Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for August 2014.

Would you fly in a Windowless Plane?

The IXION Windowless Business Jet Concept has no windows. Instead any scene can be projected onto a high-res screen on the interior cabin walls and ceiling. It could be the view from the outside of the plane or relaxing scenes or business charts! The displays would be powered by Solar panels on the jet’s exterior. The design recently won the Exterior Design Concept category at the 2014 International Yacht & Aviation Awards for Paris-based company Technicon. The advantages of removing windows include: construction cost reductions a lower weight leading to decreased fuel usage increased flexibility for the inside layout of the plane…

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Air Asia Wifi Flying Soon

120 AirAsia staff  last Wednesday (August 13) undertook the first ever user acceptance testing of the airline’s newly installed Wi-Fi service. The team used three popular messaging services – LINE, WhatsApp and WeChat with reportedly positive results for all three services. The team also shared live updates on the company’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts. Instant messaging, emails and content streaming will be gradually rolled out across the entire group starting with flights with the AK code. Sixty AirAsia passengers per  flight will be able to  participate in a “free user test” of the system for the next two months.  I am on…

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Video: Dangerous Dreams in Rural Utah

This video on the BBC Travel website had me rolling around. Hilarious – and sobering. What crazy things people do when young and carefree?! The site has a series of animated mis adventures based on reader experiences including: Near drowning in Morocco Dangers in the Outback A stranger in Romania What misadventures have you had? Apart from almost getting robbed in Paris, having my starter motor die on my four wheel drive in the outback, sleeping in my car when we ran out of fuel in rural Western Australia, and almost getting blown up, I have…

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Wanting cigarettes, drunk 1 legged woman diverts plane

One wonders if some people should be allowed to fly? Thomson airlines may have second thoughts about letting one woman back on a plane after she threw food at their staff on a flight from Tunisia to Edinburgh on July 30. She then allegedly hit a child and attacked the cabin crew with her prosthetic leg which she had detached. Another passenger said that the woman was shouting “I want cigarettes”.  She then reportedly demanded a parachute to jump off the plane. The captain of Thomson Airlines flight 297 was so concerned that he diverted the plane to London’s Gatwick airport where police escorted her off the plane. She…

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Exraordinary Etihad deals from Australia

Tempted by this extraordinary deal from Etihad. Hot on their Australian status match promotion, the airline is offering ridiculously cheap fares to Europe and India from all Australian ports. I am trying to work out whether the airline has massive capacity or is trying to flex some muscle? For example, Sydney to Amsterdam or Paris or Rome or Zurich  for $A1230 round trip. The next cheapest price from any airline is around $1430 with Vietnam Airlines and China Southern, both of which take much longer to get you to Europe. The extraordinary bargain are the flights from…

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Tips for Copenhagen?

My 60th country will be Denmark which I will visit this September. Copenhagen, its capital will be the 182nd city of over 100 thousand people I have visited in my life. We are staying in the old quarter of the city near a metro station. The Tivoli Gardens, Little Mermaid, Strøget, and Christiania are the immediate attractions I associate with the city. What else should be on my list? Any other tips for Copenhagen?   Related Posts Visiting Myanmar Reflections and Advice Burma (Myanmar) Bound Any advice for Myanmar? My 58th country: Vietnam I visit…

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