Live from a Lounge

Review: Flight AI 660 (BOM-DEL), Air India, Economy

May 30, 2013 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Introduction Check-in: ICICI/American Express Altitude Lounge Mumbai Terminal 1A Airborne: Flight AI 660 (BOM-DEL), Air India, Economy Class Check-in: ICICI/American Express Altitude Lounge Delhi Terminal 3 Airborne: Flight AI 657 (DEL-BOM), Air India, Executive Class After an enjoyable experience in the Altitude Lounge at Mumbai, it was time to board my first Air India domestic flight in months. I’d picked to fly an Airbus 321, because these are the newer planes for Air India on the domestic segments, and I guess they use these on the regional segments as well. I’d pre-blocked my seats for months, as the Air India web-booking system allows you to do so. I suspect this would change after the unbundling guidelines coming into effect, and…

Summer Flights Giveaway worth INR 4,500 for Citibank Premiermiles members

May 29, 2013 by Ajay 12 Comments

A generous reader, Priyansh Modi, contacted me this afternoon with two very valuable Citibank PremierMiles Complimentary Ticket codes. Another reader, Vinay Deshpande, contributed one. They are not planning to use them this summer, so I thought what better than help someone else travel for their summer vacation. So, this is a very quick giveaway, valid one night only, so that tomorrow evening, I can email the codes to the winner and he/she can book up the tickets by the day after. I will draw randomly using random.org from all the qualified entries to pick a winner. The Prize: (1) Win 2 PremierMiles base-fare discount vouchers worth INR 1,500 each, (2) Win 1 PremierMiles base-fare discount voucher worth INR 1,500. Details: If you are…

Show Air India some Facebook love

May 28, 2013 by Ajay 1 Comment

Air India has been one of those airlines, which has never had social media presence before. Taking advantage of this, multiple lookalikes have sprung up on Twitter and Facebook. But looks like they’re upto getting their act together now, so if you’re interested, do like them on their official Facebook page which seems to be growing fast. I came by for the first time when it was only a few 100 likes old, and here and now it was 36K likes when I returned. They promise a response Monday – Friday 10 to 5 IST. Live From A Lounge is present on Facebook, Twitter & available via email, RSS.

Is Jet Airways in-flight catering getting better again?

May 27, 2013 by Ajay 4 Comments

It is no secret that I have not been impressed by Jet Airways’ consistently falling quality of meals over the years. In my experience, the quantity and quality had been going down, as I described here, first in 2011. Then, last year, on an international (regional) dinner flight, all I got for dinner on the plane was a plate of rice. Though, early 2013, I was noticing the eye for details returning. Now, I’m hearing recently, the domestic meal service is getting beefed-up, and this is the Facebook post of a friend who recently travelled on a domestic economy flight with them. There is exotic food on the plane (Thai, anyone?) and everyone gets ice creams, even in economy. I…

Winner: Jet Airways Luggage Tag

May 26, 2013 by Ajay 3 Comments

Earlier in the week, I announced a giveaway for one reader who’d share their best experience with Jet Airways, since it was a Jet Airways baggage tag. The following entries qualified as the entries which could take part in the contest: Comment # 3: Aniruddh S Comment # 4: Abhinav G Comment # 5: Yash R Patel Comment # 8: TheflyingSikh Comment # 9: Akshay Comment #14: Aditya Comment #15: Vikram So, I put Random.org to work, and pulled a result hoping it was one of the above digits. And it did, pick #14. Congrats Aditya, please send me a email with your mailing address at aj [at] livefromalounge [dot] com, and I’ll send your present along. Stay tuned for…

GoIbibo flash sale today offering discounts on Jet Airways/Air India (10-12 PM IST)!

May 26, 2013 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Goibibo.com has a flash sale which will be starting up a 4PM India time, and will go on till midnight today (26 May 2013). During this timeframe, they will be doling out different discount codes for different airlines during the day. Here are the discounts being offered: 4-5 PM IST: Rs. 1000 off on GoAir, on a minimum booking value of Rs. 4000 (roughly 25% off), and tickets can be booked for any dates. The promocode for this one is GOS1000. [Over] 8-9 PM IST: Rs. 250 off on Indigo and SpiceJet on a minimum booking value of Rs. 4000. The promocode for this one is GOS250. [Over] 10-12 PM IST: Rs. 300 off on Air India, Jet Airways and Jet…

Few more hours for the Jet Airways luggage tag giveaway

May 25, 2013 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Earlier this week, I’d put out a giveaway for Jet Airways silicon luggage tag, for one of the readers who could tell me about their memorable experiences with the airline. I just wanted to remind you all that there are still about 12 hours to go for the giveaway to close, so you could head here and put your answers in the comments section to be eligible. Remember, you have to tell me about your best travel experience with Jet Airways. And if you’re off topic, you are not qualifying. For everyone else, there are free AwardWallet accounts. Live From A Lounge is present on Facebook, Twitter & available via email, RSS.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus to leave Membership Rewards transfer program (in India)

May 24, 2013 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Thai Airways’ loyalty program, Royal Orchid Plus is on its way out from being a transfer partner with American Express (India), with effect from June 15, 2013. This means, from June 15 onwards, you would no longer be able to transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points to Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus. This was recently communicated on the monthly statements of all members. While I am not a member of the program, since I use other Star Alliance member programs for my Star Alliance miles accruals, I’m hoping this news should help some readers who are a member in both programs and use them actively. This also points out to the further weakening of the Membership Rewards program offered…

Amex India offers 30% bonus on transfer to Avios till July 15, 2013

May 23, 2013 by Ajay Leave A Comment

American Express and Avios have been running frequent transfer bonuses around the globe. The last one they ran for India was in October 2012, with a similar 30% bonus. However, right after that there was a Membership Rewards devaluation, whereby, MR made all airline transfers, which were earlier 1.6 MR=1 mile/point, to 2 MR = 1Mile/Point except Jet Airways. Anyhow, Amex and Avios are now running a 30% transfer bonus, whereby for every transfer of 2000 Amex MR to your Avios account, you will get 1300 Avios instead of the usual 1000. This brings your cost down to 1.54 MR per Avios. This promotion runs till July 15, 2013. Transfer is usually completed within 24 hours. The minimum transfer is…

Giveaway: Jet Airways’ luggage tag

May 21, 2013 by Ajay 16 Comments

Hey, its Jet Airways’ 20th and they’ve been extremely kind to be giving away all their frequent and non-frequent flyers 20% miles for their last 20 flights. I’ve been meaning to give away some stuff as well, however, just not been able to lay my hands on it. Last night, on one of my Jet Airways international flight, I picked up a few of these. Too bad they were not on board the last time I flew Jet Airways international from Brussels to Mumbai. One Jet Airways’ silicon baggage tag set for one of you who share with me your best travel experience with Jet Airways. Just make sure you’re putting in your correct name and email address in the…

Jet Airways to move hub from Brussels to Amsterdam?

May 21, 2013 by Ajay 4 Comments

While I am not totally accepting this news as fait accompli just yet, however, James Hogan, the CEO of Etihad Airways has made an announcement at Amsterdam, at the press conference to launch the airline’s Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam route, that Jet Airways will be moving its scissor hub from Brussels to Amsterdam. Jet Airways, at present has two flights, which operate from Delhi and Mumbai, go into Brussels, and one goes forward to Toronto and the other to Newark. The scissor hub allows passengers to switch in Brussels, and has been in existence since 2007. In this statement made to Dutch website LuchtvaartNieuws.nl, further picked up by the Business Traveller, Hogan said that Schipol would take over the routes…