First Business Class trip

[davem]

Hi

I'm new here,
I actualy came to see if someone could recomend a good CC for miles.

But this will come first

My mums sister purchased my mum a business class flight to chicago

she will be flying thai to auckland in CONNOISSEUR class, then auckland to los angles in CONNOISSEUR but on an air NZ flight.
Then on United first domestic to chicago

It's her first and most likely only trip on business class,
is there anything any regular traveler could suggest so that she makes the most of it?

Thanks

From David

 

[redrat]

With this being your Mum's first and only trip in Business Class I would suggest she hang a sign around her neck that says "yes to everything". :wink:
Just kidding, but if I think back to my first time, everything was wonderful and I had absolutely nothing to complain about. Having just come through the US I can happily report that the US have finally got their act together and made the transition relatively painless. If you want to keep the check-in bag locked, ask the staff at check-in (USA only) and they will ask you to wait while your bag goes through x-ray. If everything is fine, you can leave the bag locked.
I hope your Mum has a great trip.

Cheers.

 

[danielh]

Well if she is flying with Qantas (and I don't know about other airlines) but a 'Business' class type person or higher gets automatic entry to the Qantas clubs so she might want to go to the various airports early and enjoy a few freebies.

She might want to try out some of the nicer wines with her meals and enjoy the nice headphones u get with the Qantas J flights. Also ask for extra refesher packs that you get on those sort of flights. The bags are great overnight bags for things like shaving creams, contacts or makeup (for the girls).

I can't think of much else.

Regards
Daniel

 

[davem]

Thai - Business to auckland
Air NZ - Business to los angeles
United - first to chicago

almost the same back but not first class for that one leg

There is a singapore air lounge and an airnz lounge in brisbane and it will be open just before the flight

although are thai passengers alowed admitance? (like are there benifits shared? I am sure that united passengers can use the facility)(the ticket was issued by united) it's a thai flight though no room on the airnz flight

Do you know if air NZ business passengers are alowed in the lounge at auckland? (i tried to check this on net but it's confusing)

also one thing that i am completely lost on is if she is flying first class in USA (domestic) can she enter the red carpet club?

 

[redrat]

Yes there is an Air NZ lounge in AKL but seeing as the ticket is Thai that may present a problem. Mind you if there is a Thai lounge in AKL, that may be nicer.
'First Class' in the USA is the same as Business Class everywhere else for DOM travel. I can't remember when it stopped but Australia used to call it First Class too.
I'm not sure if you get automatic entry into UA lounges in the USA but given their current monetary troubles I would think they will go all out to make their passengers happy and let them enter the club lounges.

 

[mbeder]

Make sure she takes advantage of the business/first check-in queues and uses all the applicale lounges as has been mentioned - I think automatic entry may be possible due to the class of the tickets - just make a call to the relevant airlines to check.

 

[arun]

It might be stating the obvious - but ensure that she is enrolled on a good Star Alliance program so that she could collect the miles and later use it possibly for a trans-tasman flight.
I hear that achieving a status equivalent to Silver in Thai is fairly quick. Anyway check the other programs as well - SQ might be good as well.

 

[icemann]

Correct, mbeder.

I told my family in the UK that I would fly them out here in business for a special occasion sometime this year, but I have nightmares about them not using things like the priority check in and the QC clubs because 'they didn't know about them'.

Being battlers (and may I say, I am damn proud of my humble origins 8) ), this would be their first trip in J too.

I feel like I should fly over there and lead them by the hand, like 'this is the qantas club - you ARE allowed in here'....

 

[davem]

the trip was a gift

and was purchased with united miles (well kind of a gift, we will pay my aunt an ecomomy fare, the whole trip on points was only 30000 more points than an upgrade)

and i dont' think you can earn miles on an award ticket

I found on the air NZ site that "passengers traveling in business or first class on any star alliance airline are welcome to use any star alliance lounge" (this was in the star alliance info, although i cant find anytinng on the star alliance website)

she has very short connections anyway 2 or so hours and she also wanted to look at the shops

so she realy just wants to stop in fo 10-15 mins at each lounge and have a look

 

[davem]

1 last question

She is booked always on the lower deck for her flights

she does not yet have a seat assigned for the thai trip

Is the top deck any different?