Who's Flown Icelandic?

[GBNorman]

The fare came down from the $4355 I noted opening this topic, to $3653. The hotel seems "about the same".

I have 24hrs to welch, but then I wouldn't have booked if I didn't intend to go on Aug 14.

The 24hr "grace" has expired; I added the AIG trip insurance United sells this morning, so I'm committed.

But guess what; just for "sport", I checked the fare again - it's back up to $4155. 

 

[jis]

I just came back from a one month trip to India on a round trip Business Class ticket MCO-EWR-BOM-EWR-MCO on United, that cost about as much - $3565 or some such. Included the EWR-BOM 15+ hour nonstop on a 77W Polaris Business. The flight was sold out in the front both ways. There were a few open seats in the back. Lowest RT Coach for the same would be between $1000 and $1800, depending on the phase of the moon. You can get cheaper Coach tickets on Emirates for the same route.

Oddly, if I had simply added on a Jet Airways connecting flight BOM-CCU-BOM to the itinerary, the price would have jumped to north of $8000! So I simply got me a separate 9W Y BOM-CCU-BOM for around $200. It is an under 3 hour flight and there is no need for upper class for that. Could have gotten same for much lower on IndiGo or Spice, but that would involve a very inconvenient terminal change at BOM from T2 to T1 and back.

 

[cpotisch]

Good fares are still around.  Just yesterday I booked Chicago to Sydney for $540 round trip (and checking just now, fares in that neighborhood are still available on all three alliances), under $0.03 per mile.

Whoah. What airline?

 

[railbuck]

Whoah. What airline?

Not Icelandic. <_<

"All three alliances" means Skyteam (Delta/Virgin Australia), Star Alliance (United/Air New Zealand), and One World (American/Qantas).  At the moment, could actually get it as low as $415 on United for an immediate turnaround (2.5 hours in Sydney) on 8/31-9/3, but that would be brutal.

NYC departures aren't quite as competitive just now, but can still be found around $600.  Google Flights is a good place to start looking.

 

[chakk]

https://www.fodors.com/news/deals/how-to-fly-business-class-to-europe-for-the-cost-of-an-economy-ticket
It appears that there are other options beyond Icelandair for "Biz on the Cheap".
Even if they're still in business come this August, too many "unk-unks" with an outfit like Norwegian.
It appears the French carrier they note that only flies EWR-ORY, has a high level of in-flight service, as well does a friend who has flown 'em. But with only two A-330's to their name, what backup have they got?
All told, I'll just keep checking "the cartel"; maybe they'll get "charitable". But I've gone to the Salzburg Festival five consecutive years, so it's not like missing out on "the trip of a lifetime".
Now there appears to be one little "perk" with United if they operate their ORD-MUC flight with a "Q configured" 772 (traditional non-Polaris) and that is they no longer offer First Class. On their seat map, they show the former First seats open for sale. Whether or not they are actually open, and not saved for "elite" level passengers (I missed Premier for this year by some 450 miles) I know not.

Accumulate one million actual miles on United (took me about 40 years to do that) and you are awarded United Premier Exec status for life. And your spouse gets it also.

 

[jis]

In the United Mileage Plus program, Premier Gold for life for 1 million miles on United iron. Platinum for 2 million and 1K for 3 million. A few of us here including Shanghai as I recall have had 1 million for a while.

On my flight back from Athens last year I got a GPU upgrade. I was on one of those 3 class ex-United 767s with those terrible forward and backward facing lie flat seat abominations, that was being used as a 2 class aircraft. The upgrade came through 24 hours before departure. Fortunately I was assigned one of the old first class pods. I don't know if my 1K status or the fact that I was completing 2 million miles on that flight had anything to do with it. The Chief Purser came by to congratulate me, and United gave me a gift to choose from a catalog for 2 million miles. I chose AppleTV, shipped to my home of course.

 

[GBNorman]

Sure would be great if United has enough 77W's by August, to assign them ORD-MUC. A recent Journal article suggested they are moving ahead with "retrofitting" their existing 772's ("Q" according to Maureen - my FA friend) and 763's.

The "Polaris" configuration affording all Business Class passengers "myspace" is great for someone (myself) not comfortable in any surrounding that could be called a "moshing pit". That includes "Aft of the Curtain" (again let me reiterate; "Aft" was just fine MIA-ORD last month during the Vortex thanks to a special gal sharing her time with me ((love you, Blossom)). But Middle Seat could have been "unbearable").

But for "those of us" around here - Jishnu, myself, et magna alia, willing to pay what we must, happy to subsidize Caravan Ed, for his willingness to accept survival course conditions.

Finally, this year (based on '18 "miles"), I missed United Premier by about 450 miles. OK; some would have suggested a "joyflight", say, ORD-CLE-ORD during the "inter-Holiday" week, but since my last Amtrak joyride was during '10, any travel nowadays has "purpose" attached to it.

"Miles"; one military relief agency, e.g. Wounded Warrior, or the other can put them to better use than can I.

 

[cpotisch]

happy to subsidize Caravan Ed, for his willingness to accept survival course conditions.

This is a pretty offensively elitist comment. hboy:

 

[GBNorman]

I always salute the folk at the front of the plane who pay $3,000+ to fly... It enables my in my mosh pit to get on the same plane for $300.

Thanks folks!

Ed.

Cpotisch, note the captioned material.

Thank you.