Murphy’s law states that “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. We travel thousands of miles in complex machines and most of the time it actually doesn’t go wrong. I am amazed over the distances and hours I have spent travelling, how lucky I have been. But sometimes it does. Weather, mechanics, people and electronics can all conspire to derail your travel plans. 1. Do your research-some flights, some airlines and some airports can have a notorious reputation for delays. Choose a better option 2. Check the airline’s website or Twitter feed before leaving…
What will we be flying in 2023
The Paris Air Show sales give a good indication as to what the fleets of the world will look like in a decade. It looks like the airlines were buying -with plane orders for over $US140 billion dollars being placed. Airbus, the European plane maker announced orders at the show for 466 planes worth $US68.7 billion including numerous orders for their new A350 (pictured below). The deals include options for 225 aircraft worth US$29.4 billion and firm purchase orders for 241 aircraft worth US$39.3 billion. There was strong interest in the A320neo ( New Engine…
Ryanair to USA
Michael O’Leary the CEO of Ryanair likes to startle people with announcements. Who can forget his infamous promise to charge to use the lavatory in-flight? Or the news in March that the airline was buying 175 Boeing 737-800s for almost $US16 billion. On one of the takeover attempts of rival Irish airline Aer Lingus, last October, he promised $US150 fares on US to Ireland flights if the deal succeeded. He promised that the Aer Lingus brand would be kept: “We need a two-airline brand strategy,”. The takeover bid was thwarted but Ryanair owns 30 percent…
Unicorn flies to Turkey
Excited about her vacation to Turkey, Emily Harris, from Wales made a toy passport for her design-a-bear unicorn named Lily. Her mother Nicky said “The passport doesn’t even look real – it’s got gold teddy bears on the front and was a completely different size from mine and my husband, Allen’s… The picture ID …was of a pink unicorn” Despite this, Nicky accidentally handed over the unicorn’s passport instead of Emily’s to Immigration officials who in turn stamped it , granting Lily the Unicorn access to Turkey. Ironically, the Unicorn had been left at home. It was…
World’s best airlines -skytrax 2013
The 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards were announced at the Paris Air Show on the 18th June 2013. The awards are based on a passenger satisfaction survey completed on 200 airlines by travellers from over 160 countries. They review over 40 plus areas from check-in to cabin cleanliness to food to service. The airline award winners are becoming fairly predictable. The names Air New Zealand, Air Asia, Qatar, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore sit in the top categories year on year. It makes me wonder if the airlines that are not in the Top 20…
Greener Travel Tips
There are fairly simple things ways we can help reduce carbon emissions, pollution and degradation: 1. Select a destination with good rankings in terms of environmental protection. The online site Ethical Travel rates countries based on an environmental performance, social welfare and human rights The ten best ethical destinations for 2013 ( in alphabetical order ): Barbados Cape Verde -striving to reach 300% renewable energy- moving away from fossil fuels Costa Rica -signed a ban on shark finning Ghana- announced new taxes to establish appropriate prices for natural and environmental capital to provide incentives for reducing…
Ex Ansett AirNZ CEO jets to Jet
India’s second-largest airline, Jet Airways has appointed Gary Mr Toomey as their new CEO. Commenting on the appointment, Chairman Naresh Goyal said: “We need a dynamic executive with deep knowledge of and experience in the airline industry to lead the next phase of our development. Toomey has extensive experience in domestic and international airline management, and the right credentials and skills to take Jet Airways forward.” The Toomey name won’t mean much to people outside Australia or New Zealand but in those countries he is remembered as the former chief executive of Air New Zealand-Ansett.…
I am excited about the Airbus 350
I have to admit I am very excited by the Airbus 350. It has been built on the technologies developed for Airbus A380 with a similar cockpit and fly-by-wire systems layout. I am seriously in love with the A380, a plane that just feels like it wants to fly. I expect, therefore, to be wowed by the 350. And I have seen myself up to recently, as a Boeing man! The 350 is designed as a direct competitor to the Boeing 787 for the 250 to 400 seat market. Yesterday the 350 enjoyed it’s first…
Fastjet falters
Africa is a continent crying out for a decent transportation network. The railway systems are largely fragmented and crumbling. The top nine airlines in Africa carry fewer passengers a year than Delta alone does in two months. Trade, tourism and travel are all hampered by an inadequate infrastructure. Enter fastJet with the vision of a series of low cost airlines throughout Africa all using A319s, all sharing brand, marketing and infrastructure. With a pedigree as impressive as Easyjet‘s Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, a chunk of cash and the backing of Lonrho PLcwho already invest in 18…
How bad can you be on a plane?
In what has to be one of the weirdest and most unpleasant travel experiences documented for a while, a man has been arrested in Los Angeles for touching himself inappropriately during a flight from New York. The man was witnessed by a 17 year old female passenger who was sitting across the aisle from him. The passenger positioned his airline blanket so that his activity could not be seen by passengers on the other side of him. This may make you re think using an airline provided blanket on your next flight. She advised the cabin crew of the…
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