OWMD

Tag Archives for OWMD.

Trip Report: Halfway around the world for the OWMD

February 13, 2012 by Ajay 2 Comments

Introduction Clipper Lounge, Mumbai CSI Airport Terminal 2 Jet Airways Economy Class Mumbai to Brussels British Airways Galleries Club Lounge, Brussels National Airport American Airlines Business Class Brussels to New York JFK and Five-Star Arrival American Airlines Premium Check-in and Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines Economy Class JFK to London LHR American Airlines Arrivals Lounge, London LHR Sheraton Heathrow Hotel, London American Airlines Flagship Check-in and Flagship Lounge, London Heathrow American Airlines Economy Class London to Chicago American Airlines Flagship Lounge at Chicago ORD American Airlines First Class from Chicago ORD to Dallas Fort Worth Hyatt Regency Hotel, DFW Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bellevue Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles Sheraton Gateway Hotel, Los Angeles American Airlines First…

“Nobody goes hungry on a MegaDo!”– Randy Petersen

February 7, 2012 by Ajay 1 Comment

It has been a week or so since I have come back from my first MegaDo, and apart from the many airline moments we had, there was a whole bunch of gastronomic delights lined up along the way. When not flying, we were sampling some very good food which I am assuming airline catering departments were told to keep from interfering with I can promise you these were not GateGourmet or SkyGourmet catering which we get on our flights. The title statement was made by Randy on the MegaDo blog in the planning stages, and I thought I’d test it out during this MegaDo. Let’s take a peep into all the interesting food on the ground! Monday, 23rd January, we…

The MegaDo Bounty winners are out, 5 of them!

February 2, 2012 by Ajay 1 Comment

If you guys have been wondering where did I go away with all your prizes after getting back from the MegaDo, you’ll be surprised. I am right here, except that a few hours after landing back home from a 24 hour bout of flying and airports, I got working on a project that has had me working 2-3 days flat out with no breathers. Apologies for the delay in reaching out to all of you for the winners of the prizes. Here we go with the correct answers: a) Which airline would you like to see join oneworld next? No one right answer…it’s your choice after all b) Where am I based out of? Mumbai, India c) Where all is…

Spending time at the British Airways HQ in Waterside, LHR

January 25, 2012 by Ajay Leave A Comment

After a lovely welcome by American Airlines, a little party in the Flagship Lounge at JFK, a shower at the American Airlines Arrivals Lounge in LHR, we were all set to go over to British Airways. We received an interesting email a few days ago from BA, which had a boarding pass in a PDF file. I got seat 2A, I am sure they looked me up from my handle on MilePoint and Flyertalk which is A2A! Some of us wanted to check out if we could check in at Terminal 5, LHR. Here is what they got But we sure did manage to check-in on the staff bus of British Airways and find our way to the Waterside HQ…

A day at the American Airlines Arrival Lounge at London Heathrow

January 25, 2012 by Ajay Leave A Comment

The American Airlines flight AA 104 was uneventful at the back of the plane, with a largely empty cabin which accommodated a lot many passengers from the MegaDo bunch onto their own fully flat seats by occupying a whole row to themselves. All the action was in the First Class where there was a special dinner on-board for a chosen few flying F, with the new president of AAdvantage, Suzanne Robin. We were lucky to have arrived in LHR an hour early, with the tailwinds in favour (the same Atlantic ones which came in my way to arrive at JFK from Brussels after a fuel-stop). Here is a little bunch of pictures from the back of the plane: Yeah, it…

The send off at American’s Flagship Lounge in New York JFK

January 25, 2012 by Ajay Leave A Comment

As soon as the Finnair presentation got over, there was a light reception, this one, at ‘ The Bridge’, where JFK based crew of American Airlines were invited to participate along with the attendees of the MegaDo’s Transatlantic trip in London. There was food, music and a lot of good chat. But then you already know all of that from the last time you heard from me. The interesting party was taking shape in the Flagship Lounge of American Airlines at JFK: This is where we managed to sample the food and the drinks offered by American Airlines at the Flagship Lounges. As someone who has only started to fly to the America’s often now, I can tell you these…

American goes all out to welcome the MegaDo participants!

January 24, 2012 by Ajay Leave A Comment

I am used to being pampered by the airline I fly a lot, and they’d accede to my demands sometimes. But to have an airline go all out to make an impression is a little different. American Airlines is the backbone to the inaugural oneworld MegaDo, and they are up to their best behaviour on this one. I arrived in JFK on Saturday evening on a non-stop with a fuel-stop flight, and I was greeted at the jet bridge by an American Airlines agent who was looking for me. The AA 5-star arrivals service at work, even though I wasn’t even expecting it. The AA Agent walked me through to the passport control and with some influence, I was able…

I’m off to fetch some MegaDo swag for all of you! Its a giveaway!

January 20, 2012 by Ajay 119 Comments

Its here, tonight. I’m off to my 28,600 miles, ten days, nine airports, meet three airlines and make 171 new friends trip and it is called the oneworld MegaDo. I’ve been chronicling my preparation for the MegaDo over the past 10 weeks, and you all could read it here. It should be exciting, and I’ll learn a lot of ways to travel without sleep and jetlag hopefully! We, the MegaDoers, are obviously not going for anything else but the hunt for the perfect swag. Randy Petersen gave a little teaser of what was coming our way on the MegaDo website which looked like this: This is only a peep of what is coming. There is all the goodies from the airlines…

1 Week to OWMD: Preparing for Seat 33A

January 16, 2012 by Ajay 3 Comments

Its almost looking in my face and I think I am excited for my first MegaDo this coming week. Yes, going away from work for a whole ten days means I am having to do the extra hours over the already extra hours I put in at work everyday. So, I am just trying to make sure everything is in order when I finally leave home for the airport. The next update on the oneworld MegaDo I’ll post is most probably going to be when I get started with my MegaDo journey, but I sure do have something exciting for you all and I am waiting for some confirmations before I post it out here 😉 Lets catch up with…

3 Weeks to OWMD: Preparing for Seat 33A!

January 2, 2012 by Ajay 5 Comments

Things have been quiet in here about my preparations towards the oneworld MegaDo. Not really, a lot of action has been happening and it is time to give you all an update. However, a quick round up on whats happening on the MegaDo preparation before we go on to my preparations. This past week, the waitlist was wrapped up, and all the original participants who looked like they could not participate in spite of having paid up (due to the multiple bookings), have now been accomodated. This, of course, comes with the sad news that some other people have to go off the charter, including fellow Boarding Area blogger Mike Reed of Getting Status. Some cool swag has been lined…

5 Weeks to OWMD: Preparing for Seat 33A!

December 18, 2011 by Ajay Leave A Comment

I am writing this post sitting in SFO, which is about 7,700 miles away from my normal daily posting schedule in BOM. But then, this is all a part of preparing for all the exciting things that are going to happen on the oneworld MegaDo in January 2012. Hence I am hoping the slight delay in posting from a new city will be excused. In the past week, 3 new passengers got on board the oneworld MegaDo charter. One of them was Pat, who takes away Randy’s seat on the charter. Her post was the lucky one amongst the over 77,000 posted on the thread which Randy started to give away his seat. Congrats Pat, and I hope to see…