Many airports have express lines for the security process. These lines are open to elite and/or frequent fliers. I rely on them to make my airport transits as short as possible. I have a few peeves about them. One being is there are not enough of them. Another is that when the “normal lines” are full, they redirect regular passengers to the express lines. I know I should not be selfish and share and slow down etc but it drives me crazy! At Sydney Airport, yesterday, this happened. Two young backpackers got moved into the…
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Search Results for "security".
Negotiating US Security- an appeal and a guide
I have just spent three weeks out of the last five in the USA flying 21 times. This is a lot of checkins! Flying can be very frustrating at the best of times but people’s dilly dallying at airport security really raises my impatience levels. If a passenger “wastes” a minute at security, that can be a be an annoyance. If 15 people in a security line all “waste” one minute, this time delay adds up. For some people, this can mean missing a flight! In the book and movie “Up in the Air”, the…
Security Thieving [Updated]
At Auckland International Airport two years ago, I encountered a petty official at the security check point with a petty attitude. I placed my computer on the conveyor belt and waited for it to go through. She insisted that I proceed through the X ray machine before my laptop did but I would not leave my computer unwatched. I see people throwing wallets, keys and watches into the open trays and then marching on through the metal detectors, leaving the stuff on then conveyor belt, ready to be pushed through – by anyone. I put those items…
Get me out of here: Guatemala City: Where History and Gangs Collide
Founded in 1776 on the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Kaminaljuyu, Ciudad de Guatemala (Guatemala City) was established as the new capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala after a series of devastating earthquakes destroyed the former capital, Antigua Guatemala. It has been capital of a fully independent Guatemala since 1847. The country of Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the east. Guatemala City is located in the southern part of the country within the Valle de la Ermita…
Flight Report 100: Lufthansa MEX-FRA and my first 747-8
I think everyone’s favourite aircraft is still the Jumbo Jet, the 747, which was introduced in 1970 by Boeing. It revolutionised air travel. It looked beautiful and enhanced the romance and excitement of air travel. Am I right? It has been my firm favourite since I first boarded it as a child for a journey from Hong Kong to Sydney with the first user of the 747: Pan Am.(Photo by Eduard Marmet from Wikipedia) Fast-forward 53 years, and today only three airlines regularly fly the 747 as a passenger aircraft: Air China, Korean Air, and…
Navigating Avianca: Good, Bad, and Ugly on Six Flights
As a seasoned frequent flyer with 1565 flights under my belt, I’ve flown with almost every major airline across the globe. Of thesem I have flown with every member of the OneWorld alliance, and with 20 of Star Alliance’s 26 members and 10 of the 19 Sky Team members. I have set my sights on completing the Star Alliance roster and added Star Alliance members Austrian, Aegean and Croatian to my collection this year. My recent Star Alliance addition was six journeys with Colombia’s flagship carrier, Avianca. The Verdict: Bankruptcy and Back Established in 1919,…
Bogotá: Bold, Beautiful and Boggling Contrasts
Founded in 1538 by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, Bogotá has evolved from a small colonial town into the political, cultural, and economic heart of Colombia. Spanning 1,775 square kilometers (686 square miles), it’s similar in size to Houston and slightly larger than Delhi and São Paulo. The city’s population is estimated to be between 8 and 11 million, which is comparable to New York and Bangkok. Bogotá is divided into 20 localities, each with its own character, featuring a blend of modern skyscrapers, low-rise buildings, and historic edifices. I barely scratched the surface…
Flat Earth Challenge on the remotest flight: Qantas Business Class Non Stop from Sydney to Santiago
Several months ago, I secured a Qantas frequent flier seat up front in business class on @qantas Sydney to Santiago Qantas service. The flight uses a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for the 12-14 hour journey. I redeemed 108,000 Qantas points and paid $300 in taxes for a business flight worth between $2500 and $2800! Before I even set foot on Qantas Flight 27, I googled for flight reports and was stunned to come across a whole cross-section of humanity that didn’t believe this flight exists. Some even went so far as to claim that Qantas was…
Santiago: The Heart of Chile
I rank every city I visit based on various factors, including aesthetics, culture, and transport. Santiago, the capital of Chile in South America is the 242nd city of over 100,000 people I have visited. Chile is my 85th country, so I’m pretty confident in my ratings! Location and Orientation Santiago is the capital and largest city of Chile, nestled in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west. The city sits at approximately 600 meters (1,968 feet) above sea level, providing a stunning backdrop of…
Navigating Travel Risks in a Complex World
Introduction: The Importance of Safety in Travel Travel brings unexpected challenges, from lost baggage to plane delays to car accidents to heart attacks. I have travelled or lived in 80 countries now, including four war zones, and I do all I can to protect myself, my property, and my data.” including travel and life in four war zones, and I do all I can to protect myself, my property, and my data. It always amazes me how naive many travellers are with these things, causing stress, danger and expense. Poor preparation and safety awareness are…
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