My BMI experience LHR - EDI
Oct 13, 2006, 4:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
My BMI experience LHR - EDI
Flying from LHR - EDI tonight on a PE ticket.
My first trip on BMI for a long time. Anyway, when I went to OLCI I noticed I'd been given a window seat (9F) when my preference is for a aisle seat
There were some aisle seats available in about row 22 or something so didn't bother changing it. No printer available when I OLCI'd so on arrival at LHR I joined the small queue for the 'priority' (can't remember exactly what it was called). Queue BMI woman asking me if I've got a gold or silver card or a business ticket (I was wearing trainers, jeans, t shirt, fleece, she didn't ask the suits in front of me). Said I've a PE ticket so she went away.
Got my boarding card and bag checked in. I enquired about any Emergency exit availability. Nice check in lady said there was a middle seat available (11b). I agreed to this (don't know why).
As I was on a Y ticket it was straight to the lounge. Getting through security only took about 5 minutes.
The lounge was quite empty (25% of chairs taken, ie, 1 person per table) so sat and had a couple of tins of Boddingtons waiting on my non-delayed flight.
Quite a nice lounge IMO, a good size and not smoky. Decent selection of booze and the coffee was quite good too.
Once on board the flight I was happy to find that the people in 11a and c were thin and that the middle seats on this plane were a lot wider than the a and c seat so a very comfortable flight as well. Might well stick to these middle seats in future.
Mr 12c was quite annoying though. He was complaining to one of the cabin staff that he was certain he had booked a business ticket and wasn't happy being the wrong side of the curtain. It was pointed out he had a PE ticket which is about the same price as a restricted business ticket (he claims he had no need for a flexible ticket). Eventually the cabin supervisor was brought up and he said to Mr 12c if there is space up front once everyone is on board that he would upgrade him which happened. If I was in a funny mood I might have said something as I thought it very strange. Anyway, I had a laugh as he was in the D seat immediately in front of the 'curtain' so spent take off with a stowed curtain between his head and the back of his seat.
Landed on time @ EDI and the bags came off pretty quick too.
Overall I was very happy with the service. I'm not sure if I would pay the cost of PE out of my own pocket for what is essentially just lounge access (I don't fly enough BMI at the moment to get Silver) but as I got 1200 membership miles and 3600 destination miles for that one sector then I feel that's quite good too.
Got some more BMI flights coming up soon so might be able to get to Silver. Don't think I'll fly enough to get gold but you never know.
I was comparing the number of flights to get Silver from BA vs BMI and I'd have to do 30 flights with BA to get the necessary tier points but only 14 BMI PE flights to get that.
As I'm likely to make a couple of personal flights a year with my wife to spend the holiday inn points then it makes sense to stick with BMI as I believe that as long as I book myself and the wife an economy ticket the silver card will get me and a guest into the lounge (can someone confirm).
What's the EDI bmi business lounge like around the 6am time? Is it stupidly busy like the BA terraces lounge (got in there once flying to LCY - very small) or is it quite relaxing as it's substantially bigger?
Anyway, in summary, looks like I'll be going for BMI from now on.
LL
My first trip on BMI for a long time. Anyway, when I went to OLCI I noticed I'd been given a window seat (9F) when my preference is for a aisle seat
There were some aisle seats available in about row 22 or something so didn't bother changing it. No printer available when I OLCI'd so on arrival at LHR I joined the small queue for the 'priority' (can't remember exactly what it was called). Queue BMI woman asking me if I've got a gold or silver card or a business ticket (I was wearing trainers, jeans, t shirt, fleece, she didn't ask the suits in front of me). Said I've a PE ticket so she went away.
Got my boarding card and bag checked in. I enquired about any Emergency exit availability. Nice check in lady said there was a middle seat available (11b). I agreed to this (don't know why).
As I was on a Y ticket it was straight to the lounge. Getting through security only took about 5 minutes.
The lounge was quite empty (25% of chairs taken, ie, 1 person per table) so sat and had a couple of tins of Boddingtons waiting on my non-delayed flight.
Quite a nice lounge IMO, a good size and not smoky. Decent selection of booze and the coffee was quite good too.
Once on board the flight I was happy to find that the people in 11a and c were thin and that the middle seats on this plane were a lot wider than the a and c seat so a very comfortable flight as well. Might well stick to these middle seats in future.
Mr 12c was quite annoying though. He was complaining to one of the cabin staff that he was certain he had booked a business ticket and wasn't happy being the wrong side of the curtain. It was pointed out he had a PE ticket which is about the same price as a restricted business ticket (he claims he had no need for a flexible ticket). Eventually the cabin supervisor was brought up and he said to Mr 12c if there is space up front once everyone is on board that he would upgrade him which happened. If I was in a funny mood I might have said something as I thought it very strange. Anyway, I had a laugh as he was in the D seat immediately in front of the 'curtain' so spent take off with a stowed curtain between his head and the back of his seat.
Landed on time @ EDI and the bags came off pretty quick too.
Overall I was very happy with the service. I'm not sure if I would pay the cost of PE out of my own pocket for what is essentially just lounge access (I don't fly enough BMI at the moment to get Silver) but as I got 1200 membership miles and 3600 destination miles for that one sector then I feel that's quite good too.
Got some more BMI flights coming up soon so might be able to get to Silver. Don't think I'll fly enough to get gold but you never know.
I was comparing the number of flights to get Silver from BA vs BMI and I'd have to do 30 flights with BA to get the necessary tier points but only 14 BMI PE flights to get that.
As I'm likely to make a couple of personal flights a year with my wife to spend the holiday inn points then it makes sense to stick with BMI as I believe that as long as I book myself and the wife an economy ticket the silver card will get me and a guest into the lounge (can someone confirm).
What's the EDI bmi business lounge like around the 6am time? Is it stupidly busy like the BA terraces lounge (got in there once flying to LCY - very small) or is it quite relaxing as it's substantially bigger?
Anyway, in summary, looks like I'll be going for BMI from now on.
LL
Oct 14, 2006, 2:37 am
#2
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 1,360
Originally Posted by LiviLion
As I'm likely to make a couple of personal flights a year with my wife to spend the holiday inn points then it makes sense to stick with BMI as I believe that as long as I book myself and the wife an economy ticket the silver card will get me and a guest into the lounge (can someone confirm).
Oct 14, 2006, 12:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: BA
Posts: 3,890
Originally Posted by LiviLion
Got some more BMI flights coming up soon so might be able to get to Silver. Don't think I'll fly enough to get gold but you never know.
Oct 14, 2006, 3:26 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
Forgot to mention as well, there was a BA Captain (4 stripes, I assume thats a captain) sat well back. He got moved up to the front shortly after take off.
Nice touch I thought bit of respect for other airlines. Does this happen regularly?
I thought he was a BMI captain but he was still in his seat when I departed and I saw his BA name badge.
LL
Nice touch I thought bit of respect for other airlines. Does this happen regularly?
I thought he was a BMI captain but he was still in his seat when I departed and I saw his BA name badge.
LL
Oct 14, 2006, 6:49 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,447
Two things happened to you that annoy me about bmi.
My seat preference is for a window and OLCI always allocates me an aisle seat. Perhaps we need to travel togather next time & swap seats!
The queue nazis at LHR and GLA who try and stop you joining the Gold / PE queue for check in are, IMHO the perfect was to annoy your premium and loyal passengers. They're joining the queue because that's what they're supposed to do and being challenged every time is v annoying.
My seat preference is for a window and OLCI always allocates me an aisle seat. Perhaps we need to travel togather next time & swap seats!
The queue nazis at LHR and GLA who try and stop you joining the Gold / PE queue for check in are, IMHO the perfect was to annoy your premium and loyal passengers. They're joining the queue because that's what they're supposed to do and being challenged every time is v annoying.
Oct 18, 2006, 5:57 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
Edi-lhr
Flying on a PE ticket EDI-LHR on the last flight on Sunday.
OLCI'd pretty much 24 hours before departure and bagged 5D.
When I turned up at the airport I asked if any exit row aisle seats were available for some extra legroom. I was told there was one further back. I said that was fine. Got my ticket for 22D. This didn't seem right but was told that the plane had been changed.
When I got on board it was an A321 instead of an A320. This is where the fun started. Seat 22D wasn't an exit row seat but the seat in front of the exit and looked like it had even less legroom than a normal seat.
I spoke to the cabin crew and they managed to put me in 7D which was better than 22D.
However, the 'business cabin' was up to row 6 so if I hadn't changed my seat voluntarily without knowing that the plane had been changed would I have kept 5D and got some free food or would I have been moved anyway.
Not too bothered as I'm not interested in getting something I've not paid for anyway but it would be interesting to know what would have been likely to happen. On the 6 rows in front of the cabin there were lots of empty seats as well.
What really annoyed me was the seat given at the desk was not what I asked for.
Is it usual for a plane the size of an A321 to fly these sorts of routes?
LL
OLCI'd pretty much 24 hours before departure and bagged 5D.
When I turned up at the airport I asked if any exit row aisle seats were available for some extra legroom. I was told there was one further back. I said that was fine. Got my ticket for 22D. This didn't seem right but was told that the plane had been changed.
When I got on board it was an A321 instead of an A320. This is where the fun started. Seat 22D wasn't an exit row seat but the seat in front of the exit and looked like it had even less legroom than a normal seat.
I spoke to the cabin crew and they managed to put me in 7D which was better than 22D.
However, the 'business cabin' was up to row 6 so if I hadn't changed my seat voluntarily without knowing that the plane had been changed would I have kept 5D and got some free food or would I have been moved anyway.
Not too bothered as I'm not interested in getting something I've not paid for anyway but it would be interesting to know what would have been likely to happen. On the 6 rows in front of the cabin there were lots of empty seats as well.
What really annoyed me was the seat given at the desk was not what I asked for.
Is it usual for a plane the size of an A321 to fly these sorts of routes?
LL
Oct 18, 2006, 6:21 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: # Neodymium #
Posts: 968
Incidentally, (I'm sure you already know this, but for the benefit of anyone that doesn't) Amex Platinum cardholders get access to the BMI business lounge everytime you fly with BMI, regardless of ticket class/type. No guests, but Amex allow a supplementary cardholder (ie. your partner) so they can come in the lounge too!
There is an annual fee with the Amex Plat (Ł300) but since this includes travel insurance, Priority Pass, and all sorts of other smaller things, it makes a cheaper option to get BMI lounge access than cranking up the BMI flights to get Silver status...
The EDI BMI lounge is similar to the LHRT1 lounge.. albeit smaller! Same selection of drinks and biscuits.. and in my experience, always almost empty!!
There is an annual fee with the Amex Plat (Ł300) but since this includes travel insurance, Priority Pass, and all sorts of other smaller things, it makes a cheaper option to get BMI lounge access than cranking up the BMI flights to get Silver status...
The EDI BMI lounge is similar to the LHRT1 lounge.. albeit smaller! Same selection of drinks and biscuits.. and in my experience, always almost empty!!
Oct 18, 2006, 6:52 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
Originally Posted by LiviLion
However, the 'business cabin' was up to row 6 so if I hadn't changed my seat voluntarily without knowing that the plane had been changed would I have kept 5D and got some free food or would I have been moved anyway.
Oct 18, 2006, 12:25 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SIN 5 days out of 7
Programs: BD*G, A3*G, BA-S, Accor Gold, IHG Amb
Posts: 5,505
Originally Posted by NickB
This may or may not have happened. If there is a last minute equipment change or a change in the size of the C cabin after you OLCI, your seat assignment may be cancelled if it results in a change of cabin. If you have printed your own BP, this would be caught at the gate with your BP being rejected by the machine at that stage.
