El Al 787 Dreamliner Master Thread

[Dan]

Which is why Dan has very clearly stated that he is basing on their poor mileage program and the like and has not spoken about the other aspects of their in flight experience.

You would think this is some esoteric concept or something...

Yes, I would indeed pay an extra 220K miles+$600 to have an experience that was meaningfully better. But that has not been the case and I don't see anything that will make that the case anytime soon. If someone said they serve Reserve Cut for the SKML, that would be another story

I'm not ruling it out, but as a value minded individual I just don't see the value add for me right now. Same reason I still drive a 2011 Altima that's been nearly totaled once by my brother. Same reason I used a Centro for some 5 years and currently use a 4 year old Note. Show me the value and I'll upgrade.

[AsherO]

2011 Altima that's been nearly totaled once by my brother.

POIDH

How old was your brother at the time?

[Dan]

POIDH

How old was your brother at the time?

17

[AsherO]

17

Ouch!!

[Dan]

Ouch!!

Cost Geico more to fix the damage than the car was worth

[moe8555]

Cost Geico more to fix the damage than the car was worth

I really hope the car didn't suffer any damage to the frame, because that would be rather wreckless to be driving your family around in a compromised vehicle - and there would be massive value in replacing the car.

[yandmk]

You would think this is some esoteric concept or something...

Yes, I would indeed pay an extra 220K miles+$600 to have an experience that was meaningfully better. But that has not been the case and I don't see anything that will make that the case anytime soon. If someone said they serve Reserve Cut for the SKML, that would be another story

I'm not ruling it out, but as a value minded individual I just don't see the value add for me right now. Same reason I still drive a 2011 Altima that's been nearly totaled once by my brother. Same reason I used a Centro for some 5 years and currently use a 4 year old Note. Show me the value and I'll upgrade.

To add a LY amenity kit to your collection
ETA: Meh, you raffle those things off anyway....

[mmgfarb]

Cost Geico more to fix the damage than the car was worth

Isn't that the definition of totaling a car?

[ilherman]

Dan, to your story about elal not opening P class for you.. Of course you are  right that it's a company runed by a kindergarten and the same goes with my denied boarding story he was tktd on UA tkt stock and the check in manager was crazy. However the on board experience people seem to be very happy with. In general.

Another crazy beyond crazy story I had with elal today. Long story short. They gave compensation a free upgrade to business class round trip for a friend of mine. I emailed someone in customer relations that the flight is tomorrow and they should upgrade him. I get a call from them that the flight is sold out a day its not possible to upgrade the outbound only the return, and besides that she adds, the free upgrade is for one way only. So I told her please look on your email where you say round trip. After 5 minutes fighting about that she agrees to to me and says it was an error on her end and that the problem is that there are no seats on the plane. I checked the inventory and there is space all the way to miles inventory I tell her look there is space. She puts me on hold and she comes back that the inventory I see is only for travel agents. 

I went back and forth with her for half hour and got no where! This was already the "customer relations" dept. A bunch of crazy people working there. They simply couldn't answer that 1+1=2.

[tavster]

I think one of the main issues​ with LY is that there is a huge difference in how they treat customers with high status vs no-status.

One the one end the example of your friend, on the other end they would gladly guarantee a last minute seat in C class for their best customers.

I feel the difference is not as extreme with other airlines

[ExGingi]

Dan, to your story about elal not opening P class for you.. Of course you are  right that it's a company runed by a kindergarten and the same goes with my denied boarding story he was tktd on UA tkt stock and the check in manager was crazy. However the on board experience people seem to be very happy with. In general.

Another crazy beyond crazy story I had with elal today. Long story short. They gave compensation a free upgrade to business class round trip for a friend of mine. I emailed someone in customer relations that the flight is tomorrow and they should upgrade him. I get a call from them that the flight is sold out a day its not possible to upgrade the outbound only the return, and besides that she adds, the free upgrade is for one way only. So I told her please look on your email where you say round trip. After 5 minutes fighting about that she agrees to to me and says it was an error on her end and that the problem is that there are no seats on the plane. I checked the inventory and there is space all the way to miles inventory I tell her look there is space. She puts me on hold and she comes back that the inventory I see is only for travel agents. 

I went back and forth with her for half hour and got no where! This was already the "customer relations" dept. A bunch of crazy people working there. They simply couldn't answer that 1+1=2.

It's a company DNA/culture problem. And until that changes, I doubt anything will change.

It's the Israeli mentality that:
1. We are the best,
2. You should be thankful to us,
3. There are millions of reasons why you should fly only with us (security, food, flag, ex-IAF pilots, schedule, excellent award availability, etc. etc.),
4. We speak your language,
5. הכי בבית בעולם,

So we don't need to make any effort to accommodate you.

Also, if you get something for "free" (as in award - or bonus in Israeli parlance - space, or an upgrade) you are robbing us, so it is the rightful duty of all airline agents to try to make sure you don't get anything for "free", or at least to reduce it's value as much as possible.

[elya]

I think one of the main issues​ with LY is that there is a huge difference in how they treat customers with high status vs no-status.

One the one end the example of your friend, on the other end they would gladly guarantee a last minute seat in C class for their best customers.

I feel the difference is not as extreme with other airlines

+1 In addition with LY they dont even look at your status, just how much $ you spend.. Platinum status effectively means nothing if you got it without actually meeting the spend qualifications..

[moe8555]

+1 In addition with LY they dont even look at your status, just how much $ you spend.. Platinum status effectively means nothing if you got it without actually meeting the spend qualifications..

Not so sure about that.  I know someone who was comped Platinum and was certainly upgraded on both European and long-haul flights.  And on the flights he wasn't upgraded on, they made sure to at least get him in Y+ and close off the next seat, if not the rest of the row.

Do regular flight crew and gate agents even have the capacity to determine total spend??

[yandmk]

Dan, to your story about elal not opening P class for you.. Of course you are  right that it's a company runed by a kindergarten and the same goes with my denied boarding story he was tktd on UA tkt stock and the check in manager was crazy. However the on board experience people seem to be very happy with. In general.

Another crazy beyond crazy story I had with elal today. Long story short. They gave compensation a free upgrade to business class round trip for a friend of mine. I emailed someone in customer relations that the flight is tomorrow and they should upgrade him. I get a call from them that the flight is sold out a day its not possible to upgrade the outbound only the return, and besides that she adds, the free upgrade is for one way only. So I told her please look on your email where you say round trip. After 5 minutes fighting about that she agrees to to me and says it was an error on her end and that the problem is that there are no seats on the plane. I checked the inventory and there is space all the way to miles inventory I tell her look there is space. She puts me on hold and she comes back that the inventory I see is only for travel agents. 

I went back and forth with her for half hour and got no where! This was already the "customer relations" dept. A bunch of crazy people working there. They simply couldn't answer that 1+1=2.

Perhaps the rules required R to upgrade? Was R available?

[tavster]

Not so sure about that.  I know someone who was comped Platinum and was certainly upgraded on both European and long-haul flights.  And on the flights he wasn't upgraded on, they made sure to at least get him in Y+ and close off the next seat, if not the rest of the row.

Do regular flight crew and gate agents even have the capacity to determine total spend??

They don't, but they also have no say in the matter.
they get updated upgrade lists from headquarter half hour before departure. That's why most last minute free upgrades take place directly at the gate

[moe8555]

They don't, but they also have no say in the matter.
they get updated upgrade lists from headquarter half hour before departure. That's why most last minute free upgrades take place directly at the gate

Thanks for the info, did not know that!

[ilherman]

Perhaps the rules required R to upgrade? Was R available?

1. I asked when I got it and they clearly said that as long there is a seat for sale they will apply the upgrade.

2. Heck, The class was and is still available as of right now. Even x class is available. LY7 tomorrow. Look it up. Wide open. Crazy.

[jj1000]

Same reason I used a Centro for some 5 years and currently use a 4 year old Note. Show me the value and I'll upgrade.

Screen quality. Blue light filter is a game changer for me.

[moe8555]

Screen quality. Blue light filter is a game changer for me.

I'd imagine that speed and battery life would also be high on the list.  Then again, who am I talk?  I was perfectly content with my BlackBerry Z30 until my work forced me to take an S7 Edge...

[a mirrer]

just got an email from elal
from September until oct 29 it will fly to Europe
from oct 29 to EWR
from mar 18 to HKG