Trip Report: Round the World in 139 days (24 flights)

[coyote25]

Flight 7: Keflavik to London

Date: 19 October 2012
Flight Number: Icelandair - FI 450
Fare type: Economy (Paid)
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Requested Seat: None
Allocated Seat: 27D (aisle)
In-flight Entertainment: AVOD (back of seat)

Scheduled Departure: 07.40
Actual Departure: 07.45

Scheduled Arrival: 11.45
Actual Arrival: 11.35
Duration: 2 Hours 50 mins

Meal:
Can be purchased on board.

Summary:
On my last flight with Icelandair on 15 October I was dead to the world so didn't notice much this time I took advance of the AVOD system. It cost I think £2 for headphones but they are standard ones you use in iPods etc. The entertainment system has lots of options wide range of TV shows and Movies in English. I watched 'This Means War' and before I knew it we were descending.

Surprising you pay for food but get a very good free AVOD system strange situation. Overall Icelandair are a good company that looks after all passengers equally.


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[coyote25]

Photo of Icelandair 757-200 plane for 19 October to Heathrow.

 

[Fantic125]

I noticed there is a Cathay lounge at this airport as well but I didn't visit this time. I'm back in about 10 days so I will have a look at that time. In summary a good lounge and I'm happy with JAL on my first time using them.

Great TR!

The CX lounge has fairly limited opening hours (I think from around 10am to about 2:30pm) so no good for evening flights. The JAL J & F lounges get a lot busier in the evening, to the point where sometimes it's difficult to find a seat. Drink options are good, but food options is pretty limited.

 

[drron]

Following this TR with interest as we will be in Iceland next year and staying at the Hlton.So did you enjoy the stay there?

 

[coyote25]

Following this TR with interest as we will be in Iceland next year and staying at the Hlton.So did you enjoy the stay there?

Enjoyed Reykjavik a lot, stayed at the Fosshotel Baron. Recommend going on the Essential Iceland tour http://www.icelandrovers.is/daytours/essentialiceland/ a lot of fun. Pack for the cold and try to cover as much skin as possible. Have fun.


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[coyote25]

London (Heathrow) Airport
22 October 2012

Caught the Tube to Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line. There are two trains you can get one that goes to Terminals 1, 2, 3 & 4 or the one that goes to Terminals 1, 2, 3, & 5. Cheap, I think about £5, and convenient. I was heading for the British Airways Terminal 5.

Bag drop after online checkin at Area H, bag tagged priority. Fast tracked via my Club Europe ticket, BA high status members get the same treatment not sure about OW high status members but Iberia was definitely listed. The fast track lines where shorter and definitely faster but I was stopped for additional checks I think due to the power converters.

There are two standard lounges, North and South and at least one other First lounge. I visited the South lounge. No announcements made in the lounge which makes sense as they would be announcing every few minutes. Big crowd of business types. Free wifi was fine ice you connected but there were dead spots in some locations.

Lots of PCs running Windows and out of date browser (could use google drive fully as a result). Lots of alcohol, soft drinks and fruit juice notice wine bottles being used at 9 am. Showers also present. Food was an English breakfast meaning hot bacon in rolls.

One the drink side they offer 150 ml cans of soft drink or normal sized cans of beer. It's like the airlines what you to drink beer which you'd think it more expensive!

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[coyote25]

British Airways Heathrow Terminal 5 South Lounge Photos

 

[coyote25]

Flight 8: London to Frankfurt

Date: 22 October 2012
Flight Number: British Airways - BA 904
Fare type: Economy (Paid)
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A319
Requested Seat: 11C (pre paid upgrade)
Allocated Seat: 4A
In-flight Entertainment: None

Scheduled Departure: 10.50
Actual Departure: 11.05

Scheduled Arrival: 13.35
Actual Arrival: 13.40
Duration: 1 Hour 35 mins

Meal:
Smoked salmon, strawberry yogurt, orange juice. Offered champagne or soft drink.

Summary:
Boarding Club Europe first. Non status and non Club Europe people who tried to board where turned away. I'm noticing this is something that occurs in Europe having experienced this with Icelandair.

Small space between each business seats but they are still basic. Offered Duty Free 20 minutes out from Frankfurt.


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[coyote25]

Flight photos

 

[Grooba]

Awesome report coyote25, lovingthe read! How far out did you book the J RTW?

 

[coyote25]

Awesome report coyote25, lovingthe read! How far out did you book the J RTW?

from memory I booked it just after the 13 Feb 2013 return flight opened so sometime around the start of March 2012 with first flight 27 Sept.

I made an amendment to the Buenos Aires to Dallas flights so that the first flight moved to Miami business instead of the previous Long haul Y flight I had. This meant only 1 small Y flight from Miami to DFW because AA doesn't offer J on most Domestic flights. I think I changed that flight late July cost me a change fee but gave my an 8 hour J flight so happy to pay the extra 5k points. I almost forgot to look for AA opening seats!

Luckily one of the hardest flights to get in J at the time was the DFW to BNE flight they were disappearing within days of the release but since it was my last booked flight on the award I could snap the seat up


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[BVT]

How did you go on price with the Havana (HAV) to Cancun (CUN) Cubana de Aviación - CU 152 flight(s)? I'm looking at heading to cuba, but can't find a cheap way out of the place, ie to Mexico city or Cancun.

Also enjoy Iceland.

Air Canada* fly Toronto* direct to HAV. Last time I checked the prices seemed reaonable to me, IIRC

(*Too lazy to look up codes and too scared to guess and get them wrong!)

Great TR, btw. More pics of Iceland please - it's on my list!

 

[coyote25]

Air Canada* fly Toronto* direct to HAV. Last time I checked the prices seemed reaonable to me, IIRC

(*Too lazy to look up codes and too scared to guess and get them wrong!)

Great TR, btw. More pics of Iceland please - it's on my list!

As requested a few photos of Iceland.



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[BVT]

Great pics, thanks.
I REALLY have to go, now!

 

[coyote25]

It can seem like another world. In fact they are shooting Thor 2 in Iceland right now due to that fact.

 

[coyote25]

Frankfurt Airport
24 October 2012

Good not to have to rush to the airport since I was staying at Hilton Garden Inn. I'm always concerned something will go wrong with train, taxi etc but that wasn't a problem today.

Iberia checkin open 2.5 hours before the flight which I hadn't realised since last checkin with BA they accepted bags 7 hours before flight . Economy checkin open about 90 seconds before business which I was lined up for but being first and only person in that line was nice.

Received a fast track card for security and for the first time when entering airside in Europe I wasn't pulled up. t this point I realised that I had entered the Europe only part of the terminal and I wouldn't need re screening unlike the last time I was hear and faced significant delays. Obviously the UK is not part of Europe for flying purposes.

This meant I didn't have access to the JAL or CX lounges. This time I accessed the Iberia Business Lounge instead.

Iberia Business Lounge
I was the first person into this small Lounge. Reminded my a but of the Hobart QF Lounge. There is no wifi, no showers and no toilets. The are 2 PCs, without a printer, and a limited range of drinks and some chips and fruit. Very basic but still better than being outside. At the most there were 5 other people in the lounge before the flight.




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[coyote25]

Iberia lounge photos
At this point I was the only one here.

 

[coyote25]

Flight 9: Frankfurt to Madrid

Date: 24 October 2012
Flight Number: Iberia - IB 3507
Fare type: Business (RTW Award)
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A320-100/200
Requested Seat: 3F
Allocated Seat: 2F
In-flight Entertainment: None

Scheduled Departure: 12.15
Actual Departure: 12.25

Scheduled Arrival: 14.50
Actual Arrival: 15.15
Duration: 2 Hours 50 mins

Meal:
Salad with blueberries. Beef tenderloin stuffed with cheese and pepper. Manchego cheese with raisins. Chocolate and banana cake. Bread roll (no butter or spread). Diet coke. Small chocolate. Tea or coffee offered as well but not taken.

Summary:
Actually got to watch the plane pull up to the gate and be emptied and refilled. A fascinating purpose that I really hadn't watched closely before despite hundreds of flights. Boarding was by row number, no priority boarding except with you had young children. Boarding was via air bridge (last 2 flights here was via tarmac).

Business class had 2.5 rows, my side had only 2 rows starting at row 2 with a storage unit locate in what would have been row 1 seats D, E and F. Middle seats in business are kept empty on purpose although very few people in J and all wearing jeans. There were some people in business wear but the were ack in Y.

Papers offered before take off, a first for me in Europe on this trip. Food served immediately we levelled off. Instead off beef you could select sake, I think that was fish. Attendants kept asking if you wanted anything, very nice service. Seats were leather and on the small side for J but with and empty next to you it is hard to complain. Flight left late and arrived even later but nothing of real concern.



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[coyote25]

Iberia flight 3507 photos

Now a few days in Madrid and then off to Buenos Aires for the big stage of this world trip.

 

[fersea]

Nathan

I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying not only this trip report on here but even more so your blog site. I am looking at doing a RTW trip in 2014 and it is great to read of your travels. I think my trip will be similar to yours with a some organised adventure tours and some independent travel. I am a couple of years younger than you so like you probably a little older than the standard g adventures tucan or the like traveller but it sounds like you had a great group for your Asian adventure.

Hope you continue to have a great trip and I will definitely be following both this report and your blog site.

Great work!!