A reader Ajay posted a query on the Reader’s Questions page a few days back about the best credit card to pick to generate miles on travelling. Here is the little ping-pong we’ve had so far: Ajay asked: Hi Aj, I want to get a new credit card and it looks like the AmEx Gold Charge Card and CitiBank Premier Miles card are the best available options. What would you suggest I get? Here is some information to help you help me make an informed decision! 1. I travel 1-2 times a month domestically and 1-2 times a year internationally.2. I have FF accounts with SQ, Jet, and Emirates but don’t have a lot of miles on any as I…
Air India’s first revenue flights of the Boeing 787
Like the regular readers know already, Air India received their first Boeing 787 planes about a fortnight back. It took them 15 days to start deploying them on revenue flights while other airlines such as Ethopian took delivery and had a party flight on the way into Ethopia itself. I’ve been circumspect about the success of Air India with these new planes being inducted, however, I finally was able to confirm the schedule a few days back and I put it out on a post for aviation lovers to read and book up if they wanted to be on that flight. However, looks like Day 1 was a washout for the airline. Air India’s marketing machinery sucks and almost everyone…
Speculation: Is Jet Airways going to get a shareholder in Etihad Airways?
I read an interesting discussion in the news yesterday. A report published in the Business Standard in India wrote about senior Jet Airways management, including chairman Naresh Goyal and CEO Nikos Kardasis camping in Abu Dhabi to thrash out a deal for Jet Airways getting an investment from Etihad Airways. This is on the heels of Indian aviation opening up for foreign investment last week: Four days after the Union cabinet allowed 49 per cent foreign direct investment in aviation, a new strategic alliance seems to be on the cards. Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and his top management are in Abu Dhabi for the past couple of days to negotiate with Etihad Airways, fuelling speculation of a possible alliance…
Giving away 2 more SpiceJet Rs. 1000/- off vouchers!
Since I saw a lot of people interested in travelling with SpiceJet this month, as in terms of participation in last week’s giveaway, I am giving away two more SpiceJet Rs. 1000 off vouchers this week. One comes thanks to my brother, and another comes thanks to reader Whizkid on Flyertalk. Like the last time around, it is very simple to participate in this giveaway. All you have to do is sign up for the mailing list here, and activate your subscription so that we can send you all the news and deals about Indian aviation, travel and promotions, once a day. Giveaway is open for subscribers till 20 September 2012 23:59 India Standard Time, and for Indian residents (residents,…
Winner of the Park Hyatt Goa Giveaway announced!
Thank you guys for your enthusiastic participation in the room night + spa giveaway we held a while back. I’ve had a busy week of sorts, so could not come back to you guys earlier with the winner. Anyways, Random.Org drew the luck of the draw, and it seems the lucky winner is @IndreaMichele from our set of Twitter followers. Here is the winning tweet: Congrats @IndreaMichele, I’ll be in touch to send the voucher to you and send your details over to the friendly guys at the Park Hyatt Goa! To lookout for and win in further giveaways, it is always a good idea to follow the Twitterstream at @LiveFromALounge! Related Posts: We’re giving away a stay at the…
Spicejet changes policy for international connections, limits baggage allowance
The one true reason for international flyers to arrive at a major airport in India like BOM, DEL, CCU etc. and to fly to their eventual destination on SpiceJet all this while was that SpiceJet provided a liberal allowance to international travellers into India/ departing from India to carry their full baggage allowance (as designated by the international carrier) provided they had their connection within 24 hours. This excluded any baggage allowance for elite status. Here is what the Terms of Carriage used to state: Guests connecting to / from any international destination to SpiceJet for domestic travel within 24 Hours are entitled to free baggage allowance as permitted by the international carrier, subject to the allowance being specified on…
Two promos: Mumbai–Bangkok for INR 14K and Spicejet discounts
Jet Airways is offering a special fare on the Mumbai – Bangkok – Mumbai segment for those willing to book up 21 days in advance. Have a look at the all inclusive fare, which starts from INR 14K and goes upto INR 16K for booking 21 days to 7 days ahead. Considering Bangkok is a vacation destination for most, this should be doable, no? In the past, Jet Airways used to outprice Thai Airways and Cathay Pacific on this route, in spite of the fact that their capacity was lesser (they fly a Boeing 737 compared to the A330/B777 configurations of Thai and Cathay). It seems they’ve now expressed intention to be in the game rather than out of the…
Investments in Indian airlines are a go, Kingfisher might be saved!
Coming, not coming, coming, not! Finally, airlines in India are going to get the lifeline they were hoping for a long time. The Government of India finally took the measure to allow Indian scheduled carriers (Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, GoAir, Indigo, SpiceJet) to seek foreign equity infusion upto 49% of their equity capital from foreign airlines. Here is what the presser from the Government of India says: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion for permitting foreign airlines to make foreign investment, up to 49 percent in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services. Removing the existing restriction on investment by foreign airlines would assist in bringing in…
Air India’s 787 first revenue flight on DEL-MAA 19 Sept ’12!
Air India, the confused Indian carrier, is up to it. They took a long while deciding when to offer the 787 flights to the public, and as per a FlyerTalk thread, this is also due to the infighting between the old Air India management and the Indian Airlines crew (which was on paper merged into AI in 2005). That said, they have finally loaded the first flights of their recently acquired Boeing 787 into their reservation systems, and the first revenue flight of the bird will be on 19th September 2012 on DEL – MAA (AI 639). Here is the extract from AirlineRoutes.net which confirmed this: Delhi – Chennai eff 19SEP12 AI439/440AI439 DEL0700 – 0940MAA 788 DAI430 MAA1045 – 1325DEL…
And the Spicejet Rs. 1,000 gift coupon winner is…
Like you know a couple of days back I put out a contest for my Indian readers to be able to win a 1,000 Rs. gift coupon on Spicejet. It was simple, you could just go and sign up for the mailing list here, and win a voucher in the process. Quite a few new people signed up, and the winner of the voucher is: Sriram Hariiyer Congrats Sriram, and your voucher will be in the mail shortly! For those who did not win, more on its way shortly! Happy flying! Live From A Lounge is present on Facebook, Twitter & available via email, RSS.
Buying from amexgifts.in was a bad idea!!
So like you guys know me, I keep pushing you to put all your spend on plastic money and earn miles and/or points for everything you do. However, there is another kind of plastic money I’ve never used in India which is prepaid cards. Why do I need them when I already have Visa/MasterCard/American Express lined up in my pocket, right? Sometime back, you’d remember I hopped over to Goa for a friend’s wedding and assorted events. Now, the gifting was due, and we for the love of our life, could not figure out what to gift since there was no public gift registry. Then, we went around the options of giving away gift vouchers, from the spa to many…
