Not picking up car when booking a flydrive?

bigdreams · 30 Oct 20, 08:08 PM

Hello,

We are looking at booking flights & car hire (for a day) with BA so we can just pay a deposit rather than the full amount for flights. We don’t want to pick up the car. I have seen mixed things online where people are saying this is okay where others have said you can get a “no show fee”

Does anyone have any experience? Don’t want to end up getting stung.

Thanks

mariechez · 30 Oct 20, 08:24 PM

I did a Virgin flydrive a few years back and it was cheaper to hire a car separately. Nothing happened.

Donaldfan · 30 Oct 20, 08:36 PM

Do you stay at an airport hotel the night before your flight? If so you could book it and the flights together and pay a deposit. It's what I've done for next year.

duncanb · 30 Oct 20, 09:12 PM

Donaldfan has given 100% the correct answer as you can use the hotel and may well work out cheaper than something you dont want and wont use.
Sorted.

bigdreams · 30 Oct 20, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by duncanb

Donaldfan has given 100% the correct answer as you can use the hotel and may well work out cheaper than something you dont want and wont use.
Sorted.

I’ve just tried to do this and it won’t let me book the night before the flight online, can only add on a booking from the day we fly?

Donaldfan · 30 Oct 20, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by bigdreams

I’ve just tried to do this and it won’t let me book the night before the flight online, can only add on a booking from the day we fly?

You need to choose the 'Custom Trip' option. It should work then.

bigdreams · 30 Oct 20, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Donaldfan

You need to choose the 'Custom Trip' option. It should work then.

Thank you, just seen the custom trip option. Its come up a lot cheaper - much appreciate the tip from you both, never even crossed by mind that we could do this.

Stitch & Smudge · 30 Oct 20, 09:40 PM

I’ve done this. Wasn’t an issue. The total car hire price was cheaper elsewhere than the the insurance upgrade fee would have been from Virgin, add in that we would have needed a bigger car and the savings were huge.

Donaldfan · 30 Oct 20, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by bigdreams

Thank you, just seen the custom trip option. Its come up a lot cheaper - much appreciate the tip from you both, never even crossed by mind that we could do this.

You're welcome - I read about it on here too 😀 So now if I see anyone raise this sort of issue I always mention it.