Plane Bashing

SwindonPkwy said:

Yes, looking forward to using the T5 lounges over the next year. I cannot see me holding onto silver for long because most of my long haul business trips are with Star or Skyteam carriers.

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They just reset my tier points so I have Silver for at least a year but need another 600 tier points in the next 12 months to keep it. It's going to be close but I think I do more of my internal flights on AA rather than UA or DL, I should just about make it.

This year my company switched to using Delta for LHR - JFK, to save £80 on a £3K ticket. I now have to endure JFK's T2 and T3 transfers. Never a pleasant experience!

At least that's in the right direction.

A company I used to work for had a number of senior admin staff getting kickbacks from KLM for certain levels of booking. We used to have to do LHR-LAX fairly often, and being in charge of the London consultants, I was keen to keep the costs down. After managing tiger a series of good deals on Air New Zealand (saving over £3k per person per trip) I tried to get some kind of informal arrangement in place with the airline.

The kickbacks were unknown to me at the time, but the people in question completely flipped. Not only was I to spend more than double, I was also to travel via Amsterdam on a much worse airline, costing me personally the best part of two weekend days per trip. I was also put on an expenses blacklist of sorts, meaning every iota of my expenditure was challenged (despite being one of the most frugal in the company).

FWIW, I saw the data on the KLM route deals, and the impact of the UK office would have been non-existent on any corporate discounts, etc.

But my sympathies for the BA-DL downgrade. On the plus side, they do have a decent FFP, although you may miss the Amex twofer!

Just got my BA tags through the post and just booked a day return from Heathrow to Edinburgh to try them Gallieries out!

On a side note, I always keep equipped with a Priority Pass as you never know when work will drop you onto an alien airline. They put me on Emirates to Hong Kong once, didn't enjoy the Chaviance lounge at Manchester.


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flymo said:

Look forward to reading it!! Yes I am a member there too with different handle.

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I've just posted the trip report of my Glasgow Trip to A.net
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/219912/

under my belt i have

AIRBUS:
319-EASYJET
319-PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
319-AIR FRANCE
319-BA
320-AER LINGUS
330-THOMAS COOK
330-singapore airlines
BOEING:
737-KLM
737-JET2
737-THOMSONFLY
737-BA
757-FIRSTCHOICE
777-BA
767-BA
747-BA
777-EMIRATES (Do this one every year)
747-SINGAPORE AIR
E-JET
145-BA CIYFLIER
FOKKER:
50 -SKY PASADA AIR
70-KLM CITYHOPPER
BOMBADIER:
DASH-8: FLYBE
quite a lot considering my age!

My dad was always keen on planes from a small age and became a baggage handler for menzies aviation for 19 years, unfortunatly not becoming a pilot as he dreamed, and got me into planes as well as trains at a small age,he retired early in 2009. we still are keen aviation fans aswell as railway fans and aim to go on short hauls about twice a year (depending on the cost of course as it can be extremely expensive)

my dad took me to brussles as a child on 319 then a singapore air lines 747-400 on the way back, brussles was a stopover on their singapore-manchester route,impressive seeing jumbojets on short haul routes like BRU-MAN. those days are gone now

We also went to new york 1 year instead of the philippines because my dad wanted to log a BA 747 so we went to heathrow from manchester on a 319

I do consider myself lucky to have flown at least 20 times despite being only 13, its a privalage that not many people get and i have only been on a plane twice since 2010 as my dad has since retird from being a ground handler at manchester airport so we no longer can get discounts and air travel is very expensive so we have decided to step down a bit.
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If you have never been to The Philippines before, prepared have you eyes opened. Very strange place........My first visit there was in 1994 and can still remember the wire mesh fence outside the arrivals area with a seething mass of humanity pressed up against it just looking at who was there and the army of "helpers" trying to carry my bags for a couple of Pesos. 8 people in all for a roll along...
PAL use a new terminal on MNL now so it should be better.

FYI PAL use Terminal 2 at HKG for check in and on occasion use the remote stands (gates 500 +) but that is mainly for the A319/A320 they send up here.

Sounds like a fab trip..

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I have a photograph of a Philippine Airlines 747-200 taken at Gatwick in the 80's. It's a shame they don't fly here anymore. I don't think they were blacklisted (like Garuda) because they continued to operate to America. Though, I read on A.net that their new owners, San Miguel Corp IIRC, are looking to resume flights to Europe.

I was surprised to see the 777-300ER used on such a short leg but it obviously helps to keep the fleet utilisation up by filling a gap between long hauls.

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I did fly on PAL a few years ago - a domestic flight from Tagbilaran to Manila (using the new terminal 3 at NAIA). Apart from being amused that the luggage tags for Tagbilaran were "TAG", it was a pretty decent flight - a reasonable mid-gen 737 (734, I think).

The new terminal was significantly better than the old ones (and a world away from the scattered domestic terminals around the airfield) but, to be honest, that doesn't make it any easier to get into Manila from the airport! Pay over the odds for a car you can reserve in the terminal, or take your chances picking up a city taxi from the departures ramp. Up to you...

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Nice to see people talking about Philippines, I was born in La trinidad, baguio which is in the north, my mother is filipina and my dad is english. I have spent 13 out of 13 and 3 quarters of my life in england though and hardly speak tagalog.

Philippines in some respect i suppose is a strange place, you have your high rise buildings with top brand shops and millionaires, ten minutes down the road are houses made of cardboard and bits of rubbish you are lucky to find, It hard to see the poor kids and parents in such poor conditions. We often give sweets and bottled water to people in places like this , I really wish i could do more

ATWalex101 said:

Philippines in some respect i suppose is a strange place, you have your high rise buildings with top brand shops and millionaires, ten minutes down the road are houses made of cardboard and bits of rubbish you are lucky to find, It hard to see the poor kids and parents in such poor conditions. We often give sweets and bottled water to people in places like this , I really wish i could do more

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Since last posting on this thread, I have booked flights to and from Caticlan (for the island of Boracay) whilst staying in Manila. My credit card is seriously maxed out now!! The flights have PAL flight numbers but I think they are operated by Air Philippines DHC-8. Given the chance, I would visit the rice terraces in the North of the country. I am not sure how far from Baguio City. I remember Michael Palin visiting there on one of his trips. He also got to drive a Jeepney!

SwindonPkwy said:

Since last posting on this thread, I have booked flights to and from Caticlan (for the island of Boracay) whilst staying in Manila. My credit card is seriously maxed out now!! The flights have PAL flight numbers but I think they are operated by Air Philippines DHC-8. Given the chance, I would visit the rice terraces in the North of the country. I am not sure how far from Baguio City. I remember Michael Palin visiting there on one of his trips. He also got to drive a Jeepney!

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The north of the Philippines can be quite nice in some places.
The flight you have booked is probably a South east asian airlines plane.

SwindonPkwy said:

The flights have PAL flight numbers but I think they are operated by Air Philippines DHC-8.

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Philippine Airlines (PR) codeshare with Air Philippines (2P) on that route and they do seem to fly the DHC-8-300.

flymo said:

Philippine Airlines (PR) codeshare with Air Philippines (2P) on that route and they do seem to fly the DHC-8-300.

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Come to think of it, I should check which terminal it departs from at MNL. With a PR flight number I was thinking T2. If it's a codeshare, I'm not so sure.

SwindonPkwy:1130036 said:

Come to think of it, I should check which terminal it departs from at MNL. With a PR flight number I was thinking T2. If it's a codeshare, I'm not so sure.

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According to flightstats it is T3 @ MNL. Of course check with the airline nearer the time to confirm.

Royston Vasey said:

I think you can either keep them as they are or transfer at 1:1 from July onwards. I'm not sure if you'd want to keep them as Star Alliance miles, I'm not familiar with the benefits. Avios isn't as good as old BA miles, you have to pay the taxes these days (not use Avios towards them) so there's no such thing as a free flight, and there are some limits on what flights you can use them on. If you think your current miles are better, keep them.

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I received an email earlier today from BA Executive Club. The exchange of Diamond Club miles on a 1:1 basis can be arranged from 3rd July. I wouldn't mind booking something on one of their 777-300ER's.

Well, I had a great return to plane 'bashing' today.

Ryanair EI-EFS on FR535 from East Midlands to Dublin. The incoming storms caused some moderate turbulence over the Irish Sea, but made the mediocre Ryanair experience a little more interesting.

My second flight was on Aer Arran EI-CPT, and ATR-42 on Aer Lingus Regional EI3302 from Dublin to Southend. I'm pleased to report that this was an excellent flight, great service from the flight attendant and the ATR is a very interesting plane (when it's not operated by EuroLOT!).

Back from Southend, it was rail all the way - with 321442, 321426, an S Stock, 91119 and 153374. This took almost as long as the flights!

To be fair I used Delta on my Vegas trip just the other week and found their service and fares rather excellent, never had a problem at all on all four flights!

Added attraction of my routing was my first 767's, and not any 767 but the rather rare 767-400ER both ways across the pond, rather nice aircraft to fly on, and was in Economy comfort too so made the most of the free spirits on the way over (Couldn't on the way back had to comply with A&D for work lol)

Also bagged my first 737-800, and first 757-200 with PW2000 engines, only ever flew RB211 757's up till now.

Details:

11/06/12 DL0003 LHR - JFK, Boeing 767-400ER N838MH
12/06/12 DL1429 JFK - LAS, Boeing 737-800(W) N3743H
18/06/12 DL0332 LAS - JFK, Boeing 757-200(W) N694DL
19/06/12 DL0002 JFK - LHR, Boeing 767-400ER N832MH

DavidBusDriver said:

To be fair I used Delta on my Vegas trip just the other week and found their service and fares rather excellent, never had a problem at all on all four flights!

Added attraction of my routing was my first 767's, and not any 767 but the rather rare 767-400ER both ways across the pond, rather nice aircraft to fly on....

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I do agree; there is nothing particularly wrong with Delta's transatlantic services. I would choose one of their 767-400ER's over a UA(CO) 757 every time.
My gripe is with the facilities that I have to endure at JFK. On my last trip, as we taxied from T2 aboard an ERJ-145, which was already about 90 minutes late, the pilot informed us that there were 27 aircraft in front of us. As I looked out of the window (of seat 18A) I watched one ERJ/CRJ after another take off. The only widebodies in the queue were a LH A380 and a China Southern 777. So, I was not best pleased when we finally got airborne that I couldn't even get a cup of coffee.
Back in T2, I remember seeing a flight to Vegas boarding a 737 and thinking " You lucky b******s"
Next year the experience should improve a little when their new facilities open in T4. However, IIRC, that still leaves the RJ's at gate 23 in T2!!

starrymarkb said:

Have any of the Av-Geeks on here chosen a route (or even a whole trip) in order to bag an aircraft Type.

I will admit that I did chose Dublin last year in the hope of an E-Jet from Exeter - it was subbed for a Dash 8!

(I'd probably post more at Airliners if they didn't charge $25 for posting rights - if you take First Class for a Month can you post after it expires)

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Oh absolutely. I am a member of www.flyertalk.com and I regularly choose routes to get a new aircraft type.

GRALISTAIR said:

.....I regularly choose routes to get a new aircraft type.

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For me, it is a balance between flying on different aircraft/airlines and flying sufficiently with the same airline/alliance to achieve or maintain silver reward status, for example. I was with bmi diamond club for over ten years and as well as numerous (almost) free flights, I also had free upgrades with SAS and ANA on a couple of longhaul flights.
There is also the safety aspect. If you are looking to add some of the very rare types nowadays, then it is going to take you on some fairly dodgy airlines.

Just booked my Isle of Man trip, booked a Manx2 flight and one with Easyjet too Interesting though:

"Your flight is scheduled to be flown on a Let 410 aircraft operated by Van Air Europe"

So does that mean there's not actually any Manx2 craft (going by the e-mail I got, various airlines do the flying on behalf of Manx2 on most if not all flights)?

First trip with both airlines, wonder what Easyjet will use. First time using both Liverpool and Blackpool airports, now to work out the best way to get from Liverpool South Parkway to the airport on a Sunday...

Techniquest said:

Just booked my Isle of Man trip, booked a Manx2 flight and one with Easyjet too Interesting though:

"Your flight is scheduled to be flown on a Let 410 aircraft operated by Van Air Europe"

So does that mean there's not actually any Manx2 craft (going by the e-mail I got, various airlines do the flying on behalf of Manx2 on most if not all flights)?

First trip with both airlines, wonder what Easyjet will use. First time using both Liverpool and Blackpool airports, now to work out the best way to get from Liverpool South Parkway to the airport on a Sunday...

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Hope you enjoy it! I recommend getting the little train from Ronaldsway to Douglas, it's a surreal feeling having got off a flight to find yourself on a tiny platform with luggage having to put your hand up to stop the train.

Manx2 isn't an airline but rather a "virtual company" where they pay piddly little airlines to fly their services. It's mostly outsourced ops.
Easyjet will be an A319/A320 which after flying in on a L410 will feel like a jumbo!

Those Manx2 flights are very cheap, though problem would be getting to Blackpool.... Unless...

EXT-MAN then BPK-IOM-LPL and MAN-LHR (and coach back to EXT) which might work out cheaper then my other unusual plan (PZE-ISC on a British International S61)

Techniquest said:

Just booked my Isle of Man trip, booked a Manx2 flight and one with easyjet...

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I flew to the Isle of Man a 'few' years ago. It was on a Cambrian Airways Vickers Viscount. Actually, they had just become part of British Airways along with North Eastern Airlines and, obviously, BOAC and BEA. I have fond memories of spotting at Speke airport as it was then. IIRC, the original terminal building is now a hotel and one of the hangers is a David Lloyd tennis centre. Both art deco buildings are worth a look, though they are some distance from the now John Lennon terminal building.

It was great doing MAN-GWY just to get the ATRs - but looks like GWY is having problems so will have to do NOC and SNN now

My BA Executive Club silver card arrived in the post this morning. Just in time for my outing this weekend. LHR - FRA - LHR.

SwindonPkwy said:

My BA Executive Club silver card arrived in the post this morning. Just in time for my outing this weekend. LHR - FRA - LHR.

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Did you find you got 2 years validity on it?


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Ascot said:

Did you find you got 2 years validity on it?

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Yes, I did. Expires in 2014.

SwindonPkwy said:

Yes, I did. Expires in 2014.

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They're valid for the remainder of the the membership year during which you earn Silver, and for the full membership year after that, during which you have the chance to then earn the tier points all over again. You may have been lucky enough to be given a full year from the transfer from Diamond Club?

Techniquest said:

Just booked my Isle of Man trip, booked a Manx2 flight and one with Easyjet too Interesting though:

"Your flight is scheduled to be flown on a Let 410 aircraft operated by Van Air Europe"

So does that mean there's not actually any Manx2 craft (going by the e-mail I got, various airlines do the flying on behalf of Manx2 on most if not all flights)?

First trip with both airlines, wonder what Easyjet will use. First time using both Liverpool and Blackpool airports, now to work out the best way to get from Liverpool South Parkway to the airport on a Sunday...

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Ah enjoy! I've flown with Manx2 (or rather their contractors) and found the experience to be pretty good. Van Air is a small airline based in the Czech Republic and the pilots are also Czech, a bit of a strange set-up, but the Let 410 is a rare machine.

easyJet use an A319 on the route, which feels like an A380 at Ronaldsway! The flight is very short for a mainline aircraft - barely 20 minutes from takeoff to touchdown.

Thanks all for the advice there, will be my first Airbus craft although not sure if I may have had an Airbus craft on my flight back from Athens to Gatwick back in the early 2000s. Going to be a funky experience I reckon on both flights!

As for Manx2 being very cheap, I can't say I agree with that too much. Took a lot of changing of dates and even airports to get a reasonable flight cost. That said they don't do card fees and all the taxes/whatever are included in the price you look up to begin with, the way it should be.

Definitely planning to get the train from Ronaldsway to Douglas, depends on times which I'll check nearer the trip.

GWY, that's one I wanted to tick off but no-one seems to fly there at the moment so regretfully it's gone off my list of airports to pen in.

I guess it depends on what you consider to be cheap, but talking very generally it's worth keeping in mind that flights, unlike the railways, are heavily taxed and operate mostly without (direct) subsidies.

Manx2 are actually considerably cheaper than their predecessors, £19.99 or £24.99 singles were pretty much unheard of before they arrived, I remember paying about £85 return back on 2003 for a return from Blackpool to Ronaldsway and that was a special deal.

Just flew back on a Thomson 737-800 from Alicante. Big improvement on the earlier versions of the 737. Wonder what flying will be like post 737 series.you nearly always expect to fly on one nowadays. Almost tempted to book a holiday in Mexico next year to use the Thomson Dreamliner.
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SwindonPkwy said:

I flew to the Isle of Man a 'few' years ago. It was on a Cambrian Airways Vickers Viscount. Actually, they had just become part of British Airways along with North Eastern Airlines and, obviously, BOAC and BEA. I have fond memories of spotting at Speke airport as it was then. IIRC, the original terminal building is now a hotel and one of the hangers is a David Lloyd tennis centre. Both art deco buildings are worth a look, though they are some distance from the now John Lennon terminal building.

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Spent many a Saturday at Speke in the sixties. Remember the Fokker Friendships of Aer Lingus and the Brittannias of British Eagle?