business/first class swag

[crashcourse]

I fly on AC way too much so on overseas flights I get that same blue tote of miniature lotions and creams, socks, eye mask, ear plugs and mints.

In ANA business you get a pair of slippers in a slipper tote... woohoo!

What kind of swag have you gotten on business/first class flights?

[redbridge]

they must be standard freebies:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=7499310

redbridge

[Pete_Coach]

For $4000 to $6000 or more for a 5 or 7 hour flight overseas I sure don't consider a blue tote of miniature lotions and creams, socks, eye mask, ear plugs and mints let alone pair of slippers in a slipper tote swag. As a matter of fact, for that kind of money I don't consider anything as swag, only as junk for my money.
I flew to Europe a lot as well and just flew business or first when I got upgraded, I could never justify the expense to me or my employer. :|

[Cheap]

For me, being able to take a shower, eat and have a few drinks in the lounge is worth more than the junk they give you on the plane.

[gmark2000]

It's astounding how many people leave this stuff behind in Executive class. Granted, this stuff builds up over time.

[Coolers]

My recent YYZ-HKG trip on CX in J netted me an Agnes B travel pack with socks, eye mask, some random lotions, earplugs, and toiletries.

[dark169]

my favorite perk is the drinks and the lounge

[Pete_Coach]

My recent YYZ-HKG trip on CX in J netted me an Agnes B travel pack with socks, eye mask, some random lotions, earplugs, and toiletries.

my favorite perk is the drinks and the lounge

friggin expensive socks and drinks :lol:
What surprises me about business class folks is how much of a slob they are. When walking off the aircraft it astounds me how they just throw things (including the wonderful swag) on the floor or seat or wherever when they leave. I guess they are used to having someone clean up after them??

[boyoflondon]

You should check out Air France business class. The food they serve is something else and the staff is amazing. Even the econ class has a bar in the middle of the plane where you can go at any time to get refreshments.

[dark169]

friggin expensive socks and drinks :lol:

what makes you think I paid for the seat?

I always consider the drinks/extras as perks I (or my company) pays the extra becuase of the comfort.

[cayouche]

friggin expensive socks and drinks :lol:


It's called upgrade certificates.

I sure don't pay for executive class tickets, but when you travel often, they give you upgrade certificates.

It sure is nice flying first class when it's a 14-15h flight (YYZ to HKG).

When in Asia, I find myself being upgraded quite often for free, even for short flights. That's nice.

[coolspot]

friggin expensive socks and drinks :lol:
What surprises me about business class folks is how much of a slob they are. When walking off the aircraft it astounds me how they just throw things (including the wonderful swag) on the floor or seat or wherever when they leave. I guess they are used to having someone clean up after them??

No it's because they didn't pay for the ticket themselves :cheesygri If they paid out of pocket, I'm sure they would treat the freebies much differently.

[Pete_Coach]

what makes you think I paid for the seat?

I always consider the drinks/extras as perks I (or my company) pays the extra becuase of the comfort.

It's called upgrade certificates.

I sure don't pay for executive class tickets, but when you travel often, they give you upgrade certificates.

It sure is nice flying first class when it's a 14-15h flight (YYZ to HKG).

When in Asia, I find myself being upgraded quite often for free, even for short flights. That's nice.

No it's because they didn't pay for the ticket themselves :cheesygri If they paid out of pocket, I'm sure they would treat the freebies much differently.
So, the swag is the free upgrade too, not just the drinks and socks? Well then, that changes everything, especially if it more than just the socks and toiletries :lol:
Lighten up folks, freebies are fine....unless you pay an extraordinary amount to get them.

[cayouche]

Lighten up folks, freebies are fine....unless you pay an extraordinary amount to get them.

$10K socks!! Woo!

[commie]

not so much a swag during a flight in biz class...But Air Canada sent out a nice Sony noise cancelling earphones to their Super Elite members...In advance of them charging for headphones on flights..

I thought that was a nice touch.

[cayouche]

not so much a swag during a flight in biz class...But Air Canada sent out a nice Sony noise cancelling earphones to their Super Elite members...In advance of them charging for headphones on flights..

I thought that was a nice touch.

Bring your own! They can't sound any worse...

[commie]

Bring your own! They can't sound any worse...

The point was Air Canada gave these Sony MDREX32LPB NC earphones away for free.
http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1003798

Although not the very best NC earphones out there, and alot of the Super Elite flyers would already have some kind of NC headphone like Bose or Senneisher or Sony....Its still a very nice gift/gesture from AC.

[cayouche]

:cry:

I will most likely miss the SE status by a few points only this year...
No red carpet for me...

[Pete_Coach]

:cry:

I will most likely miss the SE status by a few points only this year...
No red carpet for me...

Depends how important it is to you. Take a flight, find out which ones give double or triple status miles. There are folks out there who do mileage runs at the end of the year just to retain their Super Elite status. Flyertalk forum is full of them. With Super Elite, I was always almost guaranteed an upgrade to buisness or first even from Europe on co-shared flights.

[cayouche]

Depends how important it is to you. Take a flight, find out which ones give double or triple status miles. There are folks out there who do mileage runs at the end of the year just to retain their Super Elite status. Flyertalk forum is full of them. With Super Elite, I was always almost guaranteed an upgrade to buisness or first even from Europe on co-shared flights.

Good advice!
By a few points, I mean about 10K. I'm going to Asia in 3 weeks or so, and again in December. I should have about 90K AC status Miles.
I don't know how I'll be able to do 10K in mileage runs...

Next year I'll make it though, but that'll be good only for 2010... :|

[iambored]

It's astounding how many people leave this stuff behind in Executive class. Granted, this stuff builds up over time.

I didn't realize that the tote's were given to us. Yes, the contents (creams, etc.), but the bag I've left behind since I figured it can be re-used, plus I don't need 18 totes.

Which had me thinking, do they do re-use it? All the ones I get seem brand new... so if we leave the tote's behind after the flight, do you think they just throw it in the trash?

[Pete_Coach]

I didn't realize that the tote's were given to us. Yes, the contents (creams, etc.), but the bag I've left behind since I figured it can be re-used, plus I don't need 18 totes.

Which had me thinking, do they do re-use it? All the ones I get seem brand new... so if we leave the tote's behind after the flight, do you think they just throw it in the trash?

Kidding right? A seasoned traveler? Everything left behind gets gashed, sometimes it goes in a recycle bin (as in newspapers), but everything else sees the garbage bag. It is for health and safety reasons, who knows what the first class folks have left in those totes.

[commie]

Good advice!
By a few points, I mean about 10K. I'm going to Asia in 3 weeks or so, and again in December. I should have about 90K AC status Miles.
I don't know how I'll be able to do 10K in mileage runs...

Next year I'll make it though, but that'll be good only for 2010... :|

If you think you'll travel alot next year..then you should try to make that 10K for SE status.

Probably the cheapest method is do a weekend trip to HK on United..its around $1200.....and get you roughly 15000 miles.

Another reason to do a mileage run would be if you plan on using alot of your aeroplan miles next year. Its much easier to book award tickets with SE.
This year, I probably burnt through 200K of miles booking last minute tickets for my family to travel. no problems getting reward seats at all even for busy routes like going to HK and booking it one week away.

If you don't plan on travelling alot next year or the travel doesn't require upgrading with certs, or you don't plan on using air miles...then mileage run won't make sense.

[commie]

Depends how important it is to you. Take a flight, find out which ones give double or triple status miles. There are folks out there who do mileage runs at the end of the year just to retain their Super Elite status. Flyertalk forum is full of them. With Super Elite, I was always almost guaranteed an upgrade to buisness or first even from Europe on co-shared flights.

We can upgrade with certs on co-shared flights? I thought AC upgrade certs are only applicable on AC metals?

[cayouche]

If you think you'll travel alot next year..then you should try to make that 10K for SE status.

Probably the cheapest method is do a weekend trip to HK on United..its around $1200.....and get you roughly 15000 miles.

Another reason to do a mileage run would be if you plan on using alot of your aeroplan miles next year. Its much easier to book award tickets with SE.
This year, I probably burnt through 200K of miles booking last minute tickets for my family to travel. no problems getting reward seats at all even for busy routes like going to HK and booking it one week away.

If you don't plan on travelling alot next year or the travel doesn't require upgrading with certs, or you don't plan on using air miles...then mileage run won't make sense.


That's what I do actually. I do YQB-HKG or NRT, about 6-7 times a year. That's usually enough for SE, since I get about 17-18K of status miles per trip. If it was for segments only, I wouldn't even have enough for Prestige :lol: .

However, early this year I missed a few trips because my girl was born. Next year, I'll be ok. I'm already flying 3 times in the next 4 months, I don't know if I'll be able to squeeze another one in. I'll see.

Thanks for your advice.

[Jay1234]

Kidding right? A seasoned traveler? Everything left behind gets gashed, sometimes it goes in a recycle bin (as in newspapers), but everything else sees the garbage bag. It is for health and safety reasons, who knows what the first class folks have left in those totes.

actually, if this is an international flight, it must all be incinerated, due to any possible health contamination concerns.

[Pete_Coach]

We can upgrade with certs on co-shared flights? I thought AC upgrade certs are only applicable on AC metals?

Flew to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, as well as Alitalia to Milan.

[cannon_fodder]

It's astounding how many people leave this stuff behind in Executive class. Granted, this stuff builds up over time.

Especially when you consider that you could simply donate that to a women's shelter. I started this at the last two places I worked (just continuing a tradition started by someone else at a previous employer) to collect all of those hotel toiletries daily that I didn't need and then, when it is substantial, donate them to a women's shelter. If you have several people at work doing that it can add up quite quickly. Often when women and their children enter the shelters it isn't like they are thinking of these things.

[Pete_Coach]

Especially when you consider that you could simply donate that to a women's shelter. I started this at the last two places I worked (just continuing a tradition started by someone else at a previous employer) to collect all of those hotel toiletries daily that I didn't need and then, when it is substantial, donate them to a women's shelter. If you have several people at work doing that it can add up quite quickly. Often when women and their children enter the shelters it isn't like they are thinking of these things.

You know what, that is a hell of a good idea. I am gong to try this in my office. We travel so much and stay in hotels all the time.
Thanks for the idea. :idea:

[commie]

Especially when you consider that you could simply donate that to a women's shelter. I started this at the last two places I worked (just continuing a tradition started by someone else at a previous employer) to collect all of those hotel toiletries daily that I didn't need and then, when it is substantial, donate them to a women's shelter. If you have several people at work doing that it can add up quite quickly. Often when women and their children enter the shelters it isn't like they are thinking of these things.

I used to do that too....I would collect all the soaps/shampoos everyday from my hotel room and any other trinkets..
Now I stay in hotels and fly probably about 48 weeks out of 52 weeks in a year.

Needless to say, those soaps built up fast. I would take them to the shelter's probably every 3-4 months.

Was doing that, till alot of those shelters stopped accepting the soaps/shampoos. They had concern about the 'safety'/source of the products.

Now i have stopped doing that.

[spong]

I like the Amex deal of BOGO fee for oversea Business Class. I did that with my wife on JAL and their services are amazing

[Cheap]

Flew to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, as well as Alitalia to Milan.

Sorry to go OT a little here. How long ago were you able to upgrade on these flights using AC certs. When I look for upgradeable flights with my cert numbers it only shows AC flights as being upgradeable (the blue arrow). Is there a trick to it? I have flights on Alitalia coming up (if they are still around) and didn't think it would work with them since they aren't part of the star alliance. The trip is on an AC ticket though, I can see the whole trip on AC.com, including the Alitalia flights. Do I just need to wait for the upgrade window to open and it will let me? Thanks for any info you can pass on. The last time I used a cert to upgrade (M class fare for all legs) they only upgraded me on the AC flight, they gave me a boarding pass for my connecting flight on Thai but it was in economy. I just thought that was the way it worked.

[Pete_Coach]

Sorry to go OT a little here. How long ago were you able to upgrade on these flights using AC certs. When I look for upgradeable flights with my cert numbers it only shows AC flights as being upgradeable (the blue arrow). Is there a trick to it? I have flights on Alitalia coming up (if they are still around) and didn't think it would work with them since they aren't part of the star alliance. The trip is on an AC ticket though, I can see the whole trip on AC.com, including the Alitalia flights. Do I just need to wait for the upgrade window to open and it will let me? Thanks for any info you can pass on. The last time I used a cert to upgrade (M class fare for all legs) they only upgraded me on the AC flight, they gave me a boarding pass for my connecting flight on Thai but it was in economy. I just thought that was the way it worked.

Both were direct flights.
I flew Toronto - Milan in 2006. It was an Air Canada flight but an Alitalia aircraft. Used my cert at check in and there was availability ( I was SE at the time).
Frankfurt was last year out of Montreal, again it was a co-share and used the cert at check in. I am afraid I cannot give a tip because I didn't do anything except present my cert ( I was polite and sort of pleaded but other than that nothing special :) )

[Cheap]

Both were direct flights.
I flew Toronto - Milan in 2006. It was an Air Canada flight but an Alitalia aircraft. Used my cert at check in and there was availability ( I was SE at the time).
Frankfurt was last year out of Montreal, again it was a co-share and used the cert at check in. I am afraid I cannot give a tip because I didn't do anything except present my cert ( I was polite and sort of pleaded but other than that nothing special :) )

Thanks for the info, my luck isn't that good and my Alitalia flights are on Alitalia flight numbers so my chances for an upgrade will be zero I think.