Trip Report: British Airways, Geneva to New Orleans via London (July 2022)

 Trip Report: British Airways, Geneva to New Orleans via London
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I had to travel to Europe in Summer 2022 and was trying to find different ways to travel.  At the time of booking, the best method was utilizing miles so on the outbound I used Star Alliance miles and on the return I used OneWorld miles on British Airways from Geneva to New Orleans via London.  I am based out of New Orleans and British Airways had recently started direct service to the city so I was excited to travel on this route.  

As I said, I booked my travel using miles on American Airlines's website.  It is very easy to book awardtravel through AA's website and I have previously booked many oneworld partner flights through AA.com (in fact, I booked a SriLankan flight on AA.com and it was very simple).  This flight was no different and I booked the British Airways flight from Geneva to London and from London to New Orleans.  Once the flight was booked, I called British Airways to manage my flight including seat reservations and special meal request.  When I had originally booked my flight, premium economy was available for the same mileage amount but my dates had to change and in my revised dates unfortunately premium economy was not available.  In premium economy, the seat selection was complimentary and the luggage allowance was greater; in regular economy there was a charge for seat selection and the luggage allowance was the standard.                                                                                                  

I was able to check into my flight 24-hours in advance but I could only receive my boarding pass at the airport due to passport check-in.  My flight departed from Geneva at 11:50a and arrive at London Heathrow at 12:35pm and then my ne7xt flight departed at 3:40pm and landed in New Orleans at 7:30pm.  Because I was connecting internationally, and during this time it was the summer of European travel meltdown, I got to the airport 3-hours in advance; however, the check-in desks were not open at that time.  Apparently the check-in desks open 2 hours in advance but I was glad they were even opening as British Airways had cancelled almost all flights that day except 2 - the one we were on and then an afternoon flight.  I checked my luggage in, received my boarding pass, and proceeded to the gate.                                                                                                                                                                                             My first flight was operated by an Airbus A319 in a 3-3 seat configuration. The airplane had a Euro business class section followed by Premium Economy and then regular Economy.  We boarded through stairs and after manual safety demonstrations we pushed back and took off for Geneva.  I was seated in a window seat in regular economy.  The seat itself was basic and contained a moveable headrest, slimline seats, a tray table, and a literature section uptop for the magazines and pocket below the tray table for safety cards.  The seat comfort was alright but the seat pitch was very tight and even though the flight was only 1h45 mins, the uncomfortable seat made the journey feel longer.   Once airborne, inflight service commenced in which complimentary water and a packet of crisps were distributed; it was nice to get something complimentary as I was told that previously British Airways did not give anything complimentary in economy class.  You could purchase other food or beverage items if you wanted.  There was no wifi on the plane nor access to inflight entertainment so it was bring your own entertainment or enjoy the views.  We landed in Heathrow and then had to clear security and transfer terminals before my next flight out.

The next flight departed at 3:40pm but because U.S. bound flights require extra security we had to get to the gate extra early for additional security screening.  After the security screening, we were bused to the gate to board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which would take us to London.  The Dreamliner was also configured with a Business Class, a Premium Economy Class and a regular economy class.  I was in regular economy where the seats were 9 across in a 3-3-3 configuration.  On the seat were a blanket, pillow, and change for UNICEF pouch.  The seat itself had an adjustable headrest and cushion.  The seatback had a PTV screen, a remote underneath, a tray table that could be half opened or fully opened, a USB port to charge your phone, and a pocket underneath.  The PTV screen was small and seem a bit outdated and while the seat pitch was decent, the legroom underneath was blocked by the huge metal box which contained the wires for the entertainment.  Because of the extra security, bus boarding, and issues with luggage loading at Heathrow Airport, it took a while for all passengers to board but once boarded, safety video was shown and we pushed back and took off for New Orleans.  Once we reached cruising altitude, a drink service plus pretzels were served and this was followed by the meal service.  The meal service was average and this is definitely an area where British Airways can improve.  After the meal service, the lights were dimmed for passengers to rest.  About half-way through the flight a mid-flight snack was served and then right before landing another snack was served.  While I appreciate the quantity of food, the quality and taste of the food was to be desired.  The service onboard was also average - they were nice and decent when they were in the aisles but in between service they cabin crew were not seen; they were not walking through the aisles with water nor checking on the passengers; if you wanted something you had to search for the crew.  The seat itself was alright but you could feel the wear and tear after the 7th hour and the big metal box which took up a lot of space really hampered the legroom - so you felt the 10hr+ flight time after the 7-8th hour.  Even though we left late, we landed on-time in New Orleans and quickly got to our gate and deplaned.

Overall, it was an interesting flight with British Airways.  They advertise themselves to be a very good to great airline but everything I experienced it made them out to be a decent to good airline.  Instead of 4-5 stars I would rate them 3-4 stars; they are decent when they are on their game but its the little things and the additional items that make other airlines standout - such as crew available in the aisle throughout the flight; better catering; a more updated fleet; and other such little things.  I appreciate the direct flight to New Orleans as I know not many international airlines fly direct to the city, and as someone from the city I really appreciate that.  I just think that New Orleans and the public deserve what British Airways was - I have flown with them when I was a child and I got the Britishness they were trying to achieve; on this flight I got that they were trying to be a step above RyanAir. 

Stay Report: Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria (Alexandria, Virginia - April 2022)

 Stay Report: Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was travelling to Alexandria, Virginia and needed to stay near Old Town and during the search for a hotel found the Hyatt Centric.  I have heard about Hyatt's Centric brand which builds itself as local, boutique hotels but had never experienced the brand so decided to check it out.  It was easy to book and modify the hotel either through the Hyatt website or the Hyatt app.  The hotel is located on King Street which is the main street in Old Town but in an area where there are not many services around.  The metro is a couple of minutes walk away as well as restaurants, bars, and convenience stores which are all within walking distance but not next to the hotel.                                                                                                                          You enter the hotel lobby and in front are the check-in desks and to the right is a seating area and bar a couple of steps down below and the elevator on the same level.  Check-in was alright but it could have been better service; I am a Hyatt member but did not get a welcome as a member and there was no one in the hotel but the check-in attendant acted like they were very busy and the entire process was rushed.  We checked-in and proceeded to the room.

When we entered the room, there was nothing outstanding or anything that stood out and made this aunique or a special hotel room; it was an average hotel room.  You enter the room in a little hallway with a bathroom on one side and a closet and coat hooks on the other side.  The closet contained a mirror on the outside and inside was a place to hang your clothes as well as an iron and ironing board.  The bathroom was a decent size and had DryBar toiletry products - the bathroom had a shower along the entire backwall and in the foreground was the sink on one side and the toilet on the other side.  There was enough storage in the bathroom as next to the sink there were also shelves in the wall that provided additional storage spaces.  

Back in the room, on the left was a stand with the coffee maker and complimentary water on top and below was the fridge and additional storage.  It was a nice area that provided more space to put things and it was a nice touch.  Further into the room, along the right side were the two double beds with a desk in the middle.  The beds were comfortable, big enough and provided a good nights sleep.  Across from the bed, along the left-side of the wall, was a TV mounted on the wall and then a desk with a chair - the desk was a decent size but I have seen bigger in regular Hyatt's.  There was a window along the back wall which faced out onto King Street and there was a couch and lamp next to the window to provide extra seating.  Overall, it was a nice size room with good amenities but there was nothing distinctive about this room or nothing that made this room stand out against a regular Hyatt or other-brand hotel room.

The hotel is a full-service hotel so there are a lot of amenities including wifi, a restaurant and bar on-site, a fitness center, and a concierge.   We were there for work so did not have time to try all the amenities but did try the wifi which was decent and fast enough for basic email and streaming videos but did encounter some issues when using the wifi for work.                                                                                                                                                      Overall, it was a nice decent size room with good amenities.  The location was decent as it was within walking distance of many items.  Hyatt's Centric brand builds itself as a local, boutique hotel and I did not find anything local nor boutique about the hotel.  It was nice but it was a standard if not modern Hyatt hotel.  

Stay Report: Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center (Washington, D.C. - October 2022)

  Stay Report: Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C. City Center
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I was traveling to Washington, D.C. for work and needed to stay in a specific location.  All hotels in the location I wanted to stay out were sold out so I had to look near that location and during that search I found the Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C. City Center.  This hotel is located in Chinatown right across the street from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop.  Because I needed a hotel close to the metro stop and this metro stop was close to where my work was going to be, I booked the hotel.  I had not heard about Motto by Hilton brand so was not familiar with what to expect - an important tip to do your research beforehand because I was in for a big suprise.                                                                                                                                              I booked the hotel through the HiltonHonors website and app - both sites brought the same price and once booked I could modify either through the app or through the website.  Motto by Hilton is one of Hilton's newest brands and I was not sure about their brand nor type of hotels that they offered - this is something I should have read up on because I was in for a big surprise when I checked in.  When I got to the hotel and went to check-in, that is when the check-in agent let me know that Motto by Hilton is a micro-hotel meaning that the rooms are very small and the services are limited - basically its similar to a pod-hotel or an upgraded hostel.  I found out later that his hotel used to be the Pod Hotel Washington D.C. and that is still the name listed on some online maps.  In fact, on some online maps I had to put in the restaurant that was attached to the hotel to find the hotel as the online map had not been updated to the new hotel name.

The lobby was very small as it was a standard lobby but divided into two halves with one half being the hotel lobby and check-in and the other half being the bar area for the attached restaurant.  As you entered into the lobby, on the right were the two small check-in desks were you checked in and received your key.  Further along the right side was a couch that faced the elevators on the left-hand side; there were 3 elevators but sometimes it took a while for them to come.  My room was at the end of the hallway and tip - if you are a light sleeper do NOT get this room because the window faced the alley way with the garbage bins and between 4a-6am the garbage trucks came and made A LOT of noise.

When I opened the door, I did not realize how micro the room was - especially because the pricecharged was not micro but rather really expensive.  You enter into a little hallway with a coat hook and a mirror and then there is a sliding door that leads into the main room.  As soon as you enter the main room, on the left hand side is a small desk with a chair that blocks your entrance into the room.  Literally right next to the desk is the extra-large twin bed and right next to the next is another bedside table and the room ends.  The bed was on the left-side of the room as on the right was a stack of shelves for storage, the window that had black-out shades but was not noise cancelling, and TV mounted to the wall with a small ledge underneath.  The bed was decent and comfortable but there was definitely a lack of storage space and there was no room to move around the bed - it was very tight space.                                                                                                                                                             In between the hallway and the main room was a sliding door and that sliding door was the main door to your bathroom - so either the door slid to close the bathroom door but then left the entrance to the hallway open or the entrance to the hallway was closed and the bathroom door was open; not very good design.  The bathroom itself was a decent size and had a toilet, a small sink, and a small shower - the shower was decent but was poorly designed so that the water spilled everywhere outside when you showered.  The bathroom also had zero storage space so there was no place to put your toiletry kit or other storage.  There were refillable bathroom toiletries in the shower with shampoo and body wash and a soap and lotion were provided in the sink. 

As it is a micro-hotel, there were not the standard amenities that you would find at a regular hotel.  Instead this hotel offered wifi, a hotel restaurant, there was a gym in the basement, and an iron and ironing board in the room.  The wifi was decent and provided enough speed to connect devices and stream videos.  I was mainly there for work so did not time to checkout the gym nor the restaurant but the restaurant seemed very popular amongst locals, especially for happy hour.                                                                                                                              Overall, I was a bit disappointed with the hotel.  Yes, I was not aware it was a micro-hotel so that was my fault but generally once chooses a micro-hotel for convenience of location and because it is less expensive - you are getting 1/4 of the room so you should be paying less.  The room was definitely small but the price was that of a standard hotel room in D.C. - the hotel offered a micro-hotel at a standard hotel room rates and I think that is misleading and not right.  Also, I stayed there for multiple nights and I would not recommend staying at this hotel for more than one night - its convenient as its located across the street from the metro station but that is all the bonuses in my opinion.

Stay Report: Courtyard by Marriott Houston I-10 West/Memorial (Houston, Texas - May 2022)

 Stay Report: Courtyard by Marriott Houston I-10 West/Memorial
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I have been traveling to Houston many times and have stayed at many hotels, some good and some not so great.  I used to stay in the Galleria area but now I prefer to stay at the Memorial area due to proximity to transportation and services.  There are many hotels in the Memorial, some new and some existing and each has positive and non-positive aspects.  We normally stay at one hotel in the area but when we were booking, that hotel was very expensive so we had to look for another hotel and noticed the Courtyard I-10 West/Memorial.  I have passed this hotel but had never stayed there so decided to check it out.  Courtyard is Marriott's business minded hotel so they have nice rooms, a bar and a restaurant, and free parking but no free breakfast and other free amenities that either Residence Inn or Fairfield.  It was very easy to book the hotel through the Marriott website and app. 

The hotel is located on the I-10 service road near Memorial Mall.  The entrance to the hotel is shared with another hotel, two restaurants and an indoor skydiving area.  As you enter the hotel, there is a hallway to your right and the restaurant and bar to the left.  Further inside, on the right side is the check-in area where check-in was quick and we received our keys. We took the hallway right next to the door to the elevators and went up to our room on the 5th floor.

The hotel looks and feels new and is very spacious so does not feel cramped nor compact.  The sizecontinued into the room as the rooms are also spacious and very comfortable.  As you enter the room, on the right side was the bathroom and the closet.  The closet contained a place to hang clothes as well as the iron and ironing board.  The bathroom was very spacious and contained a sink, a toilet and a shower.  Bathroom toiletries included a bar of soap next to the sink and refillable body wash, shampoo and conditioner in the shower; there was no lotion available in the hotel.  Further into the room, on the right side were two large double beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The beds were spacious, very comfortable, and provided a good nights sleep.  The nightstand in the middle had small lamps above and power ports and an alarm clock.  There were also outlets on either side of the bed but not many lights - that was the only negative about the room was the lack of lighting.  In between the bed and the large window was a chair and a lamp.  Across from the beds was a luggage storage place, a nice large desk with power ports, and against the wall was a cupboard with a fridge on one side and on the other side a microwave on top and ice bucket and coffee machine on the bottom.   The main advantages of the room was the spaciousness of the room - nothing felt cramped nor tight - and the plethora of amenities in the room.

The hotel is a full-service hotel so amenities included a restaurant, a bar, a gym, complimentary parking and complimentary wifi.  The gym was a decent size and had enough equipment for a good workout, the parking had plenty of spaces and the wifi was decent; I did not try the bar nor the restaurant.  Overall, it was a really comfortable stay at the Courtyard.  Easy and accessible parking, spacious rooms, and good service yielded a pleasant stay.

Trip Report: LOT Polish Airlines, Warsaw to Geneva (June 2022)

 Stay Report: LOT Polish Airlines, Warsaw to Geneva
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling in Europe and needed to from Warsaw to Geneva.  I have wanted to try LOT Polish for a while, mostly on long-haul but until I get that opportunity I would try them on this short-haul flight.  It was very easy to book the ticket through the LOT website and as a Star Alliance member, I was able to earn miles on my flight.                                                                                      On some days LOT operates two flights a day and on others one flight a day.  I had originally booked the early morning flight at7:30am and, because I had checked baggage, I choose the fare that included checked luggage and this fare also included complimentary seat assignment and one free change (no fare fees but difference in fare if applicable).  Later on my plans changed so I was able to change my flight to the afternoon flight and because I had a change option in my ticket, I did not have to pay any change fees and only had to pay a difference in fare.  My new flight would depart Warsaw at 4:55pm and arrive into Geneva at 7pm with a 2h15min flight time.  The fare I bought included complimentary seat assignment so I was able to preselect my seat during booking.   Due to the short flight time, complimentary meals would not be served but I could prepurchase food that would be served onboard. 

Even though this was an inter-European flight, I got to the airport early because 1) I had to check bags

and 2) this was during the time of European airport craziness so I did not want to miss my flight.  Checking into my flight was chaotic - there was a LOT going on at Warsaw airport and clearly the staff was overwhelmed.  They had self-check in kiosks which they were trying to make everyone use, but some of the machines were glitchy and some passengers were not good at using technology.  My first machine did not work so I tried another machine and luckily that worked.  In the machine I could get my boarding pass (I had checked in 24-hours earlier where I was able to confirm my seat and obtain a boarding pass) as well as get my bag tag.  Once I placed the bag tag on the suitcase, I could stand in the 'drop off' lane which other passengers were cutting into since it was the shortest line out of all the lines. I dropped off my bags, proceeded to security, and proceeded towards my gate.

The gates are very small at Warsaw airport, especially given the number of people that in the airport - it was very crowded everywhere.  I received a notification that my flight was going to be delayed - this notification was received in the app as well as via text - there was no announcement and not many boards to check gates and updated flight times.  My new flight time was an 1hour and 10mins beyond my original time so now we would depart at 6pm and arrive at 8pm. 

My flight was operated by an Embraer E190 with a 2-2 seat configuration.  Upfront were business classand in the back was regular economy.  Boarded started 30-minutes prior to the scheduled time and were done by groups - some of the groups were adhered to while others were not; the chaos continued here.  While onboard, the seat configuration and seat pitch were standard with other Embraers.  I am 6'1 and the seat pitch and length was enough and decent for this 2hr15min flight.  Once boarding completed, we pushed back and manual safety demonstration were one and then we departed.                                                                                                                                  The seats were also standard Embraer seats with a tray table and a seatback pocket - there was nothing additional and no USB or power ports.  After airborne, inflight service commenced in which complimentary snack and water was given followed by a buy-on service for additional snacks and drinks.  The complimentary snack was a pasty and it was alright, but it was nice that given the short flight that something complimentary was given.  There was no wifi on the plane and no IFE so no access to entertainment from LOT - it was personal entertainment if you wanted to enjoy something.  After a while, we started our decent into Geneva and landed.

Overall, it was an average flight with LOT.  The Embraer planes are pretty standard across the world and LOT did not change the modifications so it was a decent flight with a comfortable seat.  It was very easy to book and modify my flight either through the website and/or app.  I was also originally scheduled to fly LOT long-haul (from Canada to Warsaw on their 787) and seat assignment was complimentary and it was very easy to manage my booking.  An average flight with decent service and a decent on-board product makes me choosing LOT in the future.

Stay Report: Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel (Stockholm, Sweden - June 2022)

   Stay Report: Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel
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I was traveling to Stockholm and when looking for a place to stay, there is not a lot of variety especially if you want to stay in the city center.  There were only a couple of options and one of them was a local brand and the other was the Radisson Blu.  Radisson Blu had a couple of locations throughout Stockholm City Center so you could choose from a variety of options.  I had never stayed at a Radisson Blu so was not sure what to expect, but my travel companion had stayed and had some status so we decided to book the Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel.  

This hotel is located right next to the train station and is within walking distance to many sights, shops, and restaurants and this is the main reason we choose this hotel; location.  We booked the hotel through the Radisson app as there were discounts through the app that were not available online.  There were various room types to choose from and each room had various booking types - bed only, bed plus breakfast, bed plus extra points, etc.  We were using the hotel as a base to walk around and were not planning on being in the room long so we booked the basic bed-only room.  

The hotel is located on the main road right next to the train station.  As you exit one section of the train station - right next to the entrance to the airport train - you will see the hotel on the left-side.  From the outside, the hotel does not look like much and definitely needs an upgrade and paint job from the outside.  There are entrances to the hotel - one is located right next to the train station entrance so you can walk out of hotel, take 5 steps and be inside the train station.  This exit is only open during the day and closes at night due to security reasons; I did not feel unsafe walking around at night but did have to be more vigilant at night.  The main entrance is located on the main road so from the train station you go towards the main road, take a left and the main entrance is right there.  When you enter the lobby, there is a long walkway that leads you to the check-in desks at the other side of the lobby.  Service at the check-in desks was varied and greatly depended on who was at the desk which made requests and service extremely difficult and inconsistent.  

Along the left-side of the walkway are seating areas.  Along the right-side are seating areas, the hotel restaurant, the hotel bar, as well as access to the second section of the hotel (more on that below).  The lobby did not match the outside and luckily looked updated so was large, roomy and had plenty of seats.  There were two sets of elevators - one of the left and one on the right - and these led to the two different sections of the hotel which contained the rooms.  

The rooms on both sides were designed the same and both resembled a cabin on a cruise ship.  In my stays I experienced both a smaller room size as well as a 'deluxe' room type - both were laid out the same and had the same amenities and the only difference was the size of the room.  In both rooms, as you entered on the right was the bathroom.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, a shower tub or shower stall as well as refillable bottles of hand wash, lotion, and body wash.  In addition, there were other amenities in the bathroom including towels, comb, and other bathroom amenities.  Across from the bathroom was an extremely narrow closet which contained an iron, ironing board, safe, shelves, and place to hang your clothes.  The closet had everything but was EXTREMELY narrow.  In between the bathroom and the main part of the room was a nook that had a fridge on the bottom and the coffee maker on top.  In the main part of the room, on the right side was the two twin beds each with a nightstand on either stand as well as a nightstand in the middle.  The beds were small but comfortable and provided a decent nights sleep.  Along the left side, across from the beds, was a TV mounted on the wall and a desk and a chair next to the wall; it was a basic desk but nice since there was no storage space in the room.  Those were the basic amenities that were in both rooms - and as I said the only difference between the rooms was space as both were identical in features but one was larger.  Both rooms also had a window and in one room there was a chair and small desk next to the window; the other room did not have this feature.  

Amenities in the hotel included a restaurant, a fitness center, wifi, and meeting rooms.  The wifi was complimentary and at a decent speed with no limitations to the number of devices connected.  The fitness center was not a fitness center but an actual gym in the bottom of the hotel that hotel guests were allowed to use; but the service at the fitness center was not pleasant so it did not create a pleasant workout  experience. Overall, it was a disappointing stay at the Radisson Blu.  The only advantage to the hotel was the location right next to the train station but otherwise they offered an average room that had ok features but was small and definitely not worth the exorbitant price that was charged for the room.  The service was poor and the amenities and layout did not match the price paid.

Trip Report: Aeromexico, Houston IAH to Mexico City (May 2022)

 Stay Report: Aeromexico, Houston IAH to Mexico City
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I needed to fly to Mexico City from New Orleans and there were a couple of options available but most had me connecting in Houston - since I was connecting in Houston anyway I thought I may as well try and fly with an airline I have been wanting to fly for a while; Aeromexico.                                                                                                                                                                                              Aeromexico is a Skyteam member and is the national airline of Mexico.  They have a good reputation of flying mostly international flights from Mexico with some limited domestic routes.  Delta and Aeromexico have a joint venture agreement which allows them to seamlessly operate and sell tickets on each others routes.  Previously when I have flown to Mexico City, it has been with other carriers as they have provided better timings and fares; many carriers have stopped flying to Mexico City and instead have focused on leisure destinations such as Cancun in Mexico.  From Houston there are fullservice airlines flying like United and Aeromexico as well as low-cost airlines like VivaAerobus and Volaris.  I looked at the low-cost airlines and 1) the timings were odd; 2) with the addition of checked baggage and other amenities the price was the same as Aeromexico; and 3) I was traveling with my friend and so wanted to coordinate flight timings with them.  

It was easy to book the ticket with Aeromexico.  As a full service airline, a personal item plus a handcarry were included in the ticket as well as preselecting your seat at no charge.  Aeromexico has 3 categories of tickets - classic, plus and premier.  Classic is the regular ticket with a seat assignment and handy carry, plus includes that plus extra miles, extra legroom seats, and priority boarding.  Premier is business class with extra checked baggage and other business class services.  I selected the classic because I was not checking a bag and the classic fit my travel plans.  I was able to preselect my seat during the booking and could manage my booking through the app; including being able to upgrade at a cost or add additional services for a fee.                                                                                                                                                                            Checkin was open 24-hrs in advance where I could confirm my seat selection, add any extras, and receive my boarding pass.  I got to the gate really early as I was connecting from another airline and wanted to ensure I had enough time to connect to my international flight.  Because I had checked-in online, I needed to verify my passport and boarding pass with the gate agents.  The agents were very helpful and customer friendly so this was an easy process.  Flight was scheduled to depart at 11:15am and 30minutes prior boarding started.  Boarding was done by groups and these were strictly enforced; however, passengers waited until called by the gate agents event though the previous group had gone through so boarding took longer than necessary.  Luckily we were not a full flight so boarding completed, boarding doors closed and we pushed back ontime.

The operating aircraft for this 2hr20min flight was a Boeing 737 with a 3-3 seat configuration.  The color scheme, the layout, the seat configuration, everything reminded me of an older Delta plane; I know they have a joint-venture so do they also share planes?  The plane had business class up front and then economy in the back but in economy there was economy plus with extra legroom and then regular economy.  Each seat had a big PTV screen with USB ports and headphone jack underneath, followed by a full-size tray table and then a seatback pocket containing the safety card.  The seat pitch was good and so was the seat width but the seat comfort was lacking and you felt the age of the plane in that.  Once we were airborne, inflight service commenced with complimentary drinks and peanuts; there was also buy-on-board service as well for additional snacks.  Wifi was available but it was not complimentary but the PTV did have a decent amount of movies and TV shows; especially given the short flight time it was a good selection.

We landed and it took a VERY long time to get to the gate and deplane.  Overall, it was an average flight with Aeromexico.  It seemed very reminiscent as if I was traveling with Delta - same color scheme, same seat design and PTV design, and same layout.  The only difference was the onboard staff and primary language of instruction.

Trip Report: Finnair, Stockholm to Helsinki; Helsinki to Tallinn (June 2022)

 Trip Report: Finnair - Stockholm to Helsinki; Helsinki to Tallinn
comment below and let me know your thoughts 

 

I was traveling to Helsinki, Finland and so that meant I had to try Finnair.  Finnair is Finland's national carrier and is also part of the oneworld alliance.  I have been wanted to try their service for a while and now got the opportunity in two regional flights - one from Stockholm to Helsinki on an Airbus A319 and then from Helsinki to Tallinn on an ATR plane.  I was traveling with hand-carry only so my experience with both flights were similar.                                                                                                                                               It was very easy to book flights on Finnair's website but since Finnair is a member of oneworld I could also use my AAdvantage points to book award travel on Finnair so that is what I did - I used AAmiles to book a free ticket on Finnair.  It was easy to use the miles and book my ticket, get my record locator number, and then use that to manage my booking on Finnair's website.  Finnair is a full-service airline so checked baggage and complimentary seat assignment were included in the fare.  

My first flight was from Stockholm to Helsinki and was operated by an Airbus A319.  I was able to 

select my seat, free of charge, upon booking and I could modify the seat assignment anytime prior to and during check-in.  It was very easy to checkin on the app and obtain my boarding pass.  In regional flights, Finnair does not provide food but you can preselect/purchase food and have it served on the plane.  The incoming aircraft arrival was delayed so that meant our departure was delayed - this information was communicated by the gate agents, by the monitors, on the app, and we also received email notification of the delay.  Once ready for boarding, Finnair boards in groups and is VERY strict about the boarding groups; they do not allow anyone outside their boarding groups to board.                                                                                                                                                              Once onboard the Airbus A319 the seats were laid out in a 3-3 seat configuration.  Generally there is an economy and Euro-business class on the flight (economy seats with the middle blocked) but with the flight time was only 1hour , I think Finnair considers this a more 'domestic' flight so there was no business class and only economy.  I say this because I was in seat 3 which would normally be 'Euro-business' but this time was all economy.  

The seats were basic with seatback pocket up top, a normal size tray table underneath and then a small pocket underneath that.  The seatback pocket up top contained the safety card information; airline magazine and buy on-board menu was available online.  The seat width was a bit narrow, especially if you had a broader person sitting next to you in the middle but the seat pitch was great - I am 6'1 with long legs and my legs easily fit with room to move.  Once we took off, inflight service commenced.  Complimentary blueberry juice, tea, or coffee were served; everything else needed to be purchased.  You could connect to Finnair's wifi which provides content dependent on the flight; for some flights this includes entertainment such as TV shows and movies but for this short flight it only included access to journals and newspapers (including international newspapers).  After drinks were passed out and rubbish collected, it was time to land and deplane in Helsinki.

My next flight with Finnair with an ATR Aircraft which is in a 2-2 seat configuration and one that boards from the back.  The check-in and complimentary seat assignment were the same with this flight, the only difference was that the flight time for this flight is 30min so this meant that there was no inflight service.  We boarded, took off, landed and deplaned.                                                                                                                            Overall, it was a nice flight with Finnair.  Their planes were nice, the service onboard was good and overall it was a nice short flights with each airline.  This definitely makes me want to try their long-haul or longer flights with them.

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre (Helsinki, Finland - June 2022)

    Stay Report: Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Helsinki, Finland but I was only going to be there for a short period so I wanted a hotel that would be central and within walking distance to the city center and most sites.  Based on this criteria, I found the Holiday Inn Helsinki City Center and it fit all the criteria I was looking for.  It was very easy to book and manage the hotel through both the website and app.  The hotel is connected to the train station but it is not attached, so you do have to exit the train station but it is in the same footprint so only a couple of steps from the last platform and a 30-second walk from the main entrance.  

As you exit the side entrance of the train station, the hotel is visible on the right-hand side.  From the outside it looks nice and modern, but perceptions can be deceiving sometimes.  As you enter the lobby, the check-in desks are straight ahead, to the right was the bar and restaurant as well as waiting area, and to the left are the elevators/lifts, the 'business center'/computer stations, additional waiting areas, some work stations, and some places to relax and lounge.  The lobby was definitely spacious, had lots of good amenities, and looked renovated and updated.  Check-in was quick, I received my key, went to the 5th floor and proceeded to enter my room; this is where the renovations had ceased.

The room was definitely not updated and looked very nice for the 1980s or 1990s.  As you entered into the room, along the right side were large doors and behind the doors were the closets, ironing board and iron, safe, and coffee maker; there was lots of space but the doors and look of the closets looked dated.  Along the left side of the room was the bathroom which contained a toilet, a sink with a long countertop, and a tub which contained only a half-door.  The half-door did absolutely nothing to hold the water in, the facilities in the bathroom did not look updated and the overall look was dated.  There were reusable toiletries in the shower and next to the sink; this hotel used Dove and while it smelled decent, it seemed a bit cheap (I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Warsaw and the product they used smelled and seemed more upscale).

As you moved further into the room, on the left were the two twin beds.  Each bed had a small nightstand on either side and each night stand had a small light as well as a plug and USB ports - at least that was updated and that was convenient.  The beds were updated and although somewhat small, provided a decent nights sleep.  Across from the beds was a TV screen mounted to the wall, a desk with an outdated phone and furniture, and along the wall was nice open windows which shown out onto the street and let it light; luckily they were also blackout curtains since the sun rose at 3am.

Amenities in the hotel included a restaurant, wifi, business centre, and fitness center.  Because of my limited time there, I was not able to visit the fitness center and had no need to visit the business center - which basically was the computer station in the lobby.  I did try the wifi which was fast and you could connect many devices.  As I said, the lobby was very open and spacious and there were lots of amenities as well as working spaces in there.  To me, the best feature about the hotel was the location as it was right next to the train station, it had a grocery store across the street, it was a 2-3 minute to many restaurants and shops and it was a 10-minute walk to the University and Main Square.  Overall, the location was very nice, the lobby and customer service was very nice but the rooms need to be updated. 

Trip Report: TAP Air Portugal - Washington, D.C. to Zurich via Lisbon (November 2021)

  Trip Report: TAP Air Portugal - Washington, D.C. to Zurich
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was looking to fly to Europe from the US and in Fall of 2021 only certain airlines were operating.  One of these was TAP Air Portugal and during that time their prices were good, the flight timings were good, and the COVID regulations were not strict thus limiting travel (I think TAP did this strategically to continue operating and providing a revenue for their operations); because of all these reasons I booked TAP Air Portugal.  I have flown TAP before both long-haul (Newark to Lisbon) and short-haul (Lisbon to Barcelona) so I was familiar with their product; they tend to offer lower fares and in return offer a decent product.  Their prices are not fancy and neither are their services - everything seems ok, especially given the price you pay so one should not expect a Singapore or Emirates-type service.  Since my last flight with them, they have invested in fleet renewal which includes A321LRneo which are long-haul single aisle planes.  These have been used recently on many long-haul flights between Europe and the U.S. in markets where a larger, twin-aisle plane capacity is not there.  

My flight was from Washington, D.C. to Lisbon and then from Lisbon to Zurich; the first leg wasoperated by an A321LRneo while the second leg was operated by an Airbus A320.  When I booked my trip, I was able to preselect my seat and select a special meal option for my long-haul flight at no cost; for the short-haul flight preselecting a seat and adding a meal would be an extra charge.  Since my itinerary included a long-haul sector, checked baggage was included but had my itinerary only been short-haul or within Europe then checked baggage and hand carry are only allowed on certain ticket levels.  I had all my documentation ready and so I was able to check-in online and receive my boarding pass but I still needed to stop by the desk to confirm all my health requirements and documentation.  During the check-in process I could modify my long-haul seat selection but could only add a seat for my short-haul for a cost.  

The flight from Washington, D.C. departed at 10pm and arrives into Lisbon at 10am.  In the Fall of 2021 there was not many people flying so the airport was empty and it took 10 minutes to get through check-in and security.  Once the flight arrived and was cleaned and catered, we boarded in groups.  The Airbus A321neoLR is a unique plane in that is a long-range plane but it is single aisle unlike most long-range planes which are double aisle.  The single aisle makes allows airlines to operate routes longer term that may not be as profitable with a bigger airline.  The airplane is in a 3-3 configuration and had a business class upfront, a small premium economy, and then economy section.  Even though it was a single-aisle the seat pitch and seat width of the seat were very good and comfortable for the 7hr+ flight.  The seat itself contained a wide PTV screen with USB and headphone jack underneath, a section for safety card and airline magazine, a tray table that can be used half-open or fully open, and then additional pockets and storage underneath.  Overall, it was a comfortable flight for the flight time and length of the flight. 

Once airborne, inflight service commenced.   First there was a drink and pretzel service and then meals were served.  The food was average, decent but not great, and this was also the comment on the entertainment options for the PTV, decent but not great.  The options were great for a 4-5hour flight but you would be limited for longer flights.  After the first meal, most passengers went to sleep.  There was water and pretzels available in the rear of the plane throughout the flight and then prior to landing a snack was served.  Once we landed, transiting through Lisbon airport was a NIGHTMARE as there were too many people and not enough staff to handle the transit.  I had about 2.5hrs transit time and the entire time was spent in line going through immigration and security.  I barely had enough time to clear everything and make it to my next gate; that happened both on the airport and the return.

My next flight was an intra-European flight on an Airbus A320 and there was a noticeable difference in terms of cabin size, seat comfort, seat pitch and width, and general layout of the seat.  The seat comfort, seat pitch and width were all reduced and it made the 2h45m flight feel longer.  There was no PTV and I could not access wifi on the plane so it was up to you to bring your own entertainment.  Drinks are served on TAP but everything else is buy-on-board.  

Generally, it was an average flight onboard TAP.  My experience and opinion of them from my previousflight had not changed - they are an average airline which will get you from Point A to Point B in a lower cost and with an average plane with decent seat pitch and width.  There will be nothing outstanding that will make you say 'oh my God' but nor will there be anything that bad that will make you swear them off (except this time transiting through Lisbon was not fun).