Economy Class & Beyond

Eurostar shines in customer service

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A couple of days ago , I wrote about how I decided to buy a Eurostar ticket. Which is all well and good - I have the ticket I want, but alas - assigned in the wrong car of the train. Eurostar Class 373 power car waiting for its next duty at Paris Nord - from my archives (2001!... I really need to do some more photography..) Allow me to explain. Eurostar trainsets … [Read more...]

Lufthansa to allow personal electronic devices in all stages of flight

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Second to the party in Europe, Lufthansa will be allowing the use personal electronic devices during all phases of flight - including taxi, takeoff, flight and landing. However, the roll-out will be slow with only one fleet of aircraft qualified for use - and that's the airline's Boeing 747-8 fleet. This is made up cadre of 9 aircraft. The change in usage regulations … [Read more...]

JetBlue joins to “No calls in flight” gang

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JetBlue has joined the ranks of Delta and Southwest Airlines in not allowing in-flight voice calls to be made according to an article on Runway Girl. This would include voice calls and Voice over IP calls. JetBle A320 taxing at Newark - Image - GhettoIFE Like a lot of readers, I can see the need for in-flight data via WiFi and to a point, text messaging. Voice … [Read more...]

CityJet to be sold

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Air-France KLM have got a firm offer from Intro Aviation of Germany for the Dublin based regional carrier CityJet, with the VLM subsidiary - who operate services under the Air France banner. Financial terms have not been disclosed at this time, however Air France-KLM are hoping the transaction will close during Q1 of 2014. CityJet are the largest operator out of London … [Read more...]

BA 747-400 takes on a building – Accident at Johannesburg Airport

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An incident occurred this evening when a British Airways Boeing 747 operating a flight from O. R. Tambo (Johannesburg)  International Airport to London. From the looks of it - the plane was sent down a wrong taxiway. From the age olde question - which would win - a 747 or a building, I think we can safely say which won this round: Image via @HarrietTolputt on … [Read more...]

Balancing Costs and Cashback

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I will need - for some reason that I will explain another day - to get from Paris Nord back to London St Pancras International. Therefore, I want to take the train for once (Because amazingly, the timings all work out the same for once). So, I turned to Quidco*. Three options on the table for my travel needs: Eurostar RailEurope (or Voyages SNCF … [Read more...]

The Big Win… or not maybe….

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Well it's time for another IHG "Big Win" promotion, where everyone gets different customised promos for their accounts. Big Win Login Screen - bigwin.ihg.com I got mine, and really - I'm not overly excited to say the least - least of all due to one item that could have big longer terms effects. Here's what I got: Stay a total of 7 nights and earn 9,200 points  … [Read more...]

So, who’s now sniffing around Alitalia? One guess….

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As the drama that is Alitalia continues to unfold, it seems Etihad is sniffing around the airline. The airlines are reported to be in talks regarding ownership and cash required to be injected, with rumors of 30% to 49% ownership of Alitalia. The airline has been struggling to reach its funding target as Air France-KLM were not prepared to hand over any more money to the … [Read more...]

Heathrow Express and Connect at Christmas and New Year

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With Gatwick airport pretty hard to get in and out of over the festive season, Heathrow Airport will also be have reduced connectivity too. Heathrow Express - https://www.heathrowexpress.com/timetable-schedule/service-plans 24th December: Last train departs Heathrow T5 to Paddington at 21:12, Paddington to Heathrow T5 21:40. 25th December: No service. 26th December: No … [Read more...]

Delta says no to inflight phone calls

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From the airline that wagged a finger at you that smoking is not allowed, Delta has decided not to allow phone calls in flight In a memo published on Delta by  CEO Richard Anderson, he states "Our customer research and direct feedback tell us that our frequent flyers believe voice calls in the cabin would be a disruption to the travel experience. In fact, a clear majority … [Read more...]