Flight only v fly drive?

[TheHughesCrew]

Not sure if this is the right place, but thought I’d ask anyway...

I’ve currently got a BA fly drive booked for next year. The obvious benefit is the deposit only option.

However, I can save lots (£600) on booking flight and car separately.

What do I actually gain by having ATOL protection?

I know plenty of people book separately, so it can’t be that bad/ risky?

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Mr Tom Morrow]

My view is very simplistic. Book both parts separate as invariably they are cheaper albeit not always.

What does ATOL give you? Nothing really.

If the airline goes bust you claim on your credit card. If you get stranded you claim on your insurance and maybe the credit card but not both.

I haven’t booked a fly drive since the early 2000’s as I cannot see what the attraction is.

[lindylou46]

We always book fly drive as usually it's seems to be much cheaper than doing them separately, also no faffing about with adding another driver as the second driver is added automatically.

[kiwiinabd]

The link below gives details of the ATOL protection.

Provided you pay with a credit card and have travel insurance I don't see any real advantage with ATOL and would book direct if cheaper although the deposit only with BA flydrives is a real bonus !

caa/ATOL-protectio...OL-protection/

[cornishfrogboy]

I always look at both flydrives and straightforward flights with the hire car booked separately.

I have managed to get a better total price by separating them on every single occasion. With Virgin, the cost of a decent insurance policy is extortionate and with BA, it has simply and always worked out more expensive.

It may be because I frequently book a little off the beaten track.

I always book with a credit card for the protection that it gives.

[TheHughesCrew]

Both fab answers, thank you!

However, I can't cancel my fly drive on line... and the person I spoke to at 17.45 who told me that online cancellation was instant was obviously telling me porkies... and the person I eventually got through to at 19.55 told me a different story and then put the phone down on me

BA have got a code that will save me over £400 but I cant use it after midnight tonight.

Thwarted at the last minute

BUt useful info regardless, I will keep trying; especially as booking direct we get the actual flights we want, rather than a compromise.

Back to the virtual drawing board, ish.

[TheHughesCrew]

More great answers, thanks.

I didn't think ATOL gave me 'that' much extra on a BA booking, but great to hear other opinions.

There's always tomorrow ...

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Can you book flights only now to get the discount. Then cancel the fly drive tomorrow and roll that forward as a voucher?

[TheHughesCrew]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Can you book flights only now to get the discount. Then cancel the fly drive tomorrow and roll that forward as a voucher?

See more...

Well, there's a thought!

Thanks for thinking it through...

I literally spent SO LONG on the phone to someone this afternoon/ evening (I even delayed dinner much to the children's disgust!) ... he said that as long as I cancelled the original package BEFORE I booked the fly drive, and got the email confirmation, I would be able to off set the voucher against the new booking, even if it was paid for in full. However, he also told me I could cancel original booking online, and that it would be instant. The lady I spoke to later said that that was actually wrong and that the voucher has to be processed manually which is why it can't possibly be instant. And given that it's IMPOSSIBLE to cancel online, I'm giving up and seeking solace in gin