A thankful pre-Thanksgiving mini trip report
Nov 21, 2018, 12:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
A thankful pre-Thanksgiving mini trip report
My wife and I just completed a two week working holiday and had a number of interesting experiences that are leaving me with a lot of gratitude on the eve of US Thanksgiving, so I thought I would share in a relatively short form TR in a bit of a stream of consciousness format.
On the 6th of November, we were booked on BA 288, PHX-LHR in F. A few moments before boarding was to commence, the runway light power at LHR failed, delaying flights. We had some interesting exchanges on Twitter and we often knew more than the BA staff. We eventually departed about 2.5 hours late, and had a great service in first in 1A and 1K. With the delay, our prebooked cabanas and Elemis spa appointments were lost, but it looked like we might still make our connection to AMS. However we then had a hold prior to arrival, and then a significant wait for our wait.
Upon arrival BA had a table with representatives with replacement boarding passes for passengers who had misconnected. I've not experienced BA being this organized previously. We ended up on a flight to AMS 90 minutes later in the same seats (1D/1F), and had an otherwise uneventful conclusion to our journey after a fairly lengthy queue for the transfer bus.
We had a few shorthaul flights over the next couple of weeks (AMS-LHR-VIE-LHR-DUB-LHR), none of which were particularly eventful. The shorthaul chickpea salad was surprisingly nice, and we managed to meet up with a fellow FTer (whom I had met in Phoenix this past summer at the largest mini-Do ever) at the CX T3 Flounge.
Our final segment home on Monday was BA 288 LHR-PHX. After a good amount of time lounge hopping and getting treatments at the Elemis spa, our flight had a 30 minute boarding delay to resolve a minor technical issue. We were in 4A and 5A for this flight. Upon boarding the storage bin above my seat was filled with bedding for CW. I was not particularly impressed with this and was in a bit of a mood after one cabin crew member suggested storing my bags in WTP! Another crew member who would be looking after me for the flight saw this and took control of the situation, moved the bedding elsewhere, making space for my bags. She also took note of my meal options for the flight so that my preferences would be set aside. She provided impeccable service and reminded me what makes BA so great when they are at their finest.
So overall a great set of flights, great service, and only one delay which was out of BA's control with a rebooking handled as could be expected.
I thought this journey had drawn to a mostly uneventful conclusion, but the next morning I realized that I could not locate my wallet. When I travel longhaul I usually store a few essential items with my passport and a few more items in my wallet. I searched and then I sent emails to the various hotels and Airbnbs and to BA on Tuesday morning to no avail. Just as I was about to give up and cancel various cards, I received a lovely email from a BA captain saying that my wallet had been found on 5A, and it turns out he would be traveling to PHX next week and he asked if he could bring the wallet to PHX! We had a pleasant exchange and it turns out my wallet went back to London, and then onto Vancouver before it was discovered, so when all is said and done my wallet will finish 840 tier points ahead of me for the year.
I do seem to have a tendency to lose things and then have them found (my birkenstock's at the PHX Do, another time my wallet was lost then found in London, and another time years ago when my house was robbed but the police recovered almost everything as the thieves managed to take my possessions in a suitcase leaving the name tag on the bag before being caught for another crime)!
On the 6th of November, we were booked on BA 288, PHX-LHR in F. A few moments before boarding was to commence, the runway light power at LHR failed, delaying flights. We had some interesting exchanges on Twitter and we often knew more than the BA staff. We eventually departed about 2.5 hours late, and had a great service in first in 1A and 1K. With the delay, our prebooked cabanas and Elemis spa appointments were lost, but it looked like we might still make our connection to AMS. However we then had a hold prior to arrival, and then a significant wait for our wait.
Upon arrival BA had a table with representatives with replacement boarding passes for passengers who had misconnected. I've not experienced BA being this organized previously. We ended up on a flight to AMS 90 minutes later in the same seats (1D/1F), and had an otherwise uneventful conclusion to our journey after a fairly lengthy queue for the transfer bus.
We had a few shorthaul flights over the next couple of weeks (AMS-LHR-VIE-LHR-DUB-LHR), none of which were particularly eventful. The shorthaul chickpea salad was surprisingly nice, and we managed to meet up with a fellow FTer (whom I had met in Phoenix this past summer at the largest mini-Do ever) at the CX T3 Flounge.
Our final segment home on Monday was BA 288 LHR-PHX. After a good amount of time lounge hopping and getting treatments at the Elemis spa, our flight had a 30 minute boarding delay to resolve a minor technical issue. We were in 4A and 5A for this flight. Upon boarding the storage bin above my seat was filled with bedding for CW. I was not particularly impressed with this and was in a bit of a mood after one cabin crew member suggested storing my bags in WTP! Another crew member who would be looking after me for the flight saw this and took control of the situation, moved the bedding elsewhere, making space for my bags. She also took note of my meal options for the flight so that my preferences would be set aside. She provided impeccable service and reminded me what makes BA so great when they are at their finest.
So overall a great set of flights, great service, and only one delay which was out of BA's control with a rebooking handled as could be expected.
I thought this journey had drawn to a mostly uneventful conclusion, but the next morning I realized that I could not locate my wallet. When I travel longhaul I usually store a few essential items with my passport and a few more items in my wallet. I searched and then I sent emails to the various hotels and Airbnbs and to BA on Tuesday morning to no avail. Just as I was about to give up and cancel various cards, I received a lovely email from a BA captain saying that my wallet had been found on 5A, and it turns out he would be traveling to PHX next week and he asked if he could bring the wallet to PHX! We had a pleasant exchange and it turns out my wallet went back to London, and then onto Vancouver before it was discovered, so when all is said and done my wallet will finish 840 tier points ahead of me for the year.
I do seem to have a tendency to lose things and then have them found (my birkenstock's at the PHX Do, another time my wallet was lost then found in London, and another time years ago when my house was robbed but the police recovered almost everything as the thieves managed to take my possessions in a suitcase leaving the name tag on the bag before being caught for another crime)!
Nov 21, 2018, 12:59 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Happy days, dylanks ... now start taking care of your bits and pieces. You are old enough, and well travelled enough, to know better by now! 
Nov 21, 2018, 1:21 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
In this trip I also managed to lose a mobile top up voucher before entering it into my phone and an Oyster card. Both likely fell out of my pocket and I blame the new iPhone which is amazing other than taking up all the space in the pocket. Clearly I need a better process!
Oh and for the second year in a row I randomly ran into a friend in an unexpected place in London, this time at Liverpool station.
Nov 21, 2018, 1:43 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Liverpool Street Station, you foreigner!!
I have to say I hardly ever use pockets for important stuff. They stay in my backpack, including my wallet in its special pocket and the Travel Wallet in it's own place. The only things on my person are my passport [shirt breast pocket] and BP in same location. I don't trust trousers, even though I usually travel in Cargos, but nothing goes in those leg pockets except [at times] camera and cigarettes/lighter!
Might we see you in February? We're in Town again!
I have to say I hardly ever use pockets for important stuff. They stay in my backpack, including my wallet in its special pocket and the Travel Wallet in it's own place. The only things on my person are my passport [shirt breast pocket] and BP in same location. I don't trust trousers, even though I usually travel in Cargos, but nothing goes in those leg pockets except [at times] camera and cigarettes/lighter!
Might we see you in February? We're in Town again!
Nov 21, 2018, 3:35 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
Liverpool Street Station, you foreigner!!
I have to say I hardly ever use pockets for important stuff. They stay in my backpack, including my wallet in its special pocket and the Travel Wallet in it's own place. The only things on my person are my passport [shirt breast pocket] and BP in same location. I don't trust trousers, even though I usually travel in Cargos, but nothing goes in those leg pockets except [at times] camera and cigarettes/lighter!
Might we see you in February? We're in Town again!
I have to say I hardly ever use pockets for important stuff. They stay in my backpack, including my wallet in its special pocket and the Travel Wallet in it's own place. The only things on my person are my passport [shirt breast pocket] and BP in same location. I don't trust trousers, even though I usually travel in Cargos, but nothing goes in those leg pockets except [at times] camera and cigarettes/lighter!
Might we see you in February? We're in Town again!
Nov 21, 2018, 3:37 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
Nov 22, 2018, 1:31 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,097
No it’s not new, they should be above 5A and 5K but many crew put them out on each seat to make room in the lockers but this isn’t the standard.
Nov 22, 2018, 4:00 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
I'll direct you to a few highlights to save you time reading lengthy the lengthy Do threads:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30130512-post1704.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30132531-post60.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30137058-post80.html
Even more funny is that they're custom fit to my feet so not terribly useful for anyone else.
There's almost no limit on the banter and humour about Birkenstock's among those who attended the Do. Almost as funny as the Tallinn Do and Ryan Air humour.