New Year's Resolution: GGL in 2018
Aug 23, 2018, 3:36 am
#316
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
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Heading for the airport shortly for another TP Run - this time to Phoenix, starting from Bucharest of all places - surprised this fare has been kept so quiet as it's a good one. Should be a relatively quiet and uneventful weekend: I'm looking forward in particular to a couple of hours of quiet repose and meditation in the CCR tomorrow, and a bit of a detox generally.
Aug 23, 2018, 9:55 pm
#317
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Well would have been a great flight to Bucharest except for a large group of what seemed to be stag party revellers in the CE Cabin. Great crew who did their best, but overrun by requests for gin and champagne and it was very difficult to doze.
Hopefully the return this morning will be quieter.
Hopefully the return this morning will be quieter.
Aug 25, 2018, 4:19 am
#318
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UNBELIEVABLY the same group of revellers were on the return flight, and seemed even to have grown in size. But a little more subdued, and from my vantage point way back in row 4, it was a good flight. Not quite as good a crew as the preceding flight, and they ran out of champagne in about 35 minutes.
Onwards via a hearty breakfast in the CCR to BA177 in 1A. I guess I would say that the service was a bit patchy. Christophe, a perfectly French FA was mostly delaying with the right hand side, and was possibly the best in the role I've ever seen. Funny, knowledgable, avuncular, and turned up exactly when needed. The epitome of the perfect valet, in a lot of ways.
On my side of the cabin - also @deboyzoned was behind - service was OK but lacking in comparison. There was a long gap between the amuse-bouche and food arriving, my call bell during light turbulence when I wanted to get rid of half full glasses and have a nap was just ignored for 10 minutes despite turning it on and off a couple of times. I wouldn't say it was a bad flight, very comfortable and quiet and the food was great: the chicken curry had the most wonderful beetroot chutney on, lightly pickled and with a long lingering earthy taste, and there were good reports about the lamb shank. Also the artichoke soup was excellent.
On arriving into immigration there was a long line and I believe the ESTA machines weren't working, but I used my shiny new GE and got through very quickly. Considered skytrain and subway, but there's a flat $52 yellow cab rate into Manhattan (plus tolls and surcharge) so I did that. About 75 minutes through quite heavy traffic and I was at the Conrad, courtesy of the sadly defunct Barclaycard deal for a 1 night weekend stay, quick shower and change and out to have a look round. The 9/11 memorial is stunning and very moving, just really a hole in the ground with a waterfall around the edge, and a second hole you can't see the bottom of so you have the impression of water pouring into the bottom of the world. Around all of this are the names of the victims, some with a yellow rose if it happens to be their birthday. It is genuinely affecting, I'm by no means mawkish, but I had a tear in my eye.
Likely to hit the airport shortly to try out the AA Flagship dining. Joking about the stag party ambiance apart, it's a great bunch of extremely nice, interesting and varied people, and it's been a blast so far. But nice to have a little quite time out in a very comfortable hotel, and a proper sleep. I've swapped the RIN on Monday night - OK hotel but just very very hot and no working a/c, like a sauna - for a Hilton redemption.
And the points from the first flight have posted, taking me over the 3500 points line.
Onwards via a hearty breakfast in the CCR to BA177 in 1A. I guess I would say that the service was a bit patchy. Christophe, a perfectly French FA was mostly delaying with the right hand side, and was possibly the best in the role I've ever seen. Funny, knowledgable, avuncular, and turned up exactly when needed. The epitome of the perfect valet, in a lot of ways.
On my side of the cabin - also @deboyzoned was behind - service was OK but lacking in comparison. There was a long gap between the amuse-bouche and food arriving, my call bell during light turbulence when I wanted to get rid of half full glasses and have a nap was just ignored for 10 minutes despite turning it on and off a couple of times. I wouldn't say it was a bad flight, very comfortable and quiet and the food was great: the chicken curry had the most wonderful beetroot chutney on, lightly pickled and with a long lingering earthy taste, and there were good reports about the lamb shank. Also the artichoke soup was excellent.
On arriving into immigration there was a long line and I believe the ESTA machines weren't working, but I used my shiny new GE and got through very quickly. Considered skytrain and subway, but there's a flat $52 yellow cab rate into Manhattan (plus tolls and surcharge) so I did that. About 75 minutes through quite heavy traffic and I was at the Conrad, courtesy of the sadly defunct Barclaycard deal for a 1 night weekend stay, quick shower and change and out to have a look round. The 9/11 memorial is stunning and very moving, just really a hole in the ground with a waterfall around the edge, and a second hole you can't see the bottom of so you have the impression of water pouring into the bottom of the world. Around all of this are the names of the victims, some with a yellow rose if it happens to be their birthday. It is genuinely affecting, I'm by no means mawkish, but I had a tear in my eye.
Likely to hit the airport shortly to try out the AA Flagship dining. Joking about the stag party ambiance apart, it's a great bunch of extremely nice, interesting and varied people, and it's been a blast so far. But nice to have a little quite time out in a very comfortable hotel, and a proper sleep. I've swapped the RIN on Monday night - OK hotel but just very very hot and no working a/c, like a sauna - for a Hilton redemption.
And the points from the first flight have posted, taking me over the 3500 points line.
Aug 26, 2018, 9:34 am
#319
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
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Having a little break in a very comfortable junior suite in the Hilton Garden Inn, Phoenix, a very friendly and pleasant hotel, before heading out for some brunch with the ragged remnants of the do. Waves of slightly hungover FTers have already passed through Phoenix airport after a very pleasant evening with some degree of shenanigans, albeit with many including myself fading out before midnight.
A good travel day yesterday all in all, despite delays to my transcon, which I was catching with @travellingscotsman. I hit the Flagship dining fairly early with the intention of having a slap up breakfast, but was defeated by the sheer portion size and stopped after a smoked salmon platter with bagel and tarragon butter which was really very good. I'd say overall though that it was probably a 7 out of 10 there, not particularly friendly staff and the food choices were a bit odd. I'd have loved steak bacon and eggs - a classic US breakfast, but there wasn't really anything like that available. Anyway during the course of the breakfast I got a text explaining there was to be a 1.5 hour delay. As my layover was 1.5 hours, this was a potential problem, so off I went with my boarding card to Elizabeth on the front desk. Apparently and for some unknown reason all the J availability to PHX was taken, so she waitlisted me for absolutely everything.
They had to summon a replacement captain who had been attending his kid's hockey game. Safe to say he was a bit pissed off about that and announced his presence gruffly, also explaining that his only rule was that no one got hurt in his plane, and that we were to follow instructions TO THE LETTER. Mostly this consisted of never bothering to turn the seatbelt light off, so of course everyone just ignored it and the crew didn't seem to mind.
Transcon was good. The seats are very private and it's a nice little pod. Fairly good food, really fantastic crab with wasabi on sushi rice, and a tasty red snapper that was unfortunately drastically overcooked. Some good views on the way into LA, dominated by the haze from scrub fires. And a possible celeb in 1A, she might have been a Kardashian, and was brought forward from the back.
On the way, I was carefully monitoring whether we might get the connection. It was at 16:40, and the ETA varied between 16:18 and 16:50 at various points in the flight. Towards the end, the FA announced that there were passengers with very tight connections so could everyone else please sit down while we got off... Wheels down at 16:18, at the gate at 16:24, and everyone stayed seating.
Except for one woman who decided her dog - stowed in a cupboard forward of 1A - couldn't wait and steamed forward to grab it. Then had a leisurely conversation with the FA before ambling off the plane. I didn't quite push her aside, but I was close to it. Off the plane at 16:29, ran three gates, and got on with seconds to spare.
Onboard, the guy in 1C offered to move so @travellingscotsman and I could sit together. It turned out that he was also doing a TP run though not with the group and not with FT. I think he's joined up now.
And that was it really - easy shuttle to the hotel, change into shorts and a party. I crashed around 11 and had a good sleep, but the overriding impression is of a great group of fun people, some very interesting conversations and not all about TPs and avios.
Today should be fairly easy, with a direct flight PHX->LHR and a snooze in a Cabana. But first, brunch....
A good travel day yesterday all in all, despite delays to my transcon, which I was catching with @travellingscotsman. I hit the Flagship dining fairly early with the intention of having a slap up breakfast, but was defeated by the sheer portion size and stopped after a smoked salmon platter with bagel and tarragon butter which was really very good. I'd say overall though that it was probably a 7 out of 10 there, not particularly friendly staff and the food choices were a bit odd. I'd have loved steak bacon and eggs - a classic US breakfast, but there wasn't really anything like that available. Anyway during the course of the breakfast I got a text explaining there was to be a 1.5 hour delay. As my layover was 1.5 hours, this was a potential problem, so off I went with my boarding card to Elizabeth on the front desk. Apparently and for some unknown reason all the J availability to PHX was taken, so she waitlisted me for absolutely everything.
They had to summon a replacement captain who had been attending his kid's hockey game. Safe to say he was a bit pissed off about that and announced his presence gruffly, also explaining that his only rule was that no one got hurt in his plane, and that we were to follow instructions TO THE LETTER. Mostly this consisted of never bothering to turn the seatbelt light off, so of course everyone just ignored it and the crew didn't seem to mind.
Transcon was good. The seats are very private and it's a nice little pod. Fairly good food, really fantastic crab with wasabi on sushi rice, and a tasty red snapper that was unfortunately drastically overcooked. Some good views on the way into LA, dominated by the haze from scrub fires. And a possible celeb in 1A, she might have been a Kardashian, and was brought forward from the back.
On the way, I was carefully monitoring whether we might get the connection. It was at 16:40, and the ETA varied between 16:18 and 16:50 at various points in the flight. Towards the end, the FA announced that there were passengers with very tight connections so could everyone else please sit down while we got off... Wheels down at 16:18, at the gate at 16:24, and everyone stayed seating.
Except for one woman who decided her dog - stowed in a cupboard forward of 1A - couldn't wait and steamed forward to grab it. Then had a leisurely conversation with the FA before ambling off the plane. I didn't quite push her aside, but I was close to it. Off the plane at 16:29, ran three gates, and got on with seconds to spare.
Onboard, the guy in 1C offered to move so @travellingscotsman and I could sit together. It turned out that he was also doing a TP run though not with the group and not with FT. I think he's joined up now.
And that was it really - easy shuttle to the hotel, change into shorts and a party. I crashed around 11 and had a good sleep, but the overriding impression is of a great group of fun people, some very interesting conversations and not all about TPs and avios.
Today should be fairly easy, with a direct flight PHX->LHR and a snooze in a Cabana. But first, brunch....
Aug 28, 2018, 2:43 pm
#320
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
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No point in overdoing this post, as the PHX do has been well covered elsewhere, but the return PHX->LHR in F was excellent, nice quick meal service (perfectly cooked sea bass), and just the right amount of time to sleep. Arrived at Heathrow and transferred to T5 and my cabana - these are great, little bathroom and shower attached, comfy sofa and perfectly possible to doze a little.
Then I decided to unload my rucksack into my roller and leave that at left luggage in T5, leaving my rucksack in the cloakroom in the CCR. Off I trundled to C Gates, stayed on the train, came back, through immigration and up to the gold wing in less than 15 minutes total. And hit a snag - because I'd transferred and gone through immigration via the lounge, I had been recorded as still being airside. So I was pulled to the side while a manager arrived, he had to check my ID and do some jiggery pokery with the BA computers to check my itinerary, and it all took quite a while. Worth knowing anyway, but also good to only have a light bag for the last aller retour to Bucharest following a drink and a chat on the terrace.
Which was late leaving, and I spent most of it asleep anyway, just staying conscious for long enough to despatch a chicken breast with truffled linguine. I'd changed hotel to the Athenee in Bucharest on a Hilton redemption because the RIN had been unbearably hot, so Ubered over there and was given a massive suite. Had I had more than 3 hours there I'd have loved it. Thence at stupid o'clock back to the airport, and fighting my way through queues in security and passport control (which dissipated shortly afterwards but hey ho) and onto the return flight, which was also my first in economy for some time. Celebrated that with a M&S bacon roll and Java Republic coffee and quite a lot more sleep. Then home with my local taxi firm, brand new top-of-the-range Merc and Ray, the rotund and jovial Maltese owner, who does a lot of flying himself so we chatted about the ins and outs of various airlines and fares and whether he should sign up with On Business so I could see availability, and the trip home fairly flew by.
I'll echo the comments elsewhere, it was a really enjoyable few days, and a truly delightful bunch of people.
So I have just over a week's break and then it's off on an ex-AMS with the family, including a few Air Asia legs. Nicest legs in the business from what I remember.
Then I decided to unload my rucksack into my roller and leave that at left luggage in T5, leaving my rucksack in the cloakroom in the CCR. Off I trundled to C Gates, stayed on the train, came back, through immigration and up to the gold wing in less than 15 minutes total. And hit a snag - because I'd transferred and gone through immigration via the lounge, I had been recorded as still being airside. So I was pulled to the side while a manager arrived, he had to check my ID and do some jiggery pokery with the BA computers to check my itinerary, and it all took quite a while. Worth knowing anyway, but also good to only have a light bag for the last aller retour to Bucharest following a drink and a chat on the terrace.
Which was late leaving, and I spent most of it asleep anyway, just staying conscious for long enough to despatch a chicken breast with truffled linguine. I'd changed hotel to the Athenee in Bucharest on a Hilton redemption because the RIN had been unbearably hot, so Ubered over there and was given a massive suite. Had I had more than 3 hours there I'd have loved it. Thence at stupid o'clock back to the airport, and fighting my way through queues in security and passport control (which dissipated shortly afterwards but hey ho) and onto the return flight, which was also my first in economy for some time. Celebrated that with a M&S bacon roll and Java Republic coffee and quite a lot more sleep. Then home with my local taxi firm, brand new top-of-the-range Merc and Ray, the rotund and jovial Maltese owner, who does a lot of flying himself so we chatted about the ins and outs of various airlines and fares and whether he should sign up with On Business so I could see availability, and the trip home fairly flew by.
I'll echo the comments elsewhere, it was a really enjoyable few days, and a truly delightful bunch of people.
So I have just over a week's break and then it's off on an ex-AMS with the family, including a few Air Asia legs. Nicest legs in the business from what I remember.
Sep 1, 2018, 3:18 pm
#321
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,576
Slight litter of kittens just arrived.
I was sorting out an itinerary for the next trip for my Sister-in-law in Malaysia who likes to have all the details of things, and noticed that one of the flights had completely disappeared from my itinerary. This was the CX flight from Bangkok to Singapore in just about a week's time on an ex AMS.
Called the gold line and got the best agent I think I've ever had. Phonetically he was called "Adurak", and he was brilliant. What had happened was that CX had changed the flight number and it hadn't been reticketed properly. So he set about sorting it out, very calmly and quickly, stayed on the line until it had been more or less done, and was generally great. I gave effusive personal thanks at the end of the call, and he said his mother was really the person to thank, which I thought was lovely. So fingers crossed, this is all OK, and I'll check the booking shortly and make sure the seats are all there.
First real hitch of the year as I near the finishing line...
I was sorting out an itinerary for the next trip for my Sister-in-law in Malaysia who likes to have all the details of things, and noticed that one of the flights had completely disappeared from my itinerary. This was the CX flight from Bangkok to Singapore in just about a week's time on an ex AMS.
Called the gold line and got the best agent I think I've ever had. Phonetically he was called "Adurak", and he was brilliant. What had happened was that CX had changed the flight number and it hadn't been reticketed properly. So he set about sorting it out, very calmly and quickly, stayed on the line until it had been more or less done, and was generally great. I gave effusive personal thanks at the end of the call, and he said his mother was really the person to thank, which I thought was lovely. So fingers crossed, this is all OK, and I'll check the booking shortly and make sure the seats are all there.
First real hitch of the year as I near the finishing line...
Sep 7, 2018, 3:35 pm
#323
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,576
Another day, another 80 TP, and this time en famille, with wife and toddler both attaining bronze (briefly, as they will be silver ere this trip is done) as the first leg of an ex AMS. Up at stupid o'clock for the 7:40 flight to Amsterdam, with a very excited boy identifying every aircraft on the tarmac as a "777" with seats that turn into beds... That will be tomorrow, but the main event of today was a visit to the rather wonderful Aviodrome in Lelystad, a tremendous aviation museum. We could easily have stayed a lot longer.
It is, incidentally, virtually impossible to find instructions on how to get to the Aviodrome by public transport online - it's train and bus, which isn't difficult to discover, but the nuances of oyster style cards and day tickets are complex and not explained anywhere. So here is a quick guide. Easiest way to get to Lelystad itself seems to be the one day Amsterdam region (not Amsterdam city) pass, which costs about 18 euros and which takes you to Lelystad Centrum Station in about 40 minutes from Schiphol. This pass DOES NOT work on the buses, although the pass is supposed to be buses and trains and they will tell you at Schiphol that it works on the buses. It isn't easy to get the buses, there are only two, the Harderwijk line 148 stopping at Vliegveld/Eendenweg, which is just across the road from the Museum, you need to walk down a cycletrack down a side road and it's fairly obvious from there, and the 7 bus. The problem with both is that they run about once an hour, and the 7 at specific times of day. So timing is everything - the 7 stop is just outside the museum and the most convenient. And you can't pay with cash, but you can pay with a contactless debit card, the 7 costs about 3 euro per adult each direction. Uber advertises a fare but there didn't seem ever to be any cars. So I must admit it was quite worrisome waiting for the 15:10, because I didn't really have any other options to get back to the airport if I couldn't pay for it (at that point I didn't know about the contactless cards and had only a handful of euros) or it didn't turn up. We had blagged our way onto the 148 on the way there on the basis the pass we had said "buses" and the driver didn't seem bothered that the machine flashed red at us. You will incidentally save yourself a couple of euros per museum ticket (kids are charged) by booking online rather than buying at the museum.
Anyway all was well in the end, and it's a great museum, thoroughly recommended. Bisonrav Jr loved it - he has an uncommon attention span and we actually ended up hurrying him round as he examined absolutely everything and going on and into everything. Great to get onboard a Constellation, a bit odd to be on a 747 in a museum having just been on one on a TP run, absolutely loads to see and do and we didn't get near half of what we could have done. I just wish it was better connected by public transport.
The trip out having been utterly unremarkable, the return was a little fraught. Firstly the lounge at AMS is every cliché about business travel lounges made flesh, and we were there for a while. Stuffed suits as far as the eye can see, one bloke who seemed to do nothing else but walk the length of it talking loudly into a phone, and probably not the place where loud choruses of "Have you seen the muffin man?" courtesy of the toddler, a twinkle in his eye, would go down well. He was a bit tired and bored, and had been prohibited from eating quite the number of stroop-waffles he would have chosen for himself, and it probably didn't help that I had explained to him that the cycle race on the lounge TV was a gaggle of angry Belgians impotently chasing a stroop-waffle thief, crooning "have you seen the stroop-waffles" gently to him as I did. Anyway there may well be some complaints about lounge etiquette ensuing in the Facebook Group, but in his defence he was as good as gold on the actual flight, despite well over an hour of tech delay onboard.
There were a few dark looks from the suits passing him in 2F (there was no 1D-1F on this A320) as they marched back to row 25 or wherever their corporate travel policy had led them. Oh, and there was one tosser attempting to bypass the patient line of group 1s, who got rather short shrift from me, as I explained he may have been G1, but so were all of us, so he should bugger off to the back of the queue. We were on our old faithful G-GATP which we've been on numerous times this year.
Anyway, that delay could have been quite bad. It was the first leg of the ex-AMS, and we needed to get back to Gatwick to collect the car, go home, and get the luggage for the main trip out East. Prior to leaving today, I had, rather to the derision of my wife, required that we should pack and place the suitcases in the hall as a contingency, so if we ended up diverted to Heathrow we could get a friend to let the taxi driver in, so he could deliver them to us at the terminal. And for some time, while the captain wrestled for some considerable time with a strange warning light relating to the left undercarriage, it looked that I had been Cassandra level prescient. I was mentally working out that if they got me on a flight to Gatwick the other two could have a night in Amsterdam and fly to Heathrow, and worrying because there weren't a lot of free seats. However the ground crew took a spanner and lump hammer or two to the problem and it got solved, and here we are, home, with only about an hour of delay.
It is, incidentally, virtually impossible to find instructions on how to get to the Aviodrome by public transport online - it's train and bus, which isn't difficult to discover, but the nuances of oyster style cards and day tickets are complex and not explained anywhere. So here is a quick guide. Easiest way to get to Lelystad itself seems to be the one day Amsterdam region (not Amsterdam city) pass, which costs about 18 euros and which takes you to Lelystad Centrum Station in about 40 minutes from Schiphol. This pass DOES NOT work on the buses, although the pass is supposed to be buses and trains and they will tell you at Schiphol that it works on the buses. It isn't easy to get the buses, there are only two, the Harderwijk line 148 stopping at Vliegveld/Eendenweg, which is just across the road from the Museum, you need to walk down a cycletrack down a side road and it's fairly obvious from there, and the 7 bus. The problem with both is that they run about once an hour, and the 7 at specific times of day. So timing is everything - the 7 stop is just outside the museum and the most convenient. And you can't pay with cash, but you can pay with a contactless debit card, the 7 costs about 3 euro per adult each direction. Uber advertises a fare but there didn't seem ever to be any cars. So I must admit it was quite worrisome waiting for the 15:10, because I didn't really have any other options to get back to the airport if I couldn't pay for it (at that point I didn't know about the contactless cards and had only a handful of euros) or it didn't turn up. We had blagged our way onto the 148 on the way there on the basis the pass we had said "buses" and the driver didn't seem bothered that the machine flashed red at us. You will incidentally save yourself a couple of euros per museum ticket (kids are charged) by booking online rather than buying at the museum.
Anyway all was well in the end, and it's a great museum, thoroughly recommended. Bisonrav Jr loved it - he has an uncommon attention span and we actually ended up hurrying him round as he examined absolutely everything and going on and into everything. Great to get onboard a Constellation, a bit odd to be on a 747 in a museum having just been on one on a TP run, absolutely loads to see and do and we didn't get near half of what we could have done. I just wish it was better connected by public transport.
The trip out having been utterly unremarkable, the return was a little fraught. Firstly the lounge at AMS is every cliché about business travel lounges made flesh, and we were there for a while. Stuffed suits as far as the eye can see, one bloke who seemed to do nothing else but walk the length of it talking loudly into a phone, and probably not the place where loud choruses of "Have you seen the muffin man?" courtesy of the toddler, a twinkle in his eye, would go down well. He was a bit tired and bored, and had been prohibited from eating quite the number of stroop-waffles he would have chosen for himself, and it probably didn't help that I had explained to him that the cycle race on the lounge TV was a gaggle of angry Belgians impotently chasing a stroop-waffle thief, crooning "have you seen the stroop-waffles" gently to him as I did. Anyway there may well be some complaints about lounge etiquette ensuing in the Facebook Group, but in his defence he was as good as gold on the actual flight, despite well over an hour of tech delay onboard.
There were a few dark looks from the suits passing him in 2F (there was no 1D-1F on this A320) as they marched back to row 25 or wherever their corporate travel policy had led them. Oh, and there was one tosser attempting to bypass the patient line of group 1s, who got rather short shrift from me, as I explained he may have been G1, but so were all of us, so he should bugger off to the back of the queue. We were on our old faithful G-GATP which we've been on numerous times this year.
Anyway, that delay could have been quite bad. It was the first leg of the ex-AMS, and we needed to get back to Gatwick to collect the car, go home, and get the luggage for the main trip out East. Prior to leaving today, I had, rather to the derision of my wife, required that we should pack and place the suitcases in the hall as a contingency, so if we ended up diverted to Heathrow we could get a friend to let the taxi driver in, so he could deliver them to us at the terminal. And for some time, while the captain wrestled for some considerable time with a strange warning light relating to the left undercarriage, it looked that I had been Cassandra level prescient. I was mentally working out that if they got me on a flight to Gatwick the other two could have a night in Amsterdam and fly to Heathrow, and worrying because there weren't a lot of free seats. However the ground crew took a spanner and lump hammer or two to the problem and it got solved, and here we are, home, with only about an hour of delay.
Last edited by bisonrav; Sep 7, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Sep 7, 2018, 8:55 pm
#325
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 175
I have to say that I’m really enjoying reading all these posts. They are well written and entertaining.
(And, “well done” on having a backup plan. I don’t think my wife understands all the contingencies that run through my mind. Thankfully, she usually just goes along with what I suggest when it comes to travel. Well, except, maybe, for the suggestion that we pack a few less bags.
)
(And, “well done” on having a backup plan. I don’t think my wife understands all the contingencies that run through my mind. Thankfully, she usually just goes along with what I suggest when it comes to travel. Well, except, maybe, for the suggestion that we pack a few less bags.
)
Sep 8, 2018, 12:58 am
#326
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,576
I have to say that neither of the other family members has quite the level of stamina required for this - both are snoozing away still after a mere day of travel (normally the boy would be bouncing around at about 6.30am). But the other benefit of the contingency plan is that all packing is completed already, so I'm letting them sleep.
Now I need a plan to get both of them into GF late morning. Which is about as big a hint as I'm able to give under the regime rules here. My PMs are, as they say, open. Don't make me have to go to GC. I'm way too important for that, and adding Muffin Man to the already febrile atmosphere created by too much Castelnau or whatever it is they have up there is potentially explosive
Now I need a plan to get both of them into GF late morning. Which is about as big a hint as I'm able to give under the regime rules here. My PMs are, as they say, open. Don't make me have to go to GC. I'm way too important for that, and adding Muffin Man to the already febrile atmosphere created by too much Castelnau or whatever it is they have up there is potentially explosive
Sep 10, 2018, 3:09 am
#327
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,576
First CW flight of the year, and oh dear, basically.
The good bit was that the BA Gold Channel discretion worked again and the three of us were admitted to GF.
The flight to BKK was on an 18 year old 777, and even making allowances for the aged plane, the product really isn't good. This was brought into sharp relief the next day on a Cathay Pacific flight, but the service was lacklustre to put it mildly, the food was dreadful: the beef with dauphinoise was tasty, but very paltry portions, and the cod curry was diabolically bad, overcooked and with mushy vegetables. I had a "cheese board" with two small bits of cheese and three (3) crackers, with a pot of whipped up butterish foam. I don't expect fine dining in CW, despite the marketing spiel, but I do expect better than this pathetic offering.
As usual on CW it seems they like to ramp the temperature up into the mid 30s, so the White Company linen although nice is almost completely useless. This was RIN hotel levels of Sauna experience, and while I understand they do this to put people off to sleep so they can have a quiet few hours, it's a really disgraceful thing to do - means that sleep becomes very difficult if you prefer cool cabins. It's much easier to be warm in a duvet than cool in an overheated cabin.
Wifi worked well at the start of the flight, and I bought a full flight package. It's blacked out over India, which I knew, but could have been signposted better. But on exit from Indian airspace when it came back I wasn't allowed to reconnect, it suggested I should pay again. There will be an angry email being drafted about that later.
Decent breakfast I guess, nice bacon, but really not a good experience. Let's see if the A380 on the return is any better, but I'd have been very annoyed indeed if I'd paid full fare for this.
And then from the ridiculous to the sublime. Cathay Pacific J in a new A350 from BKK to SIN was just superb. A lot of recognition throughout where it was useful (but not obsequious like Qatar can be).- we were offered meals first, early, and generally treated very well. The food was brilliant - the Thai beef starter had more beef than the BA main, perfectly cooked fish in soy as a main, and a nice ice cream and great coffee. All in the time it takes BA to chuck a chicken salad at you from London to Madrid, about the same distance. Seats better than BA F, spacious and comfortable (with a bit of a foot coffin). Only drawback was they are not very toddler friendly, we had to put him across the aisle which was OK until the last part of the flight because he was asleep mostly, but he woke up with a full DYKWIA tantrum about wearing his seatbelt, and after a bit of head scratching we persuaded the FAs to let him use an infant seatbelt and sit in my wife's lap. He is a bit stubborn that one, but I think he was understandably a bit annoyed about waking up in yet another plane. A350 is a great plane too, quiet as a whisper and the air is much better than other types I've been on.
Singapore T4 is a pleasant experience, there's a wonderful filmed mural down one end over some restaurants where little stories are played out behind a projected facade, really enjoyed that. We took the airside bus to T2 for some soft play (very easy and efficient), then back to T4 for another great experience with Air Asia. A brilliantly efficient airline this, their standard turnaround time is 25 minutes, this flight came in 10 minutes late and left 4 minutes behind schedule. I never fail to be impressed by Air Asia. Which is lucky, because after a sleep and breakfast at my in-laws, it was off to Kuching airport for a 30 minute Air Asia hop to Sibu.
Just one note here about Kuching and Sibu - probably not too bad for back to backs (not sure Sibu is served by MH, but Kuching is). They now funnel you off to a separate arrivals route, I reckon you could get round in MH turnaround times, but unlikely with Air Asia (not that that matters).
TPs now accumulating nicely, and very much on the home run for GGL and CCR status. But I am already looking forward to the two CX legs I have booked next year. Yes, it's that good.
The good bit was that the BA Gold Channel discretion worked again and the three of us were admitted to GF.
The flight to BKK was on an 18 year old 777, and even making allowances for the aged plane, the product really isn't good. This was brought into sharp relief the next day on a Cathay Pacific flight, but the service was lacklustre to put it mildly, the food was dreadful: the beef with dauphinoise was tasty, but very paltry portions, and the cod curry was diabolically bad, overcooked and with mushy vegetables. I had a "cheese board" with two small bits of cheese and three (3) crackers, with a pot of whipped up butterish foam. I don't expect fine dining in CW, despite the marketing spiel, but I do expect better than this pathetic offering.
As usual on CW it seems they like to ramp the temperature up into the mid 30s, so the White Company linen although nice is almost completely useless. This was RIN hotel levels of Sauna experience, and while I understand they do this to put people off to sleep so they can have a quiet few hours, it's a really disgraceful thing to do - means that sleep becomes very difficult if you prefer cool cabins. It's much easier to be warm in a duvet than cool in an overheated cabin.
Wifi worked well at the start of the flight, and I bought a full flight package. It's blacked out over India, which I knew, but could have been signposted better. But on exit from Indian airspace when it came back I wasn't allowed to reconnect, it suggested I should pay again. There will be an angry email being drafted about that later.
Decent breakfast I guess, nice bacon, but really not a good experience. Let's see if the A380 on the return is any better, but I'd have been very annoyed indeed if I'd paid full fare for this.
And then from the ridiculous to the sublime. Cathay Pacific J in a new A350 from BKK to SIN was just superb. A lot of recognition throughout where it was useful (but not obsequious like Qatar can be).- we were offered meals first, early, and generally treated very well. The food was brilliant - the Thai beef starter had more beef than the BA main, perfectly cooked fish in soy as a main, and a nice ice cream and great coffee. All in the time it takes BA to chuck a chicken salad at you from London to Madrid, about the same distance. Seats better than BA F, spacious and comfortable (with a bit of a foot coffin). Only drawback was they are not very toddler friendly, we had to put him across the aisle which was OK until the last part of the flight because he was asleep mostly, but he woke up with a full DYKWIA tantrum about wearing his seatbelt, and after a bit of head scratching we persuaded the FAs to let him use an infant seatbelt and sit in my wife's lap. He is a bit stubborn that one, but I think he was understandably a bit annoyed about waking up in yet another plane. A350 is a great plane too, quiet as a whisper and the air is much better than other types I've been on.
Singapore T4 is a pleasant experience, there's a wonderful filmed mural down one end over some restaurants where little stories are played out behind a projected facade, really enjoyed that. We took the airside bus to T2 for some soft play (very easy and efficient), then back to T4 for another great experience with Air Asia. A brilliantly efficient airline this, their standard turnaround time is 25 minutes, this flight came in 10 minutes late and left 4 minutes behind schedule. I never fail to be impressed by Air Asia. Which is lucky, because after a sleep and breakfast at my in-laws, it was off to Kuching airport for a 30 minute Air Asia hop to Sibu.
Just one note here about Kuching and Sibu - probably not too bad for back to backs (not sure Sibu is served by MH, but Kuching is). They now funnel you off to a separate arrivals route, I reckon you could get round in MH turnaround times, but unlikely with Air Asia (not that that matters).
TPs now accumulating nicely, and very much on the home run for GGL and CCR status. But I am already looking forward to the two CX legs I have booked next year. Yes, it's that good.
Sep 10, 2018, 7:33 am
#328
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 484
An interesting latest installment. I did fear for you on the 777 to BKK - had heard terrible reports on this aircraft/route ! And as you say, once you step onto a CX 350 it only highlights the fact even more ! Once the 787 issues get sorted this should be an ideal 787-9 route.
Or ex AMS route via HKG (BA A380) & CX (A330/350) to BKK for much nicer ride. Longer I realise !
Or ex AMS route via HKG (BA A380) & CX (A330/350) to BKK for much nicer ride. Longer I realise !
Sep 10, 2018, 7:52 am
#330
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,395
First CW flight of the year, and oh dear, basically.
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The flight to BKK was on an 18 year old 777, and even making allowances for the aged plane, the product really isn't good............. the service was lacklustre to put it mildly, the food was dreadful: the beef with dauphinoise was tasty, but very paltry portions, and the cod curry was diabolically bad, overcooked and with mushy vegetables. I had a "cheese board" with two small bits of cheese and three (3) crackers, with a pot of whipped up butterish foam. I don't expect fine dining in CW, despite the marketing spiel, but I do expect better than this pathetic offering.
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...........................
The flight to BKK was on an 18 year old 777, and even making allowances for the aged plane, the product really isn't good............. the service was lacklustre to put it mildly, the food was dreadful: the beef with dauphinoise was tasty, but very paltry portions, and the cod curry was diabolically bad, overcooked and with mushy vegetables. I had a "cheese board" with two small bits of cheese and three (3) crackers, with a pot of whipped up butterish foam. I don't expect fine dining in CW, despite the marketing spiel, but I do expect better than this pathetic offering.
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I’m conscious that the BKK route frequently gets a bad rap. BUT ...... am intrigued to know : does this foodie review relate to ‘new’ CW catering or the old ?
Either way, it sounds pretty grim !
