firecat69 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 2:33 amI would be able to reserve a seat next to one of the boarding doors. At least I always had unlimited room with no seat in front of me .
The emergency exit seats are a very good option. The width was never a problem and I like the ~1.5m leg room & ability to come & go without disturbing other passengers.
For about 10 years, I got the emergency exit seat on over 80% of my Thailand flights. Usually by being first to check in at the desk.
Then it started getting difficult, due to changes in Heathrow airport check in process at the new terminal & changes in airline policy. So when reasonable prices were available, I started paying up for Premium Economy. There is, however, quite a price increase from that to Business Class.
Jun wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 1:58 am
Even though it's none of my damn business, I'm intrigued to know how others rationalise paying so much extra for a 12~18 hour flight.
I fly Chicago BKK and back by Eva business class. Combined with limousine service from my home town to Chicago O'Hare and back , it is about 6000 USD. How I rationalise it? It is easy: I can afford it. And yes, I fly during high season or whenever I have the time to do that.
Working for companies based in Asia which required regular intercontinental travel several times a year and even more regional travel along with using select credit cards for hotels and other purchases overseas helped build up huge stacks of free miles. it was a wonderful perk that enabled me to do all my medium and long haul vacation travel in business class over more than 30 years - and even three times in first. Now, though, with airlines having cut back their earning programmes and the commission on use of credit cards overseas higher than it used to be, this would be more difficult nowadays.
I am envious of those living in the USA who are able to take advantage of special sign-up bonuses for airline and hotel credit cards which offer something like 50,000 free miles in return for spending a relatively small amount in a three month period. The only promotion like this I ever found in Asia was 20 years ago when the OneWorld alliance started. For the last three months of 1999 it ran a promotion: fly three of the original seven carriers in that period and get a bonus of 25,000 miles; 4 carriers for 50,000 miles; and 5 carriers for 100,000 miles. Thanks to a business trip in early December, I had flown on four of the airlines. I spent that Christmas with friends in Sydney. Realising that taking just one Qantas flight would get me up to the 100,000 miles bonus level, on December 26 I went out to the airport and asked at the Qantas desk for the cheapest day return flight to anywhere. I was offered quite an expensive ticket to Newcastle only 100 miles up the coast. But I was told that there was nothing to see there. When I told the lady that I did not want to see anything - only go there and back in the fastest possible time, it turned out she did not know about the OneWorld bonuses since it only applied to members living in Asia. When I explained its she laughed. She got me a cheap round trip to Melbourne with just 40 minutes on the ground. That US$110 ticket 'bought' me the extra 50,000 miles!
As I have become older, the benefits of business class have become far more obvious. if I had few money worries, I would have no hesitation in spending to fly business class long-haul like gera.
I'm lucky in that some of my trips are for business reasons, and I travel EVA business class then. When visiting for leisure I buy premium economy at £1000, and then use 35,000 Star Alliance points each way to upgrade. EVA has the best business class product to Bangkok - way better than BA or Thai, and normally slightly cheaper
I am also a fan of EVA and used to love their cheeseburgers as a snack on long flights. Unfortunately the game of sign up bonuses has ceased to exist for me, since I have signed up for all the cards and bonuses. I'm sitting on 200,000 DL mile which have become useless for Business Class flights and the same of useless AA miles which once in awhile I can find flights on BA. But I hate BA and don't like Heathrow and the taxes on these tickets .
Thankfully I still have 700,000 United Miles and they have so many partners in Star Alliance , I can still find BC flights anywhere with a little patience.
Once those miles are gone , I'll have to pay up or sit in the back.
I don't envy you travellers who can take Business Class flights I just wish I could do the same.
Unfortunately I can't and will be turning right when I fly EVA BKK to SFO in January
traveller123 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:11 pm
I just wish I could do the same.
Maybe you can. I used to get business class without paying anything more than a cattle class ticket. I simply asked the gate agent if he could bump me up to business class. I'd say about 40% of the time I would get it if seats were available. It can't hurt to ask. Try it. Maybe you'll get it.
traveller123 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 4:11 pm
I just wish I could do the same.
Maybe you can. I used to get business class without paying anything more than a cattle class ticket. I simply asked the gate agent if he could bump me up to business class. I'd say about 40% of the time I would get it if seats were available. It can't hurt to ask. Try it. Maybe you'll get it.
I have asked many times and have only been upgraded once.
Quite a few years ago with Etihad on the Abu Dhabi/Bangkok leg (with a very handsome guy on the transfer desk).
The days of plentiful free upgrades at ckeck in are over. It is now easy for airlines to check how many free upgrades they have given to any particular customer and you’ll be lucky to get more than one, or any at all.
Their view is simple....give too many away and no one will bother to pay for Business class.