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Mandalay posted:I'll probably start buying domestic F after I lose EXP next year, assuming the premium isn't too bad. Honestly it isn’t that bad. Definitely less than I remember 5 years ago??? I could just be misremembering though
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Mar 2, 2022 02:47
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IIRC, the number of domestic F seats actually sold has risen a good bit during COVID across most/all carriers, for presumably obvious reasons.Cacafuego posted:I’ve also found DFW/MCO routes to be heavy with people paying for F Huh, I thought MCO was an easy upgrade. FLL/PBI flights can be very tough, and that's been true for a while. (Rich old people.)
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Mar 2, 2022 08:24
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Small White Dragon posted:IIRC, the number of domestic F seats actually sold has risen a good bit during COVID across most/all carriers, for presumably obvious reasons. MCO to and from DFW specifically had been difficult for me at least through last October when I was flying a lot. MCO to anywhere else on AA was pretty easy. Agreed above about more people buying F seats during COVID. I thought I remember seeing articles about that. Basically, people cooped up at home for a long time now had money to spend and they splurged.
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Mar 2, 2022 12:59
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On my way back from JNB, my ATL-SEA leg had 0 F availability but on the bright side (I guess), I was 2 of 74 or something ridiculous on the upgrade list, even out of ATL. Doing Virgin Upper Class (Z) today, SEA-LHR, curious how it is. Waitlisted for GUC on the way back, CDG-SEA, but at least that one is on Delta metal. I hate Air France.
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Mar 2, 2022 18:50
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is the bar still open? that's always a fun time
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Mar 2, 2022 20:06
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movax posted:On my way back from JNB, my ATL-SEA leg had 0 F availability but on the bright side (I guess), I was 2 of 74 or something ridiculous on the upgrade list, even out of ATL. I actually just flew Virgin Upper last week. The A350 has an interesting "loft", which IMO is a worse version of the bar that somehow takes up even more space. The bars on the 787 Dreamliners are really nice, but on my flight it was just me and my friend who were taking advantage of it. The Clubhouse is open and back to its fantastic normal, save the spa which they got rid of to put in Peloton bikes that nobody uses. Also, what was up with domestic flights yesterday? Every transcon flight was sold out from LAX. I wanted to move my AA flights around and absolutely everything was full: LAX-JFK, LAX-BOS, LAX-MIA. The last JFK flight was oversold in Business by three seats!! Delta was also sold out. i fly airplanes fucked around with this message at 21:33 on Mar 2, 2022 |
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Mar 2, 2022 21:27
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Get the gently caress out, I totally forgot about the bar. It’s on the 789, right? I was on the Delta A350 from JNB on Sunday and it reinforced my opinion that the A350 is the current best twinjet in existence. Apparently this is the first SEA-LHR flight in almost 18 months so everything is going VERY smoothly. Check-in was very broken, but TSA doesn’t check boarding passes anymore (I guess?), so I’ll just wait for the gate to process the requisite paperwork. Spending SkyMiles at the bar, never a bad use of them.
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Mar 2, 2022 22:28
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My Lhr - sea flight in September had 23 pax. It was absolutely spooky
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Mar 2, 2022 22:29
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Cacafuego posted:Agreed above about more people buying F seats during COVID. I thought I remember seeing articles about that. Basically, people cooped up at home for a long time now had money to spend and they splurged. Also people much more highly valuing extra space between them and other passengers.
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Mar 2, 2022 23:07
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I did the VS 789 on JFK-LHR last Thursday morning (day flight ftw) in Premium and the A350 on LHR-JFK yesterday in Upper and it was goddamn civilized. My wife and I used the lounge to play cards and drink for a couple hours and generally had a grand time. Clubhouse at LHR is great with the order and delivery at your seat service for drat near everything. The only blemish was the dreaded SSSS on the way out of LHR because, per the gate agent, I had selected the bulkhead seat (1G). The footwell is dramatically larger than the non-bulkhead seats and the extra screening took 45 seconds so all's well that ends well.
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Mar 2, 2022 23:49
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My favorite cocktail is the bramble in the Clubhouse. It's always done so well. Don't forget that there's a little patio upstairs too hidden by the pool table if you want some fresh air/jet fumes.movax posted:Get the gently caress out, I totally forgot about the bar. It’s on the 789, right?
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Mar 3, 2022 01:23
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My wife and I primarily travel recreationally/occasionally for business. That gets us to usually bottom/occasionally mid-tier status. We take 1-2 international vacations a year and a smattering of other trips. We live in Denver. Through the last two COVID years, we've both maintained the bottom AA Gold status. We primarily use it for the preferred seating. We never pay for premium cabins OOP. We're thinking of taking a vacation to London in May. As part of that I was thinking of doing a status match on United. Am I right in thinking it might be worth it to hold off on doing it until before our May trip, because: quote:*For customers who meet the PQP and PQF requirement of this promotion on or after July 1, 2022, status is valid through January 2024, unless a higher Premier level is earned. We're flying later this month/next month, but it seems like we should hold off on the status match until our May trip, which will allow us to take a July/August trip and maintain status until 2024, correct? Also, our London trip will be the first time we take an infant with us. Is there any reason to choose United vs BA with an infant?
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Mar 5, 2022 20:08
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yes, that reason is BA is a dogshit joke airline so i guess that isn't technically specific to having an infant
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Mar 5, 2022 20:48
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ba is truly awful
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Mar 5, 2022 21:49
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You can't spell bad without ba.
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Mar 5, 2022 22:11
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We flew MAD - LHR - DEN on BA a few months ago and had a fine experience, but noted, sounds like United it is!
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Mar 5, 2022 22:20
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AA metal to LHR is fine, but BA across Europe was pretty sad pre-COVID. LHR also has really high fees
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Mar 6, 2022 02:51
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Residency Evil posted:We flew MAD - LHR - DEN on BA a few months ago and had a fine experience, but noted, sounds like United it is! Currently at 2 hours 20 minutes of telephone time getting a seat assigned with a bassinet. Had to get the next level of United support because the absolutely brain dead Karen wanted to charge us for a bassinet seat, which isn't the policy.  I've gone from primarily flying Delta -> AA -> United and that seems to be the order of service quality.
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Mar 6, 2022 03:15
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Let me know if you want any restaurant or bar recs in London
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Mar 6, 2022 03:21
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knox_harrington posted:Let me know if you want any restaurant or bar recs in London Heading to London in September, I'll take some recs for good food and drinks
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Mar 6, 2022 04:08
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Omne posted:Heading to London in September, I'll take some recs for good food and drinks knox_harrington posted:Let me know if you want any restaurant or bar recs in London Sure, I'll take some too! Looks like we're booked for early May.
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Mar 6, 2022 04:15
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I’m in London right now, one of our EAs lived here for a few years and has been doing restaurant reservations for us. Went to an interesting Israeli place a few days ago, Coal Office. Also continued my trend of Indian restaurants with Cinnamon in the name; always liked Cinnamon Bazaar in Covent Garden, but tried Cinnamon Kitchen yesterday and the only complaint I had was “meh” biryani. I want to try and get to Dishoom or Tandoor before I leave next week but reservations seemed sparse. In non restaurant recs, the beer mile near the Maltby Street Market (just south of Tower of London) is pretty fun IMO. Brits still do some decent beer. E: oh BTW they defeated COVID here  so everything is more or less open.
movax fucked around with this message at 10:46 on Mar 6, 2022 |
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Mar 6, 2022 10:42
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Inter Europe flights all suck Everyone will nail the recs but it’s too big of a city to just give general recs. What do you want? Bougie cocktails? Beers? Metal bar? (Rip the Crobar) I’d travel far and wide for Pan con Tomate at Barrafina, gymkhana is better than Dishoom which itself is crazy good, other than that what part of town, (at least to estimate time on tube or in car), what do you like, etc.
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Mar 6, 2022 15:52
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Yeah that was going to be my response, where will you be and what do you want? Gymkhana is excellent as is Benares for good (though expensive) Indian Roka is great for Japanese Go for a drink at the Berners Tavern So many choices but depends on your location and budget
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Mar 6, 2022 16:16
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Good points. Staying in either Mayfair or near Covent Garden, late-ish September. Cocktail bars (my wife loved the American Bar at the Savoy last time we went to London), fun pubs for me, and in terms of food there's really not a budget, and we eat everything.
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Mar 6, 2022 16:38
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Walk into whatever pub is crowded, get your beer, stand outside. American Bar now headed by Shannon Tebay, fantastic nyc bartender who is first American to ever run the American bar and the first woman since Ada Coleman (legend). Totally worth a visit for new menu. But Connaught Bar is my spot. Cannot recommend enough if you are in the mood for American bar. If I’m in London, odds are I’m there if the night is free. I like Frenchie in Covent Garden. The paris location is a bit better but great cocktails and food is super good. Especially the desserts.
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Mar 6, 2022 16:57
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Omne posted:Good points. Staying in either Mayfair or near Covent Garden, late-ish September. Cocktail bars (my wife loved the American Bar at the Savoy last time we went to London), fun pubs for me, and in terms of food there's really not a budget, and we eat everything. Exact same thing for me and my wife, except May and we’ll have an infant. 
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Mar 6, 2022 17:26
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FYI it’s easy to confuse the Duke of Argyll and Duke of Wellington in SOHO. I confidently pushed my way into Duke of Wellington last night as I had been there the night before, thinking it was strange they had a doorman. i had not been to the Wellington poo poo is still closing kind of early in Covent Garden / SOHO area FWIW; Shoreditch is a bit more open.
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Mar 6, 2022 20:09
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If you use miles for a main cabin award on AA, there’s no way to upgrade to F with cash is there?
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Mar 6, 2022 23:04
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sellouts posted:Walk into whatever pub is crowded, get your beer, stand outside. This very much what I had in mind, thanks! Last time we went, we had no plans and did no research (it was a last minute surprise trip for my wife's birthday when we were in Paris, so that she could wake up in Paris and go to bed in London) and pretty much stumbled in to American Bar after dropping bags off at our hotel. Definitely felt out of place a bit, but they took excellent care of us. The same cannot be said for Mr. Fogg's... Part of me wants to spend our three nights at the Connaught, or Brown's, or Dorchester or something like that, but that's a hard bill to swallow. Definitely want to try and have dinner at Helene Darroze or Alain Ducasse
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Mar 6, 2022 23:45
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If you're in London, try Flat Iron Steak. I honestly don't know how this place makes money, but I've never had a bad experience here, and it's the best bang for buck in town IMO. Caveat: must like flat iron steak.
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Mar 7, 2022 19:18
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Cacafuego posted:If you use miles for a main cabin award on AA, there’s no way to upgrade to F with cash is there? Nope, AA is surprisingly poo poo at taking your money.
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Mar 7, 2022 20:27
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I feel like if one was to charter a 787 one should see the cost reflected in loyalty points. But sadly that is not the case.
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Mar 8, 2022 07:50
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What the actual gently caress is wrong with Hertz? I am running into this exact same issue: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hertz-gold-plus-rewards/2056726-can-t-make-reservation-mobile-number-required.html I want to just rent a Polestar 2 from ZRH for 2 days, but I can't loving reserve anything because the poo poo website wants a mobile number and gives me no place to enter it.
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Mar 8, 2022 14:42
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movax posted:What the actual gently caress is wrong with Hertz? Have you attempted your booking using their mobile app instead? I hate doing stuff on mobile but sometimes the backends are different so bugs on one don’t propagate to the other.
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Mar 8, 2022 16:27
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I'm out of the game, but am I correct in assuming that: 1) the new AA changes take them to parity with the Delta/United FF program? 2) none of these programs are better at rewarding actual frequent fliers than the others? 3) "Loyalty" (aka, upgrades) are going to be primarily small business people who can put a fuckton of spend on the credit cards now?
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Mar 8, 2022 16:34
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Inner Light posted:Have you attempted your booking using their mobile app instead? I hate doing stuff on mobile but sometimes the backends are different so bugs on one don’t propagate to the other. Whoa -- it actually worked. Won't add to Apple Wallet, but I got the e-mail -- thanks for the idea! New question -- never been to Paris before, for CDG into the city (near Arc de Triomphe) what train(s) should I take, or bus, or cab / taxi better? Google suggests RERB or RoissyBus. Landing at approximately 2000 if there is timing sensitivity.
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Mar 8, 2022 16:45
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Residency Evil posted:We're thinking of taking a vacation to London in May. As part of that I was thinking of doing a status match on United. Am I right in thinking it might be worth it to hold off on doing it until before our May trip, because: I've always understood the status match based on the starting point of the status match request. With your main trip in May and assume you'd do the status match before that, it would only be good for the year not not for +1 year. I am looking to move away from United Gold to Alaska Gold (I'm Seattle based and do go to Alaska) in H2 this year to continue status since I won't be getting any level on United this year.
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Mar 8, 2022 16:47
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movax posted:Whoa -- it actually worked. Won't add to Apple Wallet, but I got the e-mail -- thanks for the idea! the RoissyBus goes to Opera, so it's pretty easy to then get on the Metro at Aube to go over to the Arc de Triomphe. I like the RER fine and that's usually what I use, but it goes to Gare du Nord, which is somewhat inconvenient for where you want to be. Cab will cost you probably sixty euro or so, but is generally more convenient. Depends on how price sensitive you are. Both the bus and the cab will not be horribly impacted by traffic at that time.
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Mar 8, 2022 17:19
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Tank44 posted:I've always understood the status match based on the starting point of the status match request. With your main trip in May and assume you'd do the status match before that, it would only be good for the year not not for +1 year. I am looking to move away from United Gold to Alaska Gold (I'm Seattle based and do go to Alaska) in H2 this year to continue status since I won't be getting any level on United this year. I think according to that quoted text above it’s when you finish the challenge? KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:the RoissyBus goes to Opera, so it's pretty easy to then get on the Metro at Aube to go over to the Arc de Triomphe. I like the RER fine and that's usually what I use, but it goes to Gare du Nord, which is somewhat inconvenient for where you want to be. I’ve taken the RER (A, I think?). Never had an issue.
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Mar 8, 2022 18:08
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