Laptops are a great boon for travel. They allow you to blog, capture photos, send emails and skype cheaply and make travel plans as you go. They are also a time waster, can cause you to not engage with whats happening around you as you travel. Think carefully before a trip as to whether you need your IT. If two of you are travelling consolidate your electronics! It amazes me when I see couples carrying multiple smartphones, two laptops, two (or more) iPads, two kindles, and two cameras. Check that your insurer covers damage and…
Ethopian’s 787 Fire
Planes are not supposed to catch fire while sitting waiting eight hours between flights. Yet this is what happened to An Ethiopian Airline’s Boeing 787 at 1550h (330pm) on Friday in London while the aircraft was parked at a remote stand. There were no passengers aboard the plane. Heathrow Airport closed both its runways for 90 minutes. 42 short haul flights were cancelled and some flights were delayed for six hours. It is just on six months since fire broke out aboard an empty Japan Airlines 787 whil it was standing in Boston on January…
ANA downgrades their 787s
I wondered how long All Nippon Airways would maintain their roomier international 787 Econom Class. Unlike every other 787 operator , ANA and Japan Airlines opted for an a eight across 2-4-2 Economy layout. Everyone else (Ethiopian, Qatar and United) puts their passengers into a nine across 3-3-3 layout. ANA’s international 787s currently can carry 158 passengers: 46 in business and 112 in economy. On its new 787s, ANA are adding a Premium Economy class with seven across seating arranged 2-3-2 The room will come from Economy shrinking from 14 rows of 8 across to…
Asiana crash lands @SFO [updated]
It has been a relatively quiet year for plane crashes. On July 6, 2013, however, the Korean airline Asiana Airlines experienced a crash. Their flight 214 on approach to San Francisco International Airport from Seoul crashed after reportedly clipping a sea wall. The crash landing sheared off the plane’s landing gear and tore the tail off from the rest of the fuselage. It then burst into flames. The Boeing 777 had 307 people on board (291 passengers and 16 crew). The passengers included 141 Chinese nationals, 77 South Koreans, 61 Americans, three Indians, three Canadians, one French,…
380,000 points for $70
Here is a deal for you! When Mr Agius of Melbourne, Australia got a letter from the National Australia Bank (NAB) in January, offering him 100 additional points for each eligible purchase made on a NAB Qantas credit card, he went into action. He made 7000 purchases of one cent each – mostly between January 6 and January 9. Most of the purchases were used to top up his CityLink Tollway pass. For the bank had made a fatal error in that they didn’t specify how much you had to spend on each purchase to…
Ten tips to not leave stuff behind
It is a horrible feeling to realise that you have left something important or valuable in a hotel room, on a bus or in a taxi. I have lost a small amount of stuff over the last 49 years of travel. Some steps to reducing: Take less stuff Avoid travelling with valuables- assume you can and will lose whatever you take and ask yourself “is it worth the risk” Label stuff with your name and email/phone Place a shoe on top of or right next to your hotel safe. This will make you think twice before forgetting stuff…
Qantas Downgrades Status
I must admit, I am somewhat protective of my “status” with Qantas and Virgin Australia. I like my perks of lounge access, express check in and other bonuses. So any change an airline makes to how status credits are earned, what they mean and what benefits I receive, piques my interest. For example, from tomorrow, Qantas is changing how you get their “Loyalty Bonus” For every 500 status credits earned, Qantas currently will reward passengers with an 8000 point “loyalty bonus”. 500 status credits is equal to 50 flights between Sydney and Melbourne in Discount…
Fiji Airways Flies Again
Fiji Airways started flying under its orignal name yesterday, after forty two years as Air Pacific. Fijian artist, Makereta Matemosi has created three new symbols based on Masi art: The first Symbol is at the centre of the tail and is referred to as the Teteva symbol. It represents the friendliness of the Fijians, their spirituality and consideration of others. The second motif, called Rova, is ringed around the two engines, and represents the warm hospitality Fijians extend to visitors. The last design, the Makare, surrounds the Teteva and evokes the allure of Fiji’s clear…
Samoa XL (Extra Large) seat
Samoa Air is in the news again. After launching their pay by weight fares, they are today introducing a special section for passengers weighing more than 130 kilograms (287 pounds). XL class for super-sized passengers will feature extra-wide rows and special ramps to help passengers reach their seats. The section is created by removing a row. Leg room is increased by 30 to 35 centimeters (12 to 14 inches) in the next row: “like a three-seat couch“, according to the airline. It makes sense for Samoa, which the World Health Organisation says, has one of…
Trip report: Malaysia “five star”
Of the 5000+ air carriers on the world, There are only six five star airlines: ANA All Nippon Airways Asiana Airlines Cathay Pacific Malaysia Airlines Qatar Airways Singapore Airlines What makes a five star airline? According to Skytrax: The 5-Star Airline rating recognizes airlines at the forefront of product innovation, that set quality benchmarks and trends that are often followed by other carriers. The Airline Rating systems assess the standard of an airline’s Product and Service Delivery Quality, using more than 800 assessment categories, applied across both the Onboard and Airport environments. My experiences with…
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