In this post:
BA Holidays extra discount
The BA sale actually has some reasonable fares. However, you may wish to consider booking it as a holiday due to the BA Double Tier points offer. It also means you can just pay a deposit rather than the whole cost.
British Airways Holidays has now announced additional package savings for the last few days of the BA September Sale, which is running until 4 October.
British Airways Holidays is offering customers an additional saving of up to £300 on selected holidays, for a limited period. Those booking between 29 September – 4 October 2022 can book a flight + hotel or flight + car holiday and make the following extra savings, on top of the September sale prices:
- £300 extra discount with a minimum spend of £10,000 per booking (flight + hotel)
- £200 extra discount with a minimum spend of £5,000 per booking (flight + hotel)
- £100 extra discount with a minimum spend of £2,500 per booking (flight + hotel & flight + car)
- £50 extra discount with a minimum spend of £1,250 per booking (flight + hotel & flight + car)
- £25 extra discount with a min spend of £650 per booking (flight + car)
Further information on the flight and holiday sale can be found at ba.com/sale
Here are a couple of European packages to consider (includes additional discount):
Corfu – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights, at the 5* Ikos Odisia, from £1999pp, travelling on selected dates between 1 June – 30 June 2023 inclusive. Includes economy (Euro Traveller) return flights from London Heathrow Airport, 23kg luggage allowance and accommodation on All Inclusive board basis. Book by 4 October 2022 at ba.com/sale
Mallorca – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights, at the 5* Zafiro Palace Palmanova, from £879pp, travelling on selected dates between 1 April – 30 April 2023 inclusive. Includes economy (Euro Traveller) return flights from London Heathrow Airport, 23kg luggage allowance and accommodation with breakfast. Book by 4 October 2022 at ba.com/sale
Virgin Atlantic changes uniform code and gender options
I normally don’t write about airline staff and inclusive policies but given that you may see some changes in the way crew are dressed on your next flight, I thought it was worth covering. They are also offering customer pronoun badges.
Virgin Atlantic has launched its updated gender identity policy, giving its crew, pilots, and ground team the option to choose which of their uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, best represents them – no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
Reflecting the diversity of their workforce, Virgin Atlantic will offer its staff a flexible approach to its red and burgundy uniforms, meaning staff will be able to choose either the red or the burgundy uniform, depending on which best reflects themselves.
The announcement is part of an on-going drive to champion the individuality of its people and customers and is complemented by the roll out of optional pronoun badges for all its people and those travelling with the airline. The badges will be available to teams and customers from today and customers simply need to ask for their preferred badge at the check in desk or in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.
Virgin Atlantic has also updated its ticketing systems to allow for those who hold passports with gender neutral gender markers to select ‘U’ or ‘X’ gender codes on their booking as well as the gender-neutral title, ‘Mx’. Currently citizens from a small number of countries including the USA, India and Pakistan, are able to hold these passports and travellers must travel on the codes that match their passport. In lieu of passports with gender neutral gender markers being available for all, Virgin Atlantic is implementing a longer-term plan to amend communication preferences to ensure customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.
Mandatory inclusivity training will also be rolled out for its people at all levels across Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays as well as a series of inclusivity training for tourism partners and hotels within destinations such as the Caribbean to ensure all our customers feel welcome.
Michelle Visage, Tanya Compas, Talulah-Eve and Tyreece Nye have teamed up with Virgin Atlantic to showcase the new policy in a stylised fashion shoot that has been released today.
Michelle Visage commented: “As the mother of a non-binary child, and as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, these efforts by Virgin Atlantic to further inclusivity for its people are extremely important and personal to me. People feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are and bring their full selves to work.”
Aer Lingus launches a new route
Aer Lingus is sometimes overlooked when it comes to Avios redemptions but it is actually one of the best value redemptions for long haul with significantly cheaper taxes than booking to fly with British Airways. The amount of Avios can also be less too.
Aer Lingus is to launch a new transatlantic route for summer 2023 from Dublin to Cleveland in Ohio, with connections from nine UK airports.
Starting on 19 May 2023, the new North America service will operate four times a week. This will be Aer Lingus’ 15th transatlantic route from Ireland and the only direct European service to Cleveland.
UK customers will be able to connect on onto Aer Lingus’ Cleveland service via Dublin from nine UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Southampton, and Leeds Bradford.
Flying via its Dublin Hub, you can also benefit from US Immigration Pre-clearance, which allows you to arrive into the US like a domestic passenger, avoiding the immigration queues.
Next summer Aer Lingus will offer customers a choice of 15 transatlantic routes between Ireland and North America, as well as three long-haul services from its Manchester base.
4 comments
Jeans and trainers for all from now on then as we’ve reached the point of “uniforms are a form of oppression”
Couldn’t agree more.
In terms of gender neutral uniforms, I am all for everyone dressing however they feel it represents their gender identity.
However…an airline like Virgin Atlantic is a worlwide business. HOW are they going to manage the reaction of an immigration officer (or member of the general public) in say Islamabad or Lagos when an obvious male is wearing a sexy red uniform and high heels?
It’s a good point but I would think it’s similar to how BA handle female crew visiting Saudia Arabia for example. They are usually given specific guidance for certain destinations so I’d guess that they’d be advised not to do that in certain countries.
Comments are closed.