Hard News: Cool
41 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 Newer→ Last
-
PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR SEATS BACK WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE BEHIND THEM
So unless the plane has every second row empty, one should not use the recline at all, ever? Maybe the airlines should disable that feature?
You could always buy two tickets and select the seat behind you for the imaginary person. Although, I think Ryanair charge per kilo for SLF* now, so you can see a per-metre charge coming in as well.
(SLF=Self Loading Freight. What airlines call their passengers).
-
On the AC power to seat things - Air NZ Premium Economy is listed as providing that feature but in reality it seems to be to only every third seat or so.
So was rather disappointed on a flight back from London when I had planned to charge (and keep powered) my freshly purchased PSP throughout the flight. When I found there wasn't the promised power outlet I asked an attendant if they had power outlets somewhere they could plug it in for me for at least one charge - "well no", she says, "but there is a spare seat in Business Class and they all have power outlets".
Brilliant I thought, upgrade to Business!
But no - my PSP got to sit in the middle of a Business Class seat (lie-flat somewhat wasted on it I believe) where I could go pick it up when it had finished charging and return to my seat. =| -
Hmm, perhaps this is where the outrageous $20-$30 annual airpoints membership fee they're trying to charge me is going. It does not cost $20 to send me a couple of emails a year telling me what my balance is and how much will be expiring at the end of the year. And perhaps the difference between mail and email would be $10 if they printed it in gold leaf.
I thought loyalty schemes were designed to keep customers loyal. Promising to waive the fee if I fly in the next two months or sign up to their credit card is only temptation to empty my account and fly the cheaper skies from now on.
-
Air New Zealand is equipping 18 of its planes with ... the Panasonic X Series in-flight entertainment
Great, but can the airlines focus on screens that work? My screen died 30 minutes before the film concluded on a recent Singapore Air flight (11 hours). Naturally nothing could be done (damn why did I throw a hissy fit because someone 5 rows back had FILLED my overhead locker with all their carry-on luggage).
SIA had like 20 movies to choose from, plus TV shows. Remember when all you got was one or two movies projected on a screen up front that you couldn't always see because people kept getting up to pee?
-
So unless the plane has every second row empty, one should not use the recline at all, ever? Maybe the airlines should disable that feature?
Yup. Either of those things would be good.
-
I remember flying Singapore airlines back in '96, must have been just after they put the systems in. They were wonderful back then.
As for not being able to see the screen if the person in front leans their chair back. Instead of scalding them or getting mini me to barf on them did you try asking nicely and explaining the situation? They cannot take account of your problem if they are not aware of it.
Or embarras them by complaining to the cabin crew.
I am 6foot with long legs so I can see your point re the discomfort, but not sitting fuming when there are remedies.
-
Given rising costs of living they really need to cater for the poor in economy as well and to keep costs down I propose they have somewhere to plug in your 8-track and a turntable for those records. A table to but your ghetto blaster on would be sensible as well.
-
On the leg thing, get to the airport early and request an exit door seat. I've done this for about my last 10 long haul flights and got it everytime. The aisle seat and the one next to it (there's usually 3) allow you to stick your legs in any direction imagineable and not touch a thing.
They actually want able bodied (usually) men folk sitting there incase the plane becomes a flaming wreck. So people can climb over your charred corpse and say "hah! that was that tall guy".
-
Nick - I have a frequent flier card with United - it's free and I can clock up mileage on all my AirNZ travel (even though I live in NZ) - only downside is that while I can book tickets on my mileage I can't seem to do upgrades on AirNZ across the pacific
-
Paul - How do you find using UAs programme in NZ?
or do you use it more for int flts & upgrades on UA? -
Nick - I have a frequent flier card with United - it's free and I can clock up mileage on all my AirNZ travel
Yep, I have a Krisflyer SIA card which does the same. None of those silly Air NZ Dollars or whatever they are.
Krisflyer are fantastic, their website is extraordinarily user friendly, and, unlike anyone else I've come across, if you ring their 24 hour line in Singapore and leave a message, they'll call you back at their cost wherever you are in the world, and try to see how they can best accommodate one's demanding needs. I've even had a few gratis bonus miles added to enable me to do things that I would otherwise have been unable to do with my total, offered without prompting.
It's an odd feeling to discover an airline that actually wants to help.
-
Sartre was probably anticipating the perils of economy class international travel with his "Hell is other people"..Whilst we are on the horrors of such experiences, can anyone tell me why, on the return leg from Narita to Auckland, why you have to go through the security process twice--once at Narita, and then again in transit at Kansai, when the JAL/ANZ stops, for some reason. Why also do those walk-through detectors seem to be differently calibrated ie no problem at Narita but a belt buckle at Kansai set off the alarm--which led to a rather incompetent frisking by two uniforms. It left me just a little enraged!
The airline has been rather unhelpful with this inquiry.
-
Last time I went through LAX on NZ1, you leave the plane and are held in a primitive lounge area for two hours while they refuel/load and unload passengers/generally fluff around.
Because you are 'entering" the US, you are checked by a customs dude and get a green tag, which you then immediately hand do another customs dude (so you have been in the US for less than a minute). This must screw up their visitor stay statistics something rotten.
What they don't do is to security check you at any stage. So if you had an accomplice (like an LAX cleaner) hide weapons in the lounge area, you could get on the continuing flight with them.
Oh, and most walk-through detectors are adjustable. They set them according to level of paranoia / number of passengers / desire of the search staff to have a quiet day.
-
On the leg thing, get to the airport early and request an exit door seat.
Sadly (because of the requirement that you open the door), they exclude those of us that travel with small kids.
-
What they don't do is to security check you at any stage. So if you had an accomplice (like an LAX cleaner) hide weapons in the lounge area, you could get on the continuing flight with them.
That's the case with any exit lounge, not just a transit one at LAX. You could say the same of the sole exit lounge at Dunedin airport. Once in there, you could pick up a small nuclear bomb and carry it on board the plane.
-
Travel in NZ is SAFE.
One poor dear who has had a sh!t ride through life is in the courts now and this might means she gets a bit more help she obviously needs.LAX are a-holes, go through SFO or Asia dodge those dudes big time.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.