KenF

So, another year, and another opportunity for a half-finished trip report !

Willard and I have been planning a trip to New Zealand this year, but have been frustrated by late arriving miles, and patchy award availability, so, finally, I eschewed the original idea of returning to BA after my 10 year hiatus (yeah, you're right, they really p----ed me off!) and decided to spend some more of my bmi miles, before the uncertainty of the migration to LH Miles &Less ™ finally does them in.

As usual Willard will be providing his bear's eye view of the world, and I will try to deliver a more quantitative review of the trip in this thread. I'll, as usual, try very hard to finish it (and, you never know, this time I may even succeed!).

Pat is otherwise engaged at the moment with major house renovations (I understand “Capability Brown” turned the project down, as he didn't consider himself capable) so Willard and I are on our own, however, this does have the advantage of making award seats a lot easier to come by.

you can see the intended itinerary on that fine web site BA97, specifically Here.

Index to this Trip Report:

Fit the Zero-th – The Pre-Trip Report (or, things that go bump on your PNR)
Fit the First - MAN-CPH-ZRH in SK C
Fit the Second - LX HON/FCL, ZRH-BKK LX-F, BKK-HKG TG-C
Fit the Third - Sheraton Towers HKG, HKG-BKK TG-F, SGS BKK

You can also see the Bear's-eye view of the trip via Willard's travelogue: Here

If you enjoyed this half-finished Trip Report, here are some of my others:

Willard the Bear in "Fly Another Day"- MAN-CPH-FRA-HKG-BKK-FRA-ARN-MAN in LH/TG F

Willard the Bear in “Gold (Life) Member” MAN-LAS-(PHX)-JFK-(PHX)-LAS-MAN on BD J and US Domestic F

KenF

Fit The Zero-th (yeah, I'm in IT, how'd you guess?) - A few observations on managing award bookings!

So, with the target being AKL, the next step was how to get there. Since we now know that bmi diamond club is going to go the way of the passenger pigeon, I figured that, even after the drastic increase in F-class awards, I may as well go for broke and do the trip in F. The double-secret restrictions on LH-F awards in DC (no Miles & Cash bookings, per-sector surcharges) ruled out LH, and I could get old and die waiting for availability on SQ, so I'm looking at TG, which, strangely, seems to have an abundance of F availability on all routes.

Willard has a theory as to why:



Which now seems strangely prescient.... but I'm getting ahead on myself!

Full details of the awards are Here, but the overall routing is:

MAN-CPH-ZRH-BKK-HKG//HKG-BKK//BKK-SYD-AKL//AKL-/-SYD-BKK-FRA-MAN

I found the availability about 2 weeks out, and of course, in accordance with Finagle's First Law some 20 hours after confirming the booking, person or persons unknown decided to chuck a hand-grenade into a bus queue outside the big C supermarket in Bangkok (

Oh well, I was only planning to spend 2 nights in BKK in any event – I wonder what AOT Limosines charge for a round trip transfer in an APC?

Seat reservations are always fun with bmi awards, so, here's the score-card:

SK: No problem reserving seats, but they have gone over to a premium-rate number for bookings, and have implemented logic on their voice-switch to drop calls if you try to call the standard geographic number (provided for international callers) . Luckily, there are ways around this and so I happily ignored the messages that I would be charged 10p/min for the privilege of sitting in a queue listening to their hold music!

LX: With a seat blocking algorithm that makes BA look positively generous by comparison, I completely failed to reserve a window seat on my A340 flight in F, despite being in F and being *Gold. If I was on a paid ticket, I'd have endorsed it over to another carrier. I finally got a seat by dint of very early check-in at CPH, and no, neither web check-in, or telephone check-in worked for me, either.

TG: Some UK agents seem a little customer hostile, and the queuing times were pretty long, but I had no problems reserving seats on all of my TG sectors once I'd politely reminded them I was in F.

NZ: Absolutely no problems reserving seats – the most friendly of the bunch.

LH: Initially refused to assign seats (“we don't do seat assignment on short-haul”), pointed out this was a documented benefit of a business class booking, and got a seat reserved (but couldn't override the block on row 1, which is reserved for SEN/HON).

Nothing to do with seat booking, but I think the award for unabashed cheek goes to Accor Hotels, whom I'd had to ring in order to change my original fully flex “holding” booking at the Mercure AKL into a fully IN-flexible “bargain basement” rate once the travel arrangements had been confirmed. They've also moved over to a premium rate booking number, with no easy way round it in this case, and, after enduring a 3 minute compulsory recorded message, and an extended queuing delay, I did my thing with the agent, and was asked at the end of my call if “I wanted to participate in a customer service survey” - you want me to pay 10p/min to complete your customer service survey – is this some kind of customer IQ test?!

So, modulo a seat reservation on LX, I'm all set – cut to Monday, 3 days before we travel, and I go into CheckMyTrip to print off my (4) PNRs to take with me, and see something that makes my (and Willard's, if he had any!) blood run cold: “BKK-HKG 6Aug10 16:00 – 19:15 Unable, does not operate. What the ?$*%&!! Hmm, what's this new segment at the end – it's for the same flight, but this one is (a) on a 777-300, (b) Confirmed and (c) in Business in stead of First Class! Hmm, this doesn't look good....

I'm on the 'phone to TG about 10 seconds after their lines open in the morning (and still queuing for 10 minutes?!) and am finally connected to, probably not the worlds most unhelpful agent, but definitely someone who is working hard to make it into the bottom 10.... First I'm abruptly advised that my booking is in Business, and always has been (I'm looking at the PNR, I can see the cancelled F sector myself....), then I'm advised that, since this is on BD ticket stock, it's their problem not TG's (yeah, right, BD downgauged a flight from BKK-HKG, the airline who operates it has absolutely nothing to do with the decision..) and, finally, after suggesting that the agent stops trying to pass the buck and instead actually listens to what I'm asking them, I get a supervisor to agree to give me access to the TG F lounge in BKK, and annotate my PNR to confirm that I've been subject to an invol. downgrade from F. Seriously, whilst it's really nice that there is wide-open award availability on Thai Airways F, if this is an example of how they treat their premium passengers I'm not surprised! To be clear, whilst the downguage is annoying, it's one of those things that happen (especially on TG), but the way the agent tried to fob me off was just unacceptable, and if they treat their paying passengers the same way, I'm not surprised they don't get that many of them. Now that I know I'll get the TG F service on the ground (if I hadn't got that confirmed, I'd have re-booked on the direct LX flight to HKG, where availability had opened up) I ring bmi Pre-Travel Support (if I'd wanted my PNR completely stuffed-up, I could have called the diamond club desk in Pune instead, but I think my blood pressure is already high enough thanks!) and politely point out that I've had an invol. change 4 days ago but no-one has contacted me, and, by the way, the last leg of my E-Ticket has disappeared and could they fix it please and, as they always do, PTS politely make it all (nearly) all right. There is one (and only one!) silver lining in this cloud – I've been wracking my brains for an appropriate title for this TR, in-keeping with Willard's penchant for Bond-related titles, and now I've got one, Never say (never say never) downgrade again!

Oh, and I then start checking all four of my PNR's every day until we set off.... (perhaps OCD isn't an illness, just a natural reaction to the vicissitudes of the modern world!)

KenF

"Fit the First" (covering MAN-CPH-ZRH on SAS) is pretty much finished, but, in the meantime, Willard has been working his paws to the stuffing, and has uploaded his first photo report Here.

I'll get mine up as soon as I can, but at the moment I'm partaking of "Happy Hour" at the SGS, and I need to keep rescuing Willard from the staff, who all seem intent on adopting him!

Willard the Bear - And who says I want to be rescued?!

mad_atta

I'm currently experiencing Fit the First (of envy at your fabulous trip). Great stuff!

KenF

Fit the First – MAN-CPH-ZRH

Firstly, let me be clear and say that the BBC Top Gear Challenge rules are completely out of the window on this trip! Whilst we are in no way travelling in “money is no object” mode, we do not consider ourselves limited to public transport, and are applying the “use the best option” rules for the whole of this trip.
So, with that in mind, we cadged a lift to Manchester Airport, and were thus dropped off at the new (to Willard and I, at any rate!) drop-off zone at Manchester Airport, and thus had a very short walk to the main T1 check-in area.

SAS Flight SK540 MAN-CPH

Booked Class: Business (Award) (I) – Flown Class: Business Seat: 1E(Willard!),F
Scheduled Departure: 10:15 - Actual Departure: 10:23

Check-in was somewhat better than last year, with one group ahead of us, and an actual Business Class check-in experience, and, even better, this year, our Fast-Track passes were actually honoured by the airport security staff, though, after the initial queue for the boarding pass scanners, the Fast-Track summarily changed into the Slow-Track as we shared our (single) security lane with the “passengers-with-large-numbers-of-children-and-buggies” stream, which was moving at the speed of a concussed snail. To their credit, the staff started to move down the queue selecting non-buggy passengers and seeding them into other security lines , but I certainly witnessed some dissension in the ranks of my fellow passengers (which, this being England, was exemplified by pursed lips, tutting, and people pointedly looking at their watches...). I was more than half expecting to be subjected to the relatively new Backscatter X-Ray machines (which are compulsory at MAN, if you are selected), but Willard and I went through the normal security process, which still, alas, included the removal of my all-important belt!
So, after security and my first admission, I noticed that the MAN Airport “Escape Lounge” had appeared in T1, and even though the designated lounge for SAS and *G passengers was the Globeground/Wilmslow lounge, since they accepted Priority Pass, I couldn't resist a visit!
The lounge had been open less than a month, and I have to say that it is a very good concept. They offer a range of zones, including a play area with everything that bored children (or Bears!) could ask for, and a very innovative two-tier service system, where all of the “normal” lounge amenities (wines, spirits, appropriate nibbles) are included in your admission, but you can opt to “upgrade” with premium wines, bottles of Champagne and a-la-carte meal options for additional fees. I have to say that this looks like a really good idea, and, if you have a Priority Pass, I'd expect that you would find this lounge very hard to resist!
Having spent the best part of an hour in the new lounge, being doted on by the (justifiably proud) staff, I felt I should move to the designated lounge for my flight, and so went to the Wilmslow lounge, which was pretty much the same as it was last year. Obviously, as a frequent guest, Willard was immediately recognised, and the one benefit this lounge has is the view of the apron, which is appreciated by plane-spotters and Teddy-Bears alike.
I didn't wait for boarding to be called, and instead went to the gate about 5 minutes prior to scheduled boarding, and found that our gate today was one that required the patented Manchester Airport down-the-stairs-across-and-up-again-because-we-never-expected-we'd-have-to-implement-passenger-seperation shuffle, and, having arrived at the gate boarding was called pretty much immediately. As we have come to expect from SK, there was no priority boarding call for Business Class passengers, but, to our relief, we did not get the third-degree over our (somewhat extensive) hand-baggage. The cabin geometry was somewhat different to the last seatmap we'd seen when we 'd last checked about 48 hours ago, and though 1F still existed, 1 A-C were conspicuous by their absence. There also seemed to be somewhat of a kerfuffle over our (only) fellow Business Class passenger, which triggered a boarding pass check, but Willard did not, ultimately, have to relinquish his blocked seat at 1E.
So, though I did wonder if I was going to witness a passenger-ejection, the ultimate load was 2 (excluding Bears) in C, with three rows (10 total seats) in C.
Overall service was good, with a small, but appropriate for the time of day, tray meal in C, and generous (individual Piccolo) Champagne availability. Willard was obviously happy (since he was presented with yet another SAS-branded travelling companion) and the overall service was not at all bad. We arrived at 13:00 in CPH, ahead of schedule by 15 minutes, which was immediately eaten up by a 15 minute delay in getting checked bags off. And, as is now traditional, our “Star Alliance Priority” baggage tags performed their presumably intended function of ensuring our bag was one of the last onto the conveyor....

Overall Rating
An acceptable, but not overwhelming, Business class service.

Good Points
Ground handling a lot better than last year
Cabin crew doing their best to offer a Business Class service

Bad Points
Musical seat-maps
Fast-Track at MAN T1 is better, but still needs work.
Baggage handling at CPH (and nearly every other EU *A station...)

SAS Flight SK609 CPH-ZRH

Booked Class: Business (Award) (I) – Flown Class: Business Seat: 1E(Willard!),F
Scheduled Departure: 17:40 - Actual Departure: 17:48

So, since we were on separate tickets, having claimed bags, we turned straight round and re-checked in for the next set of sectors, theoretically being CPH-ZRH-BKK-HKG. SAS First Class/EBG/*G check-in was very good, efficient and with only one ahead of me in the queue at this time of day. They secured the all-important window seat on the ZRH-BKK LX flight, checked the bag through to HKG, and apologised profusely for not being able to issue a boarding pass for the BKK-HKG sector (which wasn't a huge surprise, as it was way more than 24 hours in the future!). Priority security channel was definitely a huge win here, and, at the risk of gaining the enmity of my fellow *Gold travellers, given that it only has two security lanes, I can see why SAS limit it strictly to their own elites and business class passengers, as I'd expect it could easily turn into the Slow-Track at peak times (perhaps they should allow other *A Business/First class pax to use it, but not other *Golds travelling in Economy – that would probably be a good compromise). The direct route to the lounge is a really nice touch, though it does serve to underline how convoluted the normal security channel has been made, seemingly just to force a visit to the Duty Free shop on all passengers.
So, here we are, just over a year on, and back at the SAS lounge complex, which if you remember, had the top floor closed last year for renovation....

And, the Scandinavian Lounge is closed again!!!

OK, so, I can joke about it on Willard's pages, and whimsically suggest that Willard now thinks that the whole idea of a “Scandinavian Lounge” for First Class/EBG/*Gold passengers is some kind of elaborate hoax perpetrated, X-Files style, by holographic projection and other top secret alien technology..... But, in all honesty, this is beyond a joke! If I had done the flying on SAS to attain EBG, or, god forbid, Pandion, and kept finding one of the main supposed benefits of the program closed when I travelled, I'd be more than annoyed, I'd be talking about “false advertising” and “bait-and-switch”! Come on SAS, it can't really cost that much more to staff these lounges at your main hubs, and, with the continuing decline of SAS in-flight service, you need all of the help you can to keep your frequent flyers loyal!

So, let's review the Business Class lounge:

The lounge is, as per last year, large, with a selection of themed zones for “restaurant style”, “living room style” or traditional “airport lounge” style seating. However, even at this non-peak time of day, the lounge was pretty busy, and I'd expect that with only the ground floor open, it would be jam-packed at peak commuting times. The food provision appears to have been down-graded again from the already sparse options last year, and is now well below acceptable levels for a business class lounge supporting long-haul flights – suffice it to say I was very glad I ate on the fight out from Manchester. I will give them appropriate praise for the drinks provision, which was pretty good overall, with a choice of 6 wines (one red/white on tap, and two bottled selections) beer on tap, and a reasonably extensive selection of spirits, together with the now compulsory bean-to-cup cappuccino machine and carbonated drinks fountains liberally spread round the lounge.

Tempting though a bit of lounge hopping was, we stuck it out until about 15 minutes before our allotted boarding time, and went to the gate. Boarding was somewhat chaotic, with our gate being one of the “boarding pen” style, where BP's are scanned well before the flight is actually boarded, and you are then admitted to a holding cell (sorry “gate lounge”) to wait for your flight to actually board. This arrangement does not make any form of priority boarding easy, but, since none was offered, I guess this wasn't a problem!
The flight had only one row of Business Class, and two rows of Economy Extra, with the difference being delineated by a stick-on cardboard sign on the back of our row saying “Economy Extra behind this row” - Mmmmm how classy! We were 3 pax (out of 4 total seats) in Business, so Willard got his reserved seat of 1E (just! He obviously had to share it with the papers of the slightly confused passenger in 1D). A long taxi meant we took off slightly late, and once in the cruise we were served with our meals, which, with a substitution of roast beef for pastrami, were pretty much the same as the last sector. Whilst I felt the meal on the MAN-CPH sector was appropriate for the time of day, offering a meal of this type on a business-class flight at dinner time isn't, in my opinion. I'd expect something more approaching a full meal, especially as this (oh, and the lounge! Don't forget that!) is the only differentiator between SAS business class and economy extra now. Meal aside, service was acceptable on this short sector, and suitable quantities of champagne were consumed (and, in fact, refills eventually had to be politely declined, which is always a good indicator in my book!).
The flight ended up landing at 19:27, nearly 15 minutes late, and the additional delay reaching the gate a Kloten made for some mighty hurried looking passengers as we got off the plane, luckily though the flight had been allocated an A gate reasonably close to Arrivals, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and made for a short walk to the main terminal for us.

Oh, and in the “only now can the story be told” category, I have to admit I was travelling with two items of hand-baggage (plus a growing collection of Bears) on both these sectors, which is technically in excess of the SAS allowances for even Business-class on short-haul (my excuse is that I was connecting to a First Class flight, and wasn't in a position to short-check one bag to Zurich as I'd have no way to collect it), regardless of the concerns of over-zealous enforcement of carry-on policies discussed on the SAS-EB forum, I didn't get any hassle at all on either of my sectors, and even with my two bags, I probably had the least hand-baggage of any passenger on either plane!

Overall Rating
Not worth the money for Business class, I'm afraid! If you are a *A FF, I suggest you fly Swiss on this route, they cannot possibly be worse than SAS!!

Good Points
Blocked seat on the DEF side of the MD-8x is good, avoid the other side though!
Cabin crew trying their best to offer a good service
Plane came fully equipped with a full complement of engines and wings!
Er, that's it

Bad Points
Lounge!! (Both the again closed Scandinavian Lounge, and the woeful catering in the business class lounge)
Business class crammed into one row
Inappropriate catering for the time of day
No priority boarding
Did I mention the Lounge?

As usual, the Bear's eye view of the trip thus far is available here

HIDDY

Good to see Willard back on a aircraft again.....he never gets any older looking. I'm looking forward to the next sector. ^

KenF

I'm about to start working on "Fit the Second", but, in the meantime, Willard has been putting his time here in the BKK TG F lounge to good use, and has just uploaded the second episode of his report starting here, with two very interesting revelations!

Now, hopefully, to the Royal Orchid Spa!

Ken.

Willard the Bear - I am the.....no, no clues! You'll have to read it for yourself!

sobore

Bravo on this report. Lots of good stuff!^ Escape lounge sound great.

KenF

Fit the Second – LX HON/F Lounge, ZRH-BKK-HKG

Swiss HON/First Class Lounge

As per the LH FCT last year, this lounge is talked about enough that it deserves it's own review section. We arrived in from CPH, and headed towards the main terminal, and I saw the familiar lifts just past the escalators at the end of the A-pier that lead down to arrivals. I was tempted to simply take the lift up, as I remember this used to be the “undocumented” route up to the original Swissair First and VIP lounges, but I eventually chickened out and carried on into the main terminal area, and found the old familiar spiral staircase, now perspex-ed in, and re-labelled for the HON/F lounge, so it appears my instincts would have been right all along! Now that I knew where I was, I zipped up in the lift and was greeted by the new desk for the Swiss F lounge. The complex appears to have been formed out of the old Swiss F lounge (which was, itself formed out of the very old Swissair F lounge), and the VIP lounge. It's obvious that the designers for Swiss have had a long visit to the LH FCT at Frankfurt, and the seating concept is very similar, right down to the laser-precision-aligned glasses containing nibbles on each table (you feel that if you moved one as much as a hair, a robot would appear out of a hidden door and immediately re-align them with the electronic equivalent of a huffy sigh!). But this is the FCT in 1:4 scale – Willard The Bear scale, one might say, as the overall floor space of the entire lounge complex would easily fit in the main seating area of the FRA FCT. There is a main seating area, which is, basically the old Swissair lounge (even the new day rooms are, rather spookily, located, pretty much exactly, where the old black plywood sleep rooms used to be! Ah, memories of better times before Swissair's bankruptcy!), round the corner, a TV and library area, and, behind the registration desks and the PC/Internet cubicles, a combined bar/dining area (which looks to be located where the shared kitchen, between the F and VIP lounges, used to be). Along from this, into the other corner of the lounge is what can best be described as an “after dinner room” with a coffee machine and a selection of drinks and a very large selection of Swiss Eaux-de-vie. I keep having to stop myself from referring to this as the “Cigar Lounge”, as, even though it bears more than a passing resemblance to that area in the FCT, it is, like the rest of the lounge, non-smoking. There is also a further lounge style seating area around the corner from the no-Cigar-Lounge. The main lounge area offers a very good selection of Champagne (always a highlight of the Swiss/Swissair F lounge!), with three white and two Rose' options (including the White and Rose' incarnations of “Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque”, when we were there), and a good selection of wines, beers and soft drinks. There is also a limited buffet with starters, two main courses in heated servers, and desserts.
So, not a bad place to be for a few hours, and, I have to say, that the Swiss staff lack the slight starched stiffness that their LH FCT equivalents have, and are more friendly, human and approachable. The view from the main lounge, looking out on the Apron is a plane-spotters dream, and after three or four glasses of Rose' Champagne, I'm sure you can expect to see Concorde, the Space Shuttle, and the Spruce Goose if you look hard enough!
But, the comparison with the FCT is not a completely positive one. Whilst the champagnes and wines are top-notch, the spirits are noticeably budget! No XO Cognac (indeed, only one cognac total ,VSOP), nothing even coming close to the shelf-and-a-half of single malts, and, generally, nothing that would not be out of place in the hotel bar at your local Ibis...... I'd have to say that the bar is inferior to both of the previous SR/LX F Lounges, and it seems to be a very petty attempt at cost cutting. Likewise, though there is a dining area, there are no menus, and it was unclear to me if there was anything actually available to eat at these tables other than the buffet food in the main lounge. The problem with the LH FCT is that the quality of the catering, and especially the bar, completely overshadows the in-flight provision, making the in-flight F service look even worse than it actually is. To my mind, Swiss have swung too far in the other direction, and appear to have downgraded their F lounge in order to not overshadow their (excellent) F service. There is a balance to be had, and Swiss have not got it right yet! One bad habit they have copied from the FCT is that wireless access is via pre-paid 1 hour vouchers (from Sunrise, which is a bit of a “blast from the past” for me, as I was part of the pre-launch design team for Sunrise/NewTelco, and that was what introduced me to Swissair, and Frequent Flyer programs!), which is really tacky, though at least there is abundant wired access, and RJ-45 leads available from reception (or, you could just unplug one of the laptops in the work cubicles, and plug the cable into your laptop.....).
If you are flying from the E gate complex, there is a “limo-bus” service available to book, and, contrary to some of the older reviews on the Swiss forum, this now does security in a dedicated area downstairs prior to leaving the main terminal, so you are now dropped off in the secure part of the E complex, which is definitely the right way to do it!

Overall Rating
A good F lounge, but, such a disappointment, as it could be a great F lounge, with just a little more work! All the difficult bits are there, and the service falls down on the relatively easy bits. The slightly dinky size of the lounge is actually pretty much commensurate with the number of F flights LX runs, the problem is most definitely with the soft product, the lack of conceptual integrity, and the rather incongruous (very much like someone playing a Kazoo all through one of the more sombre portions of “the War Requiem”) cost cutting. If this was fixed, this could be a First Class lounge that was revered in the same way as the Wing in HKG, the Concorde Room in LHR T5, and, of course, the FCT in FRA.

Good Points
Great Staff
Great selection of Champagne
Transfer to E Gates (now that security is fixed!)

Bad Points
Poor bar selection
Confusion as to whether this is self-service or table service (LH gets this right!)
Dining area, but, it appears, no actual dining service
Access rules limit access to LH/LX F pax, for no good reason, this should be a *A F lounge!
Would a WiFi router with a WPA2 password really break the budget?!

Swiss Flight LX180 ZRH-BKK

Booked Class: First (Award) (O) – Flown Class: First Seat: 2A
Scheduled Departure: 22:45 - Actual Departure: 23:05

Boarding was already in full swing when I got to the gate our limobus transfer had been scheduled for 22:00, and after the inevitable delays through security, and the fact that we'd made a detour to try to see the Panorama F lounge in the E concourse (as recommended by our Vielfliegertreff colleague Sebastian) which was, sadly, closed. We boarded at 22:20, via the First/Business queue. My BP had been re-issued onto LX stock by the LX-F lounge, but staff did not (as they sometimes do) notice and pull us to the front, but the process was quick nevertheless, and afforded an opportunity to chat to a fellow F passenger and frequent flyer behind us in the queue.
Once cocooned in 2A, we noticed that things were a little fraught due to the delays, and, the F cabin that was showing 3/8 yesterday was now completely full (8/8).
Even with the full flight, service was good, and pre-flight Champagne, sleeper suits, F menus etc were all offered (amenity kits were pre-positioned, and so I'm assuming they are now unisex).
I make no bones about the fact that I like the LX F cabin – I've not (yet) experienced the new F on the 333, but I liked the original suite-style F (wood effect seats) when it was introduced (remember the MD-11?), and the second generation F is still one of my favourites (I especially like the retractable seat-belt on the ottoman, that is attention to detail – TG take note....). Even with all of the seats full, the cabin still feels both open and private at the same time.
And so, to dinner:
The appetisers were served from the trolley, and I had one of each, plus a (predictably) huge portion of the Balik salmon. There was nothing wrong with the starters, but I didn't think they really lived up to their descriptions, and were all somewhat on the “bland” side, with the langoustine sushi probably the best of the bunch. The salmon was, of course, wonderful, but I don't need to get onto a plane to know that I love Balik salmon!
I skipped the soup (felt the need to pace myself!) and selected the Lamb as a main course. It appeared that meal selections were being done in status/fare order (or at least, in some order other than Front-Back or vice versa) but I got my first choice, so whatever the system was, it worked for me! The Lamb was pretty much perfectly cooked (still slightly pink inside), and the additional choice of vegetables made for a very large main course! I know I should have had the Swiss red wine, but when I ordered, it came out as “Chateau La Tour”....
I also had to skip the cheese (very unusual for me, but there is only so much food one man, and one bear, can eat!) but the desert gave the opportunity for a glass of the dessert wine, which was difficult to pass up! The chocolate & chilli cake was actually quite well done, and much better than most concoctions I've had had that have tried to follow the trend of combining chocolate and chilli, but it was rich, and I couldn't really do it justice by this point, though I think I did do the dessert wine justice!
A quick request to the crew, and the bed was made up, and bottled water passed out. Though the flight was a little bouncy at times, the combination of the nice Swiss F seat, and generous helpings of XO Cognac led to a reasonable five and a half hours sleep, followed by a quick play with the IFE. Breakfast was served on request, which was nice, and the relevant menu options were:

I'm not always that good with breakfasts on long-hauls, so I stayed clear of the omelette, and had some fruit, followed by the cold cuts, together with copious amounts of tea and orange juice.
There was the usual mad stampede for the toilets so everyone could change back into their civvies (I'd purposely done this just after breakfast to miss the rush), and we landed at 14:54, around 20 minutes late due both to the late departure, and headwinds.
As is traditional on Swiss, we were all individually thanked for flying Swiss by the Maitre-de-Cabine, who also apologised for the late arrival (which is a nice touch).

Overall Rating
Very good – it is nice to see that the best parts of the “old” Swissair service have been preserved, and this was a class act, even with a full cabin.

Good Points
Cabin, Seat and personal space
Well trained staff, offering a First Class service in the traditional style
Good selection of premium wines and spirits

Bad Points
Meal was very good, but this particular menu was a bit pedestrian.
“LH style” PA assistance to the plane would certainly enhance the F experience, without requiring the extra resources that “full LH” direct Limo->Plane boarding would require

Thai Airways Flight TG606 BKK-HKG

Booked Class: First (Award) (O) – Flown Class: Business Seat: 14H (Willard!), K
Scheduled Departure: 16:00 - Actual Departure: 16:28

So, to our downgraded flight! The downgrade was due to a downguage of the flight from 747 to 777, 8 days prior to departure. Thai swear blind this was due to a mechanical (8 days out? That must have been some fault!) but I'd have to say it looked a lot like it was load related to me....

First good point is that, as hoped for, there was a Thai representative waiting at the LX flight for me, so it appeared we would still get the F transfer service from Thai (I realise this could have been down to Swiss, as an F arrival service, but I'm giving Thai the benefit of the doubt here!) We were taken through a dedicated line for transit security, and, though I was strongly advised to let them take me directly to the gate for the HKG flight, they eventually agreed to drop off at the D Gate Royal Silk lounge for a (and they underlined this) very quick visit! Again I'll give TG the benefit of the doubt that, if we had not had a late arrival, they would have allowed F lounge access, as promised. In fact, the HKG flight was running late too, and having had the benefit of the rather regal arrival at the lounge (two minders, who insisted on carrying my handbaggage, and locating a vacant table for me) to act as a conversation starter, I had a pleasant 15 minute chat with a fellow passenger (and FT lurker) on the TG606, who was keen to point out that it generally boarded quite late, and was at a close gate today.
When we sidled down to the gate at 15:30, boarding was in full swing, but there was someone holding up a sign to allow premium passengers to junp the queue, so we were on the flight quite quickly, and settled into what was, to start with, a pretty empty Business class cabin.
There was quite a long delay, and it was clear the flight was going to depart late, and then our passengers in 10A/K arrived, with entourage (including a minder carrying about 100Kgs of baggage! – who, I was impressed to see, was also seated in J), and the delays started to make sense (I won't identify the lady in question, as she was travelling with her family, but I'm sure she would have been recognised by anyone familiar with the Hong Kong film/fashion scene...). So, the doors finally closed, and we took off at 16:28, with Business just over half full (16/30, not including Willard).
Service was quite relaxed, with three crew serving in the J cabin, drinks orders had been taken prior to take-off (Champagne please!) and menus were passed out for this relatively short flight:

So, not a bad menu for a 2.5 hour flight in business class! Starter was actually quite nice, and I'm sorry to say that I preferred the flavour of the scallops to those served in LX F on the previous flight! I chose the Shrimp Omelette (which seemed to confuse the crew, as I don't think it was considered a “western” choice, but I got it) which was not presented as well as the starter, but still made a reasonable meal. I was a little surprised that the tray was cleared (including the pre-packed crackers) and then the cheese was offered, but, other than that, the service was really quite attentive, and, I'm pleased to say that our VIP passengers did not exhibit any DYKWIA behaviour, or hog the crew unreasonably. I had the small cheese plate, and the dessert, and ordering a cappuccino was a really good excuse to get myself a glass of that nice XO cognac!
To the seat – the 777 angled lie-flat seat actually seemed quite a good choice, and, whilst it can't compare with the more private herringbone or front/back facing J configurations on some other airlines, I could certainly see myself spending 10 hours in it and not feeling as if I had been short-changed on a (discounted) Business-class fare. The large LCD screen was also nice, though, since it was part of the seat in front, it could not be re-positioned, and that may prove to be annoying if you want to watch whilst in the sleeping position, and, I can't quite see the point of the touch-screen functionality, since you would have to be Reed Richards to reach it whilst sitting in your seat!
We never made up time, and landed at 14:42, with disembarkation at 14:49, around 25 minutes late.

Overall Rating
(As a Business Class flight) A very good service, on this short flight, with a very un-hurried and attentive service, and reasonable meal and drinks choices.

Good Points
Modern Business Class seats, with a good pitch
Staff and service

Bad Points
Being downgraded is never a good thing, and if this was, as I suspect, a commercial downgrade, then TG need to decide if it really wants to run F on this route, because paying F passengers will not put up with this “lottery” approach to bookings!
Slight bits of service confusion, over meal choice and cheese, but, worse things happen at sea

Willard has made sure his own report is up to date to this point, and includes all of the photos to supplement this section, available for your viewing pleasure, starting here.

mad_atta

Another great instalment - I like your thorough and thoughtful analysis of the LX F lounge and LH FCT (neither of which, sadly, I have yet had the pleasure of experiencing).

I was a little confused by this menu item, though:
Cornfied? Is this a typo? Not that the obvious alternative words - cornfed or cornfield - would make much sense in the context of a langoustine either!

KenF

Me too! I double-taked on it when I copy-typed the menu, and, as you, figured that "Cornfed Langustine" made even less sense. I figured that it was a gastronomic term I wasn't aware of, but I really should check the German version of the menu and see if it is a translation error!

Meanwhile, perhaps I should add a (sic) designator!

Willard the Bear - Hey, I just pose with the food, I don't have to describe it, that's his job!

EXP4ME

Cornfied = Confit perhaps?

KenF

Sat in the NZ lounge in SYD now (after having been summarily ejected from the SQ F lounge - as usual!), waiting for the TG flight to BKK.

I'm working on "Fit the Third" now, but, as is usual, Willard has beaten me to it, and uploaded the next segment of his photo report - starting Here

Willard the Bear - I must type quicker than him!

KenF

Fit the Third – Sheraton Towers HKG, HKG-BKK (TG F), Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit

Sheraton Towers Hong Kong

Not originally booked into the Towers, having taken advantage of a “Cash & Points” redemption via SPG, but was able to use the “Instant Awards” option that the hotel offers to upgrade to the Towers, which, I have to say, I was very glad about, as it's been a very, very long time since I stayed in the main hotel at the Sheraton HKG, and, due to his rather privileged life thus far, Willard doesn't really believe that the rest of the Sheraton exists, and, presumably, thinks there is a large concrete slab between the second and sixteenth floor, to ensure that the Towers guests get the best views!
Towers Check-In was faultless as ever, and, having arrived looking a little harried, cool drinks were offered pretty much as soon as I stepped out of the elevator. The room was pretty much the twin of the room we had here last year, and I'm assuming that these rear corner “partial harbour view” rooms are the standard SPG Gold upgrade for Towers bookings (and very nice indeed to be treated this way on what was effectively already an “upgraded” room).
Late arrival meant that the evening cocktails had finished in the Lounge, but there was no problem getting soft drinks served whilst I took in the view and touched-base with home via VoIP. After the procession of meals on the previous flights, dinner was not on the menu!
The room itself was slightly more compact than last years (possibly because it was a left-handed, rather than right-handed, corner room) but still had all of the Towers features. Like last year, I'm travelling both with a VGA cable, and a combined USB HDD/Media Player that can connect directly via composite video, and I'm interested to see how many of the hotels who have invested in swish flat-screen TV's actually let their guests use them for their own purposes. Like last year, I'm pleased to say that not only are the auxiliary inputs enabled on the TV, but that they have all been thoughtfully cabled out to sockets by the desk, for easy access to your PC etc. All of the Towers benefits were extended on my “upgraded” rate, and this includes wired and wireless internet, daily laundry and pressing allowance, and 20% discount on (most) in house bars/restaurants.
Towers breakfast was as per last year, served in the Oyster Bar, with a small, but extensive continental buffet, supplemented by a huge a-la-carte menu that covers all eventualities, all inclusive,and, if I'm not mistaken, I think I even saw a bottle of sparkling wine lurking, for those seeking the “Champagne Breakfast” experience.

Overall Rating
Nothing at all to complain about, Towers product is solid, service is good to exceptional, SPG compliance is very good (as a Gold). The Towers experience at this hotel is a really, really class act!

Good Points
Staff and Service
Towers Lounge and extras
Level of service almost “prescient” at times

Bad Points
Still one of the more expensive options in Hong Kong if you actually book the Towers, but starting to look more and more cost-effective if you factor in the service.
Rooms are acceptable by Hong Kong standards, but “compact” by normal US or European standards.

Bonus Extra! - Out and about in Hong Kong

Only really had one full day in Hong Kong, and spent the morning in Star City, absolutely amazed at how much more the IT section on the 2nd floor had contracted from even last year, but found a camera shop on the ground floor that offered a very good deal on a Canon G11 (and, had I not got carried away with the accessories, it would have been a great deal!).
Decided not to do the “touristy” things again, but instead went for a wander around Causeway Bay (and purposely nowhere near the noon-day gun!), where the shops were busy, but not, as far as I could seem actually selling much.
After watching the “Symphony of Lights” from the Towers lounge, chatting to some fellow guests (possibly now FT-ers, if my sales pitch was good enough!) and making a significant dent in their sparkling wine stockpile, we went over to Central for our dinner at the Hunan Garden restaurant, efficiently booked by the ever-present Towers staff. The Hunan Garden is a bit of an oddity in Hong Kong, as it deals in a relatively little-known branch of Chinese cuisine, but does it well enough to consistently make the “best restaurants in Hong Kong” lists. This is not a place to go if you don't like very spicy food! In fact, this is definitely a time to take the spare roll of toilet paper (the old “Backup roll”) and place it in the minibar to chill well prior to your visit!
That said, if you do like hot food, this is definitely ”the Dogs Bollocks” *, and you are unlikely to be disappointed, and with very reasonable prices (around HKD 140 upwards per head, plus drinks) it's a good place to impress on a budget!
( * - Readers unfamiliar with Northern England's idioms should be aware that “the Dogs Bollocks” is a term of high praise, with an etymology driving from the obvious pleasure that male dogs take in that particular part of their anatomy. If someone tells you a meal is “the Dogs Bollocks”, then it represents a singular recommendation, though, on consideration, should the accolade be applied to a Korean restaurant, you may want to seek further clarification as to the intended meaning....)

Thai Airways Flight TG601 HKG-BKK

Booked Class: First (Award) (O) – Flown Class: First Seat: 1 H (Willard!), K
Scheduled Departure: 12:45 - Actual Departure: 13:07

So, this year, I thought I'd eschew the in-town check-in, and see what the Airport Check-In experience was like. Not that good, as it happens! Check-in itself was fine, but Thai used to offer buggy transfers for F passenger when there was only 1 “terminal” in Chep Lap Kok, and now they've transferred to the “satellite check-in area” (I know, it's called “Terminal 2”, but in my simple world, terminals have gates and air-planes, and this is just an overflow check-in area!) they really really need those transfers, and they're gone! Everything just seems like a long distance – the security and immigration areas are a long, long way from the check-in desks, and then there is a further walk to the train, which drops you off where you would have ended up if you had gone through the main security in “T1”, and then another wait for another train to the high-numbered gates. There are no special services for F passengers, my advice is to check-in at the Airport Express station, and ignore the signage and go through T1, you aren't going to miss anything, but a really, really long walk!
First stop was the United First lounge, to see if my TG F boarding pass would get me in (like it should, under the Star Alliance lounge access rules). And, to slight amazement on my part, it did, with just a passing comment about “did I know where the Thai lounge was?”. This is how is should work, and, I have to say, the UA F lounge is quite good, with WiFi access, a good range of food, including a (small) a'la carte menu, and a somewhat better bar selection than the Thai F lounge.

So, all in all, the UA staff are to be commended for knowing and following the rules, and having the foresight to realise that today's TG F passenger may well be tomorrows UA F passenger, and treating them accordingly.

But, we should still go see the Thai lounge, and compare and contrast.

No problems getting in, obviously, and, given we started off as the only passenger, no problem with space either! Still no Champagne, and a fairly pedestrian selection of wines and spirits, but a small a'la carte menu, that appeared to be formed mostly from things on the buffet in the Business section of the lounge. The staff are great, and the lounge is big enough that it should never ever be crowded, and I do like the massage chairs, but I just wish Thai would show a little commitment, and stock the lounge like it is actually expecting some F passengers (a quick look across the corridor at the UA F lounge would give them some pointers!).

Boarding was called in the lounge, and the gate was not far away, and Thai did that neat trick where they spotted the F BP and pulled me to the front of the (already priority) boarding line, which is a nice touch when it happens.
Old config 747 on this route, obviously, and with 2 other passengers (who had been in the lounge for a short time before boarding was called) we were a total of 3 out of 14 seats occupied (not counting bears) for this flight. I felt a little strange sitting in 2K when my fellow pax were in 2A,C in an otherwise empty cabin, so moved (with permission) to 1K to allow them a little more privacy.

Service seemed a little rushed – menus were handed out and selections asked for whilst we were still at the gate, and, a new experience for me after over 30 flights in F, I didn't get my first menu choice (yes, with only 3/14 in the cabin...). Benefit of the doubt, perhaps my cabin mates were full-fare passengers, so I made a second selection, and we proceeded with the rest of the pre-take-off service. Pushback and take-off were late, and there was quite a long delay until the seat-belt signs went off at 13:34, nearly half an hour after take off. Champagne refilled (Bollinger Grand Annee' according to the menu, which is an OK choice for a regional flight) and appetisers and starters are served. I'm then presented with two unopened bottles of Red wine to select from for my (backup) main course choice of Pork, though I must admit I'm not sure why, as I was served with the one I rejected, and I'm starting to wonder if I'm flagged as non-rev....


The rest of the flight was uneventful, but I was struggling to work out why two staff serving three passengers were having such problems keeping things straight. I hesitate to say it, but though the catering itself was obviously of a higher standard, the service on the Business-class flight from BKK a few days ago was actually somewhat better, with many more passengers to serve.
On arrival, the famous Thai F arrivals service kicked in as buggies were waiting for myself and my two cabin mates, and we were whisked to the Diplomatic passport control (I even tried to get Willard's passport stamped, but they weren't quite that diplomatic! ) and handed over to a porter to collect our bags (that were off pretty much immediately). There was the usual confusion when I said I was going to take a public taxi to my hotel, but my Porter only missed half a beat and then took me to the taxi rank, jumped the queue and selected a clean looking taxi for me, and whatever he said to the driver in thai, it ensured that the, alas, almost standard attempt to overcharge me at the other end was, shall we say, somewhat half-hearted (and unsuccessful )

Overall Rating
I'm sorry, but Thai really need to decide if they want to run an F service between BKK and HKG, because at the moment, with the last minute equipment swaps, and the patchy service, they're doing themselves no favours. SQ ran an A380 with Suites on the equivalent route last year, and CX still runs an on-again-off-again F service. If the market is there (and I'm assuming, at least for connecting passengers, it is) then Thai needs to stop vacillating and expend that little bit more effort to get it right, because if I was a paying F passenger, with these two experiences, I'd never pay for F on Thai on this route again, and that's the problem – at this level, you don't get second chances!

Good Points
Old F seating on the 747 actually quite appropriate to the route
Happy with the Bollinger, and the other wines offered (note – offered!)
Arrival service at BKK, still setting the bar for other Star Alliance members (even LH) to beat

Bad Points
Ground experience at HKG T2
If a UA F lounge makes yours look bad, you have a problem!
Stingy catering, with 3 pax, load 9 meals!
Patchy service

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit

Found excellent availability for SPG50's here, including a very good (in my mind) rate of THB 4500 for a Grande Deluxe Room, with all of the attendant benefits. Since this will be the first time I'll have stayed at the SGS since I lost my SPG Plat status, the culture shock would be just too much otherwise, and it would confuse poor Willard terribly...
So, check-in was, as usual, swift, but even with the “soft landing” provided by all of the Grande Deluxe benefits, it was strange not being in a Suite (and, as usual, Willard didn't believe there were any standard rooms at the SGS, poor bear!).
Arrived early enough to be unpacked and down for drinks in the Living Room (I had suggested the Sala, but the pool area was washed out and battened down for a monsoon!
Met up with drron and his wife, rojaan, and had a good old natter whilst the free drinks flowed, and once the happy two hours had ended, my companions retired to the on-site Thai restaurant, Basil, and Willard and I retired to our room, where I quickly concluded I was, erm, somewhat Tired and Emotional, so decided I wasn't safe to be walking the streets and ordered Room Service!
Over the two day stay, I tested most of the hotel facilities, the breakfast at the Orchid Cafe could still stop a charging Rhino at 200 paces, the huge Jacuzzi on the pool deck is still sometimes somewhat chilly, and the calm surface belies the strength of the jets deeper down, and the live Jazz in the Living room is still world class. I reported a very minor problem (got the plug in trhe bath jammed, so couldn't get it to drain), and not only was it fixed, but I later had a personal letter of apology from the Duty Manager, and a plate of handmade chocolates – all a bit overwhelming to be honest!
Just to continue my impromptu survey of access to AV and PC inputs on hotel TVs, I can confirm that the flat screen TV in the SGS had accessible composite and VGA inputs, and the remote control had an option to select AV inputs. Indeed, the shelf just below the TV works well as a place to put your netbook whilst you are watching TV from your PC!
Overall a great stay, and a great impetus to regain my SPG Platinum status!

Overall Rating
Still the best Starwood in BKK, in my opinion, with better service and better SPG recognition than the WGS across the street. In these trying times in BKK, the location may become a concern, but it is still a fortress of tranquillity in the teeming bustle of Sukhumvit, and the current situation seems to be forcing prices, but not service, downwards.

Good Points
Excellent Staff and Service
Grande Deluxe Benefits, a very cost effective package
SPG recognition

Bad Points
Internet is free to Grande Deluxe Guests (or, I presume SPG Plat), which is good, because it is too slow to be worth paying for! Speeds I measured were glacial at times, and made me wonder if they had implemented RFC1149!
Location may become a concern if more trouble kicks off in BKK, the fact that the department store across the street was used as a temporary Army HQ may make you feel more, or less safe, depending on your viewpoint.
Wish they'd have a slightly less expensive Airport transfer service!

Double Bonus Extra! - Out and about in Bangkok

Given my stated concerns over a stopover in Bangkok, after person or persons unknown decided to start putting the “Bang” back into Bangkok just after I'd booked, there were no plans made prior to arrival, and I'd intended to see how things went when I arrived. I can say that Sukhumvit was it's normal, buzzing, self, but there were significantly fewer Europeans in evidence. I decided to take the BTS down to MBK for a shopping trip, and found that there was definitely and “edge” that hasn't been there previously. Obviously, as someone who has spent 5 years travelling around with a Teddy Bear strapped to my chest, I'm not un-used to being stared at but this was different, and there was a definite feeling that the unusual and unexpected was somewhat less welcome than previously, and the looks were ones of concern, not humour. The journey itself passed a few of the visible remnants of the trouble, which was sad to see, and MBK itself had even more than the usual air of desperation about it. I didn't buy anything in the end, which is perhaps a sign that I'm more of a visitor than a tourist to Bangkok now.
Having opted to stay in on the first night, I ventured out to Cabbages & Condoms for my evening meal on the second night, which, as usual, has great Thai food at great prices, for a worthy charitable cause. It wasn't anywhere near as busy as last year, and (thankfully after I'd finished the main course) dining was interrupted , by a very loud BANG! and a short black-out. Given the aforementioned concern over recent events, this was probably the most effective cure for constipation that I've ever experienced (and may well last a lifetime!), and I don't know, to this day, whether it was a lightning strike, someone throwing a firework, or, perhaps, Mr. Creosote had been dining somewhere in the restaurant I could not see, and had been persuaded to partake of an After Dinner Mint (Personally, I find the Mints at Cabbages & Condoms to be a little on the chewy side )
I really hope that Thailand gets through it's political problems, and remains a viable destination for Western travellers, but the fact that I was digging through my wardrobe before I travelled looking for alternatives to my usual Red (or Yellow) shirts was not a good sign..

As usual, Willard's version of events can be seen (mostly, I think I may have caught up with him this time!) starting Here

Since I'm not in a location conducive to copy-typing menus at the moment (i.e. the TG F lounge!) I've opted to post the report and add the menus later, to keep the impetus going, as it were!

Willard the Bear – A race you want is it then? A race you shall get in that case!

mad_atta

Bravo, sir, bravo! :-: