Airline websites vs Expedia/orbitz etc when booking for direct flight

Hi Kelly. Are you sure BA doesn't list this flight? When I check, I see it on both Expedia and BA web sites. Expedia is reliable, it is fine to buy thru them. However I wonder if you look again carefully if you will find the same flight on BA web site.

BA doesn't list the flight direct from Tampa on the day that I want to leave. I would have to leave a day earlier or a day later. same thing for flying back, I would have to leave a day earlier or a day later to get that direct flight from tampa. the key word is "direct".

How can Expedia list the flight as a BA flight when BA does not show it on that day? Does Expedia say whether it is on Iberia or American? What day of the week is this--- maybe someone can check it out. Frankly I would be leery of booking a flight that the airline's own website does not show.

What are your travel dates? I am finding only a few dates available on British Airways nonstop and wonder if the flights are fully booked. I am betting that Expedia is offering a fare on a fully booked flight and you will find that out if you try to purchase it. Note that the airlines call what you are looking for a nonstop flight. A direct flight merely keeps the same flight number and may have intermediate stops.

I want to leave Nov 16th from Tampa to london. I want to return Nov 30th, london to Tampa. Expedia lists a "Nonstop" flight from Tampa to Gatwick with Iberia which is "Operated by British Air" flight 4682. No stops, 8h20m flight departing 6.15p arriving 735a. For that date of Nov 16th, British air only offers flights to london passing thru Miami, JFK, or O'hare; no "nonstop", no "direct". If I left on Nov 15th, then a British air flight is in exhistance. If I do not have a direct flight coming back, no big deal. But "nonstop" from Tampa is a deal maker for me but am not sure about this Iberia or AA business for the dates I want to travel. I know I could leave a day earlier for this trip, but do not want to leave a day earlier or later coming back. I guess I could just call expedia and ask them directly what the deal with the Iberia flight "operated by British Air" is, when Iberia does not flight direct from Tampa to London.

Flying into Gatwick is a good thing, especially since you are thinking of connecting to the Eurostar to Paris. From Gatwick, you can take th efirst Capital Connect train (4 per hour) directly to St. Pancras station. That would be the "deal maker" for me.

I just checked Iberia airlines and they do offer the flight that Expedia offers, Nonstop from Tampa to London but "operated by British Airways".
I have been on a flight before where I thought I was flying on Luftansa and it ended up being operated by Continental....they tell you to check in with Continental and the plane was indeed a Continental plane. they why don't they have the flight listed under Continental? It is not that it bothered me that it was not Lufthansa but just didn't understand why they do this. It is just a weird process to me.

I still don't understand why you would book a flight to London when you want to go to Paris. I would look for a multi-city flight
Tampa to Paris on 11/16 London to Tampa on 11/30

Kelly, I checked the schedule on the BA site and in November it shows a non-stop flight between TPA and LGW 6 days a week (everyday but Friday). I would be a little more inclined to trust the BA site to have an accurate schedule of BA operated flights than I would the Expedia or Iberia site. One thing to keep in mind - If you want to a seat on BA more than 24 hours in advance, then BA charges a fee, so be sure to factor that into your costs if it is important to choose a seat. You can your seat for free 24 hours out. A number of people have reported that they don't get the option to book seats in advance when they book a BA flight as a codeshare (e.g. as an American or Iberia flight). I've never booked BA flights on any site other than the BA site, so don't know whether or not that is correct.

I totally understand the importance of flying into one city and out of the other. I have been flying that way for most of my trips to Europe. But the time of year that I get to travel, I need to factor in some things. I travel in November. What usually happens in November? The first big snow storm. It happens around Thanksgiving time, the time that I get to travel. So for weeks prior to a trip, I am a nervous wreck watching weather reports,making sure I am going to make it to my destination on time. I know, don't get caught up and freaked out over things you can't control, but its something that I do and will do for the rest of my life if I keep up the travel routine that I do. So right now, to fly into Paris and out of London, my choices are to fly into DC or Neward on United for $1200, to Toronto on Air Canada for $1200, or Philly on US Air for $1200, or Delta in Atlanta for $1200. I would probably do the Delta Atlanta flight if I had too, as snow fall there isn't as grand as it can be in Toronto. On BA, I can fly nonstop into London from the area I live in, not deal with a connecting flight, and most likely not be to affected by a terrible snow fall. and do it for$1000. Eurostar tickets would cost us $200 total R/T for the both of us from London-Paris-London. I spend less time on a plane (i really hate to fly, but my love of travel trumps this fear), prevent some anxiety, maybe even get to check my bag (maybe less of a chance to get lost on a direct nonstop flight, I am sure I may get a line or 2 to make that statement wrong), and save me a little money (but this is not about the money, I promise....except that I do hope the airfare for november travel comes down in a month or less, when I plan on buying).