BR Mini trip report with visit to new lounge
Jan 28, 2011, 7:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Beaverton OR
Programs: GE, AA PLT/2.6MM, BR Gld, Royal Carib. DM+, Celebrity Elite, NCL PLT, Princess Elite
Posts: 1,643
BR Mini trip report with visit to new lounge
I got back a few days ago from another (PDX)-SEA-TPE-BKK-TPE-SEA-(PDX) round trip on BR in Elite class.
BR 25/15Jan SEA-TPE: A couple of days before departure, I called reservations and asked them to note that I preferred the bulkhead window. When I did OLCI, the bulkhead window was available on my connection, BR 67, so I grabbed it and I hoped that at SEA I would as usual get my request. When I checked in at the gate, there were new employees that I didn't recognize, and they saw that the bulkhead seats were blocked, but had no clue how to release them (you call to the counter and the lead agent does it), and told me that the seat wasn't available. I didn't say anything figuring if they couldn't figure out how to assign the seat, I would just move after I boarded, and just headed to the lounge, where the lounge agent did recognize me, and said "Mr. ak333, the lounge will be very full tonight, so please use the First Class area." All the times that I have gone through SEA, I was never offered this before, but hey, it was very quiet. At maximum there were only four people in there. I wonder if BR has to pay BA extra to use it.
A little over an hour before departure I went to use the restroom in the lounge, and on my return, the lounge agent stops me, smiles, and says "I think I have something for you," and he takes away my 21K boarding pass and replaces it with 20K, the bulkhead window.
On board, someone again forgot to look at the manifest, and I wasn't acknowledged as a Diamond until mid-flight. I was in the bulkhead, so I still had first choice of dinner selection, but this time I didn't say anything, I wanted to see if they would figure it out for themselves. After I woke up from my nap I went forward (this is on a 744 so the galley is forward) to look for the snack basket, and the flight attendant asked if I wanted anything to drink. I told her just some water, and she told me she would bring it back to my seat.
A couple of minutes later, a bottle of water is delivered to me with a tag on it that says "complimentary for Diamond members." I'm thinking hmm, at least they figured it out, and sure enough a couple of minutes later, the Assistant Purser comes by and asks me my breakfast choice.
We arrived TPE early, but the new lounge still wasn't ready, so I went straight into the Garden. I asked about a shower, and was told that they were full, so I just went to the bathroom and shaved and headed back into the Garden to do some work. A few minutes later, without my asking, one of the lounge attendants comes by to escort me to the shower. A definite plus for the lounge staff.
BR 67/16Jan TPE-BKK: A few minutes after I board, the Assistant Purser does come and greet me, and my seat mate remarks that I must fly BR quite a bit (she has no idea
). Very good service on this flight, interesting meal choice between a breakfast entree (quiche dish) or lunch entree (seafood rice). We arrived BKK about five minutes behind schedule, and when I got to immigration I was hit with the longest lines I have seen in a couple of years. It took almost an hour to get through. Of course my bag was circling the carousel waiting for me.
As an aside, for those who travel to BKK, I took the non-express train into town this time. It was only B35 from the airport to Makkasan station.
BR 68/23Jan BKK-TPE: No problem at check in getting the bulkhead, and the check in agent sent a request to TPE to release the bulkhead for me on the TPE-SEA flight. One through, I was again hit with the longest outbound immigration line I have ever seen at BKK, again it was almost an hour to get through. The lounge was OK as usual, and when I was leaving, I asked the agent about my seat from TPE, and she said that my request for the bulkhead was granted, and at the gate they would give me my new boarding pass; and that is exactly what happened.
On board I was greeted a few minutes after being seated. Service on this flight was just OK, like it was a few months ago. The crew seemed tired as this is the last leg of a long trip for them. Dinner was pretty good, and we had quite a tail wind, making it to TPE in under three hours. Which gave me enough time for...
New Diamond lounge TPE: Wow, very, very, nice. ^ Great lighting, a good buffet area, lots of TVs but also a quiet area. Much more seating with table space. I can't say enough good things about it. And most importantly FOUR showers! I'll try one the next time around. The lounge though was pretty full. My suggestion would be let PL passengers get the Garden, and save the new lounge just for Diamonds.
BR 26/23Jan TPE-SEA: The best flight of the lot, and coincidentally, the only flight where I did not have a seat mate. I was greeted by the assistant purser as soon as I put my back pack in the overhead bin, and immediately asked my dinner choice. Good service all around. I woke up from my nap about 15 minutes before "refreshment" was served (the poorest meal out of all of my flights). Again a good tail wind got us to SEA in under 10 hours. U.S. immigration was very quick, and for the first time ever in all of my flights with BR, my bag was the first one on the carousel. ^ I was able to make an earlier connection to PDX which was very nice.
One thing of note; I was not greeted or even talked to by a Chief Purser (except to take my empty meal tray) on any of my flights. I wonder if this is some sort of new policy. One flight I understand, but four in a row...
BR 25/15Jan SEA-TPE: A couple of days before departure, I called reservations and asked them to note that I preferred the bulkhead window. When I did OLCI, the bulkhead window was available on my connection, BR 67, so I grabbed it and I hoped that at SEA I would as usual get my request. When I checked in at the gate, there were new employees that I didn't recognize, and they saw that the bulkhead seats were blocked, but had no clue how to release them (you call to the counter and the lead agent does it), and told me that the seat wasn't available. I didn't say anything figuring if they couldn't figure out how to assign the seat, I would just move after I boarded, and just headed to the lounge, where the lounge agent did recognize me, and said "Mr. ak333, the lounge will be very full tonight, so please use the First Class area." All the times that I have gone through SEA, I was never offered this before, but hey, it was very quiet. At maximum there were only four people in there. I wonder if BR has to pay BA extra to use it.
A little over an hour before departure I went to use the restroom in the lounge, and on my return, the lounge agent stops me, smiles, and says "I think I have something for you," and he takes away my 21K boarding pass and replaces it with 20K, the bulkhead window.
On board, someone again forgot to look at the manifest, and I wasn't acknowledged as a Diamond until mid-flight. I was in the bulkhead, so I still had first choice of dinner selection, but this time I didn't say anything, I wanted to see if they would figure it out for themselves. After I woke up from my nap I went forward (this is on a 744 so the galley is forward) to look for the snack basket, and the flight attendant asked if I wanted anything to drink. I told her just some water, and she told me she would bring it back to my seat.
A couple of minutes later, a bottle of water is delivered to me with a tag on it that says "complimentary for Diamond members." I'm thinking hmm, at least they figured it out, and sure enough a couple of minutes later, the Assistant Purser comes by and asks me my breakfast choice.
We arrived TPE early, but the new lounge still wasn't ready, so I went straight into the Garden. I asked about a shower, and was told that they were full, so I just went to the bathroom and shaved and headed back into the Garden to do some work. A few minutes later, without my asking, one of the lounge attendants comes by to escort me to the shower. A definite plus for the lounge staff.
BR 67/16Jan TPE-BKK: A few minutes after I board, the Assistant Purser does come and greet me, and my seat mate remarks that I must fly BR quite a bit (she has no idea
). Very good service on this flight, interesting meal choice between a breakfast entree (quiche dish) or lunch entree (seafood rice). We arrived BKK about five minutes behind schedule, and when I got to immigration I was hit with the longest lines I have seen in a couple of years. It took almost an hour to get through. Of course my bag was circling the carousel waiting for me.As an aside, for those who travel to BKK, I took the non-express train into town this time. It was only B35 from the airport to Makkasan station.
BR 68/23Jan BKK-TPE: No problem at check in getting the bulkhead, and the check in agent sent a request to TPE to release the bulkhead for me on the TPE-SEA flight. One through, I was again hit with the longest outbound immigration line I have ever seen at BKK, again it was almost an hour to get through. The lounge was OK as usual, and when I was leaving, I asked the agent about my seat from TPE, and she said that my request for the bulkhead was granted, and at the gate they would give me my new boarding pass; and that is exactly what happened.
On board I was greeted a few minutes after being seated. Service on this flight was just OK, like it was a few months ago. The crew seemed tired as this is the last leg of a long trip for them. Dinner was pretty good, and we had quite a tail wind, making it to TPE in under three hours. Which gave me enough time for...
New Diamond lounge TPE: Wow, very, very, nice. ^ Great lighting, a good buffet area, lots of TVs but also a quiet area. Much more seating with table space. I can't say enough good things about it. And most importantly FOUR showers! I'll try one the next time around. The lounge though was pretty full. My suggestion would be let PL passengers get the Garden, and save the new lounge just for Diamonds.
BR 26/23Jan TPE-SEA: The best flight of the lot, and coincidentally, the only flight where I did not have a seat mate. I was greeted by the assistant purser as soon as I put my back pack in the overhead bin, and immediately asked my dinner choice. Good service all around. I woke up from my nap about 15 minutes before "refreshment" was served (the poorest meal out of all of my flights). Again a good tail wind got us to SEA in under 10 hours. U.S. immigration was very quick, and for the first time ever in all of my flights with BR, my bag was the first one on the carousel. ^ I was able to make an earlier connection to PDX which was very nice.
One thing of note; I was not greeted or even talked to by a Chief Purser (except to take my empty meal tray) on any of my flights. I wonder if this is some sort of new policy. One flight I understand, but four in a row...
Jan 28, 2011, 8:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hsinchu (Taiwan), Saigon, London
Programs: EVA (diamond), A3, BMI, VN
Posts: 2,960
Thanks for the excellent report.
Sadly I missed my chance with the new lounge last week. I'm on BR67 in Elite, upgrading to PL. But I'm sick and stuck in TPE. Now into peak season, so don't really want to pay more for the upgrade. As a humble Gold in Elite, it will be the normal lounge for me!
They've actually printed "complementary for Diamond member" tags? Whatever next...
Sadly I missed my chance with the new lounge last week. I'm on BR67 in Elite, upgrading to PL. But I'm sick and stuck in TPE. Now into peak season, so don't really want to pay more for the upgrade. As a humble Gold in Elite, it will be the normal lounge for me!
They've actually printed "complementary for Diamond member" tags? Whatever next...