OH-LGG

What is this 2813 tier and award points when flying TLL-HEL-DEL-HEL (1250+10000+10000) ? 1563 tier/award comes from where?

intuition

a) The lounge they use now has not many food options. IIRC there is a food station where they cook stuff and some buffet things too. I've survived all the times but I can't recall eating anything risky either.

b) Hard to tell. Some of it obviously is catered locally (like the Amul butter) other things (like the pastas) could be catered from HEL. Here are pics from J from 2 occasions. Like I said, it is hard to tell, it might be that the western options are catered from HEL, but I don't know.

OH-LGG

Food must come from DEL
How and where they could keep 270 meals safe first 8 hrs HEL-DEL, then 5 hrs in a aircraft without aircon 3-4 hrs on and then one more hour before pax from DEL starting to eat it.

Purjelentaja

I just booked option 3, but not to do a same plane turn around, but for some serious mass travelling: going to stay there for a couple of days! My first time experience of India was exactly like ffay005's, but then some years later my work took me to that country regularly, 3-4 times a year and kinda started liking it, more and more each time. Now after changing work and not being there for a couple of years, I've almost been missing it (yep, I know every one of us have the dark side, perhaps this is mine!) and as I def need some more tier points, added up 1+1 and ended joining the mass tourist movement - a weekend in Delhi! Costwise it is as ffay005 had calculated, 455€ for the flights, 20-40€ for the ferry tickets and 44€ for the evisa, making total of 22500 tier and award points (hmmm... just wondering where that 22813 points comes from?), which is pretty good value. Of course excluding hotel and other expenses in destination.

I never got Delhi belly from the food in the lounge, and actually nowhere in India, but have to admit, I've been extra-ultra-hyper-super-careful of what to eat and drink and where. Regarding flight catering, at least when I used to fly it regularly catering onboard on return was always from Delhi, it was also clear from the taste of their Indian food options.

OH-LGG

MR to DEL is always funny but this year I have 57 segments/91490 tier points now flown or booked.
To Platinum I would need 58510 tiers or 19 segments.
19 segments are cost wise around 500€ total while 91490 points by flying to DEL exEU are apprx 1650€ + positioning flights --->EU<---. No thanks.

And segments are best solution for an idiot like me: more flights, more travelling, more aircraft, more variable AY staff and more customer experience. I like it that way!

ffay005

22813 comes from HEL-RIX-HEL in W and RIX-HEL in R/Value, which gives 23126, subtract 313 and you have 22813

(The cheapest option to DEL is from RIX, and that was my option 3 originally. Then I realised I should check TLL, which in the end turned out to be cheaper as a whole because you don't need positioning flights. And then instead of re-counting the points, I just subtracted 313 when I should have subtracted 313+1250+313... So of course it's 21250 p.!)

OH-LGG and Intuition, thanks for your catering remarks. On two occasions now, I've tried asking FAs about the DEL return catering, but I've received mixed answers. One FA suggested they would have a cold storage in the hold downstairs, but she wasn't sure. I know theoretically it is possible that they cater the plane from HEL both ways, that's what BA do for their more obscure destinations. Experienced it once on ACC-LHR when I had to ask because they had cold shrimp as appetizer. I've also made a habit of checking the water bottles on board ex-HEL. They have bottles from Korea, Japan... But so far I've yet to witness a bottle from India.

I don't much care for käsidesi (hand sanitizer) but if I take this MR, then I just might bring a small bottle with me.

Purjelentäjä, I sort of know what you are talking about. I swore I would never go to India after that initial visit, and I haven't changed my mind. But my feelings about Sub-Saharan Africa resemble yours about India. If I had to describe what Africa is like, I wouldn't have many positive things to say. But nevertheless, something keeps luring me back over and over again...

intuition

In one of my pictures there is uncooked Falukorv and cold shrimps in the appetizer. Besides it being a pretty odd combination, I do hope the theory of a cold storage in the hold is true. If LGG is right and it is catered locally I don't feel very appetized by it!

ffay005

And then again, that tray doesn't really look like HEL catering. The odd combo, and the green salad with so many different colours of bell peppers, looks very non-HEL-lish to me... But you ate all that and survived to tell the story?!

cistavoda

Do not eat DEL catering. Pilots are not allowed to eat it according to sources.

Purjelentaja

That is over-reacting. I've had it I would say at least a dozen times with no problems. One of the worst nightmares an airline could face is food poisoning epidemic onboard, that's why hygienic level on airline catering is high almost everywhere, and I'm sure AY would not use local catering if there was any doubt of food safety.

WilcoRoger

To maximize the Gold period for the recepient - don't gift the card before she has an actual flight. Her tracking period will reset on gifting, so why waste the status on months when there are no flights.

WilcoRoger

Is DEL much cheaper than ICN? ICN might be a bit longer, but much safer catering/lounge/airport food

OH-LGG

Yes DEL is cheap.

And can't book same plane turnaround in ICN, leads to mass tourism then.

WilcoRoger

Nest 2 tix, one ex-HEL, one ex-ICN. Double the joy

ffay005

For me, it's primarily a question of flight time. Thanks to FT, I've pretty much been able to avoid flying longhaul Y(+), but this time I'll have to do it. So every extra minute in that seat feels like a punishment

Moreover, the ICN plane stays on the ground for 1:55 only. I have no idea whether it's possible to make a transfer in that time and I'm not at all familiar with the airport.

The food is actually not that important – I can self-cater if it's needed, and I would happily choose that over the extra 4 hours on the plane. I sent an email to the platinum address, let's see if it'll come back with some info.