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This is today’s chat thread.
If you have specific questions about Avios, hotels or credit cards, please ask them in the appropriate forum and not here. This thread is a good place to post interesting deals you have spotted or your general thoughts on travel and all things miles and points. Thank you for contributing.
Good Morning from the Four Seasons Singapore where my family of 4 are staying in 2 club rooms and have USD
100 credit room which we plan to spend to part-pay for dinner at Nobu tonight. We got the booking on a 4 for 3 which still made it expensive but not too bad compared to the MO or The Fullerton.
Overall impression of the hotel is ‘very good’ but I wouldn’t say ‘excellent’. The rooms are lovely, the breakfast is excellent and the service very hospitable.
The executive lounge is average at best and overall probably not worth it but we have still enjoyed ourselves. Probably would stay in a different hotel if we come back to Singapore again.
We move on to Bali tomorrow and have 4 nights booked at Tanah Gajah in Ubud followed by 5 nights at The Apurva Kempinski in Nusa Dua, both booked through Luxury Escapes with lots of extras thrown in.@binotsen – hope you have a great time on the rest of your trip. Interesting reflections on the Four Seasons which rather summarises where the whole group has got to – very good but not excellent (and probably wouldn’t stay again) but the decline in quality to lower five star has generally not hitherto been properly reflected in prices although has seemingly caught up with them in Singapore.
Good morning from BA’s First lounge in T3 at Heathrow. Indeed was not allowed at first (BA Gold + 2 kids) but upon checking with manager allowed in, which was a very helpful exception to the rules. 20 people max in the lounge so capacity was not an issue at all
Well done. It does require a certain level of discretion so always down to the individual agent. I think the system won’t allow them to scan two guest BP’s with one status holder, so effectively means one is completely off the radar. Clearly something they don’t want ‘too many’ of.
Good morning from BA’s First lounge in T3 at Heathrow. Indeed was not allowed at first (BA Gold + 2 kids) but upon checking with manager allowed in, which was a very helpful exception to the rules. 20 people max in the lounge so capacity was not an issue at all
As I posted in your original query I did say that if this was to happen it would be into BAs own lounge – basically because it doesn’t really cost them anything!
FT reporting that LHR has asked for permission to increase charges on airlines. Apparently more lounges on the cards.
Am all for further investment, but regulators need to attach more conditions on customer experience. Faster implementation of new security check machines, more water fountains, more travellators etc.
FT reporting that LHR has asked for permission to increase charges on airlines. Apparently more lounges on the cards.
Am all for further investment, but regulators need to attach more conditions on customer experience. Faster implementation of new security check machines, more water fountains, more travellators etc.
Who has HAL asked?
FT reporting that LHR has asked for permission to increase charges on airlines. Apparently more lounges on the cards.
Am all for further investment, but regulators need to attach more conditions on customer experience. Faster implementation of new security check machines, more water fountains, more travellators etc.
What you are referring to is today’s publication of the H8 business plan for the next regulatory period 2027-2031 which now needs CAA approval after consultation with airlines. You will see from that document that charges have fallen by 19% in real terms over the last ten years which average air fares have risen by 31%.
The proposed improvements, part of a £10bn proposed spend in the five year period are detailed in the plan.
How long is a piece of string, I’ll ask anyway. Looking at business class flights to end of November Phuket from Manchester and cheapest at the moment is Etihad around £2200 should I hold on for a bit as not sure when the flight prices might come down assuming they do? Any guidelines?
Good morning from northern Portugal, where the announcement of the partial privatisation of TAP continues to dominate the TV news.
The government is to sell 49.9%, retaining a controlling stake.
Interesting strategy. Whoever buys TAP is going to want control of the airline, but probably a minority stake will satisfy them in the short term.
Will the sale of a minority stake prevent the EU blocking the sale on competition grounds? Will the next stage of privatisation be problematic? Will be interesting to see how this pans out. AF/KLM, IAG, and Lufthansa are all thought to be interested.
Any airline CB / spend offers on Amex? Almost 2 months on my new platinum but seeing none….
Any airline CB / spend offers on Amex? Almost 2 months on my new platinum but seeing none….
They always get posted on this thread https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/amex-offers-latest/
FT reporting that LHR has asked for permission to increase charges on airlines. Apparently more lounges on the cards.
Am all for further investment, but regulators need to attach more conditions on customer experience. Faster implementation of new security check machines, more water fountains, more travellators etc.
What you are referring to is today’s publication of the H8 business plan for the next regulatory period 2027-2031 which now needs CAA approval after consultation with airlines. You will see from that document that charges have fallen by 19% in real terms over the last ten years which average air fares have risen by 31%.
The proposed improvements, part of a £10bn proposed spend in the five year period are detailed in the plan.
As a counterpoint, it was interesting to hear Surinder Arora on the wireless this morning.
FT reporting that LHR has asked for permission to increase charges on airlines. Apparently more lounges on the cards.
Am all for further investment, but regulators need to attach more conditions on customer experience. Faster implementation of new security check machines, more water fountains, more travellators etc.
Regulation in this country is not there to improve customers experiences but rather to provide business with a fig leaf of regulation. Heathrow profits are vast, their charges are then supplemented by drop off fees ( up 20% just this year) access fees for those using the lizzie line, heathrow express fares that are higher than flying first class per mile, and of course exorbitant parking charges and shopping prices that are off the scale.
There is not a chance that any hikes will be directly related to improved customer experiences.
Good morning from northern Portugal, where the announcement of the partial privatisation of TAP continues to dominate the TV news.
The government is to sell 49.9%, retaining a controlling stake.
Interesting strategy. Whoever buys TAP is going to want control of the airline, but probably a minority stake will satisfy them in the short term.
Will the sale of a minority stake prevent the EU blocking the sale on competition grounds? Will the next stage of privatisation be problematic? Will be interesting to see how this pans out. AF/KLM, IAG, and Lufthansa are all thought to be interested.
My money is on KLM air france. Oh and Qantas to leave oneworld and join up with their new friends at Air France KLM. Find it incredible that Qantas were allowed to link up with AF/KLM cocking a snoot at Qatar and rest of OW.
Good morning from northern Portugal, where the announcement of the partial privatisation of TAP continues to dominate the TV news.
The government is to sell 49.9%, retaining a controlling stake.
Interesting strategy. Whoever buys TAP is going to want control of the airline, but probably a minority stake will satisfy them in the short term.
Will the sale of a minority stake prevent the EU blocking the sale on competition grounds? Will the next stage of privatisation be problematic? Will be interesting to see how this pans out. AF/KLM, IAG, and Lufthansa are all thought to be interested.
My money is on KLM air france. Oh and Qantas to leave oneworld and join up with their new friends at Air France KLM. Find it incredible that Qantas were allowed to link up with AF/KLM cocking a snoot at Qatar and rest of OW.
Not sure about the QF analysis, but AFKL seems the most likely contender. All current carriers in the group have gov’t stakes. The way I like them to be. No squeezing staff on flexible contracts & forcing them to wear polyester. And a degree of certainty. France would never let AFKL go insolvent.
AF-KL has a similar structure to IAG
The shares are held at the group level and the subsidiary airlines operate as independent businesses.
So you can’t buy shares in AF just as you can’t buy BA share
How long is a piece of string, I’ll ask anyway. Looking at business class flights to end of November Phuket from Manchester and cheapest at the moment is Etihad around £2200 should I hold on for a bit as not sure when the flight prices might come down assuming they do? Any guidelines?
If it is a price you are prepared to pay then book now and don’t look back. Doesn’t kayak give you an indication of whether the prices are likely to increase or drop?
AF-KL has a similar structure to IAG
The shares are held at the group level and the subsidiary airlines operate as independent businesses.
So you can’t buy shares in AF just as you can’t buy BA share
Almost. States (& some unions) also have minority shareholdings in the subsidiary airlines. In the case of KLM the ownership is divided between AFKL outright and Stichting Administratiekantoor KLM in an approx. 60/40 split.
Hi all. Not really points related as I’m paying cash, but I know everyone is great at giving advice and their insight. Cash in economy I hasten to add. My days of flying in J at the moment look like a distant memory. I’m Planning my trip for Feb today where Im trying to fit my jigsaw together. I’m having 7 nights in Koh samui then flying to Hong Kong where I have 3 nights before my BA flight on my companion voucher returning back to the Uk. I’m figuring out where to go before Koh Samui. After having a play around with different flights and I think my plan is: Qatar flight to Doha which lands at around 18:15. I’ll have one night in Doha before the 19:35 flight to Bangkok. It lands in Bangkok at 07:35 before a 1 hour 30 connection on Bangkok Airways to Krabi. I’ll then have 4 nights in Ao Nang before flying to Koh Samui. I feel having it all one ticket booking through Qatar from Doha to Krabi via Bangkok is the much safer option. I did think of flying into Phuket, but the times to combat jet lag may not be as good. The price is just over £1200. Am I right in thinking that’s quite decent at the moment. I appreciate no one has a crystal ball.
As always thankyou, and if I’m missing something glaringly obvious, I’ll re-think.
Flying to OPO in a few days. I will have a tight schedule. I was wondering if I’ll be able to use eGates there with my UK passport?
@can2 How quickly are you expecting them to stamp your passport?
@yorkshireRich I wouldn’t spend so much time in Doha and also have a tight connection for the flight to Krabi.
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