The BA "Thank Goodness it's Friday!" Thread
Sep 30, 2022, 8:47 am
#3076
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
One of the big drawbacks of retirement is that you no longer look forward to weekends.
Currently my arm feels like a pin cushion, having recently had my covid booster, flu jab and typhoid jabs. Counting down the days to my BA flight to MXP and onward QR connection to SE Asia. Hopefully warmer and dryer than Devon is today.
Currently my arm feels like a pin cushion, having recently had my covid booster, flu jab and typhoid jabs. Counting down the days to my BA flight to MXP and onward QR connection to SE Asia. Hopefully warmer and dryer than Devon is today.
Anyway ... Happy Friday to you all. My next C-19 Booster tomorrow, £1,048 EU267 compo in the Bank, and just 2 weeks to go before our first Holiday in Crete.
Sep 30, 2022, 9:20 am
#3077
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,904
Happy Friday all.
Another Wizzair flight back from Cluj to Luton today. Can’t really fault Wizzair in that you get what it says on the tin and a fiver for an exit row is a steal. Shame Luton doesn’t really know how to do passports, but their car parking is better and cheaper than LHR.
Even as a BA stalwart, Tarom to OTP and then BA to LHR isn’t worth the Avios earning potential.
Another Wizzair flight back from Cluj to Luton today. Can’t really fault Wizzair in that you get what it says on the tin and a fiver for an exit row is a steal. Shame Luton doesn’t really know how to do passports, but their car parking is better and cheaper than LHR.
Even as a BA stalwart, Tarom to OTP and then BA to LHR isn’t worth the Avios earning potential.
Sep 30, 2022, 10:35 am
#3079
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
The weather is foul in town, but I’m heading home and have decided I’m fed up with M&S G&Ts. These are far better.
Some of us haven’t retired yet 😁
Some of us haven’t retired yet 😁
Sep 30, 2022, 7:29 pm
#3080
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
My ''chirpy'' mood didn't last long. Not only did the bank refuse to hand over my wad of US Dollars without jumping umpteen hurdles we had a crash with a motor bike which made the local newspaper!! Two police cars,two police motor bike riders as well as an ambulance showed up!! Cristina who was driving got a hell of a fight but I'm glad to say the girl riding the motor bike was released from hospital with just a sore leg. 👍
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Sep 30, 2022, 9:52 pm
#3081
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,719
My ''chirpy'' mood didn't last long. Not only did the bank refuse to hand over my wad of US Dollars without jumping umpteen hurdles we had a crash with a motor bike which made the local newspaper!! Two police cars,two police motor bike riders as well as an ambulance showed up!! Cristina who was driving got a hell of a fight but I'm glad to say the girl riding the motor bike was released from hospital with just a sore leg. 👍
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Glad to hear everybody is okay 
I do not know how they behave in your corner of the world, but given the way those damn motorbike riders are driving out here, they are pretty much asking to be knocked down..
Oct 1, 2022, 4:47 am
#3082
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
My ''chirpy'' mood didn't last long. Not only did the bank refuse to hand over my wad of US Dollars without jumping umpteen hurdles we had a crash with a motor bike which made the local newspaper!! Two police cars,two police motor bike riders as well as an ambulance showed up!! Cristina who was driving got a hell of a fight but I'm glad to say the girl riding the motor bike was released from hospital with just a sore leg. 👍
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Must admit the blonde police girl who stayed beside us for over an hour did have a lovely figure which made the wait enjoyable for me.
Glad to hear nobody was hurt
Oct 1, 2022, 7:46 am
#3083
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Oct 1, 2022, 8:43 am
#3084
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
Oct 14, 2022, 1:15 pm
#3087
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
Nice. Enjoying a curry in Riyadh. Has been a fantastic trip so far and have enjoyed being invited by clients and new friends to sit and eat slow cooked lamb and rice with my hands while sitting on the floor. On Tuesday night I head to London via Doha and looking forward to some bubbles in the AM lounge in Doha and trying the A380 for the first time. Also get my first a350 trip on the 1 hour hop to Doha. Poland on Thursday to catch up with more clients and some friends I haven't seen since before the pandemic. Also booked my flights for business trip to Asia in Nov. Got to settle for PE as J fares outrageous. But sure JAL PE along with Qantas Lounge at LAX and JAL First Lounge will make it a little more bearable
A very good Friday to y'all
A very good Friday to y'all
Oct 21, 2022, 5:03 am
#3088
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
Happy Friday one and all. Writing this from Krakow where I arrived yesterday after a night in London on the way back from Riyadh. Had a wonderful stay in Saudi and made some great new friends.
A380 trip was very enjoyable, but going to throw it out there and say that Qatar Airways isn't all that. The Qsuite (777 outbound) is certainly a winner on many fronts, but I found the lie flat quite uncomfortable (perhaps a dodgy seat). My door kept sliding open during the night as well. A380 on the way back, while less private, was a comfier seat. Food on way out pretty meh, but food on way back better. But here's a couple of opinions that people may or may not agree with and I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this fine Friday.
- Al Mourjan lounge: looks beautiful but really not got much substance or soul. The food looks and sounds fancy but is generally poor quality - tried both sit-down dining and the deli. Who puts cucumber and cream cheese in a hot lamb sandwich? The eggs benedict for breakfast on way to RUH was dry and tasteless with merely a drizzle of hollandaise. This means CX lounge in HKG still my favourite lounge by far. Also, while sat at bar, a lounge dragon comes up and startles me at 3am "Sir, are you travelling to London?". My response, "yes, but boarding is at 7am". He responds "are you sure, sir? Could I just check your boarding pass as I'm sure London is leaving shortly". I show him pass and he waltzes off. I checked departures and previous London flight has gone and hour before and mine was the next. Seems I must have looked out of place?
- QR service is at times so mechanical it's sterile: I watched the guy looking after my part of the cabin walk down the isle and repeat the same "Good morning Sir, welcome aboard, today's flight 6 hours 45 minutes to London, can I get you something to drink". Perfectly pleasant chap but like dealing with an AI chatbot. I heard the lady serving the seats behind me being a bit more personalised, which was better but still a little forced. It made me appreciate the BA crew who are generally up for a bit of banter and a chat in the galley.
Many aspects of QR were excellent from checkin, the lounge at LHR (food was excellent and service nicely done by the young chap who mixes the cocktails - he delivered a perfectly tailored virgin mary (extra spice) and his interpretation of a virgin margarita he'd just learned - it was very crisp and refreshing) and the easy transfer at DOH. But, it just seemed to miss the type of service I like, i.e. personalised, not textbook.
Any how, this is probably not the thread for it, so I will shift to my plans for this fine Friday which is working on my doctoral paper for a few hours then heading out with my Canon later for some evening photographs of Krakow in the cold.
Happy Friday y'all
A380 trip was very enjoyable, but going to throw it out there and say that Qatar Airways isn't all that. The Qsuite (777 outbound) is certainly a winner on many fronts, but I found the lie flat quite uncomfortable (perhaps a dodgy seat). My door kept sliding open during the night as well. A380 on the way back, while less private, was a comfier seat. Food on way out pretty meh, but food on way back better. But here's a couple of opinions that people may or may not agree with and I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this fine Friday.
- Al Mourjan lounge: looks beautiful but really not got much substance or soul. The food looks and sounds fancy but is generally poor quality - tried both sit-down dining and the deli. Who puts cucumber and cream cheese in a hot lamb sandwich? The eggs benedict for breakfast on way to RUH was dry and tasteless with merely a drizzle of hollandaise. This means CX lounge in HKG still my favourite lounge by far. Also, while sat at bar, a lounge dragon comes up and startles me at 3am "Sir, are you travelling to London?". My response, "yes, but boarding is at 7am". He responds "are you sure, sir? Could I just check your boarding pass as I'm sure London is leaving shortly". I show him pass and he waltzes off. I checked departures and previous London flight has gone and hour before and mine was the next. Seems I must have looked out of place?
- QR service is at times so mechanical it's sterile: I watched the guy looking after my part of the cabin walk down the isle and repeat the same "Good morning Sir, welcome aboard, today's flight 6 hours 45 minutes to London, can I get you something to drink". Perfectly pleasant chap but like dealing with an AI chatbot. I heard the lady serving the seats behind me being a bit more personalised, which was better but still a little forced. It made me appreciate the BA crew who are generally up for a bit of banter and a chat in the galley.
Many aspects of QR were excellent from checkin, the lounge at LHR (food was excellent and service nicely done by the young chap who mixes the cocktails - he delivered a perfectly tailored virgin mary (extra spice) and his interpretation of a virgin margarita he'd just learned - it was very crisp and refreshing) and the easy transfer at DOH. But, it just seemed to miss the type of service I like, i.e. personalised, not textbook.
Any how, this is probably not the thread for it, so I will shift to my plans for this fine Friday which is working on my doctoral paper for a few hours then heading out with my Canon later for some evening photographs of Krakow in the cold.
Happy Friday y'all
Oct 21, 2022, 5:11 am
#3089
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,719
Luckily this is a long weekend here as Monday is a public holiday (for most of us anyway, as some companies can choose to shuffle around). Next week will be a short one as we are off on our re-routed BKK-LHR-Europe trip on a very convoluted itinerary, which may well result in me not surviving my other half's wrath when she realises how long it actually will be
Wish me luck !As to your points on QR, their staff, catering etc - I completely agree for most of it, and while I have not been in Al Mourjan for some years now (most recent trips have allowed Al Safwa access), that is my impression too. Same onboard, very generic.
Oct 21, 2022, 5:14 am
#3090
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
Happy Friday, indeed! I think I just realised for the second time today that it is Friday! - Another crazy work-week gone.
Luckily this is a long weekend here as Monday is a public holiday (for most of us anyway, as some companies can choose to shuffle around). Next week will be a short one as we are off on our re-routed BKK-LHR-Europe trip on a very convoluted itinerary, which may well result in me not surviving my other half's wrath when she realises how long it actually will be Wish me luck !
As to your points on QR, their staff, catering etc - I completely agree for most of it, and while I have not been in Al Mourjan for some years now (most recent trips have allowed Al Safwa access), that is my impression too. Same onboard, very generic.
Luckily this is a long weekend here as Monday is a public holiday (for most of us anyway, as some companies can choose to shuffle around). Next week will be a short one as we are off on our re-routed BKK-LHR-Europe trip on a very convoluted itinerary, which may well result in me not surviving my other half's wrath when she realises how long it actually will be
Wish me luck !As to your points on QR, their staff, catering etc - I completely agree for most of it, and while I have not been in Al Mourjan for some years now (most recent trips have allowed Al Safwa access), that is my impression too. Same onboard, very generic.