Club Carlson has been on a roll trying to establish itself back in the big player game for hotels. While I like the Radissons for a quick stay every now and then, they are not my first choice, since they are usually pure business hotels and I miss out on the perks of being a business traveller, such as the lounge and upgrades! If you are travelling to the Asia Pacific in 2012, you might want to check out the Carlson ‘Hot Deals’valid for stays till December 31, 2012. Your bookings need to be made before February 19, 2012, and the offer provides you up to 30% off on the Best Available Rate, if you stay 2 or more consecutive…
About Ajay
Speculation about devaluation to IHG Priority Club Reward Nights?
In the mail while I was sleeping was a mail from Priority Club, my monthly e-statement. Since there was nothing to reconcile, my eyes went out for the other big news that seems to have leaked out here, that IHG Priority Club Reward Nights will undergo a change in the coming fortnight. The email stated: Effective 18 January 2012, Priority Club will make changes to the number of points required for Reward Nights. The email lead on to a link which brings me to the current Priority Club Reward Nights page. However, nothing new reported here as of now. My sense is that PC might be changing the award charts and going for a devaluation perhaps? The Sunset that PC chose to send with this email…
3 Weeks to OWMD: Preparing for Seat 33A!
Things have been quiet in here about my preparations towards the oneworld MegaDo. Not really, a lot of action has been happening and it is time to give you all an update. However, a quick round up on whats happening on the MegaDo preparation before we go on to my preparations. This past week, the waitlist was wrapped up, and all the original participants who looked like they could not participate in spite of having paid up (due to the multiple bookings), have now been accomodated. This, of course, comes with the sad news that some other people have to go off the charter, including fellow Boarding Area blogger Mike Reed of Getting Status. Some cool swag has been lined…
Star Alliance and Air India can’t seem to make up their minds…
Back in July 2011, Star Alliance put a lid on Air India’s ambitions to join their little coterie, by stating that the majority of the member airlines were against AI joining on the back of security concerns. Business seems to have taken over that logic now, and the media is reporting that Star Alliance and Air India are now back in talks again. This opening is clearly a nice choice of words since AI’s membership was ‘suspended’ and not completely withdrawn at that instance. Reportedly, AI and *A met up in December 2011, and members are ‘reconsidering their stand‘ on AI. This is closely to be read with the fact that a new CEO is taking over *A (Mark Schwab),…
2011 in honors and not!
2011, I managed to measure the tape from China to the USA, and it was no doubt, a wonderful experience to be all over the place for business or leisureI closed the year at 76,200 miles, while having gone many places, thanks to all the hopping flights I do when I The first day of 2012 sounds like the best day to wrap up the list and confer the honors on the various airlines and hotels and experiences which have been the most exciting (and not!) for the year gone by… Best Destination of the year… The Great Wall of China, although I’d like to go there again when it is not freezing cold 😉 Best Redemption of the year……
When airlines take the moral high ground..
While Jason at MileQuest recovers, various BoardingArea bloggers are writing guest posts. Last night, I shared my views on airlines taking a moral high ground, and start taking decisions that they should not be taking as my service providers! Please do have a look!
Thank you all *drumrolls*
This could have perhaps been the best birthday present for the year, and it arrived this morning. I look into the various metrics every now and then, considering I am the finance guy with a nose for numbers. This morning, when I logged into Technorati, I was in for a surprise and here it is for all of you, and thanks to all of you! Yes, I’m pretty young out there with the bloggerati, and after reading Gary and Ben for a long time, I decided to reach out to the House of Miles where Boarding Area is located, to start writing Live from A Lounge and we went live in July 2011. So, to bring this young baby right up…
How your checked bag travels on Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines recently punched a few holes in a bag, and loaded it up with a few expensive cameras to tell us how they handle the bags which most of us pay precious $ 30 – 60 to travel with us. Have a look into this interesting and insightful video on the journey of your bag!
Conde Nast Traveller: Delhi Business Hotels
This month, Conde Nast Traveller in India invited me to make a list for their readers on the various Business Hotels in Delhi I recommend according to geography. So no more living compulsorily in the centre of the city to get to your business destination. Have a look here.
And now its American Express India’s turn to downgrade Membership Rewards
Sigh, it is the season of downgrade of benefits and American Express does not want to be left far behind from the pack. They have decided to close 2011 on a high note by sending me (amongst several other) cardmembers with a very nicely wrapped letter which has 2 layers of envelopes before you get to the letter itself. Now you think, this arriving right after Christmas must be Santa Amex Claus sending you a Lotto ticket to win in the MR sweepstakes. But all it comes to is an intimation on the downgrades which kick in a few weeks from now. If you’ve been reading up about my American Express Gold Card adventures, I’ve been pretty happy with them so…
Saudi Arabia to open domestic skies to foreign carriers
An interesting development is taking place in Saudi Arabia, something at least I haven’t heard of in another part of the world so far. Saudi Arabia’s Aviation department is considering a move to open up the domestic skies to foreign carriers who may want to operated in Saudi Arabia, to create new capacity in the 27 million strong market for flying. Till so far, the Middle-East country only has Saudi Arabian as a full-service carrier, and Nas Air as the secondary carrier. A third carrier sama shut down last year after huge losses. As per reports published in the ArabNews and The National, the Kingdom is proposing to initiate a tender process in January 2012, which will allow various airlines…
