Tiffywren

AKA My First Tier Point Run...

I'd booked myself two CW holidays this year and then realised that I was in that awkward position of having around 1200 TPs, so did I 'waste' 600 TPs and stick with Silver or succumb to the temptation of 'going for gold'... A Silver card is perfectly functional for the majority of my flights (LGW-EDI commuting) and even on the few LH flights I take I'd still have access to a BA lounge. But... My inner magpie wanted that shiny, pretty gold card...

So I started looking for a 300-ish TP trip at a good price, and where else would one look but in F and J Deals thread of course! So I nicked a few ideas and came up with BCN-LHR-PHL-MIA-PUJ and back for 520TPs, posted my plans and asked the more experienced FTers to make sure I wasn't booking anything impossible. And back came the suggestion that if I did BCN-LHR-PHL-DFW-MIA-PUJ-CLT-IND-CLT-CDG I'd earn 640TPs for the same money. Thank you henkybaby!

OK, so instead of four nights in Punta Cana I'd only get two but with a night each in Dallas and Indianapolis instead. I've got a short attention span so two nights at a beach resort would be enough for me, and I've never been to Dallas or Indianapolis so that'd be something new to see. So after two or three days of dithering, I hit the 'pay' button and booked the trip with American Airlines. My colleagues think I'm crazy...


Flight 1: EDI-LGW Domestic Economy

My trip started on the Tuesday evening with my usual EDI-LGW commute with a cheap LGW-BCN on Vueling added on but as a mere Silver on a non-BA flight I haven't got any lounge access... but it turns it's possible to survive in an airport without access to free drinks. Who knew?? Anyway, I had a coffee... did some people watching... ate at Yo! Sushi... did some more people watching... got bored and went shopping... It would've been cheaper to buy lounge access...


Flight 2: LGW-BCN Vueling Self-Loading Cargo Class

Then it was time for my bargain basement Vueling flight! I paid a whopping Ł3.27 to move from E to D seat, which was a good choice as my original E seat was bracketed by two rather large gentlemen. There was absolutely no leg room but as I had the entire row to myself that wasn't a problem. We were running late by 40 minutes, which compounded with the wait for the hotel shuttle meant it was after midnight by the time I checked into the hotel.

I'd opted for the Tryp Hotel at the airport, and it was very nice apart from the loo, which hadn't been cleaned. My room had a separate seating area and was very modern and clean, shame I was only in it 5 hours!



I sorted myself out, set my alarm and went to bed. Luckily I woke up just before the alarm should've gone off, I'd left my phone in flight-safe mode it was still on UK time... oops, could've been expensive!

Check in was smooth, the desk agent printed off my boarding passes for the next 5 flights and then fast track security was all mine.

The airport was very quiet but it wasn't quite 6am yet, I've been to Barcelona several times but always by ship so I'd never seen the airport before.




I headed down to the lounge to find it shut and stood chatting to two American couples for a little while before a woman turned up at 10 to 6 and barked at us that the lounge doesn't open until 6am, she let herself in and made a point of glaring at us as she locked the door behind herself. Perhaps she was worried the five us were going to storm the front desk! As it was so early the staff were still setting up but I got a coffee and an orange juice, which was ample as I knew I'd got a CE breakfast to look forward to on the flight.




Flight 3: BCN-LHR BA0477 Weds 27th April

A320 G-EUUY Seat 04D, I totally forgot about being able to move seats at T-72 and row 1 was completely empty, so when the SCCM was doing her checks I asked if could move after take-off and she said no problem, just move now, so I got my 01F after all. We were a little late taking off due to some issue with checked bags, apparently two bags belonging to a passenger on board had been cancelled so the bags had to be off loaded and identified by the owner.

Listening to the voices in the cabin it would seem most of my fellow passengers in CE are American, perhaps Barcelona is a popular destination for US tourists

After breakfast the SCCM came to tell me there's had been an equipment change on my flight to PHL and there were no Business Class seats. I now know with hindsight and some FT help that what she was telling me was that Business had been oversold, but at the time I didn't quite understand that.

She gave me the option of either staying on the LHR-PHL-DFW I had but in economy (!!) or go LHR-DFW direct. Argh, what to do?? No FT at 38,000 feet! PHL-DFW is business class so that's only 40 points to lose rather than 100 for dropping to Y on LHR-PHL. In the end I opt for the LHR-DFW flight, the SCCM is so helpful finding out what time the new flight lands and explaining what I need to do at terminal 3 and that my bags will be re-routed. I explain I'm on a Tier Point run and ask if I'll get my original TPs credited.

OK, so I'm all happy now, bit disappointed about losing 40 TPs but I get into DFW 3 hours earlier which should give me time to get into Dallas proper and actually see something. Every cloud has a silver lining! I'd explained to the SCCM about doing a TP run and that I knew BA would do an ORC but I had no idea about AA as I'd never flown with them before. She returns to tell me that AA will give me my original miles (at the time I don't realise the significance of the wording and assume she meant Tier Points) and that my bag will be changed without me having to collect and recheck it. A very helpful lady and I'm very grateful.

We arrive in to LHR T3 which is somewhere I've never been before and I follow the signs to Flight Connections to get my new boarding pass. I queue up for 15 minutes before encountering a very bored agent who tells me it's nothing to do with her and I'll have to go to the gate to get a new pass printed. It's Gate 28, which is miles away... I get to Gate 28 where the first passengers for my original LHR-PHL flight are starting to queue up. I explain my situation to the gate agent but he doesn't seem to get what I'm asking for and can't understand why if I have a boarding pass for flight AA729 with seat 01A on it, why am I saying I have no seat on this plane and I need a new BP? He tells me that Flight Connections will have to deal with it, so back it go...

There's quite a large queue by now at the AA desk so I ask one of the BA staff if they can help at all and I meet my first ever rude and unhelpful BA employee. I start to trudge back to the AA queue and a fellow passenger who's overheard me tells me that the Admiral's Club lounge can issue boarding passes and to just head there. Apparently this is where I should've gone in the first place as I'm greeted with "ah, Mrs Tiffywren, we've been trying to phone you." I have no idea who they were ringing because I've got no missed calls on my phone (and just for once I had actually remembered to switch it on!)

Anyway, I get my new BP, am assured I'll get my missing miles (miles again, note) and I trot off into the Admiral's Club lounge. Which I don't like very much, so I decamp to the BA Club lounge instead, order myself a glass of champagne and post on FT about the helpful SCCM who sorted me out because there's no Business Class on my old flight. A few minutes later there are a flurry of replies telling me that I've pretty much been involuntarily downgraded because my original flight was oversold. A friend on Facebook tells me to double check that I'll get the missing TPs as he knows I'm on an AA issued ticket not a BA one.

I head back to the AA lounge to check all this out, but the first agent I deal with doesn't understand at all what I'm going on about so her colleagues jumps in to help. There's a huge amount of confusion about missed miles, who issued my ticket, which loyalty programme I'm with etc. Initially she tells me I'll get the original miles credited, I now know this means AA miles not BA tier points so I say I'm a BAEC member not an AAdvantage one. She tells me I'll need to contact BA to get the Tier Points credited but I can't see why BA would (or indeed should) credit me points on an AA flight sold by AA. In between all this we're having a nice chat and I've told her about my airport runaround and how I didn't really understand what I was told as it's only the second time I've flown business/club and my first time on AA, and that I'm doing these flights just to gain points. She speaks to her supervisor and they agree that because they can't credit me the missed points and because I've been given a bit of a runaround (and possibly because we've discovered a mutual love of M&S cardigans) they'll give me a voucher for $800 as a goodwill gesture so I can book some AA flights and make the points up. Wow, I wasn't expecting that at all, it's very generous of them and I know that they didn't have to do it at all.

Now it's time to run back to Gate 28 and get on that flight to Dallas.

Flight 4: LHR-DFW Boeing 777-200ER seat 10A

Business class is a quite old-fashioned 2-3-2 arrangement rather than the individual seats I was expecting, but I don't have a seat neighbour so that's fine.





Wish this bird was still flying...

The woman across the aisle from me keeps complaining loudly about not being able to sit next to her husband and repeatedly telling the Flight Attendant (I don't really like that term but that's what they called themselves) to move me so they could sit together. I think she pissed the FA off because I was never even asked to move.

I had champagne of course (insert compulsory FT TR photo) and some warm nuts which I rather liked. I was surprised to have my tray table covered with a cloth before my meal was served which was a nice touch. The food was nice and the service was perfectly functional but it felt kind of cold and mechanical, the crew were professional but there wasn't a hint of the warmth that you get from a BA crew.





DFW and Regency Hyatt.

I was initially impressed with immigration at DFW, I was directed to one of the automatic machines and was through in about 3 minutes. Then I went downstairs to baggage reclaim and saw the enormous queues snaking round the hall... It took the best part of an hour to get to the front of the queue and get into America properly. I eventually found the shuttle to the hotel, nothing seemed to be very well sign posted, and after a bus ride and a walk across the Terminal C car park I realised I could've just walked from Terminal D in half the time.

Hyatt Regency, Terminal C, DFW

A very nice hotel, with clean, modern rooms and friendly staff. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the welcome tortillas dips, they looked nice but I'd no idea how long they'd been sitting out...


Dinner in Grapevine, TX

I knew I wouldn't have time to get into Dallas properly, but Guest Services told me about the shuttle to Grapevine and Grapevine Mills Mall. For $5 you get a hop-on, hop-off ticket direct from the Hyatt Regency





There's a slightly macabre display of 19th Century hearses and children's coffins at the town's funeral director but other than that, Grapevine is a lovely little slice of small town America with lots of independent restaurants and shops. It's definitely worth a visit if your DFW stopover allows.

Thursday 28th April

Flight 5: AA2345 DFW-MIA B767 Business Class

Had a biscuit for breakfast, never had one before, it was very nice, like a soft scone.



The other thing was a cross between eggy-bread and a pancake with an apple compote.

Miami Airport is rather nice, there's lots of arty things on the walls and the floor has pretty sea life decorations.





My middle nephew is a big fan of the Miami Heat basketball team so I make a quick stop to pick up some things for him and head to the lounge.


Flight 6: MIA-PUJ AA2468 B757 Business Class N181AN

Flight Attendant offers me a drink and I ask for champagne, she comes back to tell me the champagne is still frozen!! White wine it is then...



This tasted better than it looked!



Some stunning views on the flight down.

All in all a very pleasant flight, the AA short haul crews seem much friendlier and nicer than the LH ones, wonder why?

Landing at PUJ we were treated to a bit of engine porn...



None of the engine changes I've ever done have been in such nice sunny places!

Tiffywren

PUNTA CANA 2 days at the Natura Park Resort, Bavaro.

A beach, a bar and a spa! Margaritas on tap, food OK but very 'international buffet'... a little dull. My room was dated but clean but it was incredibly cheap so no complaints from me. Lots of interesting wildlife in lovely grounds, two power cuts and a spa where I had a massage and facial on both days. It was nice to walk on the beach, paddle in the surf and swim but that was enough beach time for me!
















Saturday 30th April

Flight 7: PUJ-CLT AA1966 A321 Business Class

Punta Cana airport has no Oneworld Lounge! The transfer I'd booked got me to the airport with 2 hours to spare and nowhere to spend it! PUJ Terminal B is quite small, it only takes about 10 minutes to walk from one end of the concourse to the other. I have a quick check in Duty Free for the Clarins face cream my sister likes but it's as expensive here as it is in the US (which is more expensive than the UK). I'm surprised by how expensive everything seems at the airport, even a Snickers bar is $2. I head to the bar at the end of the concourse and buy a beer, the waiter rattles off the list so fast I don't catch anything but "Corona" - which turns out to be the most expensive beer they sell at a whopping $9 a bottle!

The flight is showing as running 20 minutes late which will now give me less than an hour to connect at CLT and it suddenly occurs to me that I'll have to clear customs again as I'm re-entering the US. Doh! I begin to worry that I'll miss my connection and consequently lose my onward flights.

All through the flight I'm worried until the wi-fi comes on and I check my next flight. It's not 1914 as I thought, it's 1944 (1914 is the boarding time printed on the BP.) We actually land 10 minutes early and I'm first off the plane and double timing it through a deserted airport to immigration. This bodes well I think. Then I turn the corner and hit the queue for non-US citizens... It takes nearly an hour to get to the front of the queue, and when I do it takes a while for the woman in charge of detailing off which desk to go to to stop gossiping with her college and call me forward. I get the whole US issue with security, I really do, but if you're going to be that strict would it hurt to man sufficient kiosks whenever a flight comes in?


Flight 8: CLT-IND AA4572 First Class Embraer 190

Anyway, I'm finally allowed into the US and go recheck my bag, dash through security and head the Admiral's Club for a quick cup of tea before walking to the gate. And announcements are being made about the weather and delayed flights, my 1944 flight is now 2020.

Back to the lounge for a beer. Back to the gate, after ten minutes the announcements board shows 2100.

Back to the lounge; I'm on first name terms with the barman now.

Back to the gate, flight time changes to 2145. Back to the lounge where J, the barman, puts my beer on the bar as I walk in.

Back to the gate, time changed to 2230. Back to the bar, J sees me coming and once again puts a beer down. I think I'll adopt him.

Back to the gate at 2220, time changes to 2300. Back to the lounge, tell J we're past beer now, it's time for whisky. He pours a very generous measure... I'm no longer adopting J, I'm marrying him...

Back to the gate, sixth time lucky as the saying doesn't go. Crew turn up to a round of applause and take it with great aplomb. There's been some grumbling at the gate about the delay but given a choice I'd rather be late than try to fly through lightning...

The flight attendant on this leg is really lovely, she also knows this neat trick with club soda for getting melted chocolate chips out of your shirt. And jeans. And the seat belt. And the seat. Who knew there was that much chocolate in one cookie? I'm probably on the TSA No Cookie list now...

I finally make it to my hotel at 2am. The room is lovely, Hyatt have converted me away from Hilton. Also, their far more generous military discount helps. Sleep.


Sunday 1st May

Flight 9: IND-CLT AA4542 A319 First Class

Breakfast next morning is chaos, I think there's some kind of kids football/soccer camp going on, I grab a coffee and egg muffin thingy and retreat to my lovely room to watch a bit of breakfast TV and marvel at how direct American election campaign adverts are.

I had planned to go into downtown Indianapolis for a quick sightseeing trip but the hotel staff persuade me I really need to visit the Speedway, they even generously drive me there and pick me up in the hotel shuttle. It's a good call, I take the $20 tour which includes entry to the museum and a tour of the track - in a bus at 25mph! My only knowledge of NASCAR and speedway is 'Talledega Nights' so it's all very educational.







Apparently there's a tradition of 'kissing the brick' at the finish line, the other three on my tour do this, I give it a miss!

Postcards, fridge magnets and t-shirts for nephews purchased it's time to head for the airport. There's no AA lounge at IND so I buy a burger at Harry & Izzy's and write my postcards. I rarely eat burgers at home but I do like to treat myself when I'm in America, not least because there you're allowed to be a grown up and have your burger pink in the middle.

I get a text telling me that my LHR-EDI flight at 1415 tomorrow is cancelled but I've been rebooked on the 1515, no drama, that's another glass of fizz in the lounge!

The flight to CLT is one of the best domestic US ones so far, the FA is very proactive in offering the G&Ts, my seat companion is on Bloody Marys (that grammar looks wrong!) we start chatting (I did warn you I'm one of those who will talk to my fellow passengers...) He kindly invites me me to join him and his colleagues in the lounge as his guest, I'm in on my own ticket anyway, and we pass a pleasant hour or so before our respective flights depart.

Flight 10: CLT-CDG AA786 A330 Business Class Seat 1H

Wow. Just wow. This is the plane I was meant to fly out on until I was re-routed onto an older B777. I felt a little bit guilty taking the $800 voucher before but having seen what I missed out on, I now feel fully justified in taking it!

OK, I've never flown First, but this feels like I'm in F. I'm in 1H and the guy in 2H asks me if I'll take his picture in his seat as its its his first time in Business. Hurrah, I've found someone who's as excited as I am by all this and we spend a bit of time taking pictures for each other.



The seat is nice and private and very roomy.



The meal is nice but sadly the crew seem more interested in discussing their upcoming Paris layover so the service is a bit lacking. The warmth of BA is definitely missing.
I get my head down to try and sleep the rest of the way to Paris but it's a struggle as the cabin is so hot and when I ask if the temperature can be turned down I'm met with a disinterested shrug.





Breakfast is served but it's not up to much, I think I prefer the BA economy breakfast. My cup of tea is hilarious, hot water with a dash of milk and the teabag on the side! The FA on the outbound TATL leg made a fab cuppa but I think this lady missed the "making tea for those peculiar Brits" memo.

As we taxi to the gate at CDG I realise I left my sunglasses on the IND-CLT flight... bummer, they're prescription lenses so I can't even take advantage of duty free and pick up a replacement pair.

I've got a couple of hours before my flight to LHR, which is lucky as CDG seems to be most chaotic airport I've been in... It takes nearly 90 minutes to go from the aircraft to the lounge! But the lounge is the CX one, a first for me, which makes up for it, and after a lovely refreshing shower and a bowl of noodle soup I'm ready to face the world again!





Flight 11: CGD-LHR BA0309, Euro Traveller
Flight 12: LHR-EDI BA1448, Domestic Economy

Nothing much to report here, you've all been there, done that!

So, to summarise, I really enjoyed my little TP jaunt, and AA was nice but I think I'm still a BA girl at heart.

bitterproffit

Thank you! I enjoyed this TR and I like your writing style.

shefgab

Nice report, and congrats on your first mileage run! It's a shame you had so many issues, especially with the invol change on flights on the outbound. I'm very surprised that the BA crew were given this info during the flight. Clearly AA were on a mission to reroute you! Ashame too that you got the old recliner seats to DFW. The new AA J seats (not the one you got coming back to CDG) are so much better. The $800 voucher is fairly reasonable compensation though!

Jamier45

Decent report Tiffy!

Oh and you need to email me at work ref visit to RAFAT and my day at sea!

Tiffywren

I suppose to AA I was the obvious candidate to reroute, and with hindsight I was in a tizzy because I didn't actually understand what was happening until someone on here explained it to me... I suspect that what the CSD knew she meant and what I heard weren't the same thing! But all's well that ends well and I've lost my IRROPS virginity now

Tiffywren

Will do J!

snabbu

Really enjoyed the ride along thanks for writing. ^

T8191

Nice one, Tiffywren ... a rattling good yarn, that moved along at a cracking pace! And congratulations on your Goldness

You certainly had some tiresome rescheduling and Immigration, but a good barman can help recover your equilibrium! I'm guessing you were in the larger Admiral's Club lounge at CLT [just off the Atrium] and not the little one at the B gates? I was pleased to see the ashtray on your verandah in Punta Cana ... that makes PUJ a possible destination for us! Interesting to see Hyatt gave you Mil Discount ... these days most organisations seem to confine that to US military. I'm very pleased you didn't make a mess of 1H [MY seat] on the A330 ... I'll be needing that again in March It's a great seat, isn't it!

Thanks for taking the time to post all that, so that we could 'share' the experience. Mwah. XX

HIDDY

Very nice report....most enjoyable. ^

The J seat on your LHR-DFW flight is very old fashioned. Was it lie flat?

deuce1

Really enjoyed your report and look forward to your next!

adampenrith

Great TR

Hope you got all the miles and TP for those flights sorted out.

As for your sunnies - hope they found their way back to you.

Great read - I had to look up with Punta Cana was - the Dominican Republic does look stunning.

madfish

Really enjoyed reading this. Hope there are more to follow.

stu1985

Great report Tiffywren Congrats on getting Gold! Hope you enjoy your first trip as a Goldie to the Flounge soon!!

rosensfole

Thoroughly enjoyable TR. Thanks for taking the trouble of putting such an epic together. Good luck on you future jaunts.