China: Flight delays result in rampage at airport

by Abha Malpani on

3 China Southern Airline flights were delayed because of bad weather conditions and the closure of one of the local destinations due to runway repairs. Result: 170 passengers were left at the airport in Kunming (southwest China) and landed up breaking desks and smashing computers in a state of outrage and frustration.

Beyond these facts, the story is a little blurry.

The airline denies they mistreated their passengers, they state that there were enough staff at the airport looking after them, and that 100 of their customers stayed in the hotel they were offered. Also, they have agreed to compensate each passenger with 100 Yuan (approx. $14). However, other media reports say that most passengers went to look for hotels with vacancies for the night without much luck, and they landed up sleeping on the aircraft or in the departure hall; no food was offered and not enough airline staff were around to fix the situation.

The situation was delicate and naturally volatile, but at the same time not an unfamiliar one. As for what happened at the airport, it’s the airline’s word against the passenger’s — two completely different perspectives — so what actually happened will only be clear to those who were there. It’s amazing how personal perceptions of a situation can be so relative, depending which side you are on.

Anyway, I think what’s important is that after 17 hours of waiting, all passengers were put on other flights to their respective destinations, as well as compensated (although miserably). However, many passengers still want a public apology printed in the newspaper. Sigh. What does it take for people to just let things go once they are fixed!

Airfare Specials Put Asia Within Reach

by Josh Lew on

Even the most savvy Travelocity user is having a hard time finding airfare deals these days. The days of crossing the Pacific on a whim are all but over.

Now it’s still possible to book your flight, but only after you’ve taken a second job to cover the cost of the purchase.

Maybe that’s a little too dramatic, but you get the gist. Airfares ain’t what they used to be, and it’s getting worse. That makes finding a good deal like searching for a boarding pass in a haystack.

But however rare they might be, there are deals out there. There are even some that can put you in Asia for less than one grand.

Seoul-based Asiana Airlines is leading the pack when it comes to special offers. This Fall, they are offering plenty of sub-four-figure fares to destinations across Asia including Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Taipei. The catch: you have to take a weekday flight and your cities of departure are limited to New York, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco (plus a single flight from Seattle to Seoul). But on the positive side, Asiana is one of the few airlines rated 5-star by Skytrax. You won’t have any suspect airline meals plopped down in front of you en route and your might actually have enough leg room.

Searches of other airlines’ websites yield similar prices, but Asiana’s seem to cover the most destinations.

So, you see, there is no need to get that second job. Your evenings can still be spent planning your next trip to Asia (or in front of the TV).

Air New Zealand Takes In-Flight Service to a New Level

by Josh Lew on

These days, airline passengers expect the worst when they embark on a flight. Yes, they will still get a free bag of salted peanuts, but often have to pay $5 for a beverage to wash them down.

Not all airlines are toning down the in-flight offerings, however. Air New Zealand is doing just the opposite by introducing a new breed of air service personnel, the airborne concierge.

According to Scott Carr, ANZ’s GM in Europe, the airline thinks the new service will add to their customers’ travel experience.

“The concierge service is about adding a personal touch to the whole flight experience, from booking, to check-in, to arrival and beyond.”

The concierge on duty is charged with aiding passengers with everything from check-in to finding the appropriate gate to booking hotels and finding connecting flights.

Will this become a new trend in the often impersonal world of airline travel? Surely other airlines will be watching closely to see if the service is well-received of if it seems redundant. Concierge workers take to the sky on the London to L.A. route this week. Their Auckland-based peers will work flights between L.A, and Auckland. Eventually, the service will be offered for the airline’s London to Hong Kong route as well.

Photo: Flickr user Chris&Steve

Galley Gossip: Naked on a plane – everything you ever wanted to know, and more…

by Heather Poole on

I can’t remember the precise destination we were working, but what I do remember was the shocked look on my coworkers face when he came running up to the first class galley and exclaimed, “There’s a naked woman in coach!”

“What!” two of us cried in unison.

Needless to say, the breakfast service was now on hold. How could we serve bagels when there was a nekkid lady aboard the flight? Into the oven the bread went, and off and running we went, ignoring any passengers who may have tried to wave us down as we headed straight to the the back of the airplane, a blur of four dressed in blue.

“There she is. The last row,” said one of my coworkers as we neared the last row.

“Oh my god,” I remember thinking, or saying, I can’t remember, it was just too crazy to remember. What I do remember is she was young, cute, and naked. College aged, I’d say.

Now this was pre 9/11, so the flight was empty, and the thought of terrorists were the furthest from our minds. The only thing on our minds, besides this naked lady, was why in the world the lady would get naked on the airplane in the first place? Unfortunately, we would never find out.

Quietly the young woman sat in her seat with the seat belt buckled across her…umm…naked…lap, and smiled. I think I may have smiled back, but in all honesty, I can’t remember. I mean we’re talking naked lady here!

The one not wearing clothes had decided to take it all off right after she exited the lavatory, which was right after the flight attendants in coach had pulled the beverage cart up to the front of the coach cabin. Totally naked, as in one hundred percent nude, she sat down in the last row, which was where she continued to sit, naked and alone, until the flight attendants rolled the cart back to her seat. I’m sure there was quite a loud gasp from the one placing a napkin on the tray table when he realized what it was that hid behind the table.

“Ma’am, you need to put your clothes back on!” demanded one of my coworkers.

We all stood there, hovering over the woman and nodding in agreement. Never in a thousand years would I have ever dreamed I’d be listening to a coworker ordering a passenger to get dressed. To help open an emergency exit, maybe. To put on a pair of panties, never.

Each of us tried to coax the woman back into her clothes, but she wasn’t having it, not when she had other things in mind, like returning to her original seat. Which normally would be fine. However climbing over the seats, three rows of them, naked, was not fine.

Now that wasn’t my only naked passenger experience. Thirteen years ago when I worked for Sunjet, a low cost carrier, an elderly woman decided to take off all of her clothes and then she decided to get off the “bus” by trying to open the emergency exit in flight. This, of course, scared the heck out of the passengers seated nearby, who watched in horror as she pulled on the door, a door that can not be opened, no matter how hard one tries, in flight.

Why all this talk about naked passengers? Iva Skoch’s post, Passenger strips nude, tries to open emergency exit, led me to start writing about my own personal experiences, which in turn led to a little research on flying nude, which has resulted in an awful lot of information about flying in the buff.

Obviously, the passengers mentioned above weren’t exactly…well…they just weren’t well! I mean normal people, at least the normal people I know, don’t take it all off on a flight. But for those of you who are…umm…well…and actually interested in stripping down at 35,000 feet, you can do so one of two ways. Apparently flying “the way god intended” is all the rage in Germany right now. But if you can’t get to Germany, you can hope and pray that Naked Air takes off again, like they did in 2003, and then you, too, can take it all off after take off.

WAIT….before you click the following link to visit the Naked Air Website, please be aware that there are nude photos on the site, very disturbing nude photos of naked people, naked people who should probably not be naked, based on the way they look naked – except for sneakers – on an airplane. Remember, you were warned. Now GO!

For those of you still with me, you may have a couple questions, like I did when I first realized this kind of thing was actually going on. (Someone please tell me why it is going on?) Below are a few questions and answers I pulled from the Naked Air website…

What about the flight crew and attendants…were they naked too? No… they can’t be. The pilots and the flight crew will remain dressed as they always do. We need to remember that the flight crew and attendants have a serious job to do… and that’s to get us to our destination safely.

Hot coffee on a nude flight? …Ouch! For that reason we did not offer hot beverages on the flight, but we did have appropriate snacks and beverage service for the time of day that we traveled.

Hey…everyone was naked…hmm…could they do whatever they want? The Naked-Air nude flight was exactly what it were advertised as… a chance to fly nude and make a little history in the process. The flight was a lot of fun to be sure… but any sexually suggestive behavior or advances to any other passengers would have been inappropriate for this flight, and absolutely forbidden. This rule was well known by all of our passengers in advance of booking would have been strictly enforced, if necessary… but it wasn’t. Nudists are nude… not lewd!

Did everyone have to get naked before they got on the plane? NO, because everybody knows that it’s way too cold in the terminal building. Seriously… the basic rules were that all passengers did the check-in, went to the gate, boarded the plane just like any other flight. It’s only after the plane took off and reached cruising altitude that the rules changed. Once cruising altitude was reached all the passengers were then free to get out of their clothing.

So what about hygiene and things like that? If you have ever been to a nudist or naturist resort or gathering, you would know that the one item that you are to have with you at all times, is a towel to sit on. This flight was no different. We provided special commemorative towels for that purpose, We required those towels (or our clients own towels) to be used at all times.

Still with me?

All I can say is thank god for those commemorative towels.

Talking travel with luxury-travel-for-less planner and author

by Jerry Guo on

Theo Brandt-Sarif is a professional lecturer who gives seminars on booking luxury vacations and business trips. He’s also author of Guerrilla Travel Tactics, a tell-all guide on how to get the best deals on flights, hotels, and vacation packages.

Are there shortcuts to getting business or first class air travel at less than street price?

By far the best way is to use frequent flyer miles. And with credit cards offering frequent flier miles in virtually any and every airline’s programs, it’s easier than ever to accrue a lot of miles, even if you do not fly very often. Go to freetravelreport.com. One of the free reports is titled “Simple Secrets to Getting First Class Airline Upgrades”.

How about getting upgraded to a suite, oceanfront, or concierge floor?

One of my favorite hotel upgrade strategies is the “special event” strategy. All you need to do is contact the hotel reservations office 2-3 days ahead of arrival by fax, email or phone, explaining why your forthcoming visit is special. If it’s your honeymoon-you are virtually guaranteed an upgrade. But wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduation gifts, first visit to a country-they all count as “special events”.

You will almost always get something you would not otherwise have received-an upgrade, free breakfast each day, champagne and fruit delivered to your room etc. Think about it from the hotel standpoint-it costs them virtually nothing to engender a very loyal customer.
Is there ever a good time to use those airline or hotel chain package

I see six primary reasons to book a package:

  • It can be an ideal way to visit a new exotic destination where independent planning can be complex and/or figuring out the lay of the land once you are in the destination can be challenging because of communication barriers. A good example would be touring China beyond the three major cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing).
  • To visit a lot of new cities quickly. Should you want to return to savor those destinations you loved the first time round, making the arrangements on your own will be much easier. A good example is the first timer wanting to get a flavor of Europe-visiting multiple countries. I did that as a student, rushing through nine countries in five weeks!
  • A single traveler seeking a group of companions and security in numbers.
  • A short-of-time traveler who would rather not spend hours planning and coordinating an ideal trip.
  • A cautious traveler who is reluctant to drive or figure out where to go, for whom a deluxe bus package with driver and tour guide holds special appeal.
  • A last-minute traveler who takes advantage of an air/hotel or air/car package that is considerably cheaper than purchasing the flight and hotel/car separately. Online travel agencies are increasingly recognizing the niche for business travelers, and are developing offerings to meet their needs.

In your book, you mention that it’s possible to get guaranteed free award seats during peak periods. Seems impossible.

I look forward every year to traveling abroad with my family on a summer vacation. Because I know we will go somewhere each year, planning and booking one year in advance has become a routine activity. Because we plan ahead, we have been able to use awards to fly free within the US, as well as to Hawaii, Australia, Fiji, Europe, Asia, and Africa during peak holiday periods. This summer my family of five is flying business class to the Seychelles (islands off the east coast of Africa) using a combination of British Airways (LA to Nairobi) and Northwest Airlines (Nairobi to Seychelles) frequent flyer miles. We got the exact dates we wanted during the peak summer season simply by booking 11 months in advance.

Planning as far in advance as possible is almost always the best strategy, especially if you want to travel during peak periods, such as around Thanksgiving or the Christmas holidays. Ideally you want to book award air travel around 330 days in advance of your desired travel date-that’s the day seats for flights go into most major airlines’ computer systems. Leisure travelers can easily book in advance since public holidays and school vacations are known well ahead of time.

What’s the best credit card to use while traveling abroad?

Since the 1980s, Visa and MasterCard have charged 1% of the total purchase to convert a foreign currency purchase into US dollars. Unfortunately, in many cases, the fees don’t stop here. The majority of banks that issue credit cards now charge 3% or more on top of what Visa and MasterCard charge, which can add a significant and unnecessary expense to purchases. Some of these same credit card companies also charge the “conversion” fees even if a foreign purchase is made in US dollars. There is fortunately one exception–Capital One, which does not add fees to those already charged by Visa or MasterCard for making purchases in foreign countries. In fact they absorb the fee charged by Visa or MasterCard, so the net charge on foreign transactions using a Capital One card is 0%.

What are some of your negotiation tactics to get cheaper rooms, travel packages, even a taxi from the airport?

Conventional wisdom has been that one gets the lowest hotel rates simply by calling a hotel’s own reservation department, rather than going online or contacting the central reservations line. That is still true, but only in a few instances, for example, when a hotel has unusually low occupancy rates during the time you intend to visit. You may be able to negotiate a cheaper rate, an upgrade for standard price, get free breakfast or whatever-there is nothing to lose by asking.

The two most common discount hotel opportunities are AAA or AARP rates. If you are a member of either or both organizations, always check out the special rates that may be available. Many hotel web sites now enable you to check these special rates, which typically get a 10-20% discount.

Another among my favorite discounts is the Entertainment Directory 50%-off discount rate. While that discount is usually applied to the rack rate-which is the full room price rarely charged except when the hotel has very high occupancy-the savings can be significant. The Entertainment Directory has far more hotels throughout the US and abroad contracted to offer a half-price discount than any other hotel discount program. Discounts will usually apply whenever the hotel occupancy is 80% or less.

When and how should airfare and hotel consolidators be used?

Airfare consolidators are now virtually extinct, since the web has been a perfect vehicle for airlines to get rid of excess inventory without resorting to “middlemen”. Stated differently, airlines will now readily offer much lower fares on flights that are selling slowly. One exception to this, however, is if you want to get cheap coach fares to countries that are off-the-beaten-path. Expatriates may know of an agency that negotiates low fares on the less well-known national carrier. Do a Google search on the country you wish to visit with the word “consolidator” to try identify such agencies. Hotel consolidators still exist, but only one impresses me. Quickbook.com contracts lower rates with boutique hotels, and has no cancellation or change fees.

What sites do you use for booking flights? And why?

While entire books have been written about travel web sites, I’ll discuss just the key strategies you should pursue when seeking great airfares and hotel rates. No fluff-just the high-yield stuff, a simple approach for time-pressured travelers…..

Here are the results of a real search I did. Assume I want to fly from Hartford to San Diego on July 20, returning July 22. When I perform an airfare search, I start with Orbitz.com to get benchmark pricing. Orbitz.com presents airfares in a matrix, with zero stops, one-stop and two-stops on the left, and all the airlines flying the selected route across the top. There are no non-stops on the Hartford-San Diego route, and I noted one-stop flights from United and Delta having lowest roundtrip fares $477 (including all fees). Two-stop flights offered no savings. Since the majority of low cost carriers do not sell through the major online travel agents, I then checked out some low cost carriers-Southwest.com was offering a one-stop option. Southwest Airline’s lowest roundtrip fare-a “wanna get away fare”, came in at $510.

Other nifty features at Orbitz.com are its Flex search capabilities; easily activated by clicking on “flexible dates” below the dates you input for your departure and return dates. These enhancements enable you to check out fares for up to three days before and after your ideal date (so called “Bonus Days”); or to search fares over a 30-day window (so called “Flexible Stays”). For travelers who are patient, Orbitz.com also offers Deal Detector whereby you select a threshold price, and Orbitz.com will send an e-mail if your requested price becomes available. Southwest Airlines’ web site has added a feature called “Shortcut” that enables you to view fares to your desired destination(s) over an entire month-simply click on Travel Tools to activate.

Next, check out the major airline sites-United.com offered by far the best price for a variety of flights at $319 (the winning fare for my trip!), while Delta.com was $588, higher than Orbitz.com.

“Site scrapers,” such as Mobissimo.com, and Kayak.com scan vast numbers of web travel sites to find the best airfares and hotel rates, providing a simple way to compare airfares side by side. Each site has capability to scan different sites, so none is able to access the entire universe. One benefit of accessing these sites is that their searches include fares offered by major discount airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue, which you frequently cannot obtain from Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, or Travelocity.com. If you see an attractive fare, you simply click on a link that takes you directly to the reservations site offering the fare. However, prices are not necessarily the lowest possible, and their technology still has a way to go to be fast, user-friendly, and consistently effective. But give it a try if you have some extra time!

What are the top 3 upscale destinations to go this year that are on the cheap—destinations abroad where the dollar is actually worth something:

  • Argentina: The vibe of Paris at less than half the price. A steak dinner will run you less than $25.
  • Mexico: While most of Mexico is still reasonably priced for tourists coming in from the US, Mexico City is clearly the best deal. The city is booming with new museums, a historical architectural revival, and a vibrant music and arts scene.
  • Costa Rica: Surprisingly, the dollar has gotten stronger against Costa Rica’s currency. Whatever your vacation interests; jungle adventure tours, eco-tourism, white water rafting, surfing, scuba diving incredible reefs, canopy tours, golf, or just relaxing on an unspoiled tropical beach, you will find all of that and more in this tropical paradise.

What’s the most affordable place–that’s not a hellhole–you’ve been to?

Bali: This island in Indonesia is the most spectacular tropical paradise I ever visited. Luxury hotel rooms go for around $100, half-hour massages cost less than $15.

Let’s say I have 3 weeks off this summer, but I’m on a tight budget. Can you give us an itinerary for a trip where we won’t have to sleep in hostels and survive on pizzas?

Head for Asia. Spend 10 days in Bali, another five in Vietnam. Your remaining time will be in the connecting city (Hong Kong if you fly Cathay Pacific, Bangkok if you fly Thai airlines etc).