day that West Jet will come to town to give them a choice in air carriers. Finally! Yes!

The not so good news is the new route, via Calgary Alberta (YYC), is set to begin December 15, 2008. Though this date will undoubtedly gladden the hearts of Christmas travellers, it's a few months too late for the early September trip that my mom has planned.

The closest she can get flying West Jet to Kamloops (YKA) in September is to fly to Kelowna, B.C. (YLW) and either take the bus, or have someone in Kamloops drive down to meet her plane, and then take her back to Kelowna for the return trip. It's about a 2-hour drive each way, and a major inconvenience.

In any event, I went to the West Jet site to see what the current fares were for her September trip. Here's what I found: Total including taxes is $665.00 CAD, just as far as Kelowna (gas or bus fare to Kamloops is extra).

And then over to Air Canada to compare fares. I selected the Tango class (the cheapest) with no meals (you can prepay $6.00 for a meal/snack voucher). Total: $735.35 to Kamloops via Calgary.

Air Canada also flies to Kamloops via Vancouver, but this routing adds another 2 or more hours to total travel time as you retrace your route.

So as it stands now, mom will likely choose to pay the $70 fare difference and take Air Canada so she won't have to worry about buses or having someone transfer her to and from Kelowna. But come next year, she will most likely choose to fly Westjet. We'll decide once we see the routing, the fares and the planes. But if customer satisfaction counts for anything, West Jet should win the route hands down.