After a couple of posts on airport codes, it is time, I turned my attention to airline codes and flight numbers! Every airline has a two letter code issued by IATA, the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Some are easy and recognisable e.g. AA = American Airlines BA = British Airways NZ = Air New Zealand UA = United Airways Others are more obscure such as: AY: Finnair – I discovered when I flew them originally carried the name Aero Oy 9W = Jet airways WN = Southwest airlines. There are multiple theories as to why Southwest is…
Qantas
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Journey to the Centre of Australia with Jetstar
We recently spent a few days at Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock). To get to the spiritual heart of Australia means flying to its remote airport (code:AYQ) at an outrageous cost. Fares from Sydney can range from $450 to $1000 for the round trip. I could fly round trip to Singapore for $450 to $750 in the same period. Yet, Ayers Rock is three hours and 40 mins from Sydney and Singapore is just over eight hours! We chose to fly with Jetstar, which cost us around $490 round trip. I have never been a huge…
21 times around the earth with Qantas -my 350th #QF Flight
Is there one airline that you have flown more than any other? I have flown on 90 different airlines. Almost one third of all my lifetime plane flights (I’ve flown 1089 times) have been with the Australian carrier, Qantas. I have just flown my 350th flight with them from Canberra, to Melbourne, Australia! Pictured here on the early morning 737-800 service. The plane on my 35oth Qantas flight itself (VH-XZG) was named Bungendore, after a small town outside Canberra. This is their 101st 737 and Boeing jetliner number 251. It was my third time on this particular…
Achieved Qantas Gold Again
Qantas has a five tier system for its Feequent Fluer system starting at Bronze and working through silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One,. I have held Gold or higher for over a decade. Thanks to a long distance relationship, I have achieved Gold again for 2016/2017. As mentioned two weeks ago, I am on track for Platinum. This gets me First Class check in and lounges and priority for seats and upgrades. When you spend hundreds of hours a year in airports and on planes, these make a difference for which I am very grateful!…
Air New Zealand vs Qantas Running Man Challenge
The Running Man craze has spread its way into the airline industry. Started by two high-school students in New Jersey, USA who started dancing along to the 1996 song My Boo by Ghost Town DJ’s in their Finance class, it has exploded around the internet over the last two weeks with police and emergency services around the world with Met police London, St John Ambulance, NZ Finland Police, NYPD, Scottish Police (complete with bagpipes), Sussex Police (UK), ACT Policing by the Lake and many others. Last Friday, Air New Zealand posted their Running Man challenge to Qantas with cabin crew busting the moves on board a training…
Mileage Run- with Qantas Double Status Credits help!
My membership year for Qantas finishes soon. I had intended to keep my Qantas Gold Status for another year. With Qantas announcing, their double status credit promotion last week, this changed. Enticed by the earning of double the number of status credits on every flight booked between now and May 4th for travel until 16th April, 2o17, I began a stocktake of my miles situation. A few bookings later, it looked like I would be close to Qantas Platinum! Platinum gives access to One World First Class lounges internationally and Business Class in Australia. The Qantas First Lounge in Sydney is one…
Tesla vs 737 race- amazing video
Have you seen this amazing video of a Tesla racing a Qantas 737? Tesla Motors Australia arranged the race with Qantas at Melbourne’s Avalon airport. The Tesla Model S P90D with “Ludicrous Mode” has a maximum speed of 250km (150mph) and can accelerate to 100km/h (60 mph) in three seconds! gave the 737 a” bit of a run for its money!” The Tesla gave the 737 a” bit of a run for its money” but in the end it was the aeroplane that prevailed as it lifted off the runway. Related Posts After 299…
After 299 times, I still don’t like the B737!
There are many reasons to like the Boeing 737. It is reliable. It is prolific (over 8,500 built). It has been around for almost 50 years. It has a fantastic safety record. It is fuel efficient. It is not an unattractive plane to look at. I have never liked it. This week I reached a milestone with my 299th flight on a 73. There is no other plane I have been on as many times. The 737 has taken me 340,000km (212,000) to 91 airports on five continents. I have disembarked as far south as Queenstown,…
Happy New Year for 2016
Thanks for journeying with me in 2015. I had my quietest year for air travel since 2003 with only three flights a month! All of my flights were in Australia and Asia. I flew just six airlines in the whole year but two were new airlines for me: Nok Air and Thai Smile! This brings me to 1064 flights in my life with 90 airlines (see right for my lifetime stats) to 48 countries. I have also travelled to four countries by bus, two by ship and six by train. Giving a total of 6o countries In 2015, I had…
Qantas returns to San Francisco
There are few experiences worse than getting off a 14 hour flight and encountering LAX customs and immigration. Walking through miles of grey corridors one encounters a huge understaffed space. The custom agents have been rarely welcoming. San Francisco, by contrast is a joy. One agent asked me why I flew through SFO and I told him “because you guys are a delight“. Much nicer airport, friendlier staff and easier to connect. (Plus I prefer the Bay area to its rival down the coast!) This is why I am so excited to see SFO is back on the…
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