Chat thread – Saturday 30th November

[Rob]

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.

[Gordon]

Good Morning, from the Hotel Donauwalzer Wien, vienna, a great little family run bouquet hotel, it’s at 100% capacity, (mostly uk visitors for the Christmas markets) very quaint Teufel 3sixty radio Bluetooth speaker in the room, tuned into Klassik radio, giving some great classical music.

Art deco style room, seven non stealable hangers, underfloor heating, a gold cocktail trolly for the kettle and krupp coffee machine, 12 lamp gold chandelier suspended in the centre of the room, parquet flooring, heating was set to blast furnace on arrival, which was welcome, as it was chilly.

Double ply standard toilet paper, walk in Rain shower, tiled floor with underfloor heating, Geberit soft close toilet seat.

Number 44 (Wiener Linien ) tram stops directly outside the hotel, taking you to the city, first stop is Maroltingergasse, last stop is Schottentor.

Found a popular restaurant last night, our party tried the veal schnitzel, which went down well with a few shots of various flavoured schnapps.

Spending the next few days visiting the various Christmas markets.

[HampshireHog]

Good morning from the IC Vienna, a more bog standard experience than Gordon’s but quite comfortable, also a good sprinkling of UK guests quite a few not to my taste so we’re keeping sotto voce in the lounge to avoid unwanted discourse with said vulgar folk.

[BSI1978]

Good morning from The Bird, down in Bath.

Booked via Hyatt, no Globalist recognition but not unexpected given it’s a Mr and Mrs Smith property. Cheeky bottle of Tattinger waiting in the room however.

Proper old style building and interiors, nicely done up from a festive perspective, and my room (Nr. 5 – dinky double!) has a cracking view of The Rec.

Nice mix in the restaurant last night, although one slightly rowdy table of ladies seemed set fair for the evening; only stayed for drinks which were served/mixed by a good natured bar team. Quite punchy Negroni as well!

Room is okay, but dinky is correct, weird selection of ties form some sort of art structure which I’m sure has a backstory, thankfully not spending much time within but a couple may struggle for longer than a night or two; off to sample the famous weekend breakfast now.

Happy Saturday all.

[Backpacker]

Lounge Access Sat 21 Dec – Tried to Pre-book a month in advance any one of 3 lounges in Gatwick south last week, and was a bit stunned to see all 3 were fully booked and not taking paid pre-bookings a month in advance. Good luck getting a walk-in entry on the day then! Is this common – even pre-booking not available a month in advance – how long do you guys normally book? Another down-mark for AMEX platinum as no other options…

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Look at the date!

Saturday before Christmas and there will be a lot of people travelling and wanting to use lounges and will have booked well in advance.

[Bill]

Does the Escape lounge in Manchester T2 have showers
?

Priority Pass says yes, but there was no mention of it in the review on this site. So just seeking confirmation from someone who has visited.

[Nico]

Backpacker wrote:

Lounge Access Sat 21 Dec – Tried to Pre-book a month in advance any one of 3 lounges in Gatwick south last week, and was a bit stunned to see all 3 were fully booked and not taking paid pre-bookings a month in advance. Good luck getting a walk-in entry on the day then! Is this common – even pre-booking not available a month in advance – how long do you guys normally book? Another down-mark for AMEX platinum as no other options…

Wanted to try amex platinum pre booking until I realised, it is not available in so many places, they have to improve that or pretty useless

[Backpacker]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

Look at the date!

Saturday before Christmas and there will be a lot of people travelling and wanting to use lounges and will have booked well in advance.

Yes – I did realise that, but still think it’s an interesting data point for the group here. Guess will try to book 6 months in advance next time, but I logically thought a pre-booking would work this far out!

[Richie]

The EU has approved the marriage of ITA Airways and Lufthansa, BA is getting remedy slots at LINate, it’ll be interesting to see when any flights go on sale.

[JDB]

Richie wrote:

The EU has approved the marriage of ITA Airways and Lufthansa, BA is getting remedy slots at LINate, it’ll be interesting to see when any flights go on sale.

So now, who is going to bag TAP?

[Greg]

Backpacker wrote:

Lounge Access Sat 21 Dec – Tried to Pre-book a month in advance any one of 3 lounges in Gatwick south last week, and was a bit stunned to see all 3 were fully booked and not taking paid pre-bookings a month in advance. Good luck getting a walk-in entry on the day then! Is this common – even pre-booking not available a month in advance – how long do you guys normally book? Another down-mark for AMEX platinum as no other options…

Similarly I booked a flight from Bristol 3 months ago, and regularly tried to book Escape lounge using my Dragon Pass. With no success, I turned up on the day and got immediate access – and the (very nice) lounge was really quiet.

[ChrisBCN]

JDB wrote:

So now, who is going to bag TAP?

It’s totally the right fit for IAG – TAP are the ones that provide downward price pressure in key IAG markets, and if they can’t have Europa….

[BBbetter]

JDB wrote:

Richie wrote:

The EU has approved the marriage of ITA Airways and Lufthansa, BA is getting remedy slots at LINate, it’ll be interesting to see when any flights go on sale.

So now, who is going to bag TAP?

AF KLM investing and code sharing with Air Europa. Didn’t know Air Europa was quite profitable.

Rumours that Lufthansa (who else) is looking at TAP.

IAG looks to have shot themselves in the foot with Air Europa bid. They knew it won’t be approved. Perhaps the plan was just to delay the inevitable cooperation with the other big two groups.

[BBbetter]

ChrisBCN wrote:

JDB wrote:

So now, who is going to bag TAP?

It’s totally the right fit for IAG – TAP are the ones that provide downward price pressure in key IAG markets, and if they can’t have Europa….

That’s exactly the reason IAG shouldn’t be allowed to acquire TAP.

[Tony1]

OH twisted ankle ( bruise not broken have the x-rays ) but told will be “difficult” for a month or so. ( Don’t do rock moveing in the wet on a slope in Spain ).

We have Xmas booked in Malta ( three weeks self catering booked ages ago from BCN ), will not cancel as a family meetup. So purchased a small mobility scooter ( Malta is hilly ), for OH to use. Managed to add it foc on to Ryanair.

Never travelled with one before. Is it covered by Plat Amex insurance if it is damaged in transit ? I have looked but cant find anything specific. It was cheap so not that bothered, but it would prove a problem for a few days if broken on arrival.

Flood Update : Have had two fairly large de humifihers working 24/7 in villa. Its amazing how much water entered over the three days of rain at the start of November ! ( about 10 – 15l a day per machine )

At least not replacing fence at home due to storm damage. Son is having it bad there – getting good value from Just Eat…

[Gordon]

@HampshireHog – As you are in Vienna, just a heads up, if you were heading in this general direction.
we have just been caught up in the demonstration’s outside the Hofburg building, hundreds of police are now in riot gear, and the area has been cordoned off, it’s chaos!

[JDB]

@BBbetter – if IAG shouldn’t be allowed to buy TAP, who should? LH Group, AFKL (that the Dutch now call Macronair after KL/Dutch govt stuffed by the French govt)?

[BBbetter]

JDB wrote:

@BBbetter – if IAG shouldn’t be allowed to buy TAP, who should? LH Group, AFKL (that the Dutch now call Macronair after KL/Dutch govt stuffed by the French govt)?

LH, naturally, and that’s what’s happening as per my previous post.
Then you have all 3 big groups competing on the Iberian peninsula to Latin America routes. Best result for consumers.

[phantomchickenz]

Anyone flown First on Qatar? Trying to decide whether it’s worth stumping up 506k Avios for two of us on a flexi leg in First from DOH to SYD (after Qsuite from LHR-DOH) as opposed to QSuite all the way for 180k.

I’ve done QSuite before and found it okay, but not groundbreaking. 14 hours in First does sound nice, but is it worth the equivalent of £1600 pp?

[Richie]

@phantomchickenz QR908 DOH-SYD leaves at 20:45 and arrives 18:50 with a flight time of approximately 14 hrs and 5 mins.
If your body clock is still on UK time, these timings and length of flight are perfect to enjoy dinner, have a good sleep, enjoy breakfast in First. It’s an A380 flight also.
If the rate at which you replenish avios in your accounts is good, then it’s a yes from me.
But if avoiding this First opportunity could mean you’d get an opportunity stay in better hotels and eat at some of the best restaurants, then J would be fine.

[strickers]

@phantomchickenz Out of curiosity, how far out are you seeing availability?

[HampshireHog]

Gordon wrote:

@HampshireHog – As you are in Vienna, just a heads up, if you were heading in this general direction.
we have just been caught up in the demonstration’s outside the Hofburg building, hundreds of police are now in riot gear, and the area has been cordoned off, it’s chaos!

Thanks, saw the police vans as we passed by on the tram no 2 on the way to the Leopold, it’s well worth a visit incidentally. Hope you got away soonish, what was the demo?

[phantomchickenz]

strickers wrote:

@phantomchickenz Out of curiosity, how far out are you seeing availability?

~350 days. Mid November next year. Seems to be a reasonable amount available to SYD/MEL in J up until about the 20th (355d)

[bigmaggot]

Try getting in Bristol Airport lounge during school/summer holidays, no chance!

Greg wrote:

Backpacker wrote:

Lounge Access Sat 21 Dec – Tried to Pre-book a month in advance any one of 3 lounges in Gatwick south last week, and was a bit stunned to see all 3 were fully booked and not taking paid pre-bookings a month in advance. Good luck getting a walk-in entry on the day then! Is this common – even pre-booking not available a month in advance – how long do you guys normally book? Another down-mark for AMEX platinum as no other options…

Similarly I booked a flight from Bristol 3 months ago, and regularly tried to book Escape lounge using my Dragon Pass. With no success, I turned up on the day and got immediate access – and the (very nice) lounge was really quiet.