Flying To and Around Europe
April 30, 2016
NPS flies all the time, and our current airline of choice is Virgin America. We’re sad about the upcoming merger with Alaska which will make yet another crap job of a platypus of an airline. Remember what happened to both United and Continental when they merged? Disaster. But that’s all domestic. We’re talking Europe in this post.
We aimed the points firehose at Virgin America this year and accumulated vast piles of points which we have cashed in to fly West for college looking and East to Europe. Getting a Virgin Atlantic ticket in upper class with Virgin America points was non-trivial but not that onerous.
NPS has flown Virgin Atlantic across the pond and back twice. Upper class does not suck.
Virgin Atlantic
Seat 4A on @VirginAtlantic A330-300. Nice pod. pic.twitter.com/OBGRZGS52c
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 9, 2016
The @VirginAtlantic upper class pod sector. pic.twitter.com/eB28ry1xv8
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/noplasticshower/status/718932118009733125
Our special ops NPS spy also flew upper class but 10 days later.
Loving my pre-boarding "snack" of chicken curry and Hefeweizen @VirginAtlantic @noplasticshower pic.twitter.com/4bjioiljIv
— notyou (@AmyBarley) April 20, 2016
Lufthansa
Internally, after some nice train rides (including the Disney Eurostar to Lille), it was back in the air for Frankfurt to Prague. Being a Star Alliance Gold member does not do diddly for seating on Lufthansa.
Seat 12A on @lufthansa A320-200 hop. No biz upgrade for so-called @staralliance gold. Thanks! pic.twitter.com/MDuugcpczp
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 19, 2016
When in Frankfurt there is always a large chance of bus.
Oh great @lufthansa bus time. pic.twitter.com/PTSskh6zUy
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 20, 2016
KLM
To get from Prague to AMS, we flew KLM which was very Dutch about the whole thing. Most uncomfortable flight of the entire trip.
This is the most uncomfortable flight I have been on temperature-wise in years @KLM. Unacceptable. Fix your aircraft.
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 24, 2016
The worst bit is that @KLM already knew about the problem. Max heat for 20 minutes is absurd.
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 24, 2016
@noplasticshower That doesn't sound too good. Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate it. Which flight were you on? We are all ears.
— KLM (@KLM) April 24, 2016
Flight 1350 from prague. Known non-safety mechanical issue with HVAC. @KLM
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 24, 2016
The AMS hop was not much better, but the seating mistake was our fault.
Super fantastic use of seat guru (not) lands us 14C on @KLM b737-900 pic.twitter.com/GEr3vOdZQ0
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 24, 2016
It was nice to get to Oslo and find some modern world again.
Modern tranportation. Fast train from oslo airport into the city. @AmyBarley pic.twitter.com/l9ujwh6DpB
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 24, 2016
We ended up in Bergen via train.
SAS
Complex scheduling craziness ended up with SAS from Bergen feeding Air France. Avoid this complexity even if it costs more cash.
Seat 11B on @SAS b737-600. 11A has lots of legroom. pic.twitter.com/3oBcm9ntqy
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 26, 2016
Air France
Then it was Oslo to Paris on Air France, which just plain sucked. The flight was fine, but they lost one of our key bags for 4 days. When they found it, we were already back in the states. Amazing that it took Air France so long to rectify their mistake. They’ll be paying for some clothing and for the very expensive VAT refunds we could not get when we left London since the goods were not with us. Big fail Air France, you are now off the list.
https://twitter.com/noplasticshower/status/724971027940315136
Because @airfrance sucks and has not located the suitcase they lost (2 days ago), shopping in paris. pic.twitter.com/A3hRrmYETz
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 27, 2016
More shopping since NO WORD AT ALL from crappy @airfrance. https://t.co/xFAMntK5Ji pic.twitter.com/9tN4tGe8Hq
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 28, 2016
Virgin Atlantic
After 20 days in Europe and perhaps just a few too many cocktails the night before, it was back home on an 8 hour flight from London. Upper class continues not to suck.
Access to the Virgin Atlantic Club comes along with an upper class ticket as does an interesting checkin procedure at Heathrow.
The @VirginAtlantic upper class lounge in london six minutes late for breakfast pic.twitter.com/chVgyE6jHs
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 29, 2016
.@VirginAtlantic upper class pod 2A on an A330-300. Ok way to spend 8 hours. pic.twitter.com/6haFKYcVjx
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) April 29, 2016