When Irregular Operations Go Horribly Right: Flying British Airways New First Class on the Oneworld Megado
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
After a very busy first day on the Oneworld Megado in London and a night at the Hyatt Churchill, the Megadoers arose bright and early for the American Airlines flight back to Dallas.
When I got in the cab to get to the Heathrow Express, I noticed there was a voicemail from American Airlines - apparently the flight from London to Dallas was cancelled and I was reaccomodated. Weird - I loaded my AA iPhone app and saw that I was put on the British Airways nonstop flight, which left an hour later. However, it didn't show was class I was in - originally I booked the discounted group business class rate and then won an auction to upgrade to First Class for $1,200. Would American honor that and put me in British Airways First Class?
I was one of the lucky ones. I assume because I am an Executive Platinum, they put me on the London-Dallas non-stop aboard a 747, though some other First Class passengers were downgraded to Club World Business Class and most business class passengers had to re-route on other airlines or via Newark, Chicago and Miami.
Killing an extra hour at Heathrow as a First Class passenger was a treat, since their Concorde Lounge is fantastic, with a full-sit down restaurant and great plane-watching views. As a First Class passenger you can guest one other person in, so a bunch of us hung out there before we dispersed to our different flights. I had a traditional English breakfast and some Taittinger Mimosas that helped me start off my long day of travel on the right foot.
Honestly, the only negative aspect of the journey was the disheveled "come one, come all" boarding process. There was a fast track lane for premium cabins and elite passengers, but it wasn't well policed and it was blocked by the stampede of the chock-full 747 passengers who wanted to get on their way.
However, once onboard and I turned left toward the nose of the 747 to the First Class cabin, all stress dissipated. We were welcomed by a super-friendly Dutch purser and a bunch of us Mega Doers took our seats and kicked off the trip with British Airways' signature cocktail, the Kir Royale.
The lunch service started once we were airborne and I had a salad with smoked tomatoes and a crawfish terrine to start, both of which were just so-so, but I really enjoyed my main course of duck and a deconstructed rhubarb crumble for dessert.
I stretched the seat to its full lie-flat position, got about 6 hours of sleep, and woke up in Dallas ready for another day of the Megado.
Do I think it's embarrassing that this happened to American Airlines on their Megado? A little, but airplanes have mechanical issues all the time, and the AA and BA crews did their best and got all of us on planes (most of us in our original class of service) quickly—and the bottom line is, we all eventually got to Dallas today, though I was definitely one of the lucky attendees, and I got to experience another Oneworld partner airline rather than flying American the whole time.
Note: If you want to fly British Airways, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points at a 30% bonus until January 31, 2011 and Chase Ultimate Rewards points (from Sapphire and Ink Bold cards) also transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
The Kicker
American slipped a note under my door apologizing for the cancellation and notifying me that in addition to the miles and double EQMs I would have gotten if I flew AA, I'll get an additional 25,000 miles deposited into my account and two additional systemwide upgrades. Now that's what I call proactive, stellar customer service!
[card card-name='The Platinum Card® from American Express' card-id='22504813' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.