Well I have completed my first Tier Point run, although it’s taken a couple of weeks to get this together.
Thanks again to Wozza, Calchas, madfish, billinghamn and everyone else for all the advice you gave me back in March when I booked it. Thanks also to everyone else on here, including but not limited to CWS, for all your time, efforts, guidance, support and kindness to others.
Apologies in advance if this should be part of another thread but it’s a combination of trip report, EU261 compensation report and a baggage delay report so I wasn’t sure exactly where to put it…
We did MAN-LHR-DUB-LCY-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LCY-DUB-LHR-MAN in 7 days and thoroughly enjoyed it. The flights were a combination of BA & US for which the total cost was £1563 (inc. positioning flights) for 1460TPs so £1.07 per TP.
I now have the additional 40 TPs for Gold so once the final JFK-LCY TPs are awarded after 3 attempts (rejected, then 140 awarded, now waiting for the remaining 70), hopefully I’ll have made it
Incidentally, we had stopovers / hotel stays at DUB, PHX, HNL, JFK and DUB in that order.
All in all it went pretty smoothly with a couple of minor hitches right at the end. I also met some really great FTR’s on the way, not least PleasureFlyer who is great company and a wealth of knowledge.
I wanted to summarise the key points from the experience as it may help others in the same way I have been helped.
DAY 1: MAN-LHR-DUB (BA1395 & BA0824)
This was fairly uneventful apart from an hour or so delay into DUB from LHR. We stayed overnight at the Radisson Blu Dublin Airport which was ok as we were only there to sleep but nothing special, cost £99. I’d consider staying there again but mainly as it is only a couple of minute’s journey to the airport in the hotel shuttle.
DAY 2: DUB-LCY-JFK (BA4461 & BA01)
This wasn’t without incident but everything turned out very well in the end.
Our luggage strategy was one larger suitcase and one carry-on (with enough clothing etc. to see us through any problems with checked luggage) and 1 additional piece of hand luggage each. We decided (following advice on here) to check our larger suitcase through to PHX which was our first stopover. I was concerned that we would have to collect the luggage from the carousel at JFK T7 before transferring to out T8 connection and the agent at DUB check in insisted that this would be the case, despite me saying that I had read many reports of luggage being automatically checked through. We arrived at the gate in DUB in plenty of time and boarded well in advance of scheduled 07:00 departure. The Captain then announced that we would be delayed by an hour due to traffic at Dublin which was cause for concern as BA001 was due to depart LCY at 09:45. When we arrived at LCY it was mad dash through security to Gate 24 and we got there just as boarding was commencing, however, some passengers had checked baggage that they needed to collect and it was a lot closer to the wire for them but thankfully everyone made it.
Once everyone was on board the Captain (G****) made an announcement that, due to the delayed Dublin flight, a number of bags that had been checked through to onward destinations (ours included) had not been loaded and that he had been instructed to depart without them. What happened next was really impressive….
G**** realised that we and several other passengers with complex onward journeys (mainly Honolulu as it turned out and approx. 50% of the passengers on board were on TPRs
) would be badly impacted by this. After consulting all passengers on the aircraft he made an executive decision, “as Captain of this aircraft”, and in the interest of his passengers to ensure that the flight did not leave without the baggage.
It is not just his intervention in itself that was so impressive; it was also his manner and professionalism. As a British Airways customer I felt valued and even humbled that the Captain should show such consideration and go to such lengths. Not only did he reassure us that our bags would make it but also took the time to consult with each and every passenger with onward journeys as to whether their bags would be checked through to their final destination or require pick up from the carousel at JFK. Indeed, he even consulted those passengers not impacted who unanimously agreed that ‘this was absolutely the right thing to do’. Furthermore, upon disembarkation at Shannon (at which point he left the flight to be replaced by a different Captain), G**** took the time to personally wish us a great onward journey and say that he had left an explanatory note to the replacement Captain in the hope that the lost time (approx. 30 minutes) could be made up during the second leg of the flight.
Consensus amongst all passengers that day was that G**** demonstrated the values that contribute to differentiating BA and making it a great airline. This was a first class experience and can say that it has hugely strengthened my loyalty to BA.
The result of G****’s actions ensured that our entire outward journey went as smoothly as it possibly could have been. Incidentally, our suitcase made it through to PHX with no issues whatsoever and without us having to collect and re-check at JFK.
Clearance at Shannon was very smooth (and friendly!) and we were back on board in no time. And we arrived into JFK around 25 minutes later than scheduled which still allowed plenty of time for our connection to PHX.
I have to say that the three Cabin Crew (L****, H**** & B**) were also tremendous throughout and I have submitted thank you’s to them as well as G****. Overall a great experience
DAY 2 (cont..): JFK-PHX (US0608)
PleasureFlyer accompanied us through JFK T7 to T8, where he was connecting to an AA flight to LAX, and showed us all the short cuts which was much appreciated. We also bumped into Rita Ora who, as it turned out, was travelling on PleasureFlyer’s flight to LAX.
I actually really enjoyed this flight. Boarding was great and as First passengers we were first onto the aircraft (as was the case with all our subsequent US flights). We were lucky to have D***** as our dedicated Cabin Crew in the First section. She was so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us, engaging in conversation with humour and ensuring we were very well looked after indeed. It was a shame that the other US Cabin Crew we encountered were not quite as nice on our other 3 US legs, in particular the PHX-HNL-PHX legs, where I found it strange that eye contact was a very rare occurrence…. Anyway, a thank you was also submitted to AA/US to D****.
We arrived in PHX in time and after quite a walk to collect our bag from the carousel (as mentioned earlier, this did arrive all the way through DUB-LCY-JFK-PHX), called the Crowne Plaza from a dedicated line in arrivals and before long the shuttle had arrived we had checked in. The Crowne Plaza was of a good standard and we had no complaints. We managed to get a good night’s sleep and before we knew it we were up again in the morning and off for our next flight to HNL.
DAY 3: PHX-HNL (US0664)
I was surprised at how quick and easy it was to get from landside through to airside at PHX. As First passengers, we bypassed a huge queue at security and the security agent was really friendly! This and my clearance experience at Shannon were a real change from previous experiences at JFK and EWR!
The flight itself was uneventful and on time. Our bags arrived at HNL with no issue and on the advice of PleasureFlyer we took the EasyShuttle from the airport to our hotel, The Modern, where we were booked in for one night before we were due to begin our return. I would definitely recommend EasyShuttle in terms of cost and efficiency; it cost around £40 return for two of us and went without a hitch. Taxis would have cost significantly more…
The Modern was very nice and we met up on the Saturday afternoon with PleasureFlyer and had a leisurely lunch and stroll along Waikiki beach. We were really impressed by The Modern on the day of check out at midday when we asked about the possibility of being able to change clothes somewhere before our flight to PHX that evening. They booked us an appointment for 17:00 in the Spa at no additional cost which allowed is to shower and get a complete change of clothing following a day in the Hawaii sun.
Day 4: HNL-PHX (US0675)
The EasyShuttle transfer was again great and we arrived at HNL with well over 3 hours to spare before our flight. The US staff at the airport were exceptionally friendly and helpful and we were soon through security.
At this stage of the journey my girlfriend had achieved OW Sapphire and we thought we’d try our chances at getting into the AA/JAL lounge by showing her status on the BA App. In short, the lady at the desk was unsure at first but having done some quick checks, welcomed us both in! As other have said, this a pretty good lounge with a reasonable drink selection but very limited food. The lounge was fairly full but with plenty of seating available. The staff were very friendly.
Our plan was to have a couple of drinks before the flight, then something quick to eat in the food court beneath the lounge (as no food served on the overnight flight), followed by another drink or two once on-board. I have to say that this plan worked perfectly and after a G&T each on-board we both slept for pretty much the whole flight ^
We arrived into PHX just ahead of schedule which was a relief as our connection time to JFK was just over an hour.
DAY 5: PHX-JFK (US1737)
Once we had arrived at PHX, there was no need to re-clear security and our departure gate was only 2 away from our arrival gate. This gave us the opportunity to again chance our way into the Admirals Lounge, although our expectations were managed on this occasion as we thought they may be reluctant to allow us in purely on the basis of my girlfriend’s status on the BA App. However, after a couple of minutes of uncertainty, we were allowed in but warned (in a friendly way) that others may not be so accommodating in future… As expected, the lounge was nothing out of the ordinary and I grabbed a quick coffee before we made our way back to the departure gate.
The flight itself, as with the outbound, was uneventful and on time. We arrived at JFK and after a small wait for out bag at the carousel and a taxi ride into Manhattan, we were checked in to our room at AKA Central Park with 24 hours to spend in the city before our return leg from JFK-LCY. We have spent lots of time in NYC so our time was spent eating at Burger Joint (in the Le Parker Meridien), sleeping and then a leisurely breakfast at Fluffys Deli followed by a good few hours strolling around Central Park (our favourite New York pastime). Unlike The Modern in Honolulu, AKA was unable to offer us showering facilities post check out but did allow us to use the fitness centre to change our clothing before out flight from JFK.
DAYS 6/7: JFK-LCY-DUB (US7410 / BA002 & BA4462)
Check in and security were fairly standard procedure for JFK and before too long we were at the entrance to the Club Lounge. The agent at the lounge desk mentioned something about our BA Executive Club numbers on our boarding passes being flagged as incorrect by the system but when we confirmed that they were correct he still felt it best to tear up our existing BPs and re-print new ones for us. We didn’t quite understand this and were just keen to get into the lounge so shrugged and thanked him. I’m not sure if this was a factor in what happened subsequently with our baggage but I’ll come to that.
The Club lounge was very full with some OW flights due to depart before ours. We found a table and had a quick drink before moving through for pre-flight dining. The PFD food itself was the usual standard but what was really interesting / amusing was that one of the lounge staff, B********, was either exceptionally good at (and enjoyed) her job or she thought that I, my girlfriend or both of us were either celebrities or serious VIPs. From the moment she set eyes on me her expression changed and her eyes lit up. She immediately welcomed me ‘back’ to the lounge and asked how I had been keeping, remarking that I had managed to get my preferred table and asking if she could get both of us some champagne. We have been through this lounge approximately 6 times in the last 4 years or so but definitely not enough to be recognised so strongly! She was so lovely and couldn’t do enough for us whilst flashing excited smiles with every exchange and we both enjoyed the experience very much, almost believing ourselves that we were VIPs and trying to imagine who we could possibly be
.
When we boarded our flight we were delighted that we had the same Cabin Crew (L****, H**** & B**) as we had had on our outbound BA001 four days earlier. They had all been lucky enough to enjoy a four night stopover and we all exchanged stories about what we had been doing with our time since the outbound flight. Again they were just brilliant for the return trip and this was reflected in the previously mentioned thank you’s submitted on my return.
We arrived at LCY on time and after some hassle with one member of security who insisted that only one clear plastic bag containing liquids was permitted per passenger, we were on board our connecting flight to DUB. This despite us carrying more than one each through on our outbound AND regulations that lighters MUST be carried on one’s person AND in a separate clear, sealed plastic bag. My GF managed to pack most of her stuff into my plastic bag eventually but not without holding up several people in the queue behind us.
We arrived in DUB and (thankfully?) for the first time on our trip we hit an issue. Our checked suitcase was nowhere to be seen at the carousel despite a fellow traveller from JFK receiving his. We reported this to Swissport who gave us a reference number as said we could trace the progress of the case online or by phone. Without going into all the detail, we found it impossible to get any further information online and could not get through to either Swissport or BA throughout the day by phone. The only contact I was able to make was to the AMEX insurance line who were very helpful and confirmed that after 6 hours (which would have elapsed by 16:00 that day) we could purchase essentials and make a claim for reimbursement.
It was frustrating that the hotel we were staying at in DUB that night was recorded online as our permanent address (despite me clearly recording my home address as permanent and the hotel’s address as temporary on the form I completed at the airport). We were worried that the bag may be delivered to the hotel the following day once we had departed but thankfully it was actually delivered at around 22:00 the same evening.
I wrote to BA on my return explaining that it was impossible to contact them from DUB as I was roaming and both the ‘03’, ‘08’ and ‘+44’ numbers were all rejected. The good news is that I received an email a few days later apologising and, while not addressing all of my questions / concerns, did award an ex-gratia 10,000 Avios to each of our BAEC accounts. I have to say I’m very happy with that.
Anyway, this obviously wrote of our planned day in Dublin and by the time we fell asleep that evening we were both delirious with tiredness having slept for around 2 hours in the last 36. That said, the hotel we stayed at, The Dean, was lovely. We were disappointed that we were too tired to go for a drink in the roof-top bar but did have some breakfast there the following morning before we set off on our final homeward leg(s) to Manchester.
DAY 8: DUB-LHR-MAN (BA0837 & (BA1402) BA1404)
We arrived at DUB in good time for our flight to LHR but things started to go pear shaped when a 20 minute delay was announced for the BA0837. Google told a different story and reported a delay to departure of an hour which turned out to be correct. The Captain had announced earlier that the delay on the 837 was due to passengers on an earlier service missing their flight resulting in their baggage being offloaded.
The flight actually arrived into LHR 32 minutes late (at 17:12) when we were informed by the cabin crew upon disembarkation that we had been re-booked from the BA1402 service from LHR-MAN onto the later BA1404.
We were disappointed by this as we felt that we had sufficient time to make the 18:00 connection, especially as the BA1402 flight was also running an hour behind schedule. However, we accepted this and presented ourselves for the BA1404 flight and received replacement boarding pass. Subsequently, the BA1404 was also delayed by an hour and eventually arrived into Manchester at 22:15. The BA1402 had been due to arrive into MAN at 18:59.
In short we arrived at Man a total of 3 hours and 15 minutes later than scheduled.
On this basis, I have submitted a claim for compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 on the understanding that this is applicable for a category 1 flight incurring a delay of this length. I have not (and probably should have) stated a minimum time period for resolution but have received an email saying that BA is looking further into the claim. I will advise of the final outcome.
Overall conclusions
The US legs were much better than I had expected and all spot on for punctuality which was the most important factor for me. Food, drink and service were on average pretty good and we also managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep despite the lack of lie-flat beds. Incidentally I received a really nice response from AA thanking me for my comments re D*****. I thought this was a really nice touch even to acknowledge it, let alone write a personal and bespoke thank you, not something BA has ever done.
The BA experience did range from absolute excellence to begin with and tailed off slightly towards the end with the baggage and flight delays. I am also still waiting for my final JFK-LCY Avios and TPs to be posted but BA was on the whole really good, particularly those reflected in the thanks you’s submitted.
Strategies - What I would and wouldn’t do differently
Schedule – Book enough time between flights and hotel stays where time allows. TP runs to HNL are high risk but sufficient contingency between flights with hotel stopovers included worked out very well for us and reduced stress albeit at a bit more cost. We had good fortune on our side but I would follow a similar strategy again.
Luggage - With checked luggage you have enough clothing, toiletries etc. to last the trip but higher risk of checking luggage and losing it, delays etc. With hand luggage only you remove risk but have limited supplies and have to take all toiletries out at security many times, plus the worry of squeezing everything in to conform with maximum carry on rules. Despite our issues towards the end, our bags were checked through to where we wanted them to be and without us having to collect at JFK on the outbound in particular. I would be happy to check a single bag again.
Currency - I had approx. 200 Euros and 250 USD in cash from previous trips so used this where absolutely necessary and paid for everything else on my Travelex Supercard which I have linked to my Tesco MasterCard Credit Card. By paying for all hotels, meals etc. on the Travelex card I saved approx. £100 overall in fees for spending abroad.
Duration – We didn’t spend enough time in Hawaii. Next time we do this we’ll plan in anything up to 7 nights and visit the other islands in Hawaii.
Summary, BA vs. US/AA
Seats: BA
Food: BA
Service on board: Overall about equal (some great and some just ok on both)
Punctuality: US/AA
So, it was a great trip, we both had a fantastic time, enjoying it far more than we had expected given the number of flights and time zones in such a short time but can’t wait to do it again!
Cheers
Northern BA