Soldato
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2004
- Posts
- 14,199
- Location
- Hall
A double of the strongest thing they have.Retsef said:
Who for/Where do you work? (if I may ask).
When is a Mac exciting?
- Thread starter Retsef
- Start date
Who for/Where do you work? (if I may ask).
Congrats on Upper Class - Virgin's lounge at JFK is supposed to be one of the best in their network. Also, don't forget to check out the Revivals lounge after you come out of the arrivals at Heathrow. The limo driver does wait while you shower and have breakfast 
Having a frequent flyer card Gold level (Air Canada Elite), I rarely have to queue for anything (check-in, boarding), get to use lounges before my flight and my bags come out first, when travelling on Air Canada's 18 or so partner airlines.
For me, it's not about feeling important but simply making air travel bearable. I find the flights themselves very easy - after you've eaten, slept a bit and watched a few movies, it's over soon enough. But the whole bore of queueing for check-in, queueing again for x-ray, having to kill 2 hours at the public departures lounge with uncomfortable chairs, scrum at boarding with no overhead luggage space when you finally get on and having to wait yet again for bags to come out - it's the time spent at airports that really make travel tiring.
Most of my flights are on 747s or 777s with invariably huge queues for each check-in and boarding, hundreds and hundreds of bags at the carousel and 2 hours to kill until boarding, so not having to queue or hang around unnecessarily is a big advantage and makes travel very easy.
Having a frequent flyer card Gold level (Air Canada Elite), I rarely have to queue for anything (check-in, boarding), get to use lounges before my flight and my bags come out first, when travelling on Air Canada's 18 or so partner airlines.
For me, it's not about feeling important but simply making air travel bearable. I find the flights themselves very easy - after you've eaten, slept a bit and watched a few movies, it's over soon enough. But the whole bore of queueing for check-in, queueing again for x-ray, having to kill 2 hours at the public departures lounge with uncomfortable chairs, scrum at boarding with no overhead luggage space when you finally get on and having to wait yet again for bags to come out - it's the time spent at airports that really make travel tiring.
Most of my flights are on 747s or 777s with invariably huge queues for each check-in and boarding, hundreds and hundreds of bags at the carousel and 2 hours to kill until boarding, so not having to queue or hang around unnecessarily is a big advantage and makes travel very easy.
Scam said:I always heard that asking is pretty much the worst thing you can do when looking for an upgrade. You're best off asking perhaps how much it would cost to upgrade, but not push beyond that. You're best off being dressed smartly, being nice and friendly, travelling alone and being a frequent flyer with the airline.
I myself have been upgraded a couple of times when flying with my family (theres the exception that proves the rule, lol) but i'm sure that was more to do with my Dad's Gold card or whatever it was/is, and the sheer amount of airmiles he had under his belt
Enjoy it if you're lucky enough!
My wife is 7 months gone and has a dodgy leg (read crutch) at the moment. We went on holiday to Thailand last month and begged an upgrade, due to her "condition". They very rudely turned us down flat, saying no free upgrades. I got a bit shirty, as I never mentioned free, and then they said, "Oh, you can upgrade for $125 each cash". I said OK. They said, we don't have any room anyway.
That's service for you.
Scam said:I always heard that asking is pretty much the worst thing you can do when looking for an upgrade. You're best off asking perhaps how much it would cost to upgrade, but not push beyond that. You're best off being dressed smartly, being nice and friendly, travelling alone and being a frequent flyer with the airline.
I myself have been upgraded a couple of times when flying with my family (theres the exception that proves the rule, lol) but i'm sure that was more to do with my Dad's Gold card or whatever it was/is, and the sheer amount of airmiles he had under his belt
Enjoy it if you're lucky enough!
Chancing your arm for a cheeky free upgrade is a bad idea. I usually enquire about the price of an upgrade and lead on with a "Hmmmm...do you do any discounts for people who work in the industry?" It works quite well and the only times I'm refused an upgrade is if business class is full or I'm dressed like a tramp.
Can't complain
Thanks for the heads up on the limo driver waiting. I was wondering about that.
Got to run. Going to stand at the bar on the 777 and watch the economy passengers load, followed by a massage, food and bed. Perhaps a drink or two.....
Virgin are truly the best.
See you guys in blighty.
Got to run. Going to stand at the bar on the 777 and watch the economy passengers load, followed by a massage, food and bed. Perhaps a drink or two.....
Virgin are truly the best.
See you guys in blighty.
Retsef said:Thanks for the heads up on the limo driver waiting. I was wondering about that.
Got to run. Going to stand at the bar on the 777 and watch the economy passengers load, followed by a massage, food and bed. Perhaps a drink or two.....
Virgin are truly the best.
See you guys in blighty.
Virgin B777? You sure it isn't a B744 or an A343/6?
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 8,369
- Location
- England
Retsef said:
Haven't as of yet but I bet it would make me feel important
I have an amsuing story relating to this...
I once went on a trip to the south of france with some friends when i was 17, but had to leave early due to various reasons, and fly back via Marseille. Now the thing is i took my dads travel bag, who is a member of the BA executive club. Since it was his old bag he'd left his old Gold club tag on for identification purposes (he thinks BA would look after it better if its lost), although it clearly had an expired date on it.
Cue me checking in wearing my typically English arsenal shirt and shorts, and being given a ticket to the 'ceasar suite', i didn't ask questions, i just thought...ok i'll take it whatever it is. So i wander off and follow the directions to this place, walk in....to be confronted with a luxury room filled with a fully stocked beer fridge and copious ammounts of free food. Sure to say i tucked in real good and was totally plastered by the time my flight came.
Additionally, the woman sitting next to me had also been in the suite, and started to make idle small talk, during which she commented that she didn't know much about football, but presumed that i played for arsenal and had been in marsielle having a trial with them yeah like thierry henry walks around airports in his playing shirt 
Sure was an interesting trip back, i also got jokingly arrested by the marseille airport police and put in a holding cell for 15 minutes, i didn't know it was a joke until about 10 of his colleagues walked in and started laughing in french, i picked out the words...arsenal...nicholas anelka...hahahahaha.
Dirty airport police gave me the fright of my life.
I once went on a trip to the south of france with some friends when i was 17, but had to leave early due to various reasons, and fly back via Marseille. Now the thing is i took my dads travel bag, who is a member of the BA executive club. Since it was his old bag he'd left his old Gold club tag on for identification purposes (he thinks BA would look after it better if its lost), although it clearly had an expired date on it.
Cue me checking in wearing my typically English arsenal shirt and shorts, and being given a ticket to the 'ceasar suite', i didn't ask questions, i just thought...ok i'll take it whatever it is. So i wander off and follow the directions to this place, walk in....to be confronted with a luxury room filled with a fully stocked beer fridge and copious ammounts of free food. Sure to say i tucked in real good and was totally plastered by the time my flight came.
Additionally, the woman sitting next to me had also been in the suite, and started to make idle small talk, during which she commented that she didn't know much about football, but presumed that i played for arsenal and had been in marsielle having a trial with them
yeah like thierry henry walks around airports in his playing shirt Sure was an interesting trip back, i also got jokingly arrested by the marseille airport police and put in a holding cell for 15 minutes, i didn't know it was a joke until about 10 of his colleagues walked in and started laughing in french, i picked out the words...arsenal...nicholas anelka...hahahahaha.
Dirty airport police
gave me the fright of my life.
The only time I've flown anything better than cargo/economy was on the way home from my honeymoon.
We turned up at Denver international about 4 hours earlier than we should have, and speculatively asked the check in guy if we could have seats with extra legroom. He said that was no problem and issued us with boarding cards. Had a bit of a chat and a joke with him for a few minutes, and went off to kill some time.
It was only as we were boarding that we realised he'd upgraded us to business class. Lovely way to end the honeymoon!
We turned up at Denver international about 4 hours earlier than we should have, and speculatively asked the check in guy if we could have seats with extra legroom. He said that was no problem and issued us with boarding cards. Had a bit of a chat and a joke with him for a few minutes, and went off to kill some time.
It was only as we were boarding that we realised he'd upgraded us to business class. Lovely way to end the honeymoon!
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2003
- Posts
- 91,549
- Location
- Falling...
burbleflop said:
Completely the same with me, actually literally the very same words I would have used... Actually, did you read my mind?!
Travel for me is not exciting, doesn't make me feel special, and I'm very blazé about it.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 May 2003
- Posts
- 4,247
- Location
- Away from here
Freefaller said:Completely the same with me, actually literally the very same words I would have used... Actually, did you read my mind?!
Travel for me is not exciting, doesn't make me feel special, and I'm very blazé about it.
Mind reading is one of the requirements in my job
Most of my friends can't understand how I'm so blazé about travel especially when we're trying to arrange a night out and I rattle off a list of places I'll be going to in the upcoming weeks.
Retsef said:
had the luxury of using the private waiting area and 5* services - yes, the company always pays for it whenever i have to fly abroad for work
does it make you feel important? no.. you just get used to it after a while
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2003
- Posts
- 91,549
- Location
- Falling...
pyro said:
I've taken my rig many times on board without a fuss.
burbleflop said:Mind reading is one of the requirements in my job
Most of my friends can't understand how I'm so blazé about travel especially when we're trying to arrange a night out and I rattle off a list of places I'll be going to in the upcoming weeks.
Same. I look forward to meeting you at the bikers meet, I'm sure we have many travel horror stories between us.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 May 2003
- Posts
- 4,247
- Location
- Away from here
Freefaller said:Same. I look forward to meeting you at the bikers meet, I'm sure we have many travel horror stories between us.
We've already met at Swansea. I'm hurt that you didn't remember!
Biker meet should be a laugh, I'll head out at some point and find a nice route for us to ride.
I always fly first or business class when im away on business but thats because my company pays for it. Sometimes i will fly business or first when im going on holidays or something ie like when im back in Canada. But usually i dont see the point of it, i like sitting with the peasants in economy class . But sometimes i will spoil myself and go first especially when i fly emirates, definitely fly first class with them....their service is next to none...
. But sometimes i will spoil myself and go first especially when i fly emirates, definitely fly first class with them....their service is next to none...