[KSHaggag]

I am always notified by AF and KL with a duplicate mail on every every occasion .

[TabTraveller]

@KSHaggag
I’m not too bothered about sale fares although perhaps a 24h notice period before they go out to the public would be nice.

Slightly off topic but BA did severely irritate me a few months ago by not sending an email to GCHs about the US global entry codes they were given for UK citizens. They have now run out which is a real shame as this would have been an incredibly useful thing to have been offered given that I fly to the US on average once a month. Customer services v apologetic but wouldn’t do anything.

[FormerlyDoS]

Tab Traveller

Try emailing PANETTA, LARRY A and ask him if you can join the trial.

I know he has been obliging to a few of us.

[TabTraveller]

Thanks FDoS – was advised to do that by BA but he replied saying unfortunately the ‘trial’ has now closed indefinitely so no new applicants for the time being! Hopefully they open it up again next year. Fingers crossed!!

[MartynSinclair]

My interview for the Pass is end of December.

I found BA as helpful as a pork chop being served at a bar mitzvah…. totally useless…

Mr Larry has been very helpful..

[TabTraveller]

@MartynSinclair
Good luck – my girlfriend did her GE interview years ago and apparently it is an absolute breeze. The process for getting frequent visitor entry to HK is super easy (takes 2 mins if there isn’t a line) and is open to all BA GCH/SCH. Not that BA tell you that, of course. It is worth doing even if you don’t visit HK that often.

I’m almost tempted to publish my correspondence with BA customer services to show quite how unhelpful they were over GE. It went along the lines of:

BA: “yes sir, we did offer GE codes to GCHs from August [to some unspecified time] but now we only have a few left and we’re not giving them out to GCHs”
TT: “oh ok, so who would you give them out to?”
BA: “it is discretionary”
TT: “who makes the decision on these things and on what grounds? I have a lot of flights booked with BA so I would’ve thought I might qualify. Can I speak with the team who decides?”
BA: “no”
TT: “why wasn’t I sent and email about this in August when it was first offered to GCHs? I know some people were emailed and I am a frequent traveller to the US in your premium cabins”
BA: “no idea sir”
TT: “and you aren’t going to do anything about that?”
BA: “no”
TT: “doesn’t seem like you really value my custom now does it”
BA: “I appreciate that it looks that way but we can’t do anything. Try calling back next year”

[IanFromHKG]

I was one of those lucky enough to get a code from Mr Panetta. I submitted yu application about a month ago, but it is still “Pending Review” – does anyone know how long it is likely to take before I get a response? My next trip is the third week of January and with the upcoming holidays I have an unpleasant feeling it may not be completed in time for me to do the interview on that trip. Although that will be interesting anyway, since the only possible time I have on that trip (ie when I will be in a participating airport during the relevant opening hours) is when I am transiting through DFW – and since my flight is due in at 14:05 and that centre is only open from 8-3, and presumably I will have to retrieve and re-check my baggage before the interview, I fear I may miss even that opportunity 🙁

[SergeantMajor]

You’ve really got to strike while the iron is hot on deals like this – no hesitation is key!

I’m looking forward to my trip, and experiencing Iberia’s new longhaul Business Plus seat:

http://www.iberia.com/ibcomv3/content/ES/BUSINESSPLUS/#/nav/home

[MartynSinclair]

Ian – it took me 9 weeks from application to initial approval (which allows and appointment to be granted). That was in the midst of the US Government shutdown..

[SergeantMajor]

I’ll also be sampling Open Skies’ BizBed on the 757 between Paris Orly and New York which is a bargain at under £450 per sector:

http://www.flyopenskies.com/en/

[KSHaggag]

Hello SergeantMajor,

I am deeply in love with the Openskies brand and at the residual amount per sector you are evoking that s a hot deal ….this brand gives you the feeling of a private biz jet with a limited nbr of pax onboard ,swift disembarkation ,swift baggage retrieval on the carousel if any ,personalized service and now with the revamped BA and IB lounges at EWR ,JFk and ORY respectively it is indeed a treat ..I wish I can only fly Openskies across the Atlantic …enjoy it …cheers!

[MartynSinclair]

Any reports / reviews from people who bought these tickets…

[TabTraveller]

Haven’t yet flown (trip upcoming in a few weeks) but have had an interesting experience with IB trying to get hold of some fare rules.

I wanted to confirm that any changes made after the outbound leg would be re-priced at the sale fares rather than current pricing. The idea being that rather than flying SFO-JFK-CDG-LHR I could reroute SFO/LAX-LHR-CDG and perhaps have a very urgent meeting to attend prior to my final LHR-CDG leg.

After much prompting IB eventually emailed me with a very basic ‘yes that should be the case but this fare doesn’t have published fare rules on our system’. As far as I understand as long as I can find availability in an I bucket it should be ok… I am anticipating an interesting call when I actually want to change my flights!

[Bath_VIP]

Martyn,

I am flying to Texas in 3 weeks time on one of these deals (€1014!) so I should be able to a review then.

I know I need to send you an email but I’ve been snowed under this week. Will let you know when i do.

[kevin33]

I flew to Orlando from CDG over New Year. Out via DFW, back via ORD. At CDG the gates seemed to be miles from anywhere and there were no travellators, I wont complain about BAA again
AA food and service were really good, better than BA of late. The crew were experienced(older) but attentive.
AA in flight entertainment US based so boring. Unfortunately, I take a netbook with downloaded BBC programes but there is no power at the seats so this only lasted a few hours
On the return, I found it hard to sleep on the angled bed. The BA lie flat is hugely superior
I got caught up in the winter storms in Chicago and was delayed 5 hours leaving only 1hour to catch a flight back to LHR.The AA lounge at ORD is excellent. As the time was tight, I asked AA about later flights, but they were no help and could not even give the gate number at CDG. However, brisk walking/running got me to the gate on time
Overall, brilliant value, but if the prices are similar, BA wins hands down.
I am going to Houston next week from Paris and am looking forward to the flights, but will be taking a good book for entertainment

[Author]

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