BA Flights with Nielson

A snowHead

Hi - We are looking at booking VT with Nielson including BA flights - I have status with BA so get additional baggage allowance, early seat choice etc, which I'm assuming I can still use or will I be restricted to booking extra bags with Nielson ? Does anyone have any experience of this ?

A snowHead

Not with BA, but is this is anything like the Austrian Air / Inghams thread then the answer is probably not.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@mikeh17 I just flew Neilson to Saltzburg with BA on Saturday. Neilson told me I couldn’t take skis or pay to take skis as their allocation was full. I ignored them on advice of SH forum members and BA website. I took 1 bag of 23kg including my skis and was fine with BA. I also used my FF to check in business aisle and jump queue. The check in lady seemed to suggest I could have had another bad and extra luggage but don’t quote me on that

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I think it will depend if it is a charter or a BA scheduled flight that Neilsen have an allocation of seats on and what Nielsen have paid for.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@mikeh17, ask for the flight number and check with BA directly.

You'll need to Register first of course.

No experience with Neilson but when I had status with BA and found that this was the airline the TO was using I always bought the package without flights, found the flight number and booked direct. About 50% of the time the discount from the TO was actually more than the cost of booking direct, and if I used a few of my miles I could get a further discount as well. Apart from the extra baggage you also get the benefit of being able to select seats and check in direct on line. You just need to make sure the TO knows you will be on the airport transfer!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

We have been told by Neilson that we cannot book ski carriage in advance on BA (to Turin)we just need to turn up and pay at the desk.They guarantee space will not be a problem - i am still not convinced! We are struggling to get the flight number so we can double check with BA.

After all it is free

Following the good advice here we found the flight number and checked. Initially BA said that it was a BA flight therefore status benefits apply as usual, but then they looked up the flight number and said however this flight is a charter and that isn't the case, so we would have to book (and pay for) everything with the TO. It was worth investigating though as its the difference between Nielson at 1 x 23kg and my BA at 2 x 32 kg. Thank you all and now looking forward to the family packing minimisation challenge.....

I am due to fly to Salzburg this Saturday, the 26th January and have a package deal with Neilson (absolute bargain), as a result the flights with BA includes 23kg luggage per person plus two pieces of hand luggage (20kg each), but it is a chartered flight. Whilst booking Neilson indicated that I could not book skis in the hold, as the maximum number which they were allowed to allocate had already been met. As a result I have contacted BA, as Neilson stated that the contract to charter includes a set number of skis to be carried. The situation is ridiculous as I flew with BA last year and they would normally allow you to take the allowance by way of normal luggage or ski bag and this situation is still shown on their website. After various calls and e-mails I could still not get confirmation that I would be ok placing the skis on the flight, (even subject to a supplement), BA stated that the arrangement remained with Neilson as the flight was chartered. We have been to Soll and we ski the ski welt every year and the best price with discounts for 2 sets of skis was about £160.00 at one of the hire shops in the village, so I spent some time exploring ski delivery. The result is two sets of skis in a snokart ski bag with some gear as well, door to door, (Kent to Soll), for £78 including the return delivery. Skis were collected Monday, the 21st Jan and should be delivered to our accommodation, Thursday 24th, the Company delivering could not have been more helpful: https://www.airoluggage.com

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Thing is when BA charter a flight out it is no longer a BA flight. They sell the flight and have top operate it under the rules of the purchaser. Their money their rules

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Hi. We are booked on the BA 8612 LGW - Salzburg Flight on Saturday 2nd Feb.
Neilson can't arrange our ski carriage ......first time ever this has happened in 30 years!
I have tried to get some sense out of BA via emails and phone calls, this has been no help as the flight is charter not scheduled.
I have contacted Erdinger ski rental shop at the Soll lift , are they ok?
Any thoughts on a magic way to get my skis to Soll?
Also has any one stayed at the Alpenschlossl hotel?
Thank you.

snow reports

@badgerlover2, May be a bit late but we have used this company https://www.sendmybag.com/, I think they use DHL you could check with them.

Thanks hoping to use Airo.luggage for 78 quid.

You know it makes sense.

We have just returned from Soll, amazing skiing conditions and I am pleased to say that the skis and gear were delivered safely to our accommodation and are scheduled to be returned this week with airoluggage.com. Great service and also the ability to track your skis. Double ski bag and gear up yo 20Kg! With regards to your hotel, great facilities and accommodation but a little way out from the centre of Soll. Make sure that you use the Erdinger lockers for storing your skis for the week, (15 euros for skis and poles for 6 days at the bottom of the gondola lift), but worth every penny as it will save you the hassle of taking your gear on the bus every day. You will have a great time.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I have to agree with you Lux.
We are in Soll now. We were categorically told by Neilson that there was no room on the BA charter LGW / Salz flight .
I therefore used Airo.luggage, absolutely first class speedy service provided by John. Isle of Wight pick up on Tuesday by TNT , arrived here at our hotel on Friday afternoon! All for £78. Recommend 100%.
Also the Erdinger shop guys were fantastic.
When i checked in at LGW on Saturday 2nd I asked the BA check in lady about ski carriage limitations
She said that even though the flight was charter it would have been fine to check skis in as part of the hold allowance, 23 kgs, x2!
We are a large group and have deduced that the Neilson limits on 1 hold bag of 23 kgs, plus 10kg hand luggage are a devious ploy to force skiers to rent equipment via Neilson , thus increasing Neilson profits!
So if you are booked on the BA lgw/ salzburg flight and you are told by the Neilson staff that there is no way to take skis....they are wrong!
We are staying at the 4* Alpenschlössl hotel, miles from the town, very traditional and German speaking.

A snowHead

I suspect that while @holidayloverxx is clearly fundamentally correct, the check-in staff probably carry on working by the normal BA rules unless told otherwise. It would be interesting to know if any BA Silver or Gold member has received their higher baggage allowance on such a flight. Anyone?

A snowHead

@Alastair, agreed..interesting to hear of actual on the ground experience

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

We have sent all correspondence concerning ski carriage problems to the Neilson rep here...hoping to get some refunds....I will let you know if the pigs are flying over Soll.
King regards.

Help!!

BA Flights with Nielson

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