- Joined
- Jun 3, 2008
- Posts
- 843
Greetings fellow AFFers.
After reading many TRs on AFF including Boomy’s excellent TR about his recent trip to Germany I have been inspired to type with my two typing fingers again. For those that need to know
NOWAK = NO Wives And Kids
It’s an annual boys trip I have undertaken to meet up with some very good friends from the UK at GVA and spend a week in the wonderful surroundings of the French Alps in late Jan.
As with all things AFF it has been a learning curve over the previous few years. In NOWAK 1 I thought all my Christmases had come at once when I purchased a SQ Star Alliance J redemption MEL-SIN-MUC-GVA return for 190K kris points. In NOWAK 2 I tasted suites on one leg…bad(read great) move. So booking time for NOWAK 3 arrives and for some unknown reason J seats seem rare (I will confess I’m booking this in Sept ’14 for a trip 4 months later). However, F is wide open. So this year my routing will be
MEL-SIN SQ 228 77W F
SIN-MUC SQ 328 77W F
MUC-GVA LH 23 J (euro J)
Snow time
GVA-LHR LX J (euro J)
LHR-SIN SQ 321 A380 R
SIN-MEL SQ 237 777 F
The total points burn was 265000 Kris points booked as a *A F redemption. If anyone wants to know the taxes I can look them up for you. They were alittle high due to leaving Europe from LHR.
My journey begins in Melbourne on the Friday before Australia Day weekend. Due to work constraints, I am self employed-no work no pay, I plan to work until 12.30pm and then train/bus it to MEL. Originally I was to take the train to Broadmeadows then the 501 service to MEL but due to time I opted for the more direct train/skybus service from Southern Cross station. Ok it costs a few dollars more but to arrive at the airport in 1 hour from home was pretty good considering a car trip takes about 45 mins and not far off the same cost once you factor in the tolls and parking. The lack of chauffer transport by SQ to me is probably there biggest hole in what is otherwise an excellent service.
MEL check in was quite unusual this trip. Normally you approach the J or F check-in and boarding passes are issued with the usual SQ exchange of pleasantries. Today ,however, I encountered my first check in dragon. I’d read on AFF that they do exist but I had never encountered one. At this point I must explain I travel carryon baggage only (I just don’t like to loose my ski boots to some NFI baggage handler), which for a ski trip pushes it a little. Ski boots, Sorels, gortex suit, helmet etc etc.So the dragon goes “I need to weigh your carryon baggage” . It ended up with a little bit of a Mexican stand off. I got both bags down to less than 10kg but she almost got me to wear the Sorels in the process.
Check-in out the way I breezed thru passport ( 3 people in the hall!). TRS for the GoPro Mrs UXB had purchased for our wedding anniversary (no queue), and up to the Flounge. I must say the SQ Flounge leaves a little to be desired, I think it’s the lack of natural light.
I boarded, as is my liking , first on the plane and ordered some Dom.
Now normally I am a Krug man but Mrs UXB on her pre xmas jaunt to London loved the Dom and said I needed to give it a second try. I did…..then moved back to the Krug.
Sq first on 77W seats 8 in 2 rows of 1-2-1 and I was in 1A just because it looks good on the boarding pass. The seats are very similar to J, the J cabin behind is also 8 seats in 1-2-1 arrangement, probably just a bit more room in F and of course 26” TV. The 77W have a wide foot bench/ottoman under which you store your carryon which when you only have 1 carryon leaves plenty of foot space, with 2 carry-ons it’s a different matter. There’s also no overhead storage which does make to cabin feel huge but is a PITA if you need the extra storage like I did. However, a quiet word with the green dragon who was obviously looking after me for the trip and my extra carry-on was stored in the foot well of 1D the only vacant seat.
Tune in for the next episode SQ F food and wine and TPR
Cheers Danger UXB
After reading many TRs on AFF including Boomy’s excellent TR about his recent trip to Germany I have been inspired to type with my two typing fingers again. For those that need to know
NOWAK = NO Wives And Kids
It’s an annual boys trip I have undertaken to meet up with some very good friends from the UK at GVA and spend a week in the wonderful surroundings of the French Alps in late Jan.
As with all things AFF it has been a learning curve over the previous few years. In NOWAK 1 I thought all my Christmases had come at once when I purchased a SQ Star Alliance J redemption MEL-SIN-MUC-GVA return for 190K kris points. In NOWAK 2 I tasted suites on one leg…bad(read great) move. So booking time for NOWAK 3 arrives and for some unknown reason J seats seem rare (I will confess I’m booking this in Sept ’14 for a trip 4 months later). However, F is wide open. So this year my routing will be
MEL-SIN SQ 228 77W F
SIN-MUC SQ 328 77W F
MUC-GVA LH 23 J (euro J)
Snow time
GVA-LHR LX J (euro J)
LHR-SIN SQ 321 A380 R
SIN-MEL SQ 237 777 F
The total points burn was 265000 Kris points booked as a *A F redemption. If anyone wants to know the taxes I can look them up for you. They were alittle high due to leaving Europe from LHR.
My journey begins in Melbourne on the Friday before Australia Day weekend. Due to work constraints, I am self employed-no work no pay, I plan to work until 12.30pm and then train/bus it to MEL. Originally I was to take the train to Broadmeadows then the 501 service to MEL but due to time I opted for the more direct train/skybus service from Southern Cross station. Ok it costs a few dollars more but to arrive at the airport in 1 hour from home was pretty good considering a car trip takes about 45 mins and not far off the same cost once you factor in the tolls and parking. The lack of chauffer transport by SQ to me is probably there biggest hole in what is otherwise an excellent service.
MEL check in was quite unusual this trip. Normally you approach the J or F check-in and boarding passes are issued with the usual SQ exchange of pleasantries. Today ,however, I encountered my first check in dragon. I’d read on AFF that they do exist but I had never encountered one. At this point I must explain I travel carryon baggage only (I just don’t like to loose my ski boots to some NFI baggage handler), which for a ski trip pushes it a little. Ski boots, Sorels, gortex suit, helmet etc etc.So the dragon goes “I need to weigh your carryon baggage” . It ended up with a little bit of a Mexican stand off. I got both bags down to less than 10kg but she almost got me to wear the Sorels in the process.
Check-in out the way I breezed thru passport ( 3 people in the hall!). TRS for the GoPro Mrs UXB had purchased for our wedding anniversary (no queue), and up to the Flounge. I must say the SQ Flounge leaves a little to be desired, I think it’s the lack of natural light.
I boarded, as is my liking , first on the plane and ordered some Dom.
Now normally I am a Krug man but Mrs UXB on her pre xmas jaunt to London loved the Dom and said I needed to give it a second try. I did…..then moved back to the Krug.
Sq first on 77W seats 8 in 2 rows of 1-2-1 and I was in 1A just because it looks good on the boarding pass. The seats are very similar to J, the J cabin behind is also 8 seats in 1-2-1 arrangement, probably just a bit more room in F and of course 26” TV. The 77W have a wide foot bench/ottoman under which you store your carryon which when you only have 1 carryon leaves plenty of foot space, with 2 carry-ons it’s a different matter. There’s also no overhead storage which does make to cabin feel huge but is a PITA if you need the extra storage like I did. However, a quiet word with the green dragon who was obviously looking after me for the trip and my extra carry-on was stored in the foot well of 1D the only vacant seat.
Tune in for the next episode SQ F food and wine and TPR
Cheers Danger UXB
