Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - ELAL LHR-TLV Post BA NCW Change over

To all the Weekly / Bi-Weekly / Monthly Pax who fly the LHR-TLV route, i was wondering what your take will be when BA introduce their re-fit 767 onto the route (May/June 2005). This will be set up WT/WT+/NCW ....that's NCW!! Fully Flat Bed for the same price as ELAL D/Z/C. Are any of you considering the switch?

Just want to see what concensus thinks/comments?

Yes. And during the same period EL AL will be 're-introducing' their museum piece vintage 747-200 on the LHR-TLV route. My only problem with BA is that their times are not convenient for me - TLV-LHR is too early in the morning, and the return is either very early morning or a night flight. Flat beds may help, but 4.5 hours is not enough to sleep for me (and it ends up as about 3 hours max in the end ... )

This is actually my first post at FT..
I have been an LY PL since the PL (platinum) club started in July 03. (or was it July 02?)

I fly 315/316 315/318 about three times a month (not in the last three months during which i only flew between NY and TLV weekly) - always in business / first.

I have no problem with the 742 per say, i love the old first class on the upper deck as C class.. not because the seat is so great - but because the cabin is pleasant.

The reason i keep flying EL AL on the route is because of my FQTV status, which would make it hard for me to switch to BA.. no where else can i purchase D class (equiv) and upgrade to F almost every time.. (not that on the 742 there will be a first cabin, but you get my point).

I'm sure LY won't keep the 200 on the route for long.

Danny.

P.S. - can someone tell me if Valerie, the lounge lady still works in the LHR King David Lounge?? have not seen her for a long while.. Thank You.

P.S. - can someone tell me if Valerie, the lounge lady still works in the LHR King David Lounge?? have not seen her for a long while.. Thank You.

Yep she does, I’ll be popping into the lounge today (I’m on the 316 - 777-200 thank g-d).

I here what your saying about the upgrades (trust me I’m Mr consistent when it comes to 'Full Y class / 400 points round trip C') the miles just pay for themselves. Though do realise that it wouldn't take you too long to earn gold on BA which will then 'again' almost guarantee you J/A each time you fly.

To be honest the LHR/TLV route isn't really long enough to enjoy any of the benefits 4h 10m LHR-TLV and 4h 35M TLV-LHR anyway.

P.S. - can someone tell me if Valerie, the lounge lady still works in the LHR King David Lounge?? have not seen her for a long while.. Thank You.

I was told last time that she had retired. Shame, as she was so helpful.

I agree with you about the upper deck on the 742, but the planes have terrible reliability problems, which means many delays ...

I was told last time that she had retired. Shame, as she was so helpful.

I can't believe it! she really has retired, she'd been there for years! Oh well, the new lady seemed very nice.

I have her number (the lounge lady) i'll try to give her a call to see if she actually did retire..

last i heard she was working three days a week after swissport took over the EL AL people. i know she didn't like the reduced benefits and such. she has been an EL AL employee since the early 60's, originally in New York.

funny, I think this is the only place we (LY ultra frequenters) get to chat about such topics..
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Re. Upgrades - I think that for all of us who fly LY and work out of / into Israel the main reason we stick to them is the very constant upgrades. no other airline i know of where you can call three days early to "upgrades" in TLV (7440) and guarantee an upgrade. (which makes I class purchases on NY trips and I/Y(or sometimes S/Q. . rarely) a good deal.
I think it reduced the stress of flying twice a week by allot.

Another point is that you almost always encounter the same people at the airport, lounge (leah and cony and the rest of them in TLV, Valarie in London.. I seem to forget the names of the JFK lounge people but they are always the same.. and the lovely catering people in the JFK lounge (the older lady with the glasses) who will always bring extra from the green pesto/earb dip for me in the first class room) and so on and so on... yes, business class should have been better - but it's ok.. and First class is great - both on the 772's (well, now - after the various revolutions it's gone though initially when the aircraft arrived and in the following year) and the lovely 744 8 seat config. (so much better then those old seats.. which would recline almost fully.. but just short of what you want..)


Wow.. too much time on my hands today..

will do 001 at F (booked as A) tonight.
return to TLV Saturday night.


Danny.

Re. Upgrades - I think that for all of us who fly LY and work out of / into Israel the main reason we stick to them is the very constant upgrades. no other airline i know of where you can call three days early to "upgrades" in TLV (7440) and guarantee an upgrade. (which makes I class purchases on NY trips and I/Y(or sometimes S/Q. . rarely) a good deal.
I think it reduced the stress of flying twice a week by allot.

Couldn't agree more I suppose, on the upgrade side of things it's a no brainer. I just wish those 742's would disappear, what I can't wait for is the new WiFi internet access we'll get on the plane (744's / 772's) http://www.elal.co.il/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=2851 from June '05, though quite surprised they’re leaving out the 762's.