Time to end relationship with EK?
Apr 28, 2011 | 7:19 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 16,065
Apr 28, 2011 | 7:27 pm
#17
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Delhi
Programs: Emirates gold *alliance silver jet airways platinum tridentprivilege gold.
Posts: 1,818
Apr 28, 2011 | 8:30 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Skywards Plat, Etihad Gold, Aerosvit Gold, Virgin Silver, AA lifetime Gold, Sirius Gold
Posts: 1,229
I have been doing some research and it seems that with many destinations in the UK, EK is very competitively priced when flying out from London (or the UK for that matter) than any other airline. It seems the UK is one of their prime target markets for long-haul destinations. I think I will keep my Skywards card and use it when I see a good price from them. Their prices are high for flights out of Singapore, but it seems ALL flights out of Singapore nowadays are becoming very expensive!
Because my Citi PremierMiles credit card transfers miles (WRT *A) to either Singapore Airlines or Thai Airways, which one should I go for? From time to time, SQ offers a 50% offer on redemption and always gives 15% discount when redeeming via their website. I'm not so sure about THAI's Royal Orchid Plus programme. The downside for SQ is that you need to book about 4 months in advance to redeem anything really...
In order to keep the miles on Qantas (oneworld), I still haven't decided on whether to go for AAdvantage, BA Executive Club or FrequentFlyer. Compared to QF which gives 100% i.e. 12,000+, BA offers 25% of the miles for the discount economy ticket I am holding. But the QF programme's redemption is 'expensive' (about 15% higher than usual e.g. 87,000 instead of 70,000 for a SIN-LON return, correct me if I am wrong) and also offers very little miles (25%) for discounted flights on BA. AA is in the middle, giving 50% for my cheap tickets on either QF or BA.
As I am a very price sensitive consumer, it is likely that I may take BA in future (if Ryanair becomes not viable after surcharges upon surcharges). But this will only be for short-haul flights mostly... I predict. So it will pay for me to join a oneworld carrier's FFP. I think BA's programme is out, and I don't shop at Tesco that often either plus airline-branded credit card programmes are more lucrative for AAdvantage, even in the UK!
So do I sacrifice 6,000 miles by joining AAdvantage and earn 50% miles on future discount economy tickets on BA... OR
Keep 6,000 miles by sticking to QF and earn 25% miles on future discount economy tickets on BA... and also face 15% higher redemption rates.
I'm aiming for a short term gain... as in to collect enough points for redemption and that's it... unless otherwise. What do you think? AA or QF and as per above, SQ or TG?
Because my Citi PremierMiles credit card transfers miles (WRT *A) to either Singapore Airlines or Thai Airways, which one should I go for? From time to time, SQ offers a 50% offer on redemption and always gives 15% discount when redeeming via their website. I'm not so sure about THAI's Royal Orchid Plus programme. The downside for SQ is that you need to book about 4 months in advance to redeem anything really...
In order to keep the miles on Qantas (oneworld), I still haven't decided on whether to go for AAdvantage, BA Executive Club or FrequentFlyer. Compared to QF which gives 100% i.e. 12,000+, BA offers 25% of the miles for the discount economy ticket I am holding. But the QF programme's redemption is 'expensive' (about 15% higher than usual e.g. 87,000 instead of 70,000 for a SIN-LON return, correct me if I am wrong) and also offers very little miles (25%) for discounted flights on BA. AA is in the middle, giving 50% for my cheap tickets on either QF or BA.
As I am a very price sensitive consumer, it is likely that I may take BA in future (if Ryanair becomes not viable after surcharges upon surcharges). But this will only be for short-haul flights mostly... I predict. So it will pay for me to join a oneworld carrier's FFP. I think BA's programme is out, and I don't shop at Tesco that often either plus airline-branded credit card programmes are more lucrative for AAdvantage, even in the UK!
So do I sacrifice 6,000 miles by joining AAdvantage and earn 50% miles on future discount economy tickets on BA... OR
Keep 6,000 miles by sticking to QF and earn 25% miles on future discount economy tickets on BA... and also face 15% higher redemption rates.
I'm aiming for a short term gain... as in to collect enough points for redemption and that's it... unless otherwise. What do you think? AA or QF and as per above, SQ or TG?
Apr 28, 2011 | 8:34 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Skywards Plat, Etihad Gold, Aerosvit Gold, Virgin Silver, AA lifetime Gold, Sirius Gold
Posts: 1,229
also, how does one increase their chances of getting opups? I've only had it once and that was only because I made the (horrible) mistake of doing a 10hr transit period to save Ł50! as of now, all my flights are for personal travel, so #1 (price) comes first and foremost!
Apr 29, 2011 | 5:11 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: London, Singapore
Programs: EK Skywards, SQ KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic White (UK), Citi PremierMiles (SG)
Posts: 61
This question is way off topic for this thread and would best be posted in one of the several threads that have discussed (and continue to discuss) the opup question at length. Can I respectfully suggest that you do a search to see if you can get the answer you need - I am sure that you will. Thanks.
Apr 29, 2011 | 7:46 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: My existence is what matters
Programs: NZ, QF
Posts: 469
Apr 29, 2011 | 6:37 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: London, Singapore
Programs: EK Skywards, SQ KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic White (UK), Citi PremierMiles (SG)
Posts: 61
As for EK's B777s, I much prefer the B777-300ERs to the A380 which takes ages to board and alight as well as the fact that they cram so many seats in the cabin without breaking the space up into smaller 'compartments'.
Although it can be slightly less quiet in terms of noise coming from the aircraft, I tend to go for the seats at the very end, where there are 2 instead of 3 in a row on both sides. Most times, I get to keep the 2 seats for myself.
Apr 30, 2011 | 5:36 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 16,065
As for the 777s in Y, I much prefer the extra three inches of legroom versus the half-inch less seat width that the EK 777 offers versus the competition. I go out of my way to fly the EK 777 in Y where possible and to avoid the Airbuses.
Apr 30, 2011 | 5:53 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Delhi
Programs: Emirates gold *alliance silver jet airways platinum tridentprivilege gold.
Posts: 1,818
Elapsed time may have been longer, but actual arrival time beat any other option by at least 5 hours due to EK's morning arrival versus evening arrivals for the European carriers.
As for the 777s in Y, I much prefer the extra three inches of legroom versus the half-inch less seat width that the EK 777 offers versus the competition. I go out of my way to fly the EK 777 in Y where possible and to avoid the Airbuses.
As for the 777s in Y, I much prefer the extra three inches of legroom versus the half-inch less seat width that the EK 777 offers versus the competition. I go out of my way to fly the EK 777 in Y where possible and to avoid the Airbuses.
Apr 30, 2011 | 7:45 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 16,065
BA has pretty much a standard 31" in longhaul Y. The difference is quite noticeable.
The catch of the 10-across 777 is narrower aisles which means more elbows bumped during meal services, but you can avoid this by picking one of the seats in the 2-4-2 section near the back of the aircraft where the aisles become relatively wider.
Apr 30, 2011 | 3:12 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Delhi
Programs: Emirates gold *alliance silver jet airways platinum tridentprivilege gold.
Posts: 1,818
EK's 777s are (with a few exceptions such as the 2-class 773s) 34" pitch in Y.
BA has pretty much a standard 31" in longhaul Y. The difference is quite noticeable.
The catch of the 10-across 777 is narrower aisles which means more elbows bumped during meal services, but you can avoid this by picking one of the seats in the 2-4-2 section near the back of the aircraft where the aisles become relatively wider.
BA has pretty much a standard 31" in longhaul Y. The difference is quite noticeable.
The catch of the 10-across 777 is narrower aisles which means more elbows bumped during meal services, but you can avoid this by picking one of the seats in the 2-4-2 section near the back of the aircraft where the aisles become relatively wider.
Do you know if QR has the same pitch?
May 3, 2011 | 11:23 am
#28
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 16,065
Many other regular passengers on the Accra flights are domiciled abroad but resident in Ghana (I fit this profile - my Skywards address is in India but I live in Ghana). She estimates another 500 Skywards Gold among these passengers primarily from India, China and Australia. Traffic between China and Ghana has grown over 650% in the last 5 years alone.
As I've said before, it is not uncommon to see 100+ Golds on an Accra flight.
May 3, 2011 | 11:54 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: QR Plat | SK Diamond | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,612
Had a chat with the Emirates airport manager in Accra today and she advises that they just crossed 500 Skywards Golds with mailing addresses in Ghana. There are also almost 3000 Skywards Silver members in Ghana.
Many other regular passengers on the Accra flights are domiciled abroad but resident in Ghana (I fit this profile - my Skywards address is in India but I live in Ghana). She estimates another 500 Skywards Gold among these passengers primarily from India, China and Australia. Traffic between China and Ghana has grown over 650% in the last 5 years alone.
As I've said before, it is not uncommon to see 100+ Golds on an Accra flight.
Many other regular passengers on the Accra flights are domiciled abroad but resident in Ghana (I fit this profile - my Skywards address is in India but I live in Ghana). She estimates another 500 Skywards Gold among these passengers primarily from India, China and Australia. Traffic between China and Ghana has grown over 650% in the last 5 years alone.
As I've said before, it is not uncommon to see 100+ Golds on an Accra flight.