Chat thread – Sunday 20th April
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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.
I have a return from USA on American Airlines then changing at LHR to a BA flight.
What do I have to do to pick up my bag at LHR instead of getting it checked through please?AA won’t short check a bag unless there is something like an overnight stay involved.
To get the bag back you will bed to see an AA baggage agent in T3 to have the bag retrieved. This may take sometime as it isn’t a priority.
Happy Chocolate Day everyone!
I am looking to use a 241 ALC-MAD-MIA (2 holidays in 1, basically), and want to fly the ALC-MAD leg the day before the longhaul as BA.com will only give me same-day connections with less than an hour between them which my nerves can’t deal with.
There’s no “stopover” option at MAD when booking online. If I book MAD-MIA, will BA add the ALC-MAD leg for me by phone so I can put that on the 241 also?
I know there has been a bit of a kerfuffle about adding IB short-haul sectors recently, but this is effectively going to be a one-way rather than open jaw booking at this stage.
Good morning from Radisson Blu Jersey…..enjoying a glass of fizz (they welcomed us at breakfast and wished my wife happy 40th Birthday) and it’s a lovely breakfast as always. One thing that crossed my mind yesterday – BA Crew staying overnight in Jersey…..They stay at the Radisson and it’s not a one off as probably done 25+ trips here and they are always here. How can the crew not wait half hour, and do the other half hour flight back to LHR? Must cost BA a fortune to put them up after every flight. Understand they have set hours etc, but surely another leg back to LHR could be factored in to save on costs. My brother is a Captain for Jet2, was a Captain for Emirates, TUI, Delta and does very long schedules. With Jet2 – he easy does 13 hour day going to Fuerteventura and back (Jet2 never stop overnight anywhere as crew) including flight time, prep, wait whilst the planes cleaned before flying back. Know it’s their hours but just seems really odd stopping over and not making a more sensible rosta for them when it’s literally a half hour flight back and would save costs 🙂
This has probably been asked before but I can’t find it – for visa free transit at Shanghai can you apply in advance ? Thanks .
@NorthernLass – the fare/ticketing issue recently reported re Iberia relates to zones, so shouldn’t affect your journey.
BA should be able to do this, but in creating a stopover, IB can charge the sector fares (plus some additional but small taxes/fees) and it can affect Iberia’s married segment availability for the long haul.
Good morning from the Great Scotland Yard hotel. Here for 2 nights over the long weekend.
Not sure I can add much to Conny’s comprehensive review from last year, suffice it to write chunky hangers are stealable, Nespresso pods and a decent kettle for tea.
Not as impressed with the Japanese toilet seat as Conny was, although suspect that’s because my posterior is a little larger….
Upgraded to a Premium king which is fine, albeit again not impressed with the lack of seating options. Almost as if they don’t want you to linger inside.
Breakfast was okay, but unsurprisingly mobbed given it’s Easter Sunday. Time for a mooch and the papers, and I’ll look forward to trying out the bar and speakeasy later this evening.
Happy Easter all
Good morning from Radisson Blu Jersey…..enjoying a glass of fizz (they welcomed us at breakfast and wished my wife happy 40th Birthday) and it’s a lovely breakfast as always. One thing that crossed my mind yesterday – BA Crew staying overnight in Jersey…..They stay at the Radisson and it’s not a one off as probably done 25+ trips here and they are always here. How can the crew not wait half hour, and do the other half hour flight back to LHR? Must cost BA a fortune to put them up after every flight. Understand they have set hours etc, but surely another leg back to LHR could be factored in to save on costs. My brother is a Captain for Jet2, was a Captain for Emirates, TUI, Delta and does very long schedules. With Jet2 – he easy does 13 hour day going to Fuerteventura and back (Jet2 never stop overnight anywhere as crew) including flight time, prep, wait whilst the planes cleaned before flying back. Know it’s their hours but just seems really odd stopping over and not making a more sensible rosta for them when it’s literally a half hour flight back and would save costs 🙂
@bibby135, you don’t know what sector they have just completed, it could be the end of a 4 sector day.I am looking to use a 241 ALC-MAD-MIA (2 holidays in 1, basically), and want to fly the ALC-MAD leg the day before the longhaul
If you don’t have much luck with the plane consider the train; it will be faster door to door. It’s about 2h20-2h30, and costs between 10-20 quid if you book early enough, and about a tenner more for first class.
Morning, just been looking at restaurants on the dining credit and through posts on here.
Fallows appeared to be the winner and then when I looked, it appeared it’s not on the dining credit. The wife is insisting she wants a Sunday dinner.Also, last night at the Kimpton the lady appeared to take offence when I asked for the service charge to be removed. We only had 2 drinks. We only had them because I had a £15 off with the platinum card. After explaining that I just don’t agree with it, she went into say she has to write down a reason why the service wasn’t good and why I had requested the service charge was removed. When I said “being from the UK, i generally don’t tip, I was greeted with a a passive aggressive “this is what we do in London”. I have noticed the majority of guests appear to be from across the pond, maybe they don’t want my custom in future.
I thought you got drink vouchers? It is crazy times when tips though are expected for pouring a drink (is this not the basic job description of bar staff?)
I said this the other day but Americans are completely sold on the notion that it’s they are responsible for the wages of people who serve them. I’m on a FB timeshare owners’ group where most of the other members are American, and they get quite aggressive about telling newbies who ask that they should tip housekeeping $100 per week!
What the lady said to you, the guest, was pretty rude by the way! I hope you responded with some Yorkshire wisdom, lol. Just off up your way now for Sunday lunch with the in-laws!
I thought you got drink vouchers? It is crazy times when tips though are expected for pouring a drink (is this not the basic job description of bar staff?)
I said this the other day but Americans are completely sold on the notion that it’s they are responsible for the wages of people who serve them. I’m on a FB timeshare owners’ group where most of the other members are American, and they get quite aggressive about telling newbies who ask that they should tip housekeeping $100 per week!
What the lady said to you, the guest, was pretty rude by the way! I hope you responded with some Yorkshire wisdom, lol. Just off up your way now for Sunday lunch with the in-laws!
The drinks voucher we received were “£15 off on drinks”. We had a voucher each. The bill came to £9+ which included a 12.5% service charge. After it was removed I paid £5. I genuinely feel it’s another case of taking the consumer for an absolute mug.
This has probably been asked before but I can’t find it – for visa free transit at Shanghai can you apply in advance ? Thanks .
Are you talking about a trip such as (random example!) LHR-PVG-BKK?
If so, then no – you just head to Heathrow and hope they understand the “rules”. Which
they didn’t, last summer! Got there in the end…@davedent It’s not a visa so there’s no application.
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/china-without-a-visa/
I thought you got drink vouchers? It is crazy times when tips though are expected for pouring a drink (is this not the basic job description of bar staff?)
I said this the other day but Americans are completely sold on the notion that it’s they are responsible for the wages of people who serve them. I’m on a FB timeshare owners’ group where most of the other members are American, and they get quite aggressive about telling newbies who ask that they should tip housekeeping $100 per week!
What the lady said to you, the guest, was pretty rude by the way! I hope you responded with some Yorkshire wisdom, lol. Just off up your way now for Sunday lunch with the in-laws!
It was the member of staff that said it. She was from Essex.
The drinks voucher we received were “£15 off on drinks”. We had a voucher each. The bill came to £9+ which included a 12.5% service charge. After it was removed I paid £5. I genuinely feel it’s another case of taking the consumer for an absolute mug.A few days ago I posted that I had cancelled standard one-way redemption, but did not receive the avios immediately (only an email that the refund will be calculated, and I’ll receive an email once processed).
The cash refund appeared yesterday (minus the £35 fee) but no email. Anyway, DM’ed BA on Twitter this morning, and about 30 mins later had a response that the avios had been refunded. They were there immediately. So thanks again to this forum about this way to contact BA.
That’s changed then, I wonder if many properties are doing that instead of just giving out vouchers for “a drink”?
@JDB, @ChrisBCN, many thanks. I had considered the train but we will have a lot of luggage and the railway station seems to be quite a long way from the airport. We are taking it from Valencia, however, later this year!Morning, just been looking at restaurants on the dining credit and through posts on here.
Fallows appeared to be the winner and then when I looked, it appeared it’s not on the dining credit. The wife is insisting she wants a Sunday dinner.Also, last night at the Kimpton the lady appeared to take offence when I asked for the service charge to be removed. We only had 2 drinks. We only had them because I had a £15 off with the platinum card. After explaining that I just don’t agree with it, she went into say she has to write down a reason why the service wasn’t good and why I had requested the service charge was removed. When I said “being from the UK, i generally don’t tip, I was greeted with a a passive aggressive “this is what we do in London”. I have noticed the majority of guests appear to be from across the pond, maybe they don’t want my custom in future.
You will most likely find they have added a service charge to the final account on checkout. We have generally used Kimpton when in London as it’s so convenient both for Kings X, the British Museum & walking into central London. This appears to be something they began last autumn & I agree seems to be a reflection of their clientele being generally from across the pond. I asked for it to be removed & explained we prefer to tip at the time when we think it is deserved. I got a fairly curt, that’s fine it is optional – if it’s optional why add it without asking? I notice that the Intercon on Park Lane now state on the booking page in the IHG app that a service charge will be added & Kimpton, I suspect, will soon be doing the same. It’s a shame because we like both the hotel and its restaurant but are disinclined to stay there in future if they persist with this. Staff in this country should be paid appropriately as per UK employment law and tips awarded for exceptional service rather than being an expectation. If US tourism drops off (due to the current political regime) trying to impose US norms on Brits may be something they come to regret.
@yorkshireRich yes it looks like Fallow has been dropped from the dining credit list. We are planning to go next month and I noticed they now don’t even take Amex either – not sure if they have had a falling out.
Ref the tipping / service charge comments above. Interesting if brief piece from Chris Haslam about this (well, in the US at least) in today’s ST.
Re tipping: With paltry real wage increases since 2008, hasn’t the minimum wage in the UK crept up close to the average salary? This is Twitter analysis, not perr reviewed economics mind you!
Good Afternoon from the Hilton Berlin, where we have been upgraded from a Standard King room to a refurbished One Bedroom King Residence. The hotel is currently being fully refurbished, and the Executive Lounge is currently in part of the breakfast room. The Lounge, along with the breakfast room will be moving to the 1st floor and the pictures we have been shown look very good.
Refurbished rooms have a lot of light wood panelling and some dark sideboards and tables. Anyone who has stayed at the Hilton Glasgow will recognise the brushed gold taps too. Overall, so far, an excellent improvement and I’m looking forward to coming back to to see the completion of the refurbishment.
Just to add to the London hotel service charge list –
I stayed 1 night at The Beaumont, for £630.
And a 5% service charge was added as standard.
To the entire bill.I found it disturbing in principle and had it removed, and I too was met with them wanting to know ‘what was wrong?’
Good morning from Radisson Blu Jersey…..enjoying a glass of fizz (they welcomed us at breakfast and wished my wife happy 40th Birthday) and it’s a lovely breakfast as always. One thing that crossed my mind yesterday – BA Crew staying overnight in Jersey…..They stay at the Radisson and it’s not a one off as probably done 25+ trips here and they are always here. How can the crew not wait half hour, and do the other half hour flight back to LHR? Must cost BA a fortune to put them up after every flight. Understand they have set hours etc, but surely another leg back to LHR could be factored in to save on costs. My brother is a Captain for Jet2, was a Captain for Emirates, TUI, Delta and does very long schedules. With Jet2 – he easy does 13 hour day going to Fuerteventura and back (Jet2 never stop overnight anywhere as crew) including flight time, prep, wait whilst the planes cleaned before flying back. Know it’s their hours but just seems really odd stopping over and not making a more sensible rosta for them when it’s literally a half hour flight back and would save costs 🙂
It’s not just about costs, but also providing a service wanted by travellers. The last flight of the day from LHR to JER doesn’t arrive until 20:40. The aircraft stays overnight at JER so it can operate the next day 07:15 JER to LHR service. There are Jersey residents who want an early departure so they can make a same day connection at LHR to travel onto somewhere else, or have day trip to London. If those travellers had to wait for the first LHR to JER flight to arrive so they could take its return JER to LHR sector they won’t arrive at LHR until 11:35. Which is too late to connect to any morning departures for LHR.
Many years ago, the same crew operated as per the aircraft which stayed overnight. Requiring one set of crew to overnight in JER. However, if the LHR to JER last flight of the day was late then in order to satisfy the minimum rest regulations the JER to LHR first flight the next day, would sometimes depart late. Now, there are usually two sets of crew who overnight in JER. Crew A operate the 20:40 arrival into JER, but a different crew B operate the next day 07:15 departure. Crew A will usually operate the lunchtime or afternoon JER to LHR the day after they arrive. The crew who arrived into JER on that aircraft become the next day’s crew B. That’s a typical pattern, but does vary.
The EasyJet LGW to JER service also have an overnight in JER, so they can provide an early morning departure from JER the next day. Although, I am not aware of their crew overnight pattern.
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