Calling all Jersey Dibbers-warning niche planning alert!

[Mickie]

I know there are a few out there. We are almost certainly about to have our 2021 trip cancelled in next few days There is a strong possibility that by our 2022 trip we might have returned to the Island permanently. If not then I’d think by 2023 it’s an almost certainty.

Since I like to have a trip planned and will desperately try to rearrange our current BA flights to keep the same price, I was wondering what added complications starting the trip from Jersey entails.

Is it mainly just flying into Gatwick/Heathrow the night before the outbound flight and getting an airport hotel rather risk for instance a delayed Jersey to London flight due to fog? Or in fact are European routes a better option? I currently tend to book DIY but find a BA fly drive package offers good extra protection, would such a package offer the same ATOL protection if the journey started in Jersey? Do you just get really good insurance to cover all eventualities-can live with insured delays on way back but don’t want to lose a few days holiday or even the whole thing because missed connections on the way out. Is there any else I hadn’t considered that I need to take into account?

[KeepSmiling]

Hi,
We are fellow islanders but from Guernsey.
Don’t have any options available to us for European connections so always travel to London the day before and use a Premier Inn. Would never risk travel on the same day I’m afraid.
Have only ever flown with Virgin so can’t comment on the policy of BA.

Kindest Regards

Lynn

[malt1977]

Jersey person here!

We generally fly out from Jersey in the morning for the flight to MCO. The red-eye to LGW arrives on the rock the night before (or so I believe). We do however give ourselves some room and take the early afternoon flight from LGW. Good travel insurance is a must though.

Currently, things are a little in the wind as the LGW route by BA is not running, just LHR.

We'll be booking for October 2022 in the next month or so, guess we'll see what the plan is then.

[Peko]

ATOL protection on packages is only concerned with financial protection (and repatriation, if already travelling) in the event of financial failure of the tour operator selling the package, or sometimes a major travel provider within the package (usually an airline). It is irrelevant for protection of flight connections due to weather, other airline delays, cancellations etc.

The only thing that matters for protecting a flight connection is to have the connecting flights (eg JER-LGW and LGW-MCO) on a single ticket, and for it to be a true connection, the gap between flights should be under 24 hours. This is the same whether the flights are booked as part of a package or flight-only.

There may of course be other benefits to booking a package, depending on the situation (eg in the case of BA, the ability to pay a deposit, and currently BA Holidays will offer refunds if you cannot travel to the USA due to the border restrictions, even if the flight operates, whereas with flight only you could only get a voucher). Of course, there may also be a price benefit too.

As for whether it’s better to travel the night before or connect the same day, that all comes down to personal attitude to risk, the associated additional costs of an overnight, and in the case of weather delays, a bit of a lottery. On a single ticket, your connection would be protected and the airline(s) would get you to your destination as quickly as possible, at no additional flight cost to you. It may take longer, and/or be another routing / airline but that would be the case either way.