http://www.flyertalk.com/forum FlyerTalk is a living, growing community where frequent travelers around the world come to exchange knowledge and experiences about everything miles and points related. en Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:11:43 GMT vBulletin 120 http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.flyertalk.com/get/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.flyertalk.com/forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317910-jersey-fog-saga.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:06:04 GMT Hello all,

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted about yet, (and there is NOTHING on BA's website about it either) but Jersey airport has been closed (along with the other Channel Islands' airports) since Thursday due to heavy fog hanging over them. I am due to fly to JER this evening to finally get my last 80TP's to renew silver and fly back tomorrow....

At the moment my flight is still operating, and even if I do get there, I'm worried i'll be stuck in JER tomorrow due to fog or so BA can prioritise the backlog to get them back to LGW....

As my flight is not cancelled, is there anything I can do, call BA, offer to give up my seat in exchange for a refund/change, or do I have to wait til the flight is cancelled before I can change anything FOC....?

I just feel sorry for those who are stuck in the CI's or the UK trying to get home....:(

Thanks ]]> British Airways Executive Club ajws_83 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317910-jersey-fog-saga.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317909-maximum-refund-time.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:05:14 GMT Just a couple of questions, I did try the search but couldnt find a definate answer but apologies if I missed it! Do BA have anything in the terms and conditions to say how long the maximum time is they will take to refund your credit card if you... Just a couple of questions, I did try the search but couldnt find a definate answer but apologies if I missed it!

Do BA have anything in the terms and conditions to say how long the maximum time is they will take to refund your credit card if you cancel a reward reservation? If so did this change in November when the program changed?

Thanks in advance! ]]> British Airways Executive Club toddml http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317909-maximum-refund-time.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317907-sdc-vdb-ef-weirdness.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:00:44 GMT I'm in LAX looking to get back to DTW today. Sleep deprived and rambling



Confirmed on DL 1806 and in currently number one on upgrade list -- until a higher KM checks in ;-)

I was looking at 1717 which DelTa shows as delayed and EF shows as cancelled. Also 1806 isnt showing up at all on Expert Flyer !?!??

Got the VDB message at checkin and Medallion Desk let me know that flights are very oversold.

I see some options in F conneting via MSP or SLC.

Two questions.

1. Do I believe DL or EF
2. What should be my strategy today? Do I SDC on an earlier for a shot at F (F4) or take my chances to to See about VDB and maybe get F too or keep what I have ]]> Delta SkyMiles mapsgl http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317907-sdc-vdb-ef-weirdness.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317906-ba-booked-someone-elses-award-my-ec.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:56:52 GMT I logged in today and see that there was a booking for some person i don't know traveling first class from Washington to Miami on MY MILES!!!!!!

i called and they said they are going to send it to back office to have a look at it.

Anyone had this happened to them before????

Also i use awardwallet.com does any think that awardwallet auto login might have messed up and show my account info for that other person?

i don't any other way they can have access to my account. The booking also has that persons EC account number included and a cellphone. How the heck were they able to use my mileage to book the ticket. :mad: ]]> British Airways Executive Club dilvala http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317906-ba-booked-someone-elses-award-my-ec.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/1317904-mia-ber-aaward-j-ab-ib-aa.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:37:02 GMT I am going to BER in DEC this year and am flying in J on an AAward I was wondering which has the better service. I know the advantage of AB is the NS service on some days but have never flown them and wonder how their J product (the new one not the... I am going to BER in DEC this year and am flying in J on an AAward I was wondering which has the better service. I know the advantage of AB is the NS service on some days but have never flown them and wonder how their J product (the new one not the old one) stacks up against IB and AA. A downside to AB is that if you connect in DUS its all coach, but thankfully a short flight. ]]> American AAdvantage shadesofgrey1x http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/1317904-mia-ber-aaward-j-ab-ib-aa.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317903-gastro-enteritis.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:33:58 GMT Or food poisoning as I would call it. My husband and got some quite ghastly stomach complaint which on the strong balance of probabilities we caught on the daytime flight from NY to London flight last Saturday. I cannot prove it. I am not going... Or food poisoning as I would call it.

My husband and got some quite ghastly stomach complaint which on the strong balance of probabilities we caught on the daytime flight from NY to London flight last Saturday. I cannot prove it. I am not going to complain and demand a slug of avios. Why am I even mentioning it? Not sure, though come to think of it if anyone else was on BA178 on 18/2/12, especially in F, and suffered similarly... ]]> British Airways Executive Club hsmall http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317903-gastro-enteritis.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1317902-another-aeroplan-mystery.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:29:57 GMT I always have three or four point trips booked at any given time. One of my Saturday duties is to check on them to see if there are any changes. Well, this morning our Xmas trip to Orlando has both disappeared from Aeroplan and the Air Canada... I always have three or four point trips booked at any given time. One of my Saturday duties is to check on them to see if there are any changes.

Well, this morning our Xmas trip to Orlando has both disappeared from Aeroplan and the Air Canada bookings page :D ...

Tried to call Aeroplan but a busy signal so far for the last 90 minutes.

Our routing to MCO was kind of convoluted so hoping to get a more direct flight out of this snafu. ]]> Air Canada Aeroplan Yukonprince http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1317902-another-aeroplan-mystery.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amtrak-guest-rewards/1317901-drive-amtrak-d-c-montreal.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:29:48 GMT Hi all,
I'm debating driving vs. Amtrak from D.C. to Montreal this coming November. It's looking like Amtrak will be about $200 per person which is doable but I'm torn as to whether Amtrak is worth the time.

In order to make it at all convenient trying to go straight from D.C. to Montreal involves a 4am train) we'll take a train up to NYC after work on Thursday, spend the night in a hotel and then take the Adirondack on Friday. Returning on Monday, spend Monday night in NYC and then train back to D.C. on Tuesday.

My main concern is with time. How does it take 11 hours to train NYC to Montreal when I can drive from D.C. in 11 hours. And driving is cheaper if you just look at gas and parking alone (not counting mileage).

Basically, other than the convenience of not driving, why is the train worth it? ]]> Amtrak Guest Rewards dcstudent http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amtrak-guest-rewards/1317901-drive-amtrak-d-c-montreal.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317900-short-report-lhr-ewr-jfk-lhr.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:27:12 GMT Here are a short few points I noted on the trip I am currently engaged in, a holiday journey with my husband to EWR from LHR and back from JFK, both trips in F thanks to the usual voucher. It's not long enough to be dignified with the name "trip report" :)

I am starting to write this on BA 185 on Saturday, the first day of the half term holidays when LHR could be expected to be very busy. We had for that reason got a (for me) early flight at 1025.

Leaving our house near King's Cross at 0630 we made T5 in 40 minutes. Addison Lee charged us £60 for the two of us which is actually not radically more expensive than a taxi to Paddington and the HEX. Remember to be dropped at the far end of the drop off road if you are heading for the premium checkins. That road actually has a name: how many people have noticed? :)

We were through fast track security and in the CCR in about five minutes from walking into the terminal. I set off the x-ray machine for no apparent reason while my husband, who has a whopping great titanium bar in his upper arm, sailed through. The only thing I can think which might have upset the tender sensibilities of the x-ray machine is that I had my passport in the breast pocket of my shirt (what are shirt breast pockets for other than for pens and passports?) Next question: is the previous sentence punctuated properly?

All the following points on the CCR are niggles rather than serious criticisms. Overall the experience was a good one. But it is supposed to be as near perfect experience as one can get so I suppose they are worth making.

- the restaurant continues to delight me in its layout. Some of the staff could smile a bit more, perhaps. And I believe that the standard English breakfast should (a) be referred to by British Airways as a British breakfast and (b) should contain two eggs as a default. The one egg substantially conformed to specification and accordingly met acceptance criteria (IT lawyers have a funny way of speaking sometimes).

- I have not systematically counted them but I think the CCR could do with more power outlets. Maybe the regulars are considered far too grand to need to charge their laptops. We had to adjourn to GF to find a spot. GF appeared to be emptier than the CCR.

The transit was packed solid and not a pleasant experience for those not used to the tube at rush hours.

A minor irritation. The screens in satellite B were showing "will depart from gate xxx". So we popped into what I will call the Blounge. Within 2-3 minutes the screens had gone from "will depart from ..." to "flight closing". So we marched briskly to the gate where we found an enormous queue. This is mildly irritating as surely the announcements should cycle through "will depart" to "gate open" to "boarding" to "closing"?

Anyway on board (I still wish there were a two air bridges by the way) we were shown to our seats and we were greeted by name by the CSD, with his iPad. So that's all right then. This was a 777 with (very) old First with the minute screens, though iPads ŵere available with what I thought was a slightly more limited entertainment selection. Like I suspect most people these days I had brought my own iPad with my own film.

Digression: the film I had brought on my iPad was The Shipping News. Cognoscenti will be aware that about ten minutes into that film there is a (highly editorially justified but quite brisk) sex scene. I was irrationally tempted to fast forward past it in case anyone saw. This is being repressed and too British and if any child sees it well it's no different from what they will see in those magazines that all sensible parents pretend not to have discovered hidden in teenagers' bedrooms. End of digression.

The food on the flight was what I think BA does best, British comfort food. I thought the Irish stew was very tasty. And of course the scones and cream and jam were as we cannot really do without on westward transatlantic flight.

A curious thing happened. We had the pair of middle seats at the front of the plane. My husband' s seat failed to recline. After much subtle prodding and an attempt at hard brute force it was obvious it wasn't going to either. As a pair we were then told to swap places with a mother and teenage son who were seated in the middle seats in row 5. This, I thought, was going to be embarrassing: when we said that we had no wish to inconvenience another couple we were told that the two were "travelling with the captain". And without further ado we were moved. I suppose the two must have been on staff tickets or similar. We didn't get a choice to move (to remain would have required us being quite assertive) and I found the experience mildly uncomfortable - but it was not my seat that was stuck and in any event the crew should be acknowledged for dealing effectively with something that could have made us very unhappy.

In my new seat the moving map screen blanked after about five seconds. These planes certainly need something doing to them; I think those who had paid money as opposed to Avios and were travelling on business rather than on holiday would have felt that this was a very tired product indeed despite the excellent crew.

Baggage reclaim at Newark was prompt though for the first time in very many years I encountered rudeness at the immigration control. Little people like to take out the realisation of their littleness on not so little people....



***

By the way, the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, which is next to the ferries to New York, can be recommended for its cheapness compared to its New York equivalents.


***


The return journey can be described more shortly. Checkin swift and security painless - and for once the staff did not insist on printing old fashioned boarding passes to replace those on our iPhones.

This was my first time in the JFK CCR. We had been hoping for a proper hot served breakfast (and indeed had arrived in time for it). But all that there is is a self service cold breakfast. And again smiling does not seem to be in the catering staff's job description.

We were not greeted by the CSD. I can't say I feel as slighted and offended as others do when this item of politeness is overlooked.

New First with seats 1A and 1F was as pleasant as ever. The service was efficient and friendly and nothing can beat a BA bacon roll!

By the way, something nasty happened on the second flight - see next thread.... ]]> British Airways Executive Club hsmall http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1317900-short-report-lhr-ewr-jfk-lhr.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/bmi-diamond-club/1317899-200k-bmi-points.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:24:29 GMT I've got £200K BMI points and my plan is to use them on a Virgin holiday flight to Barbados from Manchester during the Summer holidays in 2013.

2 adults & 2 kids (14 in 2013) at 50K points each.

Does anyone have any advice on how best to achieve this?

We'd rather fly from Manchester than London Area but are open to other family holiday locations but preferably flying from Manchester.

Is there less availabilty for free flight + tax in school holidays and is it advisable to book as soon as the flight schedule becomes available?

Many thanks

gobby :) ]]> bmi diamond club gobbyash http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/bmi-diamond-club/1317899-200k-bmi-points.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-atlantic-flying-club/1317898-virgin-increases-ghana-services.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:19:48 GMT As of March 26th, Virgin increases its LHR-ACC from 3 weekly to 5 weekly.
This will compete with BA's daily non-stop LHR-ACC service BA81
http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...ghana-services
As far as I know, it will continue to be operated by an A343, at least till they're retired.
Any thoughts? ]]> Virgin Atlantic Flying Club razMJ http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-atlantic-flying-club/1317898-virgin-increases-ghana-services.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/1317897-meetings-incentives-hilton.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:16:10 GMT Have a couple of meetings coming up and was wondering whether Hilton offers any meetings incentives like what Marriott offers; wherein you get a certain number of nights credited to your account for every meeting/ event planned at their property. ... Have a couple of meetings coming up and was wondering whether Hilton offers any meetings incentives like what Marriott offers; wherein you get a certain number of nights credited to your account for every meeting/ event planned at their property.

Wondering if Hilton offers anything on these lines. Am new to the Hilton program and there’s a new Hilton property as well in my home city (MAA) which I was thinking of using for these up-coming meetings.

Any ideas folks..?? ]]> Hilton HHonors quarryking http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/1317897-meetings-incentives-hilton.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317896-award-ticket-calendar.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:14:39 GMT I've been trying to check on availability of award tickets by using the award calendar for SEA-BDL travel in April. When I get the calendar, I see a couple of dates in green= low miles and yellow= medium miles. I pick dates when it's green on outbound/return and on Tues/Wed travel.

The result shows only 40K availability for a trip on the green dates. When I go back to calendar using link on right side of page- view calendar- all the return flight dates are suddenly changed to yellow. Absolutely no green for entire month??

Randomly looking at another month selecting green, I get low availability 32.5K on dates. If I go back to calenar, the dates I originally selected- one of the dates changes to yellow.

What gives? Anyone, ever have same problem? Since when are low miles 40K? Wouldn't that be considered medium? ]]> Delta SkyMiles jeromyers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317896-award-ticket-calendar.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317895-technology-tune-up-delta-com-beginning-sunday-february-26-3-30am-est.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:12:15 GMT http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/flight_status_updates/ Technology Tune-up: We will be performing routine maintenance on our SkyMiles systems beginning Sunday, February 26 at 3:30am EST. *During this time, you may have difficulty accessing... http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...tatus_updates/

Technology Tune-up: We will be performing routine maintenance on our SkyMiles systems beginning Sunday, February 26 at 3:30am EST. During this time, you may have difficulty accessing your account information, or booking or changing a flight. Maintenance is expected to last only a couple of hours, during which time your account may be inaccessible for only a few minutes. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

[BOLD MINE]..... and this would be different from from all other days because.....? At least I got to smile this Saturday!:D ]]> Delta SkyMiles deltagoldflyer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-skymiles/1317895-technology-tune-up-delta-com-beginning-sunday-february-26-3-30am-est.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-airlines-skywards/1317894-aircraft-change.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:55:20 GMT I had flights booked from LHR-DXB-JNB-DXB-LHR. 3 sectors (out of 4) on the A380. I now (by chance) notice that on both legs the aircraft has changed to 777. I had it booked in J. All seat selections are now reset and rubbish seats are available... I had flights booked from LHR-DXB-JNB-DXB-LHR. 3 sectors (out of 4) on the A380. I now (by chance) notice that on both legs the aircraft has changed to 777. I had it booked in J.

All seat selections are now reset and rubbish seats are available (for 3 pax), and I get an error message when trying to book those rubbish seats: "Sorry, we are unable to save the changes. Please check all information and try again."

Quite disappointing a) losing 3 sectors on the A380 nd b) losing seats.

Any suggestions? ]]> Emirates Airlines Skywards eckhaya http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-airlines-skywards/1317894-aircraft-change.html