Best and Worst Travel Moments – 2010

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Fellow flyers and posters, I just thought it would be nice, as the year comes to a close, to relate our best and worst travel experiences this year. Perhaps also give some credit to those hard working crew members who so often make our journeys that bit more enjoyable.

    My most memorable moment was the kindness of the Swiss Maitre de Cabine who allowed our youngest son to sleep in the empty first class seat next to my wife. 6 years old he was in Y with his elder brother when he had a bad dream and with the turbulence over central Africa was feeling very nervous. Around 2am he came to the 1st Class section in some distress, and without waking my wife she put my son in the bed, told him to keep quiet and sleep, which he did. We were both very touched by this gesture.

    My worst moment was at LCY when I was set upon by HMRC over the cash I was carrying (discussed in another thread). I guess if that was the worse that happened to me, my flying year was thankfully quite uneventful!

    Having now comfortably re-qualified for my Senator status, I’m hanging up my wings till January 10th and am looking forward to the latest episode of Dr. Who, the ultimate traveller, on BBC, may I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and festive season and safe and happy travels in 2011.


    NTarrant
    Participant

    The worst has to be the ash cloud debarkle which cost me time and money, along with many others of course.

    My star of the year goes to the Dubai Hilton for their attentive service and a desire to keep a customer when the price elsewhere was cheaper.

    Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all


    stevescoots
    Participant

    Nothing stands out for me, maybe some comedy moments. delayed at Beijing on an airchina flight. an aircraft was making an emegency landing and we had to wait out on the perimeter. some passengesr were making a fuss wanting to go back to the terminal when the trolly dolly exitedly shouted if we cross the runway to go back we may die!

    god bless air china 🙂

    I didnt get mixed up the ashcload but got bumped to 1st on qatar thanks to them filling up business class with stranded passengers.

    oh and I landed at heathrow saturday just as they closed it. I think my qatar flight was the last one before the virgin flight that was stranded. 14 hours to fly from HK to london, 12.5 hours to get out of heathrow and drive to lincolnshire…..


    DisgustedofSwieqi
    Participant

    Nothing memorable this year and for that I am grateful, in a way.

    I had the bizarre experience of watching out of the window as my EK flight cruised serenely between MLA/LCA/MLA, knowing that a few hundred km to the north, all was grounded.

    I guess my best moment happened several times and that is cruising over the Alps, when there is some snow there, simply awesome.

    Happy holidays, everyone.


    Binman62
    Participant

    Flying BA has been both a pleasure and a miserbable experience. Stuck in SFO, cancelled flight from Verona, lost bags, snow, crew strikes, New First, superb crew this weekend, no mileage redemption booking on my chosen routes 11 months in advance, to name just a few. Sadly the miserable experiences of BA now far outnumber the good.
    CX business class was another low point whist CX First a high. Qantas were great in the air (A380 aside) simply awful on the ground and customer relations.
    Glad I am not going anywhere for a while.

    Merry Christmas


    ConstantFlyer1
    Participant

    Two best moments:

    (i) On an Air France A380 watching the landing on my seatback tv from the camera mounted on top of the tail – magnificent; and

    (ii) The BA crew operating a special 747 flight into Newcastle – great attitude and warmth.

    And two worst:

    (a) Sitting in the middle seat on a packed BA flight from Zurich next to a large, loud, selfish and arrogant American insurance salesman who spilt his two drinks over his (and very nearly my) trousers, as well as using his mobile phone during the taxy; and

    (b) Security while transiting at LHR T5.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Travelling in 2011 to all. 🙂


    travelworld
    Participant

    My best and worst moment came together- an ash cloud story. Instead of a flight from London to Rio and then Belem (Brazil) I took Eurostar to Paris, to find CDG closed, then TGV to Toulouse- to discover my Easyjet flight to Madrid (to catch a Madrid- Rio flight) was cancelled, then found out the alternative IB flight to Barcelona with a connection to Madrid was also cancelled. So I got on the only flight leaving TLS, to Montreal (!) A night there, then an early flight to Miami, followed by a flight to Aruba, then on to Paramaribo (Suriname) followed by a flight to Belem, where I arrived….. having missed my expedition cruise ship by three hours. So I then had to charter a Cessna the following day to fly up the Amazon, land at an airstrip close to the ship where i was picked up by Zodiac and begin my holiday…


    seasonedtraveller
    Participant

    I guess my best moment was bumping into the legendary Rick Wakeman in the airport and him being very down to earth making time to chat!

    My worst is probably a tie between rude, ill mannered security staff (mainly Manchester & LBA) who, it semms, are trained to simply talk over you at all times and my latest flight with US Airawys from Philly to Manchester. Seated in seat 5G (business cabin) I was completely overlooked by all 3 cabin crew….it was as if I didn’t exist. When I finally did get served a drink, dinner etc, red wine was spilled over my lap without apology. I rang the crew call bell 4 times in a 30 minute period to alert the crew that I had been missed out (dinner) and still no one came. Finally, I got out of my seat to speak to the lady and was told – quote ” Well you must have been asleep”…………………Words failed me!!


    FlyingChinaman
    Participant

    Travelworld: Your travel adventure from the ash cloud sounded like a Bond film!!!! My only inconvenience from this volcanic disruption looked very colourless compared to yours as I was stuck in Milan for several more days before able to return to HK and the only colourful things I had from this event were my high fashion shopping!!!!!


    JordanD
    Participant

    With my business travel confined to Europe this year, my worst experiences have come courtsey of my fellow passengers on long haul, towards the back of the aircraft. The usuals of lack politeness, talking all the way through nightflights, taking all your room, etc.

    The better experiences have been when the worst has happened – in the space of 8 days, I experienced over 14hrs of cumulative delays on three separate flights – what holds them all together was that the cabin crew, ground staff, and pilots (who regularly came back to the cabin whilst on the ground) were amazing: from getting a fleet of coaches to Stansted after a divert from LHR, to keeping us fully briefed and informed. The airlines in question – British Airways and easyJet.

    A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all – safe travels during the season and into 2011.


    PatJordan
    Participant

    Like Travelworld, my best and worst happened together. January 2010, one of the last BMI flights DUB-LHR in Business.

    Having boarded, the Captain came out of the cockpit to address the passengers: due to avderse weather in LHR, we were stuck on stand for 3 hours.

    The Captain met many pax, answered numerous questions, and did so much to make an horrible situation bearable. Cabin crew made sure everybody had drinks, and the first officer made coffee for several pax. Being early morning, the offer of breakfast whilst stuck in stand was very much appreciated.

    This typified the service BMI delivered in short haul business: making the best of a dire situation.


    Potakas
    Participant

    First of all, I would like to say that as i joined BT this year i am very grateful for having the chance to ”meet” all of you. Having most of my questions answered and saving a lot of money because of the information i got here. I also learned from some bad experiences how to stay away from problems.

    Like others here, my best and worst happened together. As this year i am a student, my money are more valuable than ever. All of my friends and my girlfriend were laughing with me when i had to fly with BA during strikes or through the severe weather on London. My flight on November gave me my Silver card and everyone was ironically asking me what you understood from that or they were saying that i just spend my money and i should going to my home with easyjet or Ryanair.

    I missed my connection on Monday and because of my silver status i transferred immediately to the same flight on the next day, BA paid for my expenses and i arrived home with just one day delay. BA proved that i wasn’t spending my money this year for nothing and that the quote ”what you pay is what you will get” is true. I had my check-in in 5 minutes when the queue for economy passengers was unbelievable huge. (they told me, 7-8 hours)

    Unfortunately, many of my friends are still in UK, booked for the 26 Dec and that means that they will have Christmas away from home, they are sleeping at the airports or at hotels with their expenses which i don’t believe they will ever get back from Ryanair.

    So, the best moment this year was just my boarding on the flight BA632
    this week, happy for going home, relaxed on my CE seat with a glass of Pommery and as Disgusted says with some disco effect on board a 767.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!!!

    Potakas


    DisgustedofSwieqi
    Participant

    “Disgusted says with some disco effect on board a 767.”

    I hope you showed them some of your best moves, in the aisle, after that Pommery 🙂

    Merry Christmas, Potakas.


    PatJordan
    Participant

    Hi Potakas,

    your comments about BA say it all. It takes a reputable airline to go the extra mile (excuse the pun). Glad you got home to your family safe and sound.

    Like you , I am a relative newcomer to the forum and have found it very helpful, and enjoy my many exchanges with newfound friends.

    Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas wherever you happen to be.

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