Hedging your bets!
Nov 9, 1998 | 6:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London,UK. Ok, about 100 miles from London really, but how many Americans know where Market Harborough is?
Posts: 409
Hedging your bets!
I can't resist sharing this with you all. I received my Malev (Hungarian Airlines) FF Gold Membership card this morning - 'Gold Duma Club'.
The thing that made me laugh was this 'benefit' listed (as the main benefit of Gold) in the Members Handbook.
"at check-in you CAN be upgraded from tourist to the higher SkyClub class IF you have an IATA-published rate, tourist class ticket, AND after due consideration to free places AND the company's principles AND the check-in staff member considers it possible."
I think that roughly translates to 'you can ask for an upgrade'?
Perhaps there should be a Freddie for the most polished way of presenting a 'benefit'.
MF
The thing that made me laugh was this 'benefit' listed (as the main benefit of Gold) in the Members Handbook.
"at check-in you CAN be upgraded from tourist to the higher SkyClub class IF you have an IATA-published rate, tourist class ticket, AND after due consideration to free places AND the company's principles AND the check-in staff member considers it possible."
I think that roughly translates to 'you can ask for an upgrade'?
Perhaps there should be a Freddie for the most polished way of presenting a 'benefit'.
MF
Nov 9, 1998 | 7:38 am
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 1,433
MF - I think that by now you probably have sufficient ff cards to start a bridge game... among the FlyerTalk Freddies there should be one for the person with the most gold memberships - I think you'd be the frontrunner!
Nov 9, 1998 | 9:00 am
#4
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London,UK. Ok, about 100 miles from London really, but how many Americans know where Market Harborough is?
Posts: 409
Baobab: Please don't say that, I think that must be about the saddest thing that can said about anyone :-(
However, I have decided today that I just MUST have a Marriott Platinum - I only have a Gold at the moment - once I have that I think it is time to give up!
I am at home this week, and am having a FF day, so far I have found 13 nights at Hilton's I have not had credited, 2 united flights, 2 SAS flights and 10 nights at Marriott's - I just need to find another 6 nights at Marriott's for Black...
Oh well... I suppose I had better get back to checking those AMEX statements.
MF
PS: Does anyone know if Marriott's do comp/dsicretionary cards? If so I may promise them some of the company's business! [I feel a change to the approved hotel list coming on...]
However, I have decided today that I just MUST have a Marriott Platinum - I only have a Gold at the moment - once I have that I think it is time to give up!
I am at home this week, and am having a FF day, so far I have found 13 nights at Hilton's I have not had credited, 2 united flights, 2 SAS flights and 10 nights at Marriott's - I just need to find another 6 nights at Marriott's for Black...
Oh well... I suppose I had better get back to checking those AMEX statements.
MF
PS: Does anyone know if Marriott's do comp/dsicretionary cards? If so I may promise them some of the company's business! [I feel a change to the approved hotel list coming on...]
Nov 9, 1998 | 9:56 am
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 117
Yes MF. Marriott does comp. up to Black card. I was Black last year and did not requalify for this year and they comped me without me even asking for it. I do not know about Platinum. You may just have to earn that. Even when you get there, its no picnic. Trust me.
Nov 9, 1998 | 10:20 am
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Niceville, FL, USA
Posts: 2,792
Merry Flyer: This probably isn't much help, since I was so close, but Marriott did give me Platinum status for this year even though I was 2 nights short of the required 75. I know 2 nights doesn't amount to much.
It does show, though, there is *some* decision-making going in to this, since, like vgrove, I didn't request an exception either.
It does show, though, there is *some* decision-making going in to this, since, like vgrove, I didn't request an exception either.
Nov 9, 1998 | 10:28 am
#9
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London,UK. Ok, about 100 miles from London really, but how many Americans know where Market Harborough is?
Posts: 409
Vishal,
"no picnic"... It sounds like you have a story to tell, come on spill the beans. What have they done to you?
MF
"no picnic"... It sounds like you have a story to tell, come on spill the beans. What have they done to you?
MF
Nov 9, 1998 | 10:38 am
#10
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London,UK. Ok, about 100 miles from London really, but how many Americans know where Market Harborough is?
Posts: 409
Baobab: I really think you are after a fight today!
I tell you what, you insult British Airways and I'll rise to the bait!
I don't need boxing gloves by the way (i) I have a weight advantage (ii) I'm in HR - I just charm people to death with a fake smile... perhaps I should work for Virgin?
MF
I tell you what, you insult British Airways and I'll rise to the bait!
I don't need boxing gloves by the way (i) I have a weight advantage (ii) I'm in HR - I just charm people to death with a fake smile... perhaps I should work for Virgin?
MF
Nov 9, 1998 | 2:14 pm
#13
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,043
merry - you asked for it (my London weekend report):
check-in Zurich, Saturday, very early morning, with BA (my first flight ever with BA), party of three, eco: Zurich-check-in 5 min, even a deep look into the eyes of the "check-in-lady" didn't produce any upgrade (I did ask "hat vielleicht einer meiner Freunde einen Upgrade fr uns erreicht?"). The flight was sold out.
There are no direct Zurich-London-flights of any StarAlliance-member or mileage-marketing-partner (BD British Midland, marketing-partner of UA and others, gave up that connection last April 98).
at the gate: passport controle (again), no problem of getting our hand-luggage on board.
on board: Swiss breakfast (and the always ice-cold bread they serve you in eco worldwide), and a SWISS TEA on BA!
arrival: no admittance to UA's Red Carpet (sea under the UA topic).
immigration: Swiss have to queu with/at "OTHERS", as Switzerland is not in the EC (and not member of the Commonwealth either as we killed all austrian-german kings in 1291 ...).
the piccadilly-line (6 zones 7 for unlimited weekend-travel) is faster for us than Heathrow Express to Paddington, as we head for "The Connaught" near Knightsbridge: Gisela tests our credit-card-limits at Harrod's, I have a short business (beer) meeting at the hotel and a nearby Pub.
Hotel: The Connaught: wonderful british, as one of the Old-Bonds-Street-clubs (for men only), and a first-class-restaurant (Michelin 1*). Hotel prices in London beat even New York.
afternoon/evening/night/early morning: "whistle down the wind" latest musical from Lloyd Webber (Aldwych); THE roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding at "Simpson's at the Strand"; Pub Crawl on our way from Covent Garden to Soho (looking out for merry flyer- in vain - every second man looked the way he described himself); jazz at Ronnie Scott.
Sunday: another midday-lunch and afternoon Pub-crawl (and our two ladies had a late lunch at the Had Rock Cafe).
Piccadilly Line again to Heathrow, check-in at the hand-luggage-only-counter: the (nice) lady did call for another BA-employee to look at our handluggage (he checkid it and decided that we had to check them in: 10kg - allowed are 6kg only), no upgrades again (sold out again), free Diners Club Lounge at terminal 1 (to my surprise even this late-Sunday-night-flight out of Heathrow was on time).
Flight-comfort: I had the impression that BA's eco-seats provide a little more space than other airlines do (or at least their practical designe let me stretch my legs/feet better).
Zurich-Parking: SFr 48 ($33) for 42 hours!
And now I have 1'000 AA-miles (for flying BA) - and they will very probably be lost in three years from now.
check-in Zurich, Saturday, very early morning, with BA (my first flight ever with BA), party of three, eco: Zurich-check-in 5 min, even a deep look into the eyes of the "check-in-lady" didn't produce any upgrade (I did ask "hat vielleicht einer meiner Freunde einen Upgrade fr uns erreicht?"). The flight was sold out.
There are no direct Zurich-London-flights of any StarAlliance-member or mileage-marketing-partner (BD British Midland, marketing-partner of UA and others, gave up that connection last April 98).
at the gate: passport controle (again), no problem of getting our hand-luggage on board.
on board: Swiss breakfast (and the always ice-cold bread they serve you in eco worldwide), and a SWISS TEA on BA!
arrival: no admittance to UA's Red Carpet (sea under the UA topic).
immigration: Swiss have to queu with/at "OTHERS", as Switzerland is not in the EC (and not member of the Commonwealth either as we killed all austrian-german kings in 1291 ...).
the piccadilly-line (6 zones 7 for unlimited weekend-travel) is faster for us than Heathrow Express to Paddington, as we head for "The Connaught" near Knightsbridge: Gisela tests our credit-card-limits at Harrod's, I have a short business (beer) meeting at the hotel and a nearby Pub.
Hotel: The Connaught: wonderful british, as one of the Old-Bonds-Street-clubs (for men only), and a first-class-restaurant (Michelin 1*). Hotel prices in London beat even New York.
afternoon/evening/night/early morning: "whistle down the wind" latest musical from Lloyd Webber (Aldwych); THE roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding at "Simpson's at the Strand"; Pub Crawl on our way from Covent Garden to Soho (looking out for merry flyer- in vain - every second man looked the way he described himself); jazz at Ronnie Scott.
Sunday: another midday-lunch and afternoon Pub-crawl (and our two ladies had a late lunch at the Had Rock Cafe).
Piccadilly Line again to Heathrow, check-in at the hand-luggage-only-counter: the (nice) lady did call for another BA-employee to look at our handluggage (he checkid it and decided that we had to check them in: 10kg - allowed are 6kg only), no upgrades again (sold out again), free Diners Club Lounge at terminal 1 (to my surprise even this late-Sunday-night-flight out of Heathrow was on time).
Flight-comfort: I had the impression that BA's eco-seats provide a little more space than other airlines do (or at least their practical designe let me stretch my legs/feet better).
Zurich-Parking: SFr 48 ($33) for 42 hours!
And now I have 1'000 AA-miles (for flying BA) - and they will very probably be lost in three years from now.
Nov 9, 1998 | 3:19 pm
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 1,433
Rudi - what did I tell you about all the MF lookalikes in Soho on Saturday evenings? Did you spot anyone with blue fluff in their turn-ups?
BA can be strict about carry-on luggage, particularly if flights are full. Heathrow isn't usually too bad for this, but try getting on to an overcrowded flight to Africa (mostly from Gatwick) - everyone tries taking at least ten pieces of hand luggage!
At one point in my student days I had to deceive the check-in/gate staff, because I was taking a bag containing over 200 cds and an expensive camera with loads of lenses, camera equipment, etc. The bag was heavy, but there was NO WAY I was going to check it in - the contents would never have made it to the other end safely. (Not to mention the amount of duty I would have had to pay on arrival) So the check-in staff, who were sympathetic, told me that I could take it through and check it in when I boarded - this got me past the man who wouldn't let me into the passengers-only area with the bag - and when I got to the plane the crew told me I could keep it with me.
Of course, when I arrived, I went sailing through the 'green' line! (Everything was eventually re-exported, so I feel no guilt...)
BA can be strict about carry-on luggage, particularly if flights are full. Heathrow isn't usually too bad for this, but try getting on to an overcrowded flight to Africa (mostly from Gatwick) - everyone tries taking at least ten pieces of hand luggage!
At one point in my student days I had to deceive the check-in/gate staff, because I was taking a bag containing over 200 cds and an expensive camera with loads of lenses, camera equipment, etc. The bag was heavy, but there was NO WAY I was going to check it in - the contents would never have made it to the other end safely. (Not to mention the amount of duty I would have had to pay on arrival) So the check-in staff, who were sympathetic, told me that I could take it through and check it in when I boarded - this got me past the man who wouldn't let me into the passengers-only area with the bag - and when I got to the plane the crew told me I could keep it with me.
Of course, when I arrived, I went sailing through the 'green' line! (Everything was eventually re-exported, so I feel no guilt...)
Nov 10, 1998 | 9:23 pm
#15
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Naples FL, Munich DE
Programs: UA MM, AA 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,813
At the risk of turning this into an OMNI thread - if it isn't already - Rudi, how was "whistle down the wind" ?
My fiancee and her (early 20s) daughter plan to transit London in mid-December and thought they might stop off for a few days. Knowing them, it's Portobello Road during the day, but they asked about theatre recommendations, so I thought I'd inquire.
My fiancee and her (early 20s) daughter plan to transit London in mid-December and thought they might stop off for a few days. Knowing them, it's Portobello Road during the day, but they asked about theatre recommendations, so I thought I'd inquire.