We originally planned to stay just half a day in London, just to get on the Sao Paulo flight. We have now stayed here for two nights already, and might stay for another night.
On the 11th I arrived at the Heathrow Terminal 5 around 18.45. Cs had been waiting there since 2 o'clock already. Our flight to Sao Paulo, the first flight on our RTW ticket, was scheduled to depart at 21.25. The possibility to drop off luggage had just opened. Turned out, however, that the flight was overbooked by some 20 people. (Quote from the BA information sheet: "Most airlines overbook to make up for people who make a reservation and then do not present themselves for travel.") (There are 247 seats in this aircraft.)
We were offered to take the flight the next day. This is called a "Volunteer scheme". BA offers you
Sounds like a good deal, and there didn't seem to be an alternative anyway. So we took it. I guess it's even an ethical thing to do as we don't really need to be in Sao Paulo on a specific day, while some other people might have to. The BA representative said that the next day the flight is also overbooked, so one can probably "volunteer" again.
Hotel Renaissance is a nice hotel about 15 minutes from Terminal 5 on a Hotel Hoppa bus. We got a twin room, with a bathroom, and TV. Watching the news in the evening revealed that Sao Paulo was without electricity for 5 hours, so maybe it's good to arrive a little later.
On the 12th we spent the day in London. The day felt quite short — it takes 1h30min to go to the center (first by bus to the subway station "Terminals 1,2,3", and then by subway to the center), then 3 hours in Westminister Abbey (one of the places that we didn't visit the last time we where here), then back to make it to lunch at the hotel (closing at 17).
At 18 we took the Hotel Hoppa shuttle to Terminal 5 and went straight to the Volunteer Scheme counter. The flight was overbooked again, as expected. By 36 people this time! So we volunteered again. (Btw, the 2150 pounds received has already covered one of the RTW tickets.)
The accommodation was at the Renaissance again. This time in a double room.
On the 13th, went to London again and spent some time in the British Museum (the Rosetta Stone is there). The last cash we spent on the subway but the BA Visa Electron can be used everywhere to pay for books, food, beer. The Museum was free of charge.
We are the airport now, signed up for volunteering again, and will learn in an hour if there is need for some volunteer work, or if we have to fly tonight.
On the 11th I arrived at the Heathrow Terminal 5 around 18.45. Cs had been waiting there since 2 o'clock already. Our flight to Sao Paulo, the first flight on our RTW ticket, was scheduled to depart at 21.25. The possibility to drop off luggage had just opened. Turned out, however, that the flight was overbooked by some 20 people. (Quote from the BA information sheet: "Most airlines overbook to make up for people who make a reservation and then do not present themselves for travel.") (There are 247 seats in this aircraft.)
We were offered to take the flight the next day. This is called a "Volunteer scheme". BA offers you
- 600 EUR, placed on a Visa Electron in British pounds, to be used up within 3 months (if you lose/destroy the card or forget the PIN then you lose the money);
- a night in a hotel close to the airport (including transfer to the hotel and back, dinner, breakfast, and lunch), check-out can be later than 12, e.g. at 17.
Sounds like a good deal, and there didn't seem to be an alternative anyway. So we took it. I guess it's even an ethical thing to do as we don't really need to be in Sao Paulo on a specific day, while some other people might have to. The BA representative said that the next day the flight is also overbooked, so one can probably "volunteer" again.
Hotel Renaissance is a nice hotel about 15 minutes from Terminal 5 on a Hotel Hoppa bus. We got a twin room, with a bathroom, and TV. Watching the news in the evening revealed that Sao Paulo was without electricity for 5 hours, so maybe it's good to arrive a little later.
On the 12th we spent the day in London. The day felt quite short — it takes 1h30min to go to the center (first by bus to the subway station "Terminals 1,2,3", and then by subway to the center), then 3 hours in Westminister Abbey (one of the places that we didn't visit the last time we where here), then back to make it to lunch at the hotel (closing at 17).
At 18 we took the Hotel Hoppa shuttle to Terminal 5 and went straight to the Volunteer Scheme counter. The flight was overbooked again, as expected. By 36 people this time! So we volunteered again. (Btw, the 2150 pounds received has already covered one of the RTW tickets.)
The accommodation was at the Renaissance again. This time in a double room.
On the 13th, went to London again and spent some time in the British Museum (the Rosetta Stone is there). The last cash we spent on the subway but the BA Visa Electron can be used everywhere to pay for books, food, beer. The Museum was free of charge.
We are the airport now, signed up for volunteering again, and will learn in an hour if there is need for some volunteer work, or if we have to fly tonight.
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