CPH-COR-UNI-GND-CPH on *A with upgrades, BWIA, SVG-air
Oct 6, 2004, 1:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ARN
Programs: SK EBG (*G), First Hotels Platinum, Hertz PC, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 115
CPH-COR-UNI-GND-CPH on *A with upgrades, BWIA, SVG-air
This is a long report and I am not used to write in English so I apologize for misspellings.
We, my finace and I, had been looking forward to this trip for many months. We would start in Sweden and end up in Argentina. After 2 weeks in Argentina the beaches of the Grenadines were awaiting us. We hade some great flying moments, with C upgrade, screws falling of during flight, 6 seeter plane and one more C upgrade.
CPH-FRA-CCS
The flight from CPH was nothing spectacular, ordinary flight with very small sandwiches onboard SK-flight. On arriving at FRA we went to the *G lounge that was packed. It was actually nicer just to walk around outside the lounge. One hour before departure from FRA we approached the gate staff. I politely asked if they needed to do upgrades for *G passengers, on the LH-flight (I have SK*G but my fiance has no status) . He promty replied that he would like to help us. So within we 3 minutes we had two C-boardingpasses.
Just amazing. Entering the C-cabin of the A340-300 we saw that there still were seats available. Service to Caracas was actually poorly and hasty done, as if we were in Y. Seats were old and torn, p-tv was not working properly nor the seats. (I must have bad luck with seast since I jammed three Spacebeds lasts summer flying CPH-SIN). Food was ordinary but nothing special. No turbulence during the dayflight.
Luckely the lounge at CCS was open and we spent 6 hours there. No food but lots of drinks, two internet computers, no showers. Otherwise the airport was nothing that I could recommend. TAX-free was more expensive here then in CPH.
CCS-GRU-(stop in Asuncion)-COR
The segments from CCS to COR were made on milage for the two of us. I tried to get us upgraded from CCS but with no success. It was an overnight flight with RG onboard an MD-11. No food was served and the movie showed on one large screen was of bad quality. We have been at GRU many times so we headed directly for the lounge were they serve some excellent hot cheescrackers and breakfast. We saw many passengers with Eurobonus tags and there were even some swedish magazines.
After 5 hours we left GRU for COR in a Varig B737-200 or 300. It seemed to have seen better days since we were missing some screws on one of the plates above the left engine. During flight we see that two moore had fallen out and that only 50% of the screw now were in place. We actually saw one more coming out during our descend to Asuncion. Luckely I had my camera available and took som photos. My fiance told me to contact the staff so that they could check the ones that were left, before we continued to Cordoba. So I approached the captains door and asked if I could se the captain since the screws were falling of. It felt quite strange asking to see the captain for this reason and apperantly so did the FA, judging from the expression of his face. We met the captain and I showed him the photos and we went back to our seats. But nothing really happened, so I approached the cockpit again and asked him to make sure that no more screws were about to fall off. Finally an old man got up the wing and made sure that the screws were fastened, but no new ones were put in place. The last leg to Cordoba was two hours watching the wing and saying some short sentences to my fiance.
After two weeks i Cordoba we started our 55 hour long trip to Union Island (St Vincent & the Grenadines). Leaving Cordoba felt nice in one way since it was winter and the temperature was quite low, Even lower then a swedish summerJ. On the other hand we had have a wonderful time with her relatives with many parrilladas and milanesas.
COR-GRU-CCS
Going north from Cordoba is a big problem, since the flightconnections are not made for this. We arrived at GRU without any hassle but with the grandmother of my fiance. She would take the RG flight to FRA at 2200 and we arrived at 1900. Since our stop at GRU was longer then 12hrs it had to picked up. So we splited up and I waited for two hours at the luggage claim, in order for her grandmother to board the plane. I have had better moments. In S.P we met up with some friends and had a great time with lots of Brahma. Next afternoon we were back at GRU at checked in without a trouble at *G desk. The flight left right on schedule, RG B737-800ER. We saw some great thunderstorms flying over the amazonas in the dark.
Arriving in Caracas, around 2200, we had our hotelcar waiting for us. Heard a lot of horror stories about tourists beeing mugged outside the airport and the FA even warned us before landing. This was our second night on the road up north and the travelling began to affects us and it did not get any better when we saw that our hotel was surrounded by brothels and my fiance said: This is the last time you make me fly like crazy just because you like flying! Anyhow, up next morning at 0530 in order to catch the plane to POS, Trinidad.
CCS-POS-GND-Carriacou-UNI-GND
Of course the flight from CCS to POS with BWIA arrived late. At first they told us that it was not a problem since the same aircraft would continue to GND. But we were too late so they changed aircraft. Upon landing they told us to crab our bags directly of the plane and make a run for the aircraft just beside. But as we were about to approach the GND-aircraft a securityofficer told us that could not be donde, we must go through security. So we started running, with our bags and made a successfull sightseeingtrip around the airport and passed security and passportcontrol, were everyone commented the fact that we had all our bags with us. My fiance was about to lose it. We made it to the only flight that day to GND. It was a short flight, around 40 min, and it was packed with youngsters from Barbados. The time is around 1330hrs and we have to wait for three hours at GND before our last leg. Not really much to do at the airport. We went to SVG-air and made all necessary transactions. They took our luggage and for a first time I saw some kind of expression in their otherwise calm faces. We ha a total of 80kilos and the limit was 50 in total. We had brought winterclothes to Argentina, bought wines clothes etc in Arg, so we were genuinly overloaded. After some chit-chat they did not charge us, really nice. Did I mention that thay also put us on the scale..
Our plane, BN2 Islander 6 seeter, looked really small compared to the BA-aircraft. My first travelplan, before leaving Sweden, was to fly directly to Union Island from GND, but we were told that on tuesdays there is no flight. So instead we booked a flight to the island of Carriacou which is inbetween GND-UNI. (GND to the south and UNI to the north), where we would stay for three days. You can image my surprise and my fiances shock when the captain said: -Welcome onboard this flight to Carriacou via Union Island. At this point all my reassurance, to my fiance, that I did not plan this, was totally unsuccessful. We had som great seats just behind the one pilot and could see everything. Please note that she is abit afraid of flying and especially small planes, after we had an incident flying to the Aran Islands outside Ireland, so I totally understand that she lost it. Anyhow the flight was great with amazing views! Landing at UNI, after 30 min, was just amazing, a sharp turn and a quite steep landing. The other two passengers left the plane and we were the only guests onboard. After 10 min we landed on Carriacou. Beautiful Island and with few restaurants and tourists. On departing from Carriacou, three days later, we passed the non existing security controlJ and this time we hade to pay for the overweight. One more time we made the great landing at Union Island. We stayed at Bigsand Hotel, with a perfect location but with lousy service. I can not recommend this place. We did some great tours and visited Palm Island Resort, Mustique and Tobago Kays. Service on Union Island is bad and peolpe not so friendly with prices like in Sweden. We were harassed a couple of times with people asking for money. (Union Island is a small island with only 1500 inhabitants). After one week the aircraft took us back to GND. Just before taking off a local thunderstorm covered us in rain which ment that our flight back was a bumpy one.
Grenada was beautiful and it felt nice to be able to choose between restaurants and receiving good service. (At Union Island breakfast was delayed if it was raining). We stayed at The Mariposa Resort, nice staff, good pool, excellent location on a small peninsula between Grand Anse and Mourne Rouge beach.
After Ivans destruction, our hotel is no more and my before and after pictures are horrific. I really feel for the islanders.
GND-POS-CCS-FRA-CPH
After four days it was time to start our trip back to Sweden. Before departuring from GND I bought Jack Iron rum 70.5% proof which meant that the trip was worth all the hassle J. We arrived at POS late again and had to make a run for it again, but this time we new our way. The flight to CCS was all but eventful and we waited in CCS for 6 hours. At this time the *A staff at CCS recognized us. It was the same staff representing, Varig, Lufthansa, BWIA and we met them a couple of times. So I asked if they needed to do any upgrades on the LH flight to FRA, and the man said in spanish: -Primero tengo que ver a su esposa, first I must see your wife. I presented her and he said that if we wanted to fly C she would have to change her jeans. So she did and we got our two C-boardingpasses. I just could not believe it, in total four C-upgrades on long haul flights, and one of us have no *A status. C-was full and they even moved four more people from Y to C, and three went up two F. This time service was perfect and so was the food. It felt more like the business class i have experiences before.
We had a great trip and but we will not return to Unions Island, Carriacou was great and so was Grenada. I also want to tell my fiance that I am grateful that she puts up with me. When landing at CPH she told me that next time I want to fly like this again it shall be with my little brother PappaG.
We, my finace and I, had been looking forward to this trip for many months. We would start in Sweden and end up in Argentina. After 2 weeks in Argentina the beaches of the Grenadines were awaiting us. We hade some great flying moments, with C upgrade, screws falling of during flight, 6 seeter plane and one more C upgrade.
CPH-FRA-CCS
The flight from CPH was nothing spectacular, ordinary flight with very small sandwiches onboard SK-flight. On arriving at FRA we went to the *G lounge that was packed. It was actually nicer just to walk around outside the lounge. One hour before departure from FRA we approached the gate staff. I politely asked if they needed to do upgrades for *G passengers, on the LH-flight (I have SK*G but my fiance has no status) . He promty replied that he would like to help us. So within we 3 minutes we had two C-boardingpasses.
Just amazing. Entering the C-cabin of the A340-300 we saw that there still were seats available. Service to Caracas was actually poorly and hasty done, as if we were in Y. Seats were old and torn, p-tv was not working properly nor the seats. (I must have bad luck with seast since I jammed three Spacebeds lasts summer flying CPH-SIN). Food was ordinary but nothing special. No turbulence during the dayflight.Luckely the lounge at CCS was open and we spent 6 hours there. No food but lots of drinks, two internet computers, no showers. Otherwise the airport was nothing that I could recommend. TAX-free was more expensive here then in CPH.
CCS-GRU-(stop in Asuncion)-COR
The segments from CCS to COR were made on milage for the two of us. I tried to get us upgraded from CCS but with no success. It was an overnight flight with RG onboard an MD-11. No food was served and the movie showed on one large screen was of bad quality. We have been at GRU many times so we headed directly for the lounge were they serve some excellent hot cheescrackers and breakfast. We saw many passengers with Eurobonus tags and there were even some swedish magazines.
After 5 hours we left GRU for COR in a Varig B737-200 or 300. It seemed to have seen better days since we were missing some screws on one of the plates above the left engine. During flight we see that two moore had fallen out and that only 50% of the screw now were in place. We actually saw one more coming out during our descend to Asuncion. Luckely I had my camera available and took som photos. My fiance told me to contact the staff so that they could check the ones that were left, before we continued to Cordoba. So I approached the captains door and asked if I could se the captain since the screws were falling of. It felt quite strange asking to see the captain for this reason and apperantly so did the FA, judging from the expression of his face. We met the captain and I showed him the photos and we went back to our seats. But nothing really happened, so I approached the cockpit again and asked him to make sure that no more screws were about to fall off. Finally an old man got up the wing and made sure that the screws were fastened, but no new ones were put in place. The last leg to Cordoba was two hours watching the wing and saying some short sentences to my fiance.
After two weeks i Cordoba we started our 55 hour long trip to Union Island (St Vincent & the Grenadines). Leaving Cordoba felt nice in one way since it was winter and the temperature was quite low, Even lower then a swedish summerJ. On the other hand we had have a wonderful time with her relatives with many parrilladas and milanesas.
COR-GRU-CCS
Going north from Cordoba is a big problem, since the flightconnections are not made for this. We arrived at GRU without any hassle but with the grandmother of my fiance. She would take the RG flight to FRA at 2200 and we arrived at 1900. Since our stop at GRU was longer then 12hrs it had to picked up. So we splited up and I waited for two hours at the luggage claim, in order for her grandmother to board the plane. I have had better moments. In S.P we met up with some friends and had a great time with lots of Brahma. Next afternoon we were back at GRU at checked in without a trouble at *G desk. The flight left right on schedule, RG B737-800ER. We saw some great thunderstorms flying over the amazonas in the dark.
Arriving in Caracas, around 2200, we had our hotelcar waiting for us. Heard a lot of horror stories about tourists beeing mugged outside the airport and the FA even warned us before landing. This was our second night on the road up north and the travelling began to affects us and it did not get any better when we saw that our hotel was surrounded by brothels and my fiance said: This is the last time you make me fly like crazy just because you like flying! Anyhow, up next morning at 0530 in order to catch the plane to POS, Trinidad.
CCS-POS-GND-Carriacou-UNI-GND
Of course the flight from CCS to POS with BWIA arrived late. At first they told us that it was not a problem since the same aircraft would continue to GND. But we were too late so they changed aircraft. Upon landing they told us to crab our bags directly of the plane and make a run for the aircraft just beside. But as we were about to approach the GND-aircraft a securityofficer told us that could not be donde, we must go through security. So we started running, with our bags and made a successfull sightseeingtrip around the airport and passed security and passportcontrol, were everyone commented the fact that we had all our bags with us. My fiance was about to lose it. We made it to the only flight that day to GND. It was a short flight, around 40 min, and it was packed with youngsters from Barbados. The time is around 1330hrs and we have to wait for three hours at GND before our last leg. Not really much to do at the airport. We went to SVG-air and made all necessary transactions. They took our luggage and for a first time I saw some kind of expression in their otherwise calm faces. We ha a total of 80kilos and the limit was 50 in total. We had brought winterclothes to Argentina, bought wines clothes etc in Arg, so we were genuinly overloaded. After some chit-chat they did not charge us, really nice. Did I mention that thay also put us on the scale..
Our plane, BN2 Islander 6 seeter, looked really small compared to the BA-aircraft. My first travelplan, before leaving Sweden, was to fly directly to Union Island from GND, but we were told that on tuesdays there is no flight. So instead we booked a flight to the island of Carriacou which is inbetween GND-UNI. (GND to the south and UNI to the north), where we would stay for three days. You can image my surprise and my fiances shock when the captain said: -Welcome onboard this flight to Carriacou via Union Island. At this point all my reassurance, to my fiance, that I did not plan this, was totally unsuccessful. We had som great seats just behind the one pilot and could see everything. Please note that she is abit afraid of flying and especially small planes, after we had an incident flying to the Aran Islands outside Ireland, so I totally understand that she lost it. Anyhow the flight was great with amazing views! Landing at UNI, after 30 min, was just amazing, a sharp turn and a quite steep landing. The other two passengers left the plane and we were the only guests onboard. After 10 min we landed on Carriacou. Beautiful Island and with few restaurants and tourists. On departing from Carriacou, three days later, we passed the non existing security controlJ and this time we hade to pay for the overweight. One more time we made the great landing at Union Island. We stayed at Bigsand Hotel, with a perfect location but with lousy service. I can not recommend this place. We did some great tours and visited Palm Island Resort, Mustique and Tobago Kays. Service on Union Island is bad and peolpe not so friendly with prices like in Sweden. We were harassed a couple of times with people asking for money. (Union Island is a small island with only 1500 inhabitants). After one week the aircraft took us back to GND. Just before taking off a local thunderstorm covered us in rain which ment that our flight back was a bumpy one.
Grenada was beautiful and it felt nice to be able to choose between restaurants and receiving good service. (At Union Island breakfast was delayed if it was raining). We stayed at The Mariposa Resort, nice staff, good pool, excellent location on a small peninsula between Grand Anse and Mourne Rouge beach.
After Ivans destruction, our hotel is no more and my before and after pictures are horrific. I really feel for the islanders.
GND-POS-CCS-FRA-CPH
After four days it was time to start our trip back to Sweden. Before departuring from GND I bought Jack Iron rum 70.5% proof which meant that the trip was worth all the hassle J. We arrived at POS late again and had to make a run for it again, but this time we new our way. The flight to CCS was all but eventful and we waited in CCS for 6 hours. At this time the *A staff at CCS recognized us. It was the same staff representing, Varig, Lufthansa, BWIA and we met them a couple of times. So I asked if they needed to do any upgrades on the LH flight to FRA, and the man said in spanish: -Primero tengo que ver a su esposa, first I must see your wife. I presented her and he said that if we wanted to fly C she would have to change her jeans. So she did and we got our two C-boardingpasses. I just could not believe it, in total four C-upgrades on long haul flights, and one of us have no *A status. C-was full and they even moved four more people from Y to C, and three went up two F. This time service was perfect and so was the food. It felt more like the business class i have experiences before.
We had a great trip and but we will not return to Unions Island, Carriacou was great and so was Grenada. I also want to tell my fiance that I am grateful that she puts up with me. When landing at CPH she told me that next time I want to fly like this again it shall be with my little brother PappaG.
Oct 6, 2004, 3:50 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: some
Posts: 3,397
Thanks for the report and well done on the UGs ^
Was that a joke about your fiancee having to change clothes? Or did the guy want to be there when she took them off?
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Was that a joke about your fiancee having to change clothes? Or did the guy want to be there when she took them off?
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Oct 6, 2004, 11:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Sweden
Posts: 562
Originally Posted by Fliar
Was that a joke about your fiancee having to change clothes? Or did the guy want to be there when she took them off?
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Oct 8, 2004, 2:05 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ARN
Programs: SK EBG (*G), First Hotels Platinum, Hertz PC, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 115
Originally Posted by Fliar
Thanks for the report and well done on the UGs ^
Was that a joke about your fiancee having to change clothes? Or did the guy want to be there when she took them off?
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Was that a joke about your fiancee having to change clothes? Or did the guy want to be there when she took them off?
Seriously, that I have never heard. Anyway, you got your UG, so good on you.
Oct 8, 2004, 6:53 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: some
Posts: 3,397
Originally Posted by Outbound
Actually this is not a joke, so she changed, eventhough I first thought he was joking. So we bought her a pair of Tommy H pants (the only store available for her) and got our boardningpasses. For the 60US we paid for her pants we got our selves in C, not a bad treat