SkyTeem

I can't find the proper place for this post, and I'm so angry at the moment I'm afraid I don't have any patience left to keep searching. Just wondering if any other Golds have had any single positive experiences on Air Berlin? I booked them over Ryanair because they were in Onewhirled, but my emerald status doesn't seem to mean anything at all. No seat assignment in advance without paying, no extra luggage allowance (at least according to my itinerary on line - they're happy to sell it though), no nothing. And I booked a classic fare, not a light/HBO fare.

I called them and gave up after 16 minutes on hold. Just wondering if anyone has had any better experiences? Maybe it's just an off day for them? Or it gets better at check in?

Joely

uhhh I got into the lounge in Dusseldorf and I'm sure I managed to get seat assignment ahead of time but I can't remember how. You used to get two booking numbers, one BA, one AB and with the later you could choose seats on their site but I'm not sure that happens any more.

Raffles

You get seat assignment, just call. Row 14 is the nearest offered but upside is you can move to the exit rows 12 and 13 easily if available (and they are due to the premium charged).

You can use premium check in.

I got free suitcases as well but I was on a redemption and it may have been due to that rather than status.

Full review - http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/08...-to-innsbruck/

sebanto2001

Have a look at this thread

SkyTeem

Thank you very much for your advice! I'll lower my expectations accordingly.

This was quite handy - I was just searching this (BA) thread and of course came up empty handed.

csutter

Flew them two weeks ago from TXL to VIE:

• Never replied to my (emailed) request for seat assignment four weeks before the flight, ended up in a meh seat down the back on OLCI
• Operating out of a garden shed at TXL
• No access to the lounge ("exclusive waiting area") in said garden shed, it's only for AB and Etihad status members. There's a BA lounge landside in the other terminal though.
• Had fast track security, but regular security wasn't busy so I didn't bother.
• No recognition from CC (not that I enjoy that sort of ego massaging, but it's a thing I've seen people comment on and say they always get on AB)
• No offer of free premium drinks (I've seen people say they got free stuff as Emeralds). In fact the CC completely ignored me on the drinks run after I had previously turned down the free mini sandwich.

That said, we landed on time, and for such a short flight I don't care about much else. Just felt that there was absolutely zero point in having OW status on AB.

headingwest

This quite surprises me. Last time I flew TXL-VIE with AB I had access to the 'exclusive waiting area', plus I was able to select 2nd row seats at online check-in.

They certainly didn't acknowledge my OWE status on board, but the sandwich and drinks were quite all right. Plus the next seat was empty (was that a fluke!?).

I know that things are about to change with the new business class but I don't think they've ditched the free sarnies just yet.

Joely

Oh god yes that terminal is terrible. I flight to NUE semi-regularly but usually through DUS, for one reason or another I went through TXL and that terminal was beyond full. There was a queue of people stretching out of the door, lining up down one side of the terminal outside, doubling back and going all the way back down, it was crazy. When I got airside my gate kept changing between the main area and the other bit of the terminal that was up a load of stairs, along a long walkway and down some other stairs.

Raffles

Free sarnies last week.

I also had an empty seat next to me. Could have been blocked.

GadgetGal

That's surprising, even as a silver (OWS) I got free seat selection, XL seats and had it been a longer flight, we would have had the option of hot meals.

corporate-wage-slave

The thing about Air Berlin is that not many flyers get their seats in advance, or indeed use OLCI, Germans tend to do it all a the airport. So at OLCI, so long as your BAEC card was in the booking, you normally get a decent seat and perhaps a blocking too, they have an adapted version of Theoretical Seating.

AB is from a low cost heritage, there's no escaping that (noticeable in things like seating quality), but personally I find them perfectly OK. Given their location in the centre of Europe there aren't many long flights anyway. If you are trying to pretend AB is anyway equivalent to Lufthansa or Austrian, then I'm afraid that is going to be doomed.

The situation at TXL is well documented elsewhere here, so yes, stick to the main building, use the BA lounge and pop over 40 minutes before departure.

1Aturnleft

Flown AB as a BA gold a couple of times. ARN-TXL-FRA as a paid ticket. As others have mentioned you have to call to get exit row seat assignment. This can be hit and miss but assure who you're speaking to that it is Oneworld Emerald benefit if they say you have to pay. The guy I spoke to was nice enough but completely clueless. The call centre is in Romania and I don't hold their training program as a selling point of the airline. I encouraged him to as a supervisor. 2 minutes on hold and sure enough I was eligible and I got an apology. Premium check in at ARN, Menzies (shared lounge) access and priority boarding. Middle seat was also free bit suspect this was a fluke more than anything.
Arrived at the shed in TXL. Connecting flight from the main terminal. Able to use the BA lounge which is was a very short walk from the departing check in/gate. On board again via priority boarding and exit seats secured again. On board service comprised comp drink and sandwich ARN-TXL and comp drink and ambient snack (ba style) TXL-FRA.
Second flight was an avios redemption in Business TXL-AUH for the princly sum of £33. Limo service bookable over the phone and again to book seats and this took several attempts. Their website is pretty dire and unable to book these there. On board service was absolutely fine on both counts, its just a pity their call centre is woefully inadequate and does.theor reputation no favours.

scottishpoet

I fairly frequently fly with AB from TXL as CWS ad Alien in the Fatherland can attest to

seat allocation, their website makes BAs look good, but if you call them they can usually sort you out

On flights that are not full I do find I frequently have the seat next to me free, even when I was silver

Yes Terminal C is a shed. AB use the Air France lounge which is landside in Terminal A, directly above the BA lounge, use one but do not try and use both!!

last week I left the lounge at 16:40 for a 17:25 flight from Terminal C

Headingwest, you may have got into the exclusive waiting area at TXL on your ticket type, but OWE is not supposed to get you access at TXL.

Behindthecurtain

Occasionally when BA are ridiculously expensive I go DME-LHR on AB. Both times I did it it was on an almost full plane and both times I was given a middle seat B with A & C blocked so giving me a row overnight

DeanB

I've had great experiences with AB.

Got an upgrade to J when flying DUS-AUH (at the gate)
Got other pax shuffled around by CSD so I had the only empty seat next to me VRO-DUS in Y on redemption
Been able to get 1F on a couple of short-haul European routes, either selected at check-in or by calling up
Overall - had excellent service & friendly crew