Last Tuesday, British Airways announced the launch of direct flights to the Seychelles. I was delighted to see the arrival of non-stop services to the Seychelles from the UK. This removes the need for a stop along the way which generally added at least 3/4 hours to the total journey time.
Flights launch on 24th March 2018 and will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner including a First Class cabin.
Return fares start from:
- World Traveller – £699
- World Traveller Plus – £999
- Club World – £2499
- First – £3499
and are available to book now on ba.com.
Timetable:
| Sector | Day of week | Departure time | Arrival time |
| LHR to SEZ | Wednesday and Saturday | 17:50 | 07:00 |
| SEZ to LHR | Thursday and Sunday | 09:00 | 16:20 |
Snap up Avios availability
As with any new route that launches, Avios seats are made available on all scheduled flights. If you aren’t already following the TOTT Twitter feed, make sure you fix that today! Last Tuesday, we tweeted out a heads-up as flights were being loaded and numerous readers were able to grab Club World seats.
Having a look today, it seems there is still Avios availability to be had, and I saw plenty of Premium Economy seats in particular.
Remember: BA releases availability 355 days ahead at midnight GMT, which means more dates are currently being loaded each night at the moment. Jump on the phone/online tonight and you could snap up 4x Economy or 2x Club World seats as they are released.
More details on the new route can be found on this page at ba.com
Virgin Trains upgrade app
Virgin Trains customers can now bid on last-minute upgrades for First Class tickets on east coast services via upgrade app Seatfrog. The partnership is, according to the Virgin Trains press release, a world first for rail passengers.
The free app works by creating a live, dynamic bidding system for First Class seats that would otherwise travel empty. Upgrades can be won up to 30 minutes before departure, with each auction opening approximately 2.5 hours before a train departs from its originating station.
Customers who successfully bid on a First Class ticket will be able to enjoy all the luxury benefits of Virgin Trains’ First Class experience, including complimentary food and drink from a menu curated by James Martin, reclining leather seats, additional legroom, free Wi-Fi and, in selected stations, First Class lounges with free Wi-Fi, relaxation areas and refreshments.
Which routes is this available on?
- King’s Cross to Leeds including, for example, Doncaster to Wakefield Westgate, and Stevenage to Grantham
- King’s Cross to Newcastle including, for example, Northallerton to York, and Peterborough to Newark North Gate
- King’s Cross to Edinburgh including, for example, Berwick upon Tweed to Darlington, and Durham to Dunbar
- King’s Cross to York including, for example, Grantham to Doncaster, and Retford to Stevenage
How to bid for a First Class upgrade on Virgin Trains’ east coast services
1.Enter your booking reference: Simply open the app and enter your Virgin Trains booking reference for upcoming trips.
2.Upgrade now or bid to win: Seatfrog notifies customers as soon as a seat becomes available and auctions open around 2.5 hours before departure. Customers can then start their bidding to win an upgrade in the auction. If available, there is also an ‘Upgrade Now’ option.
3.Upgrade in seconds: Seatfrog issues the new ticket to your phone there and then, so you can find your new seat, sit back and relax (you also need to present it with your original ticket so be sure to travel with both).
The app is available for iOS and Android devices.