Wally's getting spoiled by those foreign airlines again.
Dec 18th, 2005, 10:51 PM
#1
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Wally's getting spoiled by those foreign airlines again.
I will have to give British Airways four stars and Qantas 5.
I just arrived in Perth after 26 hours of flying. No jet lag because my body was totally missed up when I arrived. The flies are bad here and that's after I took a shower and changed my underware.
Miami to London on BA. I didn't get upgraded this year like I had on the past three flights with BA. The wine (Turning Leaf Reserve) was served in plastic (not a glass like last time) but the food was good, the wine was free and ok, and the flight was full. I have to complement BA on no line at check-in. Not bad for a full 747-400 plane. Also, the chocolate cheese cake was excellent. On the individual tv monitors in coach, BA played 11 different movies including, "The Wedding Crashers." Wally enjoyed the unedited version. I don't think that version will be coming to a U.S. airline of your choice.
London to Perth with a stop in Singapore. For an 18-hour fight, the fasten seat belt sign was on for perhaps one-hour total. Several times I heard the flight attendant say six minutes before landing, the pilot has turned on the fasten seat belt for everyone including flight staff. Will everyone please be seated. It appears on Qantas that if the "fasten seat belt" sign is on, the flight staff is also required to sit and someone announces cabin services have been suspended for the moment. The sign came on a couple times during the flight but never stayed on for more than 5-minutes.
I was talking to a couple in London who flew on American Airlines from Chicago to London and they said the fasten seat belt sign was never turned off during the flight. Obviously, the Qantas policy wouldn't work for AA because they would never be able to sell a $5 beer.
From London, the plane flew over Germany, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, and on to Singapore.
Wally enjoyed the movie Deuce Bigalow. Even with a 4.0 rating, I found people looking at me while I was laughing. Like BA, that movie wasn't edited and was rated MA 15+.
Happy Holidays. More later when I return on January 2, 2006.
I just arrived in Perth after 26 hours of flying. No jet lag because my body was totally missed up when I arrived. The flies are bad here and that's after I took a shower and changed my underware.
Miami to London on BA. I didn't get upgraded this year like I had on the past three flights with BA. The wine (Turning Leaf Reserve) was served in plastic (not a glass like last time) but the food was good, the wine was free and ok, and the flight was full. I have to complement BA on no line at check-in. Not bad for a full 747-400 plane. Also, the chocolate cheese cake was excellent. On the individual tv monitors in coach, BA played 11 different movies including, "The Wedding Crashers." Wally enjoyed the unedited version. I don't think that version will be coming to a U.S. airline of your choice.
London to Perth with a stop in Singapore. For an 18-hour fight, the fasten seat belt sign was on for perhaps one-hour total. Several times I heard the flight attendant say six minutes before landing, the pilot has turned on the fasten seat belt for everyone including flight staff. Will everyone please be seated. It appears on Qantas that if the "fasten seat belt" sign is on, the flight staff is also required to sit and someone announces cabin services have been suspended for the moment. The sign came on a couple times during the flight but never stayed on for more than 5-minutes.
I was talking to a couple in London who flew on American Airlines from Chicago to London and they said the fasten seat belt sign was never turned off during the flight. Obviously, the Qantas policy wouldn't work for AA because they would never be able to sell a $5 beer.
From London, the plane flew over Germany, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, and on to Singapore.
Wally enjoyed the movie Deuce Bigalow. Even with a 4.0 rating, I found people looking at me while I was laughing. Like BA, that movie wasn't edited and was rated MA 15+.
Happy Holidays. More later when I return on January 2, 2006.
Dec 19th, 2005, 08:29 PM
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hi Wally,
I took the same qantas flight from Londen over Singapore to Perth in January and experienced the same thing. My friend was suffering from severe backpain at that time and she was allowed to stand up in the back of the plain for hours, really, for hours .
This would indeed not be possible on an American flight.
happy holidays,
hilde
I took the same qantas flight from Londen over Singapore to Perth in January and experienced the same thing. My friend was suffering from severe backpain at that time and she was allowed to stand up in the back of the plain for hours, really, for hours .
This would indeed not be possible on an American flight.
happy holidays,
hilde
Dec 25th, 2005, 08:19 PM
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Qantas have the safest safety record amongst all the airlines and go out of their way to ensure that compliance occurs. Yes the can sell alcohol as well - at least you get a smile when the FA serves you and sometimes even a laugh. The United must take their nasty pills before they get on board!!
Dec 31st, 2005, 05:29 AM
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I'm still in Australia and it is hot. It's about 40 and that would be 40 plus 40 plus 30 or 110 degrees (approximately). Just celebrated the New Year with millions of people all drinking alcohol in public. Australia is my kind of place.
Last week I flew from Perth to Sydney on an Airbus A330-200. Fasten seat belt sign removed three minutes after take-off. Free meal consisted of salad, chicken or pasta, triple chocolate ice cream, and of course free wine or beer. Other alcohol was $6 Australia dollars. And the wine was served in a glass--not plastic; so important. The Airbus was going 606 miles per hour so I arrived 30 minutes early. Not bad for only two engines.
I spoke to several Australians who made the comment that when they travel they like to be spoiled a little. They don't mind paying a little more for a hot meal, and wine or beer. It appears that Virgin Blue isn't doing so well but the Auzzies like the competition.
I will be flying from Sydney to Bankock to London to Miami and this time I will be going against the wind. I've got a pulled muscle in my leg but otherwise everything is going great. The Australians are so friendly.
It appears that a lot of this Food for Purchase money is not making its way back to the airlines but to the employees. Some airlines are now saying that Duty Free goods need to be purchased with only a credit card for this reason.
Happy New Year!
Last week I flew from Perth to Sydney on an Airbus A330-200. Fasten seat belt sign removed three minutes after take-off. Free meal consisted of salad, chicken or pasta, triple chocolate ice cream, and of course free wine or beer. Other alcohol was $6 Australia dollars. And the wine was served in a glass--not plastic; so important. The Airbus was going 606 miles per hour so I arrived 30 minutes early. Not bad for only two engines.
I spoke to several Australians who made the comment that when they travel they like to be spoiled a little. They don't mind paying a little more for a hot meal, and wine or beer. It appears that Virgin Blue isn't doing so well but the Auzzies like the competition.
I will be flying from Sydney to Bankock to London to Miami and this time I will be going against the wind. I've got a pulled muscle in my leg but otherwise everything is going great. The Australians are so friendly.
It appears that a lot of this Food for Purchase money is not making its way back to the airlines but to the employees. Some airlines are now saying that Duty Free goods need to be purchased with only a credit card for this reason.
Happy New Year!
Jan 3rd, 2006, 04:28 AM
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I finally made it home last night.
It was 115 degrees in Sydney when I arrived at the airport. The line for Qantas check-in wrapped from the middle of the terminal to the end and back to the middle. I waited two hours in the queue. Finally, this (cheerleader) announced if you are flying to Bankock, check-in over here. Can you imagine passengers on ten 747's all queueing in one line? The line was longer than the line for a rollercoaster, but I reminded myself that the ride would last longer. The heat had shut down the baggage service and parts of the city train service. But the Auzzies do stay calm during an emergency.
Sydney to Bankock on Qantas Flight 1. The plane was full except for two seats next to mine! I actually lied down and watched the obviously fiction unedited movie, "The 40 year-Old Virgin." The pilot apologized for taking ten minutes to turn off the fasten seat-belt sign but a cold front had finally moved through the area.
Bankcock to London on Qantas. WALLY FINALLY GETS UPGRADED!!! The plane arrived at the Bankcock airport for refueling and everyone was encouraged to get off for one hour. When I walked back on the plane, I showed my boarding card and was told that I had been moved to business, and they hoped I wouldn't mind. Table cloth, flat-bed, and plenty of wine to wash it down. Wally was in Heaven! Wally went to the bathroom in the middle of the flight and couldn't believe his eyes. Next to the bathroom were eight opened bottles of wine and assorted chocolates. Wally felt like a little kid in a candy store and tried a glass of each. The flatbeds were at an angle and I felt like I was sliding off the bed, but I needed it.
London to Miami on British Airways. I only had 45 minutes to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 and this included going through security, but I made it. When I showed my boarding pass, I said well I made it, but I don't know about my suitcase. She checked the computer and said, your suitcase is already on the plane. Great organization, Heathrow! I took my economy seat on the Boeing 747-400 next to the isle. Damn, no upgrade.
The plane was delayed four hours on the runway at Heathrow due to a problem with engine number 3. (Don't think they would have this problem if they used a Boeing 777), so the nine hour flight turned into another 13 hour flight. When I asked the flight attendant if I could have a third glass of wine (this is after the screwdriver) he replied, well of course! The food on the BA flight was actually quite good for economy. The salad contained smoked salmon, and the apple blackberry pie was excellent. The snack before arriving in Miami contain fresh fruit. The plane had 18 channels to choose from on individual monitors in coach.
I arrived home at 1:00 a.m. and arrived at work at 6:40 a.m. today.
Flying to Australia from London is a long flight, but if you can save $500, and get 15 free drinks and get six free meals each way, why not! It does beat "food for purchase" when flying from Miami to LAX.
It was 115 degrees in Sydney when I arrived at the airport. The line for Qantas check-in wrapped from the middle of the terminal to the end and back to the middle. I waited two hours in the queue. Finally, this (cheerleader) announced if you are flying to Bankock, check-in over here. Can you imagine passengers on ten 747's all queueing in one line? The line was longer than the line for a rollercoaster, but I reminded myself that the ride would last longer. The heat had shut down the baggage service and parts of the city train service. But the Auzzies do stay calm during an emergency.
Sydney to Bankock on Qantas Flight 1. The plane was full except for two seats next to mine! I actually lied down and watched the obviously fiction unedited movie, "The 40 year-Old Virgin." The pilot apologized for taking ten minutes to turn off the fasten seat-belt sign but a cold front had finally moved through the area.
Bankcock to London on Qantas. WALLY FINALLY GETS UPGRADED!!! The plane arrived at the Bankcock airport for refueling and everyone was encouraged to get off for one hour. When I walked back on the plane, I showed my boarding card and was told that I had been moved to business, and they hoped I wouldn't mind. Table cloth, flat-bed, and plenty of wine to wash it down. Wally was in Heaven! Wally went to the bathroom in the middle of the flight and couldn't believe his eyes. Next to the bathroom were eight opened bottles of wine and assorted chocolates. Wally felt like a little kid in a candy store and tried a glass of each. The flatbeds were at an angle and I felt like I was sliding off the bed, but I needed it.
London to Miami on British Airways. I only had 45 minutes to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 and this included going through security, but I made it. When I showed my boarding pass, I said well I made it, but I don't know about my suitcase. She checked the computer and said, your suitcase is already on the plane. Great organization, Heathrow! I took my economy seat on the Boeing 747-400 next to the isle. Damn, no upgrade.
The plane was delayed four hours on the runway at Heathrow due to a problem with engine number 3. (Don't think they would have this problem if they used a Boeing 777), so the nine hour flight turned into another 13 hour flight. When I asked the flight attendant if I could have a third glass of wine (this is after the screwdriver) he replied, well of course! The food on the BA flight was actually quite good for economy. The salad contained smoked salmon, and the apple blackberry pie was excellent. The snack before arriving in Miami contain fresh fruit. The plane had 18 channels to choose from on individual monitors in coach.
I arrived home at 1:00 a.m. and arrived at work at 6:40 a.m. today.
Flying to Australia from London is a long flight, but if you can save $500, and get 15 free drinks and get six free meals each way, why not! It does beat "food for purchase" when flying from Miami to LAX.
Jan 3rd, 2006, 10:07 AM
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"Great organization, Heathrow"
On the whole, I agree with you.
But this is almost certainly the first time this decade this phrase has been used on this board for the airport most posters love to hate most.
Your underlying point though is well made. It's not "foreign" (to you) airlines that spoil you: till recently it used to be Commonwealth airlines.
Sadly, Air Canada's gone the Calvinist way of most other North Americans. But it's still the case that you get a civilised approach to booze on the intercontinental operations of virtually every airline from any other affluent country that's flown the Union Jack in the past century. Few can match Air NZ, for example, for serious encouragement to get smashed.
On the whole, I agree with you.
But this is almost certainly the first time this decade this phrase has been used on this board for the airport most posters love to hate most.
Your underlying point though is well made. It's not "foreign" (to you) airlines that spoil you: till recently it used to be Commonwealth airlines.
Sadly, Air Canada's gone the Calvinist way of most other North Americans. But it's still the case that you get a civilised approach to booze on the intercontinental operations of virtually every airline from any other affluent country that's flown the Union Jack in the past century. Few can match Air NZ, for example, for serious encouragement to get smashed.
Jan 3rd, 2006, 10:07 AM
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I just checked my British Airways statement. I earned 29,085 miles on this trip to Australia! I now have 340 tier points. One needs 50,000 miles to go to Western Europe. I've got over 78,000 miles and there are MANY flights available to Europe for summer for 50,000 miles.
Jan 5th, 2006, 06:24 AM
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Wally, last time I looked it was in plastic. I try to solve that problem by hoarding my upgrade certificates and moving up front, where the glasses are made of glass.
Air Canada's business class on international flights is called "Executive First." It starts to feel good just after you board the aircraft. "Would you like champagne, sir, or perhaps a glass of mango juice before we take off?" Yummmmm ...
Anselm
Air Canada's business class on international flights is called "Executive First." It starts to feel good just after you board the aircraft. "Would you like champagne, sir, or perhaps a glass of mango juice before we take off?" Yummmmm ...
Anselm
Jan 5th, 2006, 07:00 AM
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That sounds pretty good. First class on the U.S. airlines is what Second Class used to be and Second Class has become excess baggage class. But if you want to be on a plane where people are not drinking, watching movies or walking around stretching their legs--just trying to sleep in their chair--then the U.S. airlines are the way to go.
Jan 5th, 2006, 07:39 AM
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I guess you have not flown first class on US based airlines?
because if you did, you should have known that, for example, that AA, on their 777s, 3 class planes, has probably, STILL, one of the best suites in the sky, better wine selection than BA's. Great food. The one dept. they lack in is the fact that they don't provide PJs and a duvet.
Please refrain from making asinine comments unless you know what you are talking about.
because if you did, you should have known that, for example, that AA, on their 777s, 3 class planes, has probably, STILL, one of the best suites in the sky, better wine selection than BA's. Great food. The one dept. they lack in is the fact that they don't provide PJs and a duvet.
Please refrain from making asinine comments unless you know what you are talking about.
Jan 5th, 2006, 08:30 AM
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You mean they aren't offering "Food for Purchase" on the Chicago, India flight? in First Class? Thanks for updating me. Actually, I'm happy to know that you read the thread.
Actually, the one time I flew First Class on a U.S. airline, they served a cold potato salad, a cold sandwich, and the seats didn't go back all of the way. When and I saw everyone in coach class lying down across three seats, I almost moved back. That was from LAX to Tampa.
Actually, the one time I flew First Class on a U.S. airline, they served a cold potato salad, a cold sandwich, and the seats didn't go back all of the way. When and I saw everyone in coach class lying down across three seats, I almost moved back. That was from LAX to Tampa.
