[VintageKrug]

Personally, I value 100,000 miles in most schemes at about £1500 as this is more equivalent to the “fare” aspect of comparable “sale/lowest available” Business Class fares, and one must also take account of taxes and fees which comprise part of the cost of redemption.

[JamesMoloney5]

Just for the record, I also do not work in the travel industry nor do I have any active involvement other than owning a few Ryanair shares……I live in Bangkok and travel back and forth to Dublin six times a year, as well as extensive regional travel.

I am a Platinum member of Marriott Rewards and I wielded the card in anger for the first time on December 22nd. when I was stuck in Paris for a night. I called the CDG Marriott and was told they were full but I got somebody else’s room thanks to my membership level.

I am absolutely raging mad with Air France who have lost my bag (subject of another post “Air France – no customer empathy…will never fly them again”) and I am off back to Bangkok on Monday….now back to the original theme……

I have seen Thai and Malaysian (I lived in KL for ten years) government ministers behave like complete pigs in Business class on Thai/MH – letting everybody know who they are and how many are in their entourage……makes me smile when I see this.

The difference in behaviour between these temporary holders of privilege (as I call anyone in elected government) and people who are born privileged, or earn it honestly, is that the latter tend not to make a show of themselves, and it all comes down to one thing, my friends….breeding, or upbringing, call it what you will.

My father worked very hard to give me a decent upbringing and a sense of values that allow me to appreciate something of privilege and to enjoy it quietly, always aware that there are millions in life less fortunate than me.

Although this rarely extended to business class travel on long haul flights (or any any flights for that matter), I have brought my own two boys (12 & 9 years old) to Thailand three times in the last two years in Business Class on Thai, and I travel back to Europe end of February every year and take them skiing. I am very proud of them when they travel with me as they behave impeccably and act as if they were born to this standard of travel….believe me they weren’t.

I would say they would put any Thai, Indian, Greek (or Irish) government Minister in their place quick enough if they were subjected to the kind of boorish behaviour outlined in previous posts!!

Let’s not go down the well trodden post/road of kids in business class, already done to death in this forum, but I just wanted to emphasise that kids/adults who are given this privilege (and believe me it is a privilege to fly in J or F class on a long haul flight!!!) at an early age and taught to appreciate the real value of it tend not to be the ones who are throwing their weight around in the cabin trying to impress the cabin crew.

I would include Thai royalty in the same category as my kids….. :-)…:-)

Simon – St. James’s Gate brewery (where they brew the Mother’s Milk) did an admirable job of getting vital supplies to every pub I visited over the Christmas period….they would put the Search & Rescue services to shame with their dedication and commitment towards their patrons, battling through howling blizzards, icy roads, negotiating the obstacle course that was the roads of Dublin littered with abandoned cars, to bring the holy nectar to the taps………….God I could go on and on about those wonderful people…….Air France could learn a thing or two from Guinness………

[SimonRowberry]

James – a great post. I agree with everything you said about kids v some adults (but let’s not open up that old issue again, as you say). Also delighted to hear that the Guinness supplies were not interrupted – I know some Irishmen who’d have to be put on suicide watch if it ever was.

I once remember going to an Irish pub in Bucharest that didn’t sell any Guinness or, indeed, anything but local lager. Anyway, that’s another tale….

By the way, my lost suitcase (courtesy of LOT – the AF of Eastern Europe) has been located. It should have been delivered tonight but the driver’s wheelbearing went, I was told, but I remain hopeful that my son will be reunited with his beloved Poley and Copper tomorrow at some point. At least the ground handlers are excellent and are keeping me informed about delivery by both email and phone. Guess I can’t blame them for a knackered wheelbearing….

Cheers James – hope you get your bag back pronto too.

Simon

[Daytripper]

In an attempt to merge the themes of dignitaries travelling in close proximity and the subject of the Emerald Isle, I recently sat immediately behind Irish President Mary McAleese (and small entourage) on an Aer Lingus flight from LHR to Dublin. As you’ll be aware, Aer Lingus is all-economy, but I guess Ireland needs to tighten its belt, so perhaps she should have gone with Ryanair…. Her group de-planed directly into two waiting S Class Mercedes on the tarmac, so there was clearly some further tightening of belts required.

[syamyael]

You mean Star Alliance Gold Members can check in using the first class terminal even when travelling in business class? I never know that. Does it has to be Royal Orchid Gold or any Star Alliance Gold. I am a krisflyer gold.

[Charles-P]

‘JamesMoloney5’ makes a valid point about the expectations of short term elected officials compared to ‘born to it’ types. I have seen UK and EU minor elected officials treat ground and cabin staff at Brussels as below contempt on more than one occasion. This included the use of the famous “do you know who I am” phrase – always the sign of a nobody.
Compare this to sharing flights with Prince Andrew, polite, military, bit of a charmer, took the time to speak with everyone in the cabin and aplogise for the security and William, Viscount Astor who may well have been the politest man I have ever met and dealt in the most wonderful manner with a BA stewardess who spilt a drink in his lap. A true toff !

[JamesMoloney5]

If you are asking if SA Gold members can check in at the Thai Air Premium check-in at Suvarnabhumi airport……then the answer is no.

Nor can Thai Airways ROP Gold members check in there, unless they are traveling in Business or First. There is a separate SA Gold check-in facility, just around the corner in the main concourse and any SA Gold member can check in there.

[syamyael]

No i mean i am SA Gold and I am travelling in business class. I usually use the separate check in facility in bkk airport for business class. But it seems that Vintage Krug had checked in using the First class facility despite travelling in Business class (see first post). So my question is if im a gold member and im in business class, can i use the first class check in as well?

[millionsofmiles]

If you speak about the LH First Class Terminal, there are only two options:
– You have a first class ticket for LH or LX
– You are a HON member AND fly on LH/LX that day, you have access irrespective of class of service you fly

If so, you may take along ONE guest/family member, IF they travel on the same flight, irrespective of class of service.
They are absolutely strict on that policy

[donkeyasia]

MS is quite correct in his statement about VK and his lese majeste comments. I am married to the daughter of a Thai Police general. What he cannot find out, or do whatever the reason is not worth challenging. Be careful what you say and in what medium you say it.

I am surprised that VK who has only been to Thailand to stay once – 04/11-1745, should have a regular room at the Oriental. Why did he change hotels between the Hilton and the Oriental or vice versa. I suspect that with reincarnation being so accepted in Thailand he was a cockroach in a former life and recognised one of his old haunts.

[Charles-P]

Accusations of lèse majesté are often politically motivated. Premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his political opponent Sondhi Limthongkul both filed charges of lèse majesté against each other during the 2005–2006 political crisis. Thaksin’s alleged lèse majesté was one of the stated reasons for the Thai military’s 2006 coup.

Don’t think that not being Thai will help you, Australian Harry Nicolaides in 2005 published the book “Verisimilitude,” which was about what he called the “romantic entanglements and intrigues” of members of the nobility. Even though the book sold in single digit numbers he was arrested while visiting Thailand and, after pleading guilty, sentenced to 3 years in jail although he was given a Royal Pardon after a few weeks and thrown out of the country. Acts deemed insulting to Bhumibol’s image are also criminal offences in Thailand. In 2007, Oliver Jufer, a Swiss man, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for daubing black paint on portraits of Bhumibol while drunk.

[donkeyasia]

Charles, you are quite correct, and you quote only the cases that have reached the press.

[Charles-P]

We can only wonder what would have happened to those who attacked Prince Charles’ car last year during the student riots if it had been Thailand and he Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn 🙂

[JamesMoloney5]

Hey VK, Syamyael makes a valid point…………how did you check in at the Thai Airways First Class check-in if you were in Business Class? Did you just huff and puff and bluster your way through and then flash the Gold card….is it even a Thai ROP Gold card?

Normally, there is no way that even a Thai ROP Gold Card gets you to First Class check-in…in fact it does not even get you to Thai Business Class check-in unless you are travelling in Business Class on Thai Airways.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a separate Star Alliance Gold check-in and when you check in here you are not given access to the Thai Fast Track Immigration lanes and you don’t even get the non-Thai Fast Track pass.

If you are a Thai SA Gold member and you are travelling in economy on Thai, you are not permitted to use the Thai Premium check in area, instead you must use the SA Gold check in.

I would be interested to know how you managed that one VK?

[VintageKrug]

http://www.staralliance.com/en/benefits/frequent-flyer/gold-silver-status/

Star Alliance Gold Benefits

Priority Airport Check-in – allows you to check-in at the Business and/or First Class counter

[Author]

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