Virgin Atlantic has unveiled its new ex-airberlin leased A330-200 aircraft

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• N says:

  4 Feb4 February 06:08

  OT – Stayed at a Four Seasons last night through FHR. Any ideas on how I can get myself a few points on this stay?from my reading it seems Four Seasons have their own invite only scheme?

  • Tom C says:

    4 Feb4 February 08:54

    There is no points scheme for FS. All their loyalty is intangible benefits.

  • Rob says:

    4 Feb4 February 12:22

    There is no scheme. The ‘invite only’ thing is restricted. FS is big on data mining and tracks you around the world and does do stuff for good customers. They repaid me 100% (£2500) of a stay last year after we had a few problems, and that included refunding spa treatments, horse riding lessons etc, not just the room cost.

    • George says:

      4 Feb4 February 12:55

      Rob, have you any inkling of awareness of how this comes across?

      • Rob says:

        4 Feb4 February 14:33

        Not my spa treatments, not my horse riding lessons! I am usually working when all this is going on (as I am now, at 2.30 on a Sunday afternoon).

      • Darren says:

        4 Feb4 February 17:09

        Seems like he had a bad stay, followed by good service recovery on FS’s part. That’s what I get.
        Your comment on the other hand.

    • Alan says:

      6 Feb6 February 14:02

      That’s some excellent service recovery! I thought I was doing well getting 30k out of IHG for Ambassador pack still not arriving 😉

• a270 says:

  4 Feb4 February 07:16

  OT: I cancelled my Amex Platinum about 2 months ago but want to get it again. I know I won’t get the bonus. However, the message said I already have a live application and that they are processing it! My partner had applied for the Lloyds Avios Amex about 2 weeks ago successfuly. I am wondering if it’s picking that up. I only have the SPG Amex so I haven’t hit the limit yet. Do I wait for their decision letter or call them?

  • JP says:

    4 Feb4 February 08:15

    Llloyds amex is completely different to real amex cards, so they will not interact. Also, there is no limit of cards types that was the case years ago.

    I suspect the old account has been closed off properly and contact amex.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    4 Feb4 February 11:33

    use the referral link from your SPG card to apply even if you don’t get any joining bonus you might get 5k SPG

• Gavin says:

  4 Feb4 February 07:18

  The new Lufthansa livery reminds me of the old BOAC Speedbird used in the early ‘70’s.

• Jovanna says:

  4 Feb4 February 07:27

  It’s quicker to lease an aircraft, paint it, register it in the UK and fiddle around with the interior than to fix a few engines?

  Like the time I took my car in for repair because there was water in the rear light cluster. Turns out I needed a new engine management unit. Who’d have thought?!

  • The_real_a says:

    4 Feb4 February 08:21

    The word is that Rolls Royce have very little extra capacity on the production line over that for new aircraft. The issue is fixed but it might take 18 months to catch up with engine replacements. I would imagine RR prefer any customer who can, does push out as long as possible… boeing and rr and footing the net bill i was told.

    • chris1922 says:

      4 Feb4 February 09:31

      I’m led to believe the engines aren’t being fixed specifically at this time, but instead waiting until they are next “rolled over” or are due for scheduled maintenance anyway, which fits with your production line angle.

  • blot_bang_rub says:

    4 Feb4 February 08:31

    This may help explain why it’s quicker to lease, paint and register an aeroplane: https://www.theengineer.co.uk/rolls-royce-single-crystal-turbine-blade/
    The solution to the problem is mind bogglingly complex – you’re asking materials to do things that nature did not intend.

• Zain says:

  4 Feb4 February 08:04

  How many VS 787s are awaiting new engines? I thought only 2 were in storage so surely the situation can’t be that bad?

• Roger says:

  4 Feb4 February 08:47

  OT- EY redemption using AA miles.

  I am trying to redeem aa miles on EY.
  The quote I got from CSA suggest that the fees are same for both adult and children.
  ITA matrix suggests that there is no United Kingdom Air Passenger Duty APD (GB)
  payable for children (below 12 IIRC).

  How can airlines get away without disclosing full breakdown of taxes?
  This is one way tax of almost £130 on top of miles for LHR_AUH route on EY.

  Any thoughts?

  • Roger says:

    4 Feb4 February 10:04

    Rob,

    Any experience on airlines charging APD when redeeming miles which includes children?
    Looking up in this case it seems AA is adding APD for kids even though it may not pass on to the Govt.

    • Rob says:

      4 Feb4 February 12:15

      AA has to refund you under Government rules – it is very possible their IT has not been changed.

• Chelseafi says:

  4 Feb4 February 08:52

  O/T I have my Platinum amex and want to book Eurostar and make use of lounges, for a 1 or 2 night trip to either Paris or Brussels flex on dates May or June pos. I have approx 130k IHG points and approx 30k Hilton, not too worried about using them, probably pay cash if not too high. I am Plat for IHG and then have the usual status on the other hotels from my Amex Platinum, I would love to have lounge access at hotel, think we could make use of that. Any suggestions to hotels that I have a good chance of lounge access/room upgrade, that won’t cost loads? Thanks

  • Genghis says:

    4 Feb4 February 08:57

    It seems you’ve not got the highest status in any chain so might struggle to get lounge access / upgrade to Exec floor etc. We stayed at Hilton Paris Opera in Nov as Diamonds though and really liked the breakfast and the evening lounge offering. It has recently been refurbished and still had the ‘new’ feel to it

  • Leo says:

    4 Feb4 February 16:58

    As Genghis says you don’t have the right status for guaranteed access to the lounge at a Hilton – you need Diamond. As far as IHG is concerned – you would have to pay to access the Club lounge at Le Grand IC on a redemption – (€120 per night for Ambassadors?). There’s no lounge at the IC Avenue Marceau. There’s no lounge at the Indigo. There is a lounge at the Republique Crowne Plaza. I don’t know if they’d give you lounge access as a Platinum – TA reports not given to a Spire but maybe someone else knows as I’ve not stayed there?

    • KevMc says:

      5 Feb5 February 00:23

      I’m staying in the Crowne Plaza Republique in a couple of weeks, having booked a standard room for €99/night in their sale back in October. I have Ambassador, so will report back on whether they give us lounge access (though I am not expecting it)

• Dan says:

  4 Feb4 February 08:54

  To me the new LH livery looks like a great improvement – for LOT Polish Airlines

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.