Gold in one go - the Finnair monster
Jun 30, 2015, 1:17 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 406
Great report - and quite adventurous to have multiple Finnair long haul flights in a row! Even one recent Finnair business class long haul flight was quite enough for me.
Although good for you on the first long haul sector of your massive itinerary, this "let's heavily overbook economy and upgrade lots of people to business" is annoying business strategy by Finnair.
Although good for you on the first long haul sector of your massive itinerary, this "let's heavily overbook economy and upgrade lots of people to business" is annoying business strategy by Finnair.
Jun 30, 2015, 2:19 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 60
Great report - and quite adventurous to have multiple Finnair long haul flights in a row! Even one recent Finnair business class long haul flight was quite enough for me.
Although good for you on the first long haul sector of your massive itinerary, this "let's heavily overbook economy and upgrade lots of people to business" is annoying business strategy by Finnair.
Although good for you on the first long haul sector of your massive itinerary, this "let's heavily overbook economy and upgrade lots of people to business" is annoying business strategy by Finnair.
Jun 30, 2015, 5:19 am
#20
Moderator, Finnair
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,167
That one pic you see is still on the same site, but I linked directly to the raw image. Will put coming pictures on another server.
AY32 on OH-LTT (the second time on AY32, segment 14 in the story order) was sunday 21 june.
Next part will soon be available!
Jun 30, 2015, 6:08 am
#22
Moderator, Finnair
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,167
Toronto transit and BA First class lounge Toronto
So far this trip is nothing out of the ordinary - just a regular longhaul - and I feel fine. But the first obstacle on the course is rapidly approaching - Toronto Pearson has no airside transit! For someone doing a run with many segments and multiple tickets, the ability to stay airside is key as it cuts down the transit time and eliminate the risk of running into trouble with immigrations (and maximizes lounge time!). But with a turn-around of almost 4 hours, I figured it would be fine.
The flight appears to have arrived just before the evening rush at YYZ, and the screens in the arrival corridor says "From here to immigrations: 10 minutes". By following purple track, one can even short cut the line at immigrations if needed.
It is close to 15 years since I've been to North America, but while planning this trip I assumed it had not become any easier at immigrations with time. And I don't think I'll ever get used to the interview techniques employed.
- Why have you come to Canada?
- Only to transfer. I'm on my way to China.
- Why have you come to Canada?
- Eh... to change planes?
I never know what to answer when they keep asking the same questions over and over again. Repeating the exact same (perfectly sufficient) answer and risk they think I just memorized some good answers? Or restating the answers in new wording, risking omitting or adding a detail that might raise suspicion and lead to further questions?
Anyway, it seems to progress well, at least until the penny drops.
- Wait, going to China you say, is this really the shortest way?!
- Oh no, it's not. But it's the cheapest.
I got a long gaze and a few questions on airline pricing, and was then finally admitted to Canada.
Finnair has a great OLCI policy where check in for most O/D opens 48 hours in advance, counted from the first flight in sequence. So before leaving home, I was able to check in for the first 4 segments of my trip so I was already set for the next step. There is an app too, with boarding passes and all. But I do like having paper-BPs, so I went back to departures hall, was serviced in a jiffy and good to go.
- Security is over there, and I do advice you to go early. It will be busy, said the check in agent.
Only approx 25 minutes had passed since I stepped of the plane, so I slothed a little, but finally decided to take the advice. Again beating the evening rush, I was through security in 5-10 minutes. If I found immigrations a bit harsh, security was the opposite, very polite and very good with their communications and people skills. Actually, I found them to be so great I wished European security staff would come to Toronto to study how to run the show. A living proof that courtesy and professional attitudes are efficient.
All in all, I was back at the outer end of C-pier in terminal 3 in less than 45 minutes. So no sweat making the turn-around, and there was now ample time to check out the lounges.
My ride, parked right outside the BA lounge.
Those who knows me, knows my resentment towards BA runs deeply. My attitude is probably clearly displayed in my aura or something because every time I interact with BA, something happens that proves me right. So, guilty as charged on having preconceptions, and here is what happened at BA lounge at YYZ:
Me: Good evening! Here is my boarding pass.
Agent: Good evening. (Looks at boarding pass) Eh, sir, are you travelling with BA today?
Me: Eh, no. (thinks to myself: "what, she can't read?!")
Agent: Only travellers on BA can access the lounge.
Me: Aha. Did you finally leave the oneWorld alliance?
Agent: Eh?
Me: I'm just saying, I can access any oneWorld lounge I'd like. So you've left oneWorld?
Agent: I better call my supervisor.
Me: Oh, please do.
Agent (on phone): Eh, I have a Finnair platinum and oneworld emerald customer here, he is flying on Finnair (so she was able to read!) and he says he wants to enter the BA lounge. Aha? Aha. But how do I do it, just scan the BP?!
So she hangs up, scans the BP and it is rejected. Reluctant to call the supervisor again, she finally just makes some note on a list and lets me in.
This lounge is dubbed "First" and it does indeed have a table dining area with service. I'm only peckish, so I choose to sit in the lounge and can't really tell the quality of the food service.
Or actually, I kind of can. In the dining area are two Brits, one is low key and the other has the attitude, and laughter, of Ricky Gervais. He is all but low key, and it does not take many minutes before we all gets to know that "it isn't a very nice First lounge, especially considering I paid 7000 quid for the ticket". The lounge staff is then made to work off a great chunk of those 7000, tending to his every need, shouted out.
I guess that is part of the First experience, getting to mingle with the rich. Besides the annoying attitude, he is pretty much correct though. It is a perfectly fine lounge, but it certainly isn't First.
BA first - snack assortment
The cheeses were very nice though. The Ricky Gervais clone asked for more!
BA first glorified waiting area
Anyway, I somehow manages to block the 100db conversation out (only the Gervais-like laughters breaks through every 2 minutes) and the lounge thins out quickly as the BA boarding approaches. I suddenly find myself alone in the lounge and an anxious lounge agent comes over and asks me:
- Sir, are you on ninety-eight? (supposedly meaning BA98 to LHR which is about to depart)
- No, I'm not, I'm on Finnair and good for a while more!
I get a nice smile in return, but as they soon start to close up the lounge, I decide to head out. Boarding time is approaching anyway and I head down to the gate area.
YYZ terminal 3, pier C - every seat is equipped with ipad
Pretty nice - not sure how much it costs, but some surfing is free and I must say this is one of the nicer gate areas I have seen.
The gate agent is not having a good day - the flight is massively oversold and she is trying to sort it out. I already know what that means (a lot of status less first time flyers in the J cabin) so I move closer to the desk to catch a bit of the action. I manage to count 60 (!) new boarding passes being printed. Some op-ups, some for next flight and also some for connecting pax. Apparently some connecting pax can reach terminal 3C without boarding passes, so there must be some kind of airside transit after all. Perhaps from domestic or US flights.
There is a 45 minute delay just to get the gate ready for boarding. My body clock, still on CET, says to me that 5 am is way past my bedtime, and I really should just get on that plane and catch some sleep. At this point the tiny doubts to weather this is sane or not are starting to manifest themselves. I'm confident they can be suppressed with champagne though.
The flight appears to have arrived just before the evening rush at YYZ, and the screens in the arrival corridor says "From here to immigrations: 10 minutes". By following purple track, one can even short cut the line at immigrations if needed.
It is close to 15 years since I've been to North America, but while planning this trip I assumed it had not become any easier at immigrations with time. And I don't think I'll ever get used to the interview techniques employed.
- Why have you come to Canada?
- Only to transfer. I'm on my way to China.
- Why have you come to Canada?
- Eh... to change planes?
I never know what to answer when they keep asking the same questions over and over again. Repeating the exact same (perfectly sufficient) answer and risk they think I just memorized some good answers? Or restating the answers in new wording, risking omitting or adding a detail that might raise suspicion and lead to further questions?
Anyway, it seems to progress well, at least until the penny drops.
- Wait, going to China you say, is this really the shortest way?!
- Oh no, it's not. But it's the cheapest.
I got a long gaze and a few questions on airline pricing, and was then finally admitted to Canada.
Finnair has a great OLCI policy where check in for most O/D opens 48 hours in advance, counted from the first flight in sequence. So before leaving home, I was able to check in for the first 4 segments of my trip so I was already set for the next step. There is an app too, with boarding passes and all. But I do like having paper-BPs, so I went back to departures hall, was serviced in a jiffy and good to go.
- Security is over there, and I do advice you to go early. It will be busy, said the check in agent.
Only approx 25 minutes had passed since I stepped of the plane, so I slothed a little, but finally decided to take the advice. Again beating the evening rush, I was through security in 5-10 minutes. If I found immigrations a bit harsh, security was the opposite, very polite and very good with their communications and people skills. Actually, I found them to be so great I wished European security staff would come to Toronto to study how to run the show. A living proof that courtesy and professional attitudes are efficient.
All in all, I was back at the outer end of C-pier in terminal 3 in less than 45 minutes. So no sweat making the turn-around, and there was now ample time to check out the lounges.
My ride, parked right outside the BA lounge.
Those who knows me, knows my resentment towards BA runs deeply. My attitude is probably clearly displayed in my aura or something because every time I interact with BA, something happens that proves me right. So, guilty as charged on having preconceptions, and here is what happened at BA lounge at YYZ:
Me: Good evening! Here is my boarding pass.
Agent: Good evening. (Looks at boarding pass) Eh, sir, are you travelling with BA today?
Me: Eh, no. (thinks to myself: "what, she can't read?!")
Agent: Only travellers on BA can access the lounge.
Me: Aha. Did you finally leave the oneWorld alliance?
Agent: Eh?
Me: I'm just saying, I can access any oneWorld lounge I'd like. So you've left oneWorld?
Agent: I better call my supervisor.
Me: Oh, please do.
Agent (on phone): Eh, I have a Finnair platinum and oneworld emerald customer here, he is flying on Finnair (so she was able to read!) and he says he wants to enter the BA lounge. Aha? Aha. But how do I do it, just scan the BP?!
So she hangs up, scans the BP and it is rejected. Reluctant to call the supervisor again, she finally just makes some note on a list and lets me in.
This lounge is dubbed "First" and it does indeed have a table dining area with service. I'm only peckish, so I choose to sit in the lounge and can't really tell the quality of the food service.
Or actually, I kind of can. In the dining area are two Brits, one is low key and the other has the attitude, and laughter, of Ricky Gervais. He is all but low key, and it does not take many minutes before we all gets to know that "it isn't a very nice First lounge, especially considering I paid 7000 quid for the ticket". The lounge staff is then made to work off a great chunk of those 7000, tending to his every need, shouted out.
I guess that is part of the First experience, getting to mingle with the rich. Besides the annoying attitude, he is pretty much correct though. It is a perfectly fine lounge, but it certainly isn't First.
BA first - snack assortment
The cheeses were very nice though. The Ricky Gervais clone asked for more!
BA first glorified waiting area
Anyway, I somehow manages to block the 100db conversation out (only the Gervais-like laughters breaks through every 2 minutes) and the lounge thins out quickly as the BA boarding approaches. I suddenly find myself alone in the lounge and an anxious lounge agent comes over and asks me:
- Sir, are you on ninety-eight? (supposedly meaning BA98 to LHR which is about to depart)
- No, I'm not, I'm on Finnair and good for a while more!
I get a nice smile in return, but as they soon start to close up the lounge, I decide to head out. Boarding time is approaching anyway and I head down to the gate area.
YYZ terminal 3, pier C - every seat is equipped with ipad
Pretty nice - not sure how much it costs, but some surfing is free and I must say this is one of the nicer gate areas I have seen.
The gate agent is not having a good day - the flight is massively oversold and she is trying to sort it out. I already know what that means (a lot of status less first time flyers in the J cabin) so I move closer to the desk to catch a bit of the action. I manage to count 60 (!) new boarding passes being printed. Some op-ups, some for next flight and also some for connecting pax. Apparently some connecting pax can reach terminal 3C without boarding passes, so there must be some kind of airside transit after all. Perhaps from domestic or US flights.
There is a 45 minute delay just to get the gate ready for boarding. My body clock, still on CET, says to me that 5 am is way past my bedtime, and I really should just get on that plane and catch some sleep. At this point the tiny doubts to weather this is sane or not are starting to manifest themselves. I'm confident they can be suppressed with champagne though.
Last edited by intuition; Dec 25, 2021 at 12:44 pm Reason: moving pictures to FT
Jun 30, 2015, 11:19 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Nice start, looking forward to updates.
One issue with the BA lounge may of been that BA98 is a sleeper service, you eat in the lounge for Club World to get a longer sleep on board. Perhaps they restrict entry for this reason. This doesn't apply to BA First though.
One issue with the BA lounge may of been that BA98 is a sleeper service, you eat in the lounge for Club World to get a longer sleep on board. Perhaps they restrict entry for this reason. This doesn't apply to BA First though.
Jun 30, 2015, 11:26 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
Nice. The food service at the BA F lounge is, despite the comments made, actually outstanding [added for lounges I have been in, I have been at LH F lounges in FRA] but only available for those actually flying F on BA. Although I did not pay 7000 pounds.
Jun 30, 2015, 11:56 am
#26
Moderator, Finnair
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,167
Do they really restrict dining to F tickets? It seemed to me I could just walk into dining area at any time if I wanted. (And it seems to go against the spirit of oneworld lounge policy denying emeralds parts of the first lounge.)
Jun 30, 2015, 12:42 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: AFKL PLT, BA Gold, SK Gold, AY Gold, A3 Silver, LH FTL, IHG Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 408
Me: Good evening! Here is my boarding pass.
Agent: Good evening. (Looks at boarding pass) Eh, sir, are you travelling with BA today?
Me: Eh, no. (thinks to myself: "what, she can't read?!")
Agent: Only travellers on BA can access the lounge.
Me: Aha. Did you finally leave the oneWorld alliance?
Agent: Eh?
Me: I'm just saying, I can access any oneWorld lounge I'd like. So you've left oneWorld?
Agent: I better call my supervisor.
Me: Oh, please do.
Agent (on phone): Eh, I have a Finnair platinum and oneworld emerald customer here, he is flying on Finnair (so she was able to read!) and he says he wants to enter the BA lounge. Aha? Aha. But how do I do it, just scan the BP?!
So she hangs up, scans the BP and it is rejected. Reluctant to call the supervisor again, she finally just makes some note on a list and lets me in.
Agent: Good evening. (Looks at boarding pass) Eh, sir, are you travelling with BA today?
Me: Eh, no. (thinks to myself: "what, she can't read?!")
Agent: Only travellers on BA can access the lounge.
Me: Aha. Did you finally leave the oneWorld alliance?
Agent: Eh?
Me: I'm just saying, I can access any oneWorld lounge I'd like. So you've left oneWorld?
Agent: I better call my supervisor.
Me: Oh, please do.
Agent (on phone): Eh, I have a Finnair platinum and oneworld emerald customer here, he is flying on Finnair (so she was able to read!) and he says he wants to enter the BA lounge. Aha? Aha. But how do I do it, just scan the BP?!
So she hangs up, scans the BP and it is rejected. Reluctant to call the supervisor again, she finally just makes some note on a list and lets me in.
But seriously, I think it is kind of embarrassing if the lounge dragons don't know the basic rules of the alliance policies.Great report, looking forward to see, how this continues. ^^
Jun 30, 2015, 1:38 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Back in the post where people were talking about the pics not showing up, they were (and still are) coming through fine for me. Now in your most recent post they are not showing up! But it is OK because the writing is great - you have the perfect balance between enough detail and not too much detail. Keep it up!
Jun 30, 2015, 1:51 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond, Mucci de buveur de gin
Posts: 3,060
Back in the post where people were talking about the pics not showing up, they were (and still are) coming through fine for me. Now in your most recent post they are not showing up! But it is OK because the writing is great - you have the perfect balance between enough detail and not too much detail. Keep it up!