Widebody service to Dubai DXB
#76
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
I find this interesting, too. D8 wasn't able to compete against FZ and AY A359, which hardy comes as a surprise. And A359 is a necessity in competing with FZ. But I wouldn't be so sure about FZ leaving. QR has a good number of seats from HEL, and hardly anyone goes to DOH, it's mostly connecting pax. FZ, on the other hand, can serve DXB as a destination in its own right, but I bet they also have lots of connecting pax to big sister EK (although I haven't checked prices or schedules, but isn't FZ mainly supposed to be EK's feeder).
However, I hope FZ is here to stay. Not because I'll fly it, but because...
It will also be interesting to see if AY will create a middle-haul AY+ category.
By the way, Aurinkomatkat is already selling LPA for winter 19/20 (with some terrible night flights leaving LPA 22:50). But not yet DXB.
However, I hope FZ is here to stay. Not because I'll fly it, but because...
It will also be interesting to see if AY will create a middle-haul AY+ category.
By the way, Aurinkomatkat is already selling LPA for winter 19/20 (with some terrible night flights leaving LPA 22:50). But not yet DXB.
#77
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Apart from that it's utter shite in Y these days. I don't mind on a short flight like <1,5h, but anything above that and it's really nasty.
#78
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AY+ Plat, A3*G
Posts: 672
I might actually, but already have one work trip scheduled for that week. Have to see if "perse kestää"
#79
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, SK Gold
Posts: 952
I'd say D8 kicked themselves out by having a horrible schedule with arrival and departure in the small hours. The schedule will ruin one night's sleep going both ways - not exactly a relaxing holiday. With the arrival at 3 AM, most passengers probably booked a hotel already for that night, and the cost for that can be already higher than the difference in the airfare.
#83
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,591
Not sure if changed but that what is the purser said regarding meals: now they serve a light bread in the beginning and 2 hours to landing the main meal (choices 3: meat, chicken, pasta), to better listen to customer wishes. Great!
Longhaul J list drinks menu given, bread was a pre-wrapped (Lunden food oy) tomato mozzarella baguette (very tasty!!). Main meal was one-tray but nicely on chinaware. Sallad, excellent salmon starter (one of those delixious kitchen visit ones) and chicken I took was okay. Godiva chocolate dessert.
Very good J service!
Cabin full in J, even a pleb waitlisted upgrade cleared at checkin
Longhaul J list drinks menu given, bread was a pre-wrapped (Lunden food oy) tomato mozzarella baguette (very tasty!!). Main meal was one-tray but nicely on chinaware. Sallad, excellent salmon starter (one of those delixious kitchen visit ones) and chicken I took was okay. Godiva chocolate dessert.
Very good J service!
Cabin full in J, even a pleb waitlisted upgrade cleared at checkin
#84
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
Yes, that service concept was in effect in November, too. If you ask nicely and quietly, they might heat the baguette in the oven. Then it’s delicious!
#85
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
The schedule has been further padded, with a departure time of 07:55 am instead of 08:10 am, thus having a flying time of 6:10 instead of 5:55.
Arrival time and the return flight remain the same.
Arrival time and the return flight remain the same.
#86
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
This winter season, Aurinkomatkat seems to only offer widebody DXB packages. They offer both the Friday and the Sunday flights, and the buy-up to J is €350 one way. No other flights offered.
Last year, I remember them offering last minute packages where the J buy-up was €199. I wonder if those prices fluctuate. Or perhaps €199 was the standard, with a price increase of 75 % this season.
The positive thing here is that sometimes AY offers last minute trips that are shorter than the conventional one-week packages. Last season such shorter trips always included an A32B segment, but this time I suppose we can expect Fri-Sun and Sun-Fri last minute packages and flight only deals. The flight only deals, however, do not qualify for J buy-ups.
My guess is that a flight-only last-minute weekend deal with two hotel nights and J both ways could be around €1000, meaning that compared to AY pricing (€996), you'd practically get a free hotel room. Earnings are a meagre 4000 points / segment, though, so a Plat earns 10 000 points.
Last year, I remember them offering last minute packages where the J buy-up was €199. I wonder if those prices fluctuate. Or perhaps €199 was the standard, with a price increase of 75 % this season.
The positive thing here is that sometimes AY offers last minute trips that are shorter than the conventional one-week packages. Last season such shorter trips always included an A32B segment, but this time I suppose we can expect Fri-Sun and Sun-Fri last minute packages and flight only deals. The flight only deals, however, do not qualify for J buy-ups.
My guess is that a flight-only last-minute weekend deal with two hotel nights and J both ways could be around €1000, meaning that compared to AY pricing (€996), you'd practically get a free hotel room. Earnings are a meagre 4000 points / segment, though, so a Plat earns 10 000 points.
#87
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
I waitlisted a J award to DXB for late Jan. Should be a quieter travel period, and J is wide open, but I availability was scarce nevertheless. Let's see what happens. I'm planning to continue to KGL, so I hope it will clear pretty soon.
#88
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Platinum
Posts: 103
On today’s AY1961, departing at 8:10 am, I got:
- LH-J pillow and blanket
- LH-J amenity kit
- no slippers
- socks available on request
- LH-J headphones
- 0.33 L water bottle
Meal service was pretty clever. It’s an early departure, but most J pax have probably eaten something at the lounge (which, surprisingly, had a relatively decent breakfast spread even if they offer mostly c**p later in the day). So as opposed to what you might expect, the main meal service is at the end of the flight!
- LH-J pillow and blanket
- LH-J amenity kit
- no slippers
- socks available on request
- LH-J headphones
- 0.33 L water bottle
Meal service was pretty clever. It’s an early departure, but most J pax have probably eaten something at the lounge (which, surprisingly, had a relatively decent breakfast spread even if they offer mostly c**p later in the day). So as opposed to what you might expect, the main meal service is at the end of the flight!
#89
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,734
Tried to get a weekend break to DXB (J award using points). Initially, both segments were waitlisted. Outbound cleared about 36 hours before the flight, but inbound remains unconfirmed, and now the reservation is cancelled. Availability shows J4. I would understand it if it was J1, but I can hardly believe they will sell 3 or 4 J seats DXB-HEL at such a short notice.
#90
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo
Posts: 1,519
Tried to get a weekend break to DXB (J award using points). Initially, both segments were waitlisted. Outbound cleared about 36 hours before the flight, but inbound remains unconfirmed, and now the reservation is cancelled. Availability shows J4. I would understand it if it was J1, but I can hardly believe they will sell 3 or 4 J seats DXB-HEL at such a short notice.