Have your flying habits changed ?

[Scrooge]

A couple of weeks ago it kind of dawned on me, I was taking my first flights of the year, this from a person who between 2005 - 2008 averaged around 50000 miles a year.

So have you changed the amount you fly, both for business and for pleasure ?

[Neil]

Not really, we aren't big travellers anyway, but we are talking the same number of flights, but we are now flying in a higher class of travel compared to the last few years.

For leisure, we're in the same boat as Neil. No more than before, just a different class..

For business, the past two years has been a return domestic (STN-EDI)flight every week of the year

Paul

quote:Originally posted by Neil
Not really, we aren't big travellers anyway, but we are talking the same number of flights, but we are now flying in a higher class of travel compared to the last few years.


ditto - still two transatlantic trips per year but now in the pointy bit at the front !

Been a topsy turvy year for me - as most of my travel is work related it very much depends on work. So at the start of the year, when Mr Ramalinga Raju, the Chairman of Satyam, confessed his big fraud, just about all travel was canned and it took me a few months to get out of that mess and into a new job. Now flying more than before, with two long haul returns on average a month ... mostly US, plus India and the Philippines.

Its the most we have ever traveled in a year, 8 USA trips, 2 OZ runs, 1 Mid East,and 4p on FR next week.As always all for pleasure.

last year, 21 flights(all long haul with a couple of AA domestics).

[buns]

As yet, Mrs Buns & I have maintained our Au status through regular leisure trips.

However, I can foresee a time when flying for leisure may not be a common occurrence as the pressures from the environment lobby grow - the way i look at it is I will make the most whilst I can because, just like Concorde, one day it might be gone

buns

Buns...I totally agree. I fly to the US about 5 times a year but with the costs rising I can see this changing. I have already had to change to the Dark Side for my next two trips as I am now having to go for cost rather than choice[:#]

Sunshine[8D]

Definitely changed mine!
Previously:
Work (2002-2005) = 1 transatlantic PE return p.a.
Personal (2001-2006) = 4-5 transatlantic returns p.a.

Now:
Work = 5-6 European Y returns p.a. (although this year that'll be at least 16)
Personal = 1 European Y return, maybe a charter return p.a.

No transatlantic since 2006 now [:(]
Mind, got a honeymoon to plan for next year though [^][^][:D]

Cheers
Michael

quote:Originally posted by Sunshine
Buns...I totally agree. I fly to the US about 5 times a year but with the costs rising I can see this changing. I have already had to change to the Dark Side for my next two trips as I am now having to go for cost rather than choice[:#]

Sunshine[8D]


Our spike in travel this year has been because of the fantastic availability of good sale deals.One Oz trip was from a QF 241 sale and the other a BA 241 deal.Three of our other trips were because of BA's half price mileage redemptions sale last November.Another trip from cashing in BMI miles to fly the superb LX F.In real terms if you book carefully, flying has never been as cheap especially upfront.I hasten to add most of our travel dates are totally flexible,and once the required BA TPs have been collected don't really mind what airline we fly as long as the price is right.

I suppose i agree partly with JP as travel this year has been quite cheap for us at the pointed end, at 3 times to the US - pleasure and work and yes we are mega flexible having no children.
But i also agree with sunshine and buns that it might all stop one day so enjoy while you can attitude comes to my mind. Whilst there are sales in abundance it has made it easier for us to travel.

cheers

alex

[RichardMannion]

A little less travel on my part but then we knew it was going to be slightly quieter as we had a wedding to pair for. Where there has been a massive change is the amount of flights (and money spent) with Virgin. It has been my quietest year in over a decade with them - for a huge variety of reasons around pricing, service reductions, and general stupidity. BA on the other hand have been seeing more business from me - not to worry, as still get to keep VS Au through AmEx, not that I will use it that much in the forthcoming year either.

I've been really busy with my new job, so haven't been able to spend as much time as usual on the site - but when I see threads such as not taking Cowshed bookings anymore, the nails in the coffin are being driven in further.

[Darren Wheeler]

Same number of flights, just at different time of year due to a liquidity problem this year (no bale out here..). Next 12 months looks a lot more promising.

Bay to Breakers planning has started although I've not booked anything yet along with the post-race side trips. Hoping to return to my annual September trip in 2010 and some ferry trip in early 2011 [:D]

[HighFlyer]

My only VS flight this year was to Bay to Breakers in May, and that was a G. My next flight will be in January, also a G. This will be my last year as VS Gold so I will probably rely on rewards and PE flights from here on.

As Richard, I'm flying a less this year, a lot less with VS but more with BA. Less work trips this year too, but the ones I have done were all on BA.

Thanks,
Sarah

This year has been much the same (all leisure) - two UC long haul trips to date (with another in a fortnight) and another long haul non VS trip in economy plus three European short hauls.I think our travel next year will be much less (I may even forgo the European trips to see my Snowbirding parents) and will probably be price dictated. Dragonbaby will be learning to drive in a few weeks and I've just bought a new car (she'll also need transportation of some sort too as my insurance company won't insure her for my car). University fees are beckoning too so time to rein in the spending a bit I think.

[honey lamb]

quote:Originally posted by DragonLady
This year has been much the same (all leisure) - two UC long haul trips to date (with another in a fortnight) and another long haul non VS trip in economy plus three European short hauls.I think our travel next year will be much less (I may even forgo the European trips to see my Snowbirding parents) and will probably be price dictated. Dragonbaby will be learning to drive in a few weeks and I've just bought a new car (she'll also need transportation of some sort too as my insurance company won't insure her for my car). University fees are beckoning too so time to rein in the spending a bit I think.

Oooh, sounds horribly familiar!

Having said that, yes my flying habits have changed over the past few years. When working there were frequent trips up to Dublin - sometimes twice a week together with my couple of VS flights a year.

Since retiring nearly three years ago the trips to Dublin are a thing of the past except for the odd occasion. However I now have the flexibility to take trips when it suits and the price is right. I have therefore been able to take advantage of fare sales on VS at least three times (and once four times a year) In addition I have taken more European flights thanks to a combination of fare sales, Christmas gifts of flights from Aer John and an American friend who regularly comes to Europe and frequently looks for someone to share accommodation costs. I am happy to oblige [:D]

Our habits have changed in that cost matters, now that we have 2 ankle bitters in tow. We still like the pointy end for long haul which is 1 trip per year for hols, but have switched from VS to BA on the price factor alone for our next trip in March. Flights to Russia and the UK are still frequent enough but mostly in econ. BA dont do child fares on Euro routes[:(!] LH ,OS and TK have had a fair bit of business from me in the past 2 years which has got me FFL status(silver).
The boys have their BA Flyer book in which the get their flights recorded and signed by the flight crew....ok ok it is for me really[:I] but I recently noted that we had done 64 sectors on BA in 3 years, all inter Europe.

Iain

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
A little less travel on my part but then we knew it was going to be slightly quieter as we had a wedding to pair for. Where there has been a massive change is the amount of flights (and money spent) with Virgin. It has been my quietest year in over a decade with them - for a huge variety of reasons around pricing, service reductions, and general stupidity. BA on the other hand have been seeing more business from me - not to worry, as still get to keep VS Au through AmEx, not that I will use it that much in the forthcoming year either.

I've been really busy with my new job, so haven't been able to spend as much time as usual on the site - but when I see threads such as not taking Cowshed bookings anymore, the nails in the coffin are being driven in further.


Similar thing for me, in terms of switching away from VS. Almost exactly the same rationale, though being SF based really had no option but to pick UA. I do like their new C product. I miss the CH, of course, both here (in Heathrow where I am now) and in SF. Don't miss anything else. I fail to understand why remove things like pre-book - what's the point?

1K on United is one of the better rewarded high tiers in the biz. I will have lots of upgrade certs as of next Jan, would have been more had I not taken two VS flights this year (though I would have missed flying with HL had I not done it)! Gold will go middle of next year, not to return for a long while, I suspect.

Frequency has been about the same this year, with more flights to Europe, fewer within the US.

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
My only VS flight this year was to Bay to Breakers in May, and that was a G. My next flight will be in January, also a G. This will be my last year as VS Gold so I will probably rely on rewards and PE flights from here on.

As Richard, I'm flying a less this year, a lot less with VS but more with BA. Less work trips this year too, but the ones I have done were all on BA.

Thanks,
Sarah


Sarah,

I guess a lot of other PAX will be doing PE now too. Out of a matter of interest did you and/or Richard do a TR for your PE return flight back from Bay to Breakers (SFO) in May ? Would be interested to see and here the difference between PE and Upper on that route from your expert perspective.

Regards,

HG

[HighFlyer]

Iain, we flew back from LAX. If you recall, the Bitches went off and did a little drive across old timey America after the race.

I have flown home from SFO in PE (albeit once) and to compare it to Upper, I have to say that of course Upper is better, you get your own bed and aisle access and more free flowing alcohol but PE isnt at all bad. The meal service is so much better than it was, better than BA's offering as WT+ share the same meal service as Economy. The only nail in the coffin for me is the fact that I cant go into 'bed-mode'. I cant sleep sat upright (I have difficulty sleeping normally anyway so airplane seats are just a no-go). But switch the question around to day flights, especially to the East Coast, then flying PE is a good option if you are going to be sat up in your seat for the 6 hour flight anyway.

Thanks,
Sarah

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
Iain, we flew back from LAX. If you recall, the Bitches went off and did a little drive across old timey America after the race.

I have flown home from SFO in PE (albeit once) and to compare it to Upper, I have to say that of course Upper is better, you get your own bed and aisle access and more free flowing alcohol but PE isnt at all bad. The meal service is so much better than it was, better than BA's offering as WT+ share the same meal service as Economy. The only nail in the coffin for me is the fact that I cant go into 'bed-mode'. I cant sleep sat upright (I have difficulty sleeping normally anyway so airplane seats are just a no-go). But switch the question around to day flights, especially to the East Coast, then flying PE is a good option if you are going to be sat up in your seat for the 6 hour flight anyway.

Thanks,
Sarah

Thanks,
Sarah


Sorry Sarah - I meant to say flying back from LAX in PE (without the bitches).

Thanks for the comparison, if, as you say, one has sleeping whether in a seat or suite then is guess it has to be a serious decision on what is best VFM.

Regards,

HG (BTW it is Ian and not Iain [:(]) x

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
But switch the question around to day flights, especially to the East Coast, then flying PE is a good option if you are going to be sat up in your seat for the 6 hour flight anyway.


Granted I only have limited experience in flying UC and PE, but I think you're right. If I were a gold card holder (hence with CH access) I'd be happy to fly PE to east coast destinations. We had excellent service and really enjoyed our PE experiences to both Boston and Chicago.

Paul

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
HG (BTW it is Ian and not Iain [:(]) x


ROTFLMAO[oo][oo][oo]

Iain

[HighFlyer]

Sorry Ian, yes, I was multitasking ... [:(]

We also look at each case to decide how we are going to fly. Very long flights such as Asia will always be in J if we can help it but if say we are buying L or S fares to upgrade, when flying to SFO its well wort the 20k miles to go in Upper, for say BOS when the flight home can be less than 6 hours but the cost is the same 20k then PE makes much more sense.

Thanks,
Sarah

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer
Sorry Ian, yes, I was multitasking ... [:(]


Multitasking [oo] if only us men could

Was intested to hear your experiences as a frequent upper pax - When I returned last month from SFO my friend flew back in PE and loved it very much indeed; he has only flown Y befere and saw no comparison between those two products.

Regards,

Ian [:X]