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Keith T

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Posts posted by Keith T

  1. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    Wow you really love DP don't you. So have you ever finish the whole bottle by yourselves? The only champagne that I have tasted so far has been only DP so I don't really know how to appreciate good champagne.

     

    I've finished quite a few bottles of champagne whilst flying. :p If you've read my TRs you'd realise that I have a preference for champagnes and wines over other booze. Last time flying QF business SIN-LHR, my friend and I managed to drink the upper deck dry of champagne (Charles Heidsieck Mis En Cave 2003). The very good-humoured QF crew member was egging us on and even went downstairs to fetch more bottles of the CH. :p

     

    DP is one of the many great champagnes of the world, but my absolute faves are Belle Epoque (Perrier Jouet), Winston Churchill (Pol Roger) and anything from the house of Charles Heidsieck. And though it's not a label that many consider to be amongst the top ends, I love Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires which QF sometimes serves in F (amongst Krug, DP and Piper Heidsieck Rare).

     

    I do have to admit DP gets sickly sweet after a while, but hey I won't turn it down if offered. :p

     

    For a good value, 'everyday' champagne - go check out Charles Heidsieck MEC, Pol Roger NV or Billecart-Salmon NV. :good:

  2. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    Enjoy:

    http://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/about/.../experience.mpg

     

     

    On 28 April 2008, we launched a new brand advertising campaign highlighting Qantas as the world's most experienced airline.

     

    Qantas has been flying continuously for longer than any other airline in the world - for over 87 years. We were the first airline to introduce business class in 1979, our operational standards are world leading, and we remain the true pioneer of long haul air travel.

     

    The first phase of this new campaign will run from April to August 2008 in North America, the United Kingdom and in Asia.

     

    The campaign features some of our First Lounge staff and Cabin Crew, and is set to a new soundtrack of the Australian classic 'Land Down Under'.

     

    The campaign will be viewed worldwide online, as well as being seen overseas on television, outdoor billboards, and in newspapers and magazines.

     

    View the campaign at qantas.com/experience.

     

    Cool that they're placing some emphasis on the frontline staff, which IMO are one of the airline's many strengths.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    SQ's new lounge at T3 in SIN, was just "pedestrian". One expects a bit more from SQ, especially with its flagship lounge.

     

    Not to mention the removal of Dom Perignon - now F and J sides have the SAME champagne.

    The DP was the only thing worth spending time in the SKL F for, and I could overlook the subpar facilities for that.

     

    However best Flounge in the world I have ever experienced is still LH's FRA First Class Terminal, followed by QF's new SYD and MEL Flounges.

  4. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    DP will only be a permanent feature at the Platinum Lounge (MAS Golden Lounge in Satellite Building) for Platinum Enrich members. It is also served on board of MAS First Class only. Not even Business Class. However, depending "who" you are, you can put in a special request I think. Haha...

     

    Very nice - this puts them WAY ahead of the Silver Kris Lounge in SIN! :good:

     

    Alas I don't even have basic membership of Enrich so I'd settle for Moet NV (or whatever's served to us plebs). :sorry:

     

    Thanks, eiling, for supplying this info. :)

  5. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    LAN Chile also flies SYD-AKL vice versa for a cheap deal. I paid my last trip for NZD$115 incl. tax per way last November.

     

    Beware of the Insomniacs' Express on the return... :pardon: Regardless of how cheap a fare is, it is not enough to get me up voluntarily at that hour.

     

    I'm dreading an 0630 departure I'm forced to take this July. :(

     

    I'd pay a little more for a full service carrier and a single ticket all the way. And there's more to flying full service airlines than onboard service.

     

    Rather and more importantly, full service carriers tend to have better contingencies during irregular ops. You leave yourself unprotected from irregular ops or in the event of misconnects and it could turn out to be an extremely expensive venture by booking flights from different airlines on separate tickets. Or maybe find travel insurance that covers this...

     

    By being able to book everything on one ticket with full service carriers, you'd have more chance of being rebooked, even on to other carriers in the event of irregular ops or misconnects. And no penalties.

     

    QF once held a plane for 30 mins so that myself and some other pax on a late incoming could make our connection, SQ rebooked me on to next available flight with accomodation in SIN paid for when I missed my connection due to a later flight. Numerous, similar experiences with a whole range of airlines, especially in the US. Would've been costly paying for brand new tickets had I misconnected on LCCs, or even traveled on separate itineraries.

     

    I'd look into the BI fares.

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I only know that the DP served the other day was the beverage supplier's own collection at the lounge but if you really want to know, I'll call him up to check. I think first class do serve DP because the Chairman himself would request for it.

     

    Would be great if you could do that, but don't bother if it's too much hassle. :)

     

    FWIW SQ is only serving Charles Heidsieck Mis En Cave in F. :( Same champagne as the J side. A great champagne for J, but I do expect something nicer for F.

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Those using BMI diamond club should spend their miles NOW - before you get rolled into Miles and More which isn't nearly as good value.

     

    http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gP0E52...wcaxQ8vj833NWLw

     

    Lufthansa decides to exercise option for BMI: finance director

     

     

    FRANKFURT (AFP) — German airline Lufthansa has decided to exercise an option to take a majority stake in British carrier BMI, Lufthansa finance director Stephan Gemkow said on Friday.

     

    "We have decided to exercise the corresponding options," he told a tele-conference following the release of Lufthansa quarterly results.

     

    Lufthansa currently holds 30 percent percent minus one share of BMI and has the possibility of acquiring -- between December 2008 and June 2009 -- the 50 percent plus one share stake held by BMI chief Michael Bishop.

     

    BMI appeals to Lufthansa because it controls several take-off and landing slots at London's Heathrow Airport, a key player in air traffic between Europe and the United States.

     

    BMI's other principal shareholder, the Scandinavian carrier SAS, has a 20 percent stake, which it wants to sell.

     

    Lufthansa shares in mid-day trade here were up 4.20 percent at 18.10 euros on a generall stronger market after the group posted a huge rise in operating profit owing to the successful integration of its subsidary Swiss.

     

    "Their key number, operating income, was better than our estimate," said Citigroup analyst Andrew Light.

     

    Late on Thursday, Lufthansa reported that operating earnings in the period from January to March had grown to 188 million euros (295 million dollars) from 36 million euros in the same period last year. Analysts had expected operating profit around 98 million euros.

     

    "We had an excellent take-off into 2008," a statement quoted Lufthansa chairman Wolfgang Mayrhuber as saying.

     

    "We are on the right course, we are standing out from the crowd," he added.

     

    Lufthansa said that a "selective expansion of the route network and the successful integration of Swiss" contributed significantly to the results.

     

    Lufthansa took Swiss under its wing in March 2005 to expand passenger traffic business amid consolidation of the European air travel sector.

     

    Mayruber said at the time that the deal would generate one-off costs of 101 million euros but was also expected to generate annual synergies of 165 million euros from 2008.

     

     

  13. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    While I get your point, but my whole point here is that even with the ticket number and details, they still couldn't manage to get the ticket issued.

     

    Ah... gotcha now. I'd thought you only had the booking reference. :)

    Sounds like the eticket wasn't properly created in the first place to begin with in that case.

     

    Short of actually losing it altogether, sounds like my 'blast from the past' handwritten paper ticketed DONE4 is a whole lot safer than etickets in general. Have valid ticket, will travel (like a cheque). Less of this 'computer says no' caper.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Just to clarify - I did manage to pull out my booking itinerary from my phone (god, the 3G charges better not kill me!!) when I log into Malaysiaairlines.com and retrieve my booking, and logged into my email to show the receipt.

     

    It's not to say that I didn't have all my documents ready - just that it's stored in their OWN website. Isn't this valid?

     

    Bookings can still get lost regardless of where they're actually stored for a variety of reasons. Save the 3G charges by printing out the receipt (the one containing ticket number/s) or at least copy the ticket number/s down somewhere in future. You never know when you're going to need it.

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Interesting...

     

    http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=17700

     

    JAL to Enhance Ties with Vietnam Airlines

     

     

    Tokyo, Apr 14, 2008 (Jiji Press) - Japan Airlines is set to strengthen its ties with Vietnam Airlines as part of efforts to reinforce the Oneworld global airline network, which has no Southeast Asian member, Jiji Press learned Monday.

     

    JAL and Vietnam Airlines currently operate joint flights between Japan and Vietnam under a code-sharing agreement.

     

    JAL plans to provide knowhow on customer services, booking systems, aircraft maintenance and flight operations, informed sources said.

     

    By reinforcing the alliance, the Japanese firm will help Vietnam Airlines improve the quality of its services and technologies to levels in line with Oneworld standards and invite it to join the network, which currently has 10 members, including such firms as American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas Airways on top of JAL, the sources said.

     

    Having a Southeast Asian airline join the network is an important task facing the Japanese airline, JAL President Haruka Nishimatsu has said.

     

    JAL hopes that Vietnam Airlines' participation in the Oneworld network will help increase the number of flights between Japan and Vietnam, and improve flight connections and customer services.

     

    Vietnam Airlines, established in 1956, began full international flight services after the unification of North and South Vietnam in 1976. Its flight network covers 41 foreign cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.

     

    By Jiji Press, © Jiji Press

  17. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    I totally agree with Nick C! E-ticketing doesn't mean that you can rock up to the airport empty handed - you still need a print out of the eticket receipt for that 1% of the time. Regardless of what IATA thinks, the technology isn't foolproof.

     

    I don't think heads will roll anywhere - this happens quite often (or often enough to be complained about) across all airlines. Many things can lead to the same situation including an incorrect validation, a misspelt name, saving the record into the wrong part of the computer etc. Causes frantic tapping of keyboards and phone calls at the check in counter. Most easily solved by supplying the ticket number. :)

     

    Quoting myself from the very same thread started on SQTalk:

     

    Always be sure to make a note of your eticket number (not just the booking reference) somewhere. If for whatever reason your booking cannot be located, the eticket number will bring it up most of the time.

     

    Situations like these don't fill me with much confidence wrt the IATA eticketing mandate. I feel much safer with paper tickets because there's something physical to 'show.' With etickets you're at the mercy of the airline's computer systems and I've read many a horror story RE "computer says no." Last December I was given the runaround between LH and NZ on an LH issued eticket containing NZ segments which wasn't reissued properly- it's hard to detect what the problem is when you don't actually have a physical record of the ticket.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    I think a distinction has to be made between robust debate which vigourously challenges someone's point of view, and posts which are very obviously nothing more than personal attacks. The former is to be expected and encouraged, but the latter simply uncalled for and totally unproductive.

     

    I'd say it before and I'd say it again - if you don't like someone, simply 'ignore.' Good for the blood pressure. And it only stands to reason that when you stop baiting someone they'd go away.

     

    Two wrongs do not make a right....

     

     

  19. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    Does UA impose fuel fines on redemption ticket? Was thinking about doing UA HKG-SIN with mates using Emirates Skywards miles. Not sure how that works out?

     

    NZ fare ex-LHR have fuel surcharge shown separately from the base fare :angry: , is it just LHR or zero fuel surcharge is only applicable to redemption tickets?

     

    No fuel fines with UA, not on that route anyway. Some US carriers have decided to charge them on selected routes (usually transoceanic routes) for revenue tickets, but you only pay legitimate taxes on awards since the YQ is incorporated into the base fare.

     

    I think it's actually New Zealand (+ Australia and USA) legislation that bans NZ from charging fuel fines separately, so they might be free to charge them separately from other ports. Certainly I've had no YQ charged on my award tickets with NZ thus far using both LH and UA miles, but all of them ex-MEL. Doesn't stop QF from charging them on awards though - can't remember the exact wording of the legislation but i think QF took it very literally to mean that they'd advertise their fares with fuel fines included but they'd still technically charge them separately anyway (appears in the fare calc line as a separate YQ charge).

     

    Also - don't forget there's Air Passenger Duty exUK which is also charged on awards - GBP40 for economy, GBP80 for premium economy and above. :angry: (Bizarrely, pax on all-business airlines pay the lower amount as there's no "higher" cabin on those airlines :pardon:)

  21. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    Jetstar does provided limited baggage connectivity:

    http://www.jetstar.com/au/travel-info/at-t...onnections.html

     

    I do see Azri's point. Wouldn't be such an issue for pax on same plane, single flight number one stop services. But it might be problematic if they're intending to do a hub and feeder system out of SGN like SIN because of visa issues. But that's all academic given that we don't know for sure what their policies are in regard to international-international connections or if they're even going to have identical policies in the future.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7336346.stm

     

    Campbell banned from BA flights

     

    Naomi Campbell has been banned from flying with British Airways following a row over missing baggage.

     

    A publicist for the supermodel said she hoped the dispute with BA would be "resolved amicably".

     

    A spokesman for the airline said they do not give detailed comment about individual passengers.

     

    Campbell, 37, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and later released on bail after being removed from the flight to Los Angeles.

     

    The incident happened at Heathrow's Terminal 5, where thousands of passengers have been disrupted by its chaotic opening.

     

    A spokeswoman for Campbell said: "Naomi has been flying with BA for nearly 30 years and has been a good customer. She hopes this can be resolved amicably."

     

    A BA spokesman added: "All incidents of abusive or disruptive behaviour towards fellow passengers or staff are taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated.

     

    "We deal with cases on an individual basis and take appropriate action where necessary."

     

    It is not the first time Ms Campbell has been in trouble with the law.

     

    Last year she spent five days mopping floors as part of a community service sentence in New York for throwing a mobile phone at her housekeeper during an argument over a pair of jeans.

     

    She was also ordered to attend anger management classes.

  25. Posted · Edited by Keith T · Report reply

    maybe these destinations are not capable of handling e-tickets??? im just guessing, but it could be the case.

     

    HKT can handle etickets. Could be a problem on MH's end. Having said that quite a few destinations can't handle etickets yet. IATA can mandate whatever it wants but I'm quite sure paper tickets will still be used after 31MAY.

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