Welcome to the second part of my review of the year, where I look back the stories and blog notes of interest that have raised an eyebrow over the second 6 months of the year:
- July
- Top of the news was OZ214 crashing at San Francisco Airport, and an Ethiopian Airlines setting fire to itself. Meanwhile Germanwings relaunched counting Lufthansa’s group attempt for a turn around, Swiss launched handbaggage fares, Heathrow Airport tries with a 3rd Runway (which more would happen in December) and Boeing rolls out its first 787-9
- Someone learnt the hard way not to roam whilst abroard with their phone
- August
- Turkish Airines orders more aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, Etihad buys part of JAT, Ryanair becomes the focus of a TV invetigation, The Bombardier CSeries edges towards first flight and EVA Air annouces a new Hello Kitty Jet
- I write about Car2Go, alternative ways to get to Heathrow,
- I also report on the UK Rail network in Four Trains and a Wedding, and I miss a flight – and also kicked off Big Plane! Heavy Plane where I spend a day aboard a BA A380
- September
- Top of thee news was a Thai A330 having an unexpected excursion. Meanwhile IRIS (one of the UK Automated entry processed) was decommissioned, BA Extends Hand Baggage Only fares to Heathrow, EVA Air released their latest Hello Kitty Jet, Lufthansa brought A350’s and 777Xs.
- Bombardier’s CSeries took to the sky for the first time, whilst Boeing took their 787-9 into the skies on the next day
- Swiss restricts First Class redemptions upgrades for SEN and HON members and then reduced Miles and More mileage earning. Harshly if you fly in Economy.
- I go to Brussels for TraveMagic
- October
- Aegean goes Hand Baggage Only fares, JAL shocks Boeing and turns to Airbus for long haul aircraft, Alitalia wobbles, Norwegian Air Shuttle goes on the attack from Gatwick, Ryanair tries being nice as new business stratgegy, Airbus says size does matter, and the FAA likes Personal Electronic Devices
- Lufthansa charges for seat assignements
- I talk about storing images for the long term, whilst celebrating 10 years since the last Concorde flight
- … and head off to Chicago – and beyond, whilst AA ruin my luggage… and get a nasty bump on the way home
- November
- JetBlue and Delta start the clamour for PED’s to be used at all stages of flight, with majors joining them, with Europe signing up too, Boeing formally launches the 777X with Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad signing up for the big beast, Etihad buys another part of an airline and launches Etihad Regional, Virgin Atlantic Little Red cuts a Manchester service, and Biman Bangladesh announces its final plans for its DC-10s
- Hilton removes points and fixed miles, United and Delta also announced cuts to their schemes,
- I made Photoblog.com’s Front page,
- December
- FlyBe axes routes by the pile, ANA chops and changes its timetable, Air India is off to join Star Alliance – again, TigerNok comes to life, Garuda Indonesia targets Spring 2014 for SkyTeam, A Report recommends new runways at London, Virgin Atlantic to charge for advanced seat assignments, BA allows PED’s and tries to demolish a building.
- I talk about Shopping Portals, and extracting value where possible
- I finish writing Tiers and Dreams, and attempt to go my parents for Christmas
- Eurostar gets a major thumbs up… and that’s before I’ve stepped on a train
What’s coming up in 2014? Life has a habit of throwing surprises. I’m sure 2014 will have its fair share of them ahead…
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