Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I've decided my sample size of 2 F flights is too small to come to any final conclusions. Am in the process of submitting a proposal for further F travel to ensure my findings are complete

You should try QF F, I promise you will appreciate the caviar on TG more after that...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I just came back from SIN yesterday on EK 777 in Y after a family trip (my wife insisted that my kids should never get spoiled too early in their life. They need to experience how real people travel, even though they still had lounge access).

'Real' people fly in all cabins. Kids wouldn't even give classes of travel a second thought, or realise there was a difference, unless parents instilled the idea in them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Interesting comment. I'm not a big expert but I loved the caviar served on TG, they even gave me an extra tin once

Haven't flown SQ F yet but I can imagine the quality must be very high.

i don't know if SQ has changed their caviar, but two years ago they were servicing Calvisius 'Tradition' (white sturgeon) caviar. While they'd buy it at a discount... it retails for around €2500 a kilo.

The one served by TG, also by Calvisius (oecietra) retails for around €2200 a kilo.

So not much in it in terms of overall 'luxe' between TG and SQ. But like brands of champagne, different people like different types of caviar.

 

[anat0l]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Caviar presentation styles must be changing or are variable across the TG network. My last experience was the same as the previous ones, which was the caviar was brought in on a trolley and plate prepared to order. But the caviar was spooned out of its jar and onto the plate. It didn't look flash (bit difficult to present so many piles of things to make it look good), but it was done in place.

Caviar is nice for tasting but that seems about it. Unless you are a caviar connoisseur, I don't think one actually appreciates what you are getting, especially if you had to actually pay for it separately yourself.

Apart from that, I find TG F really boring and, to be quite honest, the food quality ranks in the average or below average compared to Business class meals. Yeah, big call, but so there. The exception is probably lobster if you preorder it; I have never done so as I've taken a chance on the menu. Noticed a big drop in quality between my last F experience and the time before it.

In the end, there are niche reasons why TG F is still worth flying; to get an excellent F experience is not one of them. That said, I'd still be grateful to have the chance to fly the product in place of most Business class experiences and certainly in place of any Economy experience. The way things are going with F in *A redemptions, it's mostly a case of TG F or no F at all (OZ and NH come to mind, but you get my drift).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Apart from that, I find TG F really boring and, to be quite honest, the food quality ranks in the average or below average compared to Business class meals. Yeah, big call, but so there.

I think that's a fair assessment... but depends what you are looking for. Many people don't travel first class for the bells and whistles... they want a bed, and personalised service. TG will give you those. And some pretty good ground handling in Bangkok.

I've had one meal that I can remember on TG... white asparagus with hollandaise sauce and black forest ham... served out of FRA and it was delicious! (Oh, there is another... a 'book the cook' about 15 years ago... was a 'beef pie' which turned out to be a patty pie served with three peas and a match-stick of carrot. i kid you not. On a full-sized plate. Remembered for the wrong reasons.)

 

[RB]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

To me there are a few interesting recent comments here. On Fri we flew TG MUC-BKK in the 9 seat cabin then followed by the BKK-SYD leg in the 10 seat cabin. It was our 1st time in the 9 seat cabin and although all seats were taken the cabin certainly felt like a step up from the 10-bigger screens, more comfortable bed, more privacy etc. We pre-ordered lobster & thought it was fine and really enjoyed the service of the cabin crew. In between flights (we arrived around 30 min early) we were met at the plane, taken by buggy to security where we bypassed waiting lines, entered the F lounge & booked into a small private room and made a massage booking. The 1hr full body massage was followed by an excellent rain shower. We then returned to the room in the F lounge before we were escorted to the gate, jumped the queue at gate security, were delivered to the door & then sat down to 2 Doms before takeoff. With only 3 in the cabin we again enjoyed pre-ordered lobster that was fine & the caviar servings were again generous-the presentation has been the same every time I have flown with them. Service was sensational, the entertainment offerings more than met my needs & I slept well.
This was our 3rd year in a row in TG F & I would certainly contend that the food has not gone downhill. I have no experience in any other F class but this food was a step up on other J class food ( I have posted previously that I believe SQ struggle in J with the big numbers in their cabin-perhaps I have been unlucky) we have experienced on a variety of airlines.
Tactically we do not drink much while in the BKK lounge- we find it better to "save" ourselves for the superior champers & whiskey selections that are avialable in the air-seems to be the only detraction of the great ground handling in BKK.
Maybe we are easily pleased but I thought I would post a very recent experience-will post some photos in an upcoming trip report

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

In the end, there are niche reasons why TG F is still worth flying; to get an excellent F experience is not one of them.

Because its probably the worlds easiest F class to book with partner miles?!

 

[diningdecadence]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

re the caviar - BKK-CDG received blinis whereas BKK-SYD we just had crackers/ very dry toast.

requested caviar with the breakfast meal BKK-CDG, served everyone caviar except for the mrs. "sorry we ran out", found it hard to believe others requested.

same request on BKK-SYD, sure thing no worries, got just as big a helping as the main service.

have had TG run out of Dom P... 3 bottles for 9 pax seems stingy.


re BKK lounge - whilst the 'fauning' makes you feel VIP, I haven't yet found the right dining options in BKK. give me a solid SIN KF lounge buffet spread anyday over the nonsense served in the TG lounges.

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

re BKK lounge - whilst the 'fauning' makes you feel VIP, I haven't yet found the right dining options in BKK. give me a solid SIN KF lounge buffet spread anyday over the nonsense served in the TG lounges.

I love the spicy grilled beef in the BKK F lounge!

 

[NDiddy]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

have had TG run out of Dom P... 3 bottles for 9 pax seems stingy.

A very interesting situation. I remember when I jumped on the USDM train in 2012 and vividly recall this being mentioned a few times. This was also particularly noted on the SYD-BKK flights in particular as the consensus seemed to be that the flight taking off from BKK loaded the bottles for both the outbound and return legs.

I prepped SWMBO that we should/would drink as much Dom as early as possible till we were content Can't remember how much we had that on that flihgr but I do remember disembarking and looking at 7 empty bottles in the first class galley and deducing that it's clearly a case of YMMV a dozen or so TG F flights later and thankfully it has never occurred for us. I must admit though that if it did it would certainly take a small part of the expectation out of the experience but then again I guess there are so many other things that I believe make up for it.

 

[Alanslegal]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I love the spicy grilled beef in the BKK F lounge!

I order everything in the lounge as I know the food on board is not that great anyway except the one time we flew FRA-BKK and the lobster was amaze-balls. That said another time my lobster was served to the person next to me by mistake, and I was given their ordered fried rice - unbelievable stuff up

 

[anat0l]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

And some pretty good ground handling in Bangkok.

Here's the other inconsistency. People mention that you are ferried by buggy on arrival (either in TG F, or if you arrive on TG and your onward is TG F). Equally so, though rumoured to be eliminated, ferried by buggy from lounge to gate.

The last time I flew TG F, I received none of these at BKK. A bunch of us in the TG F lounge who were on the same flight were accompanied by a staff member to the top of our gate area (basically we played follow the leader); no buggy or anything else as such. The other pax in F who were arriving in BKK similarly did not receive any such treatment from what I could see (no staff waiting with placards when we exited the aircraft).

Now these are not such a big deal as I could obviously just walk, but having received the said services before, it is saying something to me about the quality of TG F.

There were no small lounge areas left when I arrived at the BKK F Lounge, so I sat in the main central seating zone. That's not such a big deal - the lounge overall is big enough that you aren't exactly close to shoulder-to-shoulder with another passenger (kids running around the lounge is something else, though also not a big deal really). The staff regularly circulate around to bring you anything - drinks, food, flight advice, etc. - so that's still pretty good on their part. The menu is again not fantastic but more than suffices.

As before, complaining about TG F is rather farcical in a way - first world problems - but if it is compared against other F experiences (and some J ones), on balance of it all, they aren't exactly up there. One key advantage, as smit0847 points out, is that TG F is relatively easy to get on award.

It does beg to reason, then, what the long term TG plan is if they seem to be going through (or about to) a process of corporate reorganisation, and what effect this will have on F.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Here's the other inconsistency. People mention that you are ferried by buggy on arrival (either in TG F, or if you arrive on TG and your onward is TG F). Equally so, though rumoured to be eliminated, ferried by buggy from lounge to gate.

The last time I flew TG F, I received none of these at BKK. A bunch of us in the TG F lounge who were on the same flight were accompanied by a staff member to the top of our gate area (basically we played follow the leader); no buggy or anything else as such.

...

There were no small lounge areas left when I arrived at the BKK F Lounge, so I sat in the main central seating zone.

...

As before, complaining about TG F is rather farcical in a way - first world problems - but if it is compared against other F experiences (and some J ones), on balance of it all, they aren't exactly up there.

I have heard buggies are sometimes unavailable - but I guess it comes down to luck of the draw. In a dozen or so flights I've only had one instance where we had to do the 'walk' to the plane... and it was due to a couple of parents flying F, who had guested their kids (in economy) into the F lounge. They all wanted to go together, and TG wasn't going to provide a buggy for economy. So we all walked Once on arrival there was no buggy, so I alerted the ground crew and waited a couple of minutes until one arrived (and zipped past the other F pax!)

There are only a few private rooms... although I never take them, always leaving them for families. With the number of F pax far exceeding the number of rooms I guess it's also luck of the draw.

Don't worry... it's not a 'first world' problem... there are passengers from developing countries who equally pay for First class, and equally have issues

 

[boomy]

Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Interesting comments about the buggy service. While always got it disembarking the plane I was never offered one before boarding in BKK. Always someone walked with me to the gate, which is a bit pointless as we had to wait on the same queue as everyone else for passport and ticket check. I even remember walking once together with an older couple and now I'm wondering if they were not offered one then who gets it?!
Another unpublished benefit is the complementary buggy service TG offers to F pax departing HKG. For some reason (must be cost) they keep this little perk a secret and one must request it upon check-in.
Regarding the lounge in BKK I think it's one of the best F lounges out there. I love Thai food and always order something from the menu. Last time they didn't have my favourite Massaman curry which was disappointing. The one hour massage offered to F pax is miles ahead from all the other airlines like QF, EK, JL, BA and now CX who all offer just 10-20 minutes.
I tend to agree with most comments about the food onboard being average but it's still better then any J meal I ever had and on par with some other more praised airlines like QF, OZ and EK. Notable exceptions are JL and CX which are both a few of levels up from the rest. I wish to try SQ and LH F food as I heard and read excellent reviews about it.

 

[boomy]

Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

A bit OT but speaking of TG buggy service, I thought to share this DYKWIA story recently published on LoyaltyLobby.
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Hx0L.&m=3kCpGsPLMfNhZAH&b=V4EaPY3ILbB_imJG5BhCIg

 

[hummel]

Re: Avianca Life Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here

Also just booked MEL-BKK-CTS for Cup weekend this year... that's it for my LM account.

Now to get back...

Anyone know there is a way to find past bookings from LM? I just remembered I booked this trip and can't seem to find the booking confirmation...

 

[smit0847]

Re: Avianca Life Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here

Anyone know there is a way to find past bookings from LM? I just remembered I booked this trip and can't seem to find the booking confirmation...

Can you search your emails for the booking confirmation?

 

[hummel]

Re: Avianca Life Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here

Can you search your emails for the booking confirmation?

Tried that but lost all of my emails in and outlook corruption.

 

[trixydoza]

Re: Avianca Life Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here

Anyone know there is a way to find past bookings from LM? I just remembered I booked this trip and can't seem to find the booking confirmation...

Go to "Print Receipts" (via the "Your LifeMiles" tab) and you should be able to get the PNR from that.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Re: Avianca Life Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here

what's the underlying email server? Possibly there's a copy still on the email server if you can log in via the web version?

Depends onhow outlook is set up to. sometimes it will delete the webserver copy of the email once downloaded.