frequent flyer whine

[chorse]

So I'm off to the US again for the 10th time this year. Bees *#@ away from platinum and this flight should push me over the edge.

I book my economy flight late in fully flexible and I'm surprised to see I haven't been seat allocated on the a380s. I call the amex rep and they tell me no sir, you'll be allocated your seats at the airport.

Could this be? Could it be the mythical seat free upgrade I've so longed for? Something I've only heard about in hallway whispers? This has never happened before. It must be it!

Get to the airport today. Here's your seat sir, its 53H. AWESOME. You just made my day. Right up so I can see the first class cabin until you close the curtain, but just far away enough so I can't smell it. Though it will be great because I can smell the babies right next to me, and see the bulkhead seats in front of me that I can't sit in. And spend my life walking halfway across the plane to the toilets.

Well thats ok, I'll go and enjoy some preflight entertainment in the qantas club. Lets just check into the wireless. Hmm, its taking an awfully long time. Ok how about I just put some crumpets on while I wait. Theres 1 crumpet left. Great! I'll cook that on the super fast toaster here and I'll be on the internet in a jiffy.

Ok so this crumpet is taking some time.. let me go back to my wireless.

Nope, still no dice. Lets get a scotch and check the toaster. No crumpet yet but its looking barely golden compared to when i put it in.

Back to the wireless. I'm connected, I can see the AFF forums fine, I'll set my email up to connect and we'll be sweet. Go check on my crumpet.

Nope still not popped yet. I swear its more golden than before. Let me just see whats come in via email in the meantime.

Oh it seems to have disconnected. But theres noone in here? What is going on. Ok let me connect it again. Waiting... Waiting... wireless unavailable... try again.... waiting... waiting.

Right its back on again. Start my email pickup. Lets go get this crumpet.

Hmm its popped but its barely even cooked. Another round with you. Hows the email doing. WHAT? Disconnected again?

So yes now we're down 30 minutes, I have a scotch and a barely cooked single crumpet and an awesome seat to look forward to 14 hours in.

LIFE IS GOOD.

Oh wait wireless disconnected again. Glad this forum has auto save!

 

[simongr]

Given that you are obviously Gold why didnt you go online to select a better seat or call the Qantas FF line?

 

[ozmille]

As a SG you can definitely do your seat request online. Wouldn't bother with the TA. Wireless is appalling in the lounge and getting worse every visit.

Try to enjoy the flight!

 

[chorse]

Given that you are obviously Gold why didnt you go online to select a better seat or call the Qantas FF line?

Interesting that one.. a380 what are the best economy seats? the two at the back with the free legroom or the one in the middle with the escape hatch. All 3 taken. In fact last week when I booked the entire plane was empty barring 1-2 scattered seats, but the exit rows and those 3 are permanently blocked out.

The best I was going to hope for in economy was a random aisle seat. Not much point arguing for a particular seat once you know you are in economy. I had hoped I was in line for a freebie but alas it was not the case.

 

[simongr]

I take the view that if I choose my seat then I have controlled my own options - I do the same thing in Biz class - yes all the seats are good but I would prefer to be in the seat I chose rather than the default allocation.

 

[opusman]

And why are you messing around with crumpets when there's a pancake machine?

 

[connieguy]

And why are you messing around with crumpets when there's a pancake machine?

Yummy Pancakes Yum



As for the WiFi, just tether from your laptop to your phone. I have 2 GBs / month of extra data with VodaFone and my BB Torch works well.

 

[djfuzz]

Yummy Pancakes Yum

Would you like some pancakes with your syrup?

As for the WiFi, just tether from your laptop to your phone. I have 2 GBs / month of extra data with VodaFone and my BB Torch works well.

By some weird set of circumstances, I've gone from 250MB to over 3GB/month with Telstra on my iPhone plan (not complaining one iota) so I do this too. I think lounge WiFi is one of those 'priority boarding' class benefit-in-name-only which is subject to self-implementation.

Getting back to the topic, what the OP is describing is basically the standard experience for an SG travelling economy (but for the seat selection, which seems odd) - Int J lounges are pretty woeful, despite the co-branding spin, and Y is well, pretty much what you'd expect for Y on QF.

 

[drewbles]

Getting back to the topic, what the OP is describing is basically the standard experience for an SG travelling economy (but for the seat selection, which seems odd) - Int J lounges are pretty woeful, despite the co-branding spin, and Y is well, pretty much what you'd expect for Y on QF.

+1

Nothing to 'whine' about here.

OP could have selected a seat online and the QP's wifi has always sucked (Even the F lounge one is usually pretty average). I pull out the phone and tether when it's like that and life goes on.

I had a 'last minute' (72 hours prior to departure) booking to LHR earlier in the year. I was shoved down the back of whY as a WP, and I didn't complain; I selected the best available seat, knowing that it was a) during a peak season and b) was due to me booking 72 hours out.

Fortunately the Champagne in the F Lounge dulled the pain of whY, along with a healthy serve of Cheese

 

[Princess Fiona]

+1

Nothing to 'whine' about here.

OP could have selected a seat online and the QP's wifi has always sucked (Even the F lounge one is usually pretty average). I pull out the phone and tether when it's like that and life goes on.

Fortunately the Champagne in the F Lounge dulled the pain of whY, along with a healthy serve of Cheese

Noticed on my last visit to SYD Flounge that the Telstra mobile reception was awful in the private suites. Wi-fi useless as usual, had to resort to actually speaking to my family prior to the flight

 

[docjames]

Yummy Pancakes Yum

View attachment 3379

As for the WiFi, just tether from your laptop to your phone. I have 2 GBs / month of extra data with VodaFone and my BB Torch works well.

Would you like some pancakes with your syrup?

I actually noticed the plastic knife rather than the amount of maple (?flavoured) syrup. I doubt it's real maple syrup.

 

[Simo]

As a SG you should be able to pre book your seat on line.

I use my USB modem for internet when in lounges.

When overseas just tolerate the slow or no internet due to cost reasons. $16 per MB too expensive for spam e mails.

Simo

 

[futurism]

lots of talk about tethering etc
I have a nextg pcmcia card, 2 actually, but of late they are becoming useless specifically in qantas lounges

I suspect every other business person around me doing the same thing is saturating the cell

I end up getting bursts of internet for 30 seconds followed by a minute or so of ping timeouts, which is more frustrating than no connection at all

 

[connieguy]

Would you like some pancakes with your syrup?

It is real Maple Syrup. Delicious. As for the plastic knife, well it seems QF do not trust me with metal ones.

 

[medhead]

It is real Maple Syrup. Delicious. As for the plastic knife, well it seems QF do not trust me with metal ones.

I guess that was in ADL and therefore they mustn't trust me either. I have no idea why ADL seems to be the only QP still using plastic. Over stocked?

 

[opusman]

The MEL QP had plastic knives the last time I used it (a few months ago), J lounge has had metal for a while. I guess if they bought a shedload of plastic cutlery they are going to want to use it up