Austrian airline Intersky ceased flying immediately this week. The cessation was caused by the company that owned four of the planes leased by Intersky recalling them over unpaid leasing charges.The company reportedly owes five million Euros mainly to airports in Europe. A potential investor then withdrew their interest in the airline. The airline’s only owned plane flew the carrier’s last service from Zürich, Switzerland to Graz, Austria. The video below shows Intersky Dash 8 taking off from Graz for Zurich two months ago. Intersky, started operations in 2002. They flew charter and scheduled flights from Graz and Salzburg to…
Five things you must do while waiting for plane
There is a debate in my family over how early to get to the airport. Some family members like to be there four hours before a flight. Not me! I try to balance between spending the least amount of time waiting with having adequate time if something goes wrong. Even with my routines aimed at minimising every second I spend at airports, I still spend way too long waiting for planes! I reckon I have spent close to fifty days of my life waiting for planes at 212 airports around the globe! I have not counted…
Transaero Terminated
Out of the 90 carriers I have flown, none have been Russian. I had wanted to try private Russian airline Transaero’s legendary Imperial First Class with its gold embroidered seats, cotton sheet sets and special China! Its First Class came 16th in the world’s First Class cabins. Alas not to be for the airline closed their doors on 26 October 2015, days from their 24th Birthday on 5 November. Transaero had aimed to keep flying through to 15 December but its operating certificates were revoked after Russian banks withdrew support. The safety authorities then determined that Transaero’s massive debt posed a hazard…
Travelling with Books
I am an avid reader. While I live off my electronic gadgets, I still like a real paper book to read on journeys. Watching other people on buses, planes and trains, I know that I am not alone! Books take up space and add weight so here are some of my tips for travelling with books: Before Travel avoid buying books at the airport or train station- rarely will they be discounted-the exception is in the UK where I have found deals such as three books for the price of two! avoid hard covers as they add to…
United builds 787 routes
While a lot has been going wrong for United recently, on the positive side is the steady roll out of their 787 Dreamliners and their future planned destinations which have been steadily announced. The airline now has 22 of the 55 Dreamliners they have ordered. The Dreamliner’s ten destinations from San Francisco International are now: Auckland -July 2016 (787-8 increasing to a daily 787-9 from October) Chengdu -Commenced Houston Osaka -Commenced Shanghai Sydney -March, 2016 Taipei Tel Aviv – March 2016 (787-9) Tokyo Haneda Xi’an The airline is deploying the 787 on its longest flights which means they have a massive fuel…
Will Kiwi Regional Airlines succeed? Risks are high.
Between 1994 and 1996, a small New Zealand airline Kiwi Travel International Airlines established by Ewan Wilson turned Australian-New Zealand air travel on its head. Initially operating from secondary NZ airports Hamilton and Dunedin, the carrier expanded to Christchurch. Offering a “Cola and Peanuts” fare, they introduced fares that significantly undercut Air New Zealand and Qantas, the established trans-Tasman carriers. Air New Zealand countered by establishing its own low cost subsidiary Freedom Air in December, 1995 which also operated from secondary airports. Fares plunged so low that passengers were picking up flights for $US120 round trip for the 2200 km (1378 mile) international…
Qantas Barbie travels world celebrating 95th Birthday
Qantas, the Australian airline is starting their 95th Birthday celebrations which will be celebrated on 16th November, 1920. The airline has launched a unique exhibition at the Qantas Club at Sydney Airport featuring a collection of 44 Barbie and Ken dolls all wearing one of the airline’s past and present uniforms. The dolls are part of a Powerhouse Museum collection that was created by John Willmott-Potts, a former member of the Qantas cabin crew member who sadly passed away in 201o. The dolls will then be touring around the world. Here they are outside the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Harbour…
Staying comfy in Long haul Economy
One of the disadvantages of being based in Australia is that my long distance flights are all very long. And many of my flights have been done in the back of the plane! the reality is that this is where most passengers end up. The hallowed grail of Business or First can be elusive despite our best prayers, wishes and attempts! Here are 12 tips: Do some research- some airlines do long haul better than others. Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Finnair, Lan, Malaysia, Qatar, Qantas, Turkish and Singapore keep me much happier than Air Canada, Air France, American, Delta, Etihad and…
19 hour marathon will be longest Flight
If you can bear a 19 hour non stop flight, then the Qantas announcement of a non stop flight between Perth, Australia and London, England from 2017 might excite you. Using a Boeing 787-9 two pairs of pilots and a spare cabin crew would allow the aeroplane to make the 14,000 kilometre (9009 mile) journey in 19 hours. At the moment, Perth-London can be reached with one stop via Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, Malaysian, Qatar and Singapore. The new service to London would have an early evening departure from Perth, reaching London, the next day by noon. Even…
Good Bye US Airways- will they be missed?
Tomorrow, US Airways disappears as a brand. It joins AirTran, Aloha, Continental, Midwest Express, Northwest, TWA as airline brands that have all disappeared since 2001. The largest airlines in the US have contracted to just three large carriers: American, Delta and United. US first flew in 1939 as mail carrier All American Aviation, adding passenger traffic in 1949. In 1953 it became Allegheny Airlines, a name it carried until the deregulation era of 1979 when USAir was adopted. USAir was varied to US Airways in 1997. In 2005, they entered into a “reverse merger” with America West with the America West…
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