Raffles

B*gger .....!

PS. Anyone know what Russian champagne is like? Got a bottle for $15 in the airport after realising there was no bank to change my $15 of roubles. (Probably upstairs in the Transaero lounge as well!)

PPS. Do NOT pick off the nasty sticker the check-in people stick to the back of your passport. Because there is a man at the gate who wants to see it and is not amused when you show him the torn up remains stuck to the back of your boarding pass ....

dnajockey

The stuff I had a few years ago was very, very, very sweet .... think schloer with vodka tipped in ...

asnovici

580 Euros a night for Hyatt Moscow is a good deal. You are out of touch with Moscow prices. Average of Euro 700 is to be had in most decent hotels. Thats considered to be reasonable when my last vodka tonic in a second rate bar downtown was 12 Euros for a shot of sad vodka with a splash of tonic. Welcome to Moscow!

Raffles

Our old favourite JW Blue is available in the Hyatt top-floor bar, by the way. For £39 a (50ml) shot.

Makes the £44 for 2 buffet breakfasts (in our rate, luckily), £4 for 15 mins internet in the business centre, £95 for the airport transfer and £45 for 2 plates of sushi in the lobby appear reasonable. Do not come here for a holiday unless you have a high pain threshold for these things. It is a lovely hotel, actually, but it has nothing Russian about it. If I showed you 50 photos of the interior you wouldn't guess it was in Moscow. Walls are also surprisingly thin for a new property - we could here every word the guy next door was saying on the phone. Add in a few service failings - although overall they were OK - and I think they may wobble when the Ritz-Carlton opens next months.

Good tickets to Magic Flute at the Bolshoi were only £13.50 each, by the way.

MACH81

I've been in Moscow twice and always been with locals to nice places...I've once seen the check/bill from "The Grill", high-end restaurant/steakhouse. If I were to pay I guess I'd have had a heart attack. Those who know the place might guess the amount...for 6 people. My favorite is an Ukrainian restaurant, can't remember how to write it; Georgian one was great too. Large bills at both, but the quantity compared to the Grill is way larger.

Moscowflyer

I agree with the BMI sentiments. An excellent medium-haul product that BA management in Moscow keep telling me is something that they lack but seem to do little to provide - and with the light BMI loads who can blame them (although we'll see what any new Moscow product looks like). I've never been on a busy BMI business class flight either way and my only complaint is that three (well two and a half) paying business class passengers have to argue with the crew to take a small baby-buggy on board in an empty cabin on each occasion we travel with our son. That's one thing BA are reasonably good at. Otherwise I think BMI are excellent and I encourage all my 700 colleagues in Moscow to use them (although the loads would suggest that they don't listen!). Agree on the lounge though, the upstairs BMI lounge is very dull compared to most other lounges. In Moscow on the other hand, the Transaero lounge (and the entire boarding process) is a lot less fraught than with BA, a function of the low loads and the gate that BMI uses I think. Excellent food (especially the hot puddings), at least when I've been on the flight. This was my last regular BA route, having switched the US trips to Finnair via Helsinki and the Latin American trips to Iberia via Madrid so I avoid changing at Heathrow. I'm now doing a lot of Hong Kong-Sydney flights on Cathay F or J, cheaper than BA business on the Moscow route, flat beds in first and a much more pleasant arrival and departure experience at both ends. Sometimes I think we take good airline, and airport, service for granted around the UK (and Russia) and conclude that it just can't be done anymore...but it can, although perhaps just not through the UK.

Smirnoff

The purser today was telling me about these "exciting new developments" with the new service on the DME flights, starting in 2 days time.

So apparently BA is aware of competition on the route, and is looking to improve its service on these flights. ^

Knowing how much we pay for the delights of this route, BA has apparently asked its customers how they could improve. ^

Apparently, the customers did not say they wanted bigger seats.

They don't want less tatty planes.

They don't want proper IFE, that works, with a choice of something to watch, on a screen that doesn't flicker.

So what are we getting? An improved meal service. Yes, this is the new Moscow service. What we all wanted. The gist of it is:
- Some hors d'oevres brought around, to replace the starter on the tray
- A second team, starting the service from half way back, so those at the back don't have to wait too long.
- A "simplified" offering down the back, so that the Y crew can get it all over with, and rush up the front to help out.

Gosh, how exciting.

pachamama

I found the po-faced ladies who came round with a ropey old shopping trolley full of hardback books and warm drinks especially entertaining. The net curtains flapping in the wind and half hanging off were also a nice feature too.

irmster

how much more simplified can it get - they stick a tray down offer you a drink and that's it

what with this and the rumours BMI are going to stop allowing upgrade vouchers on the DME route, I'm quite relieved I shall be saying dasvidanya in a few months to Moscow.

virtualtroy

LOL did you also get the samovar going up and down the train?

pachamama

The Somovar was in for repairs regretfully.

christianBA

Basicly The Service standards in Euro Traveller will be the same as it is on World Traveller, Just a few things made alot easier for the crew and the same service for the passengers you will hardly notice a diffrence at all!

Club Europe!

Our Russian customers tend to view the 2nd cabin as inferior to the front cabin and in
recognition of this we have introduced a four corner service so that customers at the back
row of Club Europe are served before Euro Traveller. Also, to preserve the segregation of
our premium customers, it is important that the curtains between Club Europe and Euro
Traveller are closed as early as possible and for the duration of the flight.

Changes for Customers
� New appetiser with the bar round, to replace appetiser on the tray
� Macadamia nuts, to replace pretzels
� Chocolate on tray
� New cold cuts & cheeses breakfast option
� Herbal teas, hot chocolate
� More bread, pastries & croissants
� More wine, champagne, juices & water
� Introduction of cranberry juice
� Mid flight snack boxes on request
� More magazines and better magazine selection

Already introduced:
� Amenity pack (eye shades, socks and toothbrush), plus ear plugs - BA880 night flight
only
� �Kommersant� Russian newspaper at LHR gates & lounge
� �New Style� Russian magazine on board
� Access to LHR T1 Arrivals lounge for Club Europe customers on BA881 morning
flight from Moscow
� Increased number of Club Europe menus
� Bigger and better located Club Europe check-in area at DME

Hope you enjoy the changes!

Smirnoff

Thanks christianBA for all the details. I wish I could share your enthusiasm.

I can't help but feel a little underwhelmed by all of this. I know how stressed the crew get, coping with the existing service in CE, which is the standard hot towels, drinks, meal tray, main course, hot drinks, towels.

I can't imagine the crew (no additional crew members I hear) will cope, serving 100-150 passengers in CE with these "extras".

axplat

I agree, the changes all sound rather cosmetic & around the edges to rather shabby aircraft and seating.


Has any thought been given to offering long-haul tier points to the route? That's probably asking a bit much?!

Smirnoff

The problem is that most DME fliers are already Gold. The Russian-based travellers are Euro-cheats, and the UK-based travellers are mainly very regular travellers on the route.

If you look at the manifest, you will see an ocean of Golds, and the odd Silver in there.