Australia Archives - TravelSkills

Popular: United to South Seas + Delta cancels final 747 + New Australia nonstop + Merge PreCheck, Global Entry?

December 17, 2017

San Francisco International all lit up for the holidays! Pretty! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

BREAKING NEWS: Atlanta airport shut down until at least 7 pm Sunday Dec 17 due to power outage. Follow news here.

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 United adds new nonstops to Tahiti

2 Will TSA PreCheck and Global Entry be merged?

3 Airport news: SFO car share, LGA terminal shuffle + Oakland, O’Hare, Toronto

4 So long, Bob Hope. Hello Hollywood Burbank!

5 Hotel rewards: Not all chains are created equal

Last week Chris flew Turkish Air through Istanbul and snagged this gorgeous photo of the Bosporous on the way in… but he also got trapped in the airport. Stay tuned for an interesting Trip Report!

Istanbul out the window #travel #windowseat #avgeek #turkishairlines #myvikingstory
A post shared by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on Dec 10, 2017 at 5:53am PST

6 New twists coming for credit card transactions

7 Delta’s next narrowbody

8 Which airline has the best inflight wi-fi?

9 Qantas to fly San Francisco-Melbourne nonstop

10 Routes: United high-density 777s, Delta, Qantas, Air China, Air Canada, Aeromexico

Breaking: As we press the publish button, it appears that Delta has cancelled its “final” Boeing 747 flight between Detroit and Seoul. That’s kinda awkward for all the aviation and 747 geeks who bought tickets for the final flight. Hmmm. Appears flight is rescheduled for Monday. We’ll monitor, but here’s the Flight Aware status report. Reporter Zach Honig is in Detroit hoping to board the flight and its tweeting about the mishap.

I did it. For years I’ve reported on the boom on Europe’s river boat cruising biz….last week I finally took one! I’ll tell you all about it in an upcoming Trip Report! Have you been on one? Check out my Instagram to see more photos from the trip, but here’s the Viking Gullveig.

Now I know why Viking calls these “long ships” #myvikingstory #travel #cruise #austria
A post shared by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on Dec 5, 2017 at 3:06am PST

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Inside the airport lounge business

Delta’s last 747 being “pressed into service” for two more days Delta shifts final 747 flight

Singapore will start charging economy flyers for advance seat reservations

Thirty airports worldwide are now included in Apple Maps

Silvercar plans to double all-Audi rental locations in 2018

More Silvercars coming for you (Silvercar/Facebook)

Hotels test use of Amazon Echo as in-room virtual concierge

Lufthansa Group carriers switch to spending-based rewards

New York investment group buys Minnesota’s Sun Country Airlines

Check out the world’s most-Instagrammed hotels

Two Parker Meridien hotels leaving Starwood

DOT drops rule requiring airline transparency on bag fees

American is installing larger overhead bins on Airbus A321

Business travel is bad for your health

Chilling Soviet-era maps of US cities

Delta passenger mistaken for human trafficking victim speaks out

Marriott’s weird innovation: Writing your ideas down on the shower door

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Deal> Australia or New Zealand: $949 round trip on Qantas

September 26, 2017

Fares between the US and Australia tumble for 2018 trips- Qantas A380s sunbathing at LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When fares to Australia or New Zealand dip below $1,000, it’s time to sit up and take notice.

Today Qantas announced a very good deal for flights from the US to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane– with fares from San Francisco and Los Angeles starting at just $949 roundtrip. You can fly to Auckland, New Zealand from California for $999. From Dallas, fares are running at about $1,100 round trip. One stop flights from New York-JFK are just $1049 round trip.

What’s best about this sale is the timing… you’ll travel during the dark cold days of winter in the US to the sunny shores of Oz between February 5 and June 23. To get the deal, you must book your trip by Monday, October 2.

Fare chart from Qantas for economy roundtrips

For business travelers, premium economy fares are also discounted for this sale to around $2,300 round trip. Business class remains a steep $7,000+ round trip.

So far, United and Air New Zealand have not matched this sale, but stay tuned… it could happen in the next 24 hours.

We checked and these fares are indeed available on the Qantas sale website, but keep in mind that you’ll pay more to choose your seat ahead of time.

Link to sale here: https://www.qantas.com/us/en/flight-deals.html/sfo/au/economy/all/lowest

What’s the lowest price you’ve seen or paid for a round trip ticket to Australia? Will you take on this deal? Please leave your comments below.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Deal: Australia on sale! $914 round trip

October 10, 2016

Take off for Sydney this winter for less than $1,000 round trip on Air New Zealand- Bondi Beach pictured (Chris McGinnis)

Air New Zealand is offering fantastic fares for travelers hoping to go to Australia in 2017. This is a great opportunity to explore the country as these fares are good for travel to seven different Australian destinations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth, and Gold Coast.

Roundtrip travel from SFO or LAX to any of these 7 cities starts at just $995 but you have to book by October 24 to get the discounted fare. This deal is good for travel between January 26 and May 31 (mid summer to fall down under!) so there’s plenty of time to get ready for your adventure. The only catch: You must make a stop in Auckland, New Zealand to get there.

Anytime you see fares drop below $1,000 to Australia, you know you’ve got a good deal on your hands.

Google flights showing SFO-Perth for just $914 in March and April

When we checked fares on Google Flights, we were able to book sub $1,000 fares starting in February. The closer to May you get, the more likely you are to find the really low fares. We were even able to find fares as low as $914 round trip from LAX or SFO for flights (in March) as far away as Perth! (High on my bucket list!)

You can book online through www.airnewzealand.com. Looking for loyalty points? When you book this deal you can accrue points toward your Air New Zealand Airpoints or United Airlines MileagePlus account.

Summer in Australia doesn’t end until March so snag one of these deals if you’re looking for a sunny getaway during our cold and hopefully wet winter.

–Chris McGinnis

*Fare(s) available at time of publication and subject to change.

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Reader Report: When A Stop Sign Is Just A Suggestion

October 1, 2016

In Crete, drivers hang two wheels off the side of the road. Why? (Photo: Jon Orlin)

On a recent trip to Sicily, I came to a stop sign on the main road from Palermo into Marsala, a small town on the western coast. I stopped. Immediately behind me, the cars started honking. I wasn’t sure what was going on.

At the next stop sign, I stopped. Again, more honking and the car behind me came within inches of my rear bumper, indicating their displeasure with my actions.

As I continued towards the town, I noticed all the cars ahead of me and cars coming from the opposite direction were completely ignoring the stop signs. Maybe they slowed down a little, but they went through them at 30 miles an hour.

Later that night, I asked a local what’s with the stop signs. He laughed and said they were just a suggestion. If no one was coming from the side streets, he said the locals just ignored the signs. I forgot to ask him about the stop signs I saw at traffic lights which seemed to be completely illogical. Elsewhere in Sicily, drivers did stop for stop signs.

For travelers, these local customs can be unnerving and strange. I started to think back on some of my more unusual driving experiences around the world.

Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, on a trip 20 years ago to the island of Crete, I was surprised to see most drivers drove partially in the shoulder of the road. Their right wheels would actually be over the solid line that marks the shoulder. At first, I thought they did this so other cars could pass. I never learned why many drivers did this all the time. (See photo at the top)

Not enough room for buses and cars on Italy’s Amalfi Coast (Jon Orlin)

The drive along the Amalfi Coast is famous for the amazing scenery and the crazy hairpin turns on the edge of a cliff. But, the line in the middle of the road is treated as merely a suggestion, as long as you see no one coming in the opposite direction. If you hear a horn, it means a bus is coming around a blind curve and you might need to stop and back up.

When driving in Melbourne, Australia, I learned about the crazy hook turn. If you want to make a right turn at an intersection, you actually start from the far left lane. You even drive a little towards the left before starting a sweeping right turn. The first time I drove it, I was shocked I actually made the turn without incident. Trams run down the center of the street where these turns are required and the procedure is said to reduce congestion and actually avoid accidents.

Don’t miss: Deep Dive: New United Polaris business class

A crazy way to make a right turn in Melbourne, Australia (Photo: John Orlin)

In Buenos Aires, you need to watch out for taxicabs driving with their headlights off at night. If the cab drivers don’t have a fare, they don’t bother to turn on their lights. A local claimed this was done to save money.

Back in the U.S., I had a strange driving experience on residential streets around Seattle. Many of the two-way streets allow parking on both sides of the street with room for just one car to travel in the center. When two cars meet, one has to find an empty parking spot to pull into or start backing up. I found myself in a few standstills with neither driver wanting to yield.

I’m sure this is just a snapshot of international driving quirks. Share your experiences in the comments below.

TravelSkills reader Jon Orlin (@jonorlin) enjoys traveling around the world. He was an Executive Producer at CNN for many years, and ran the video departments at Yahoo and TechCrunch.

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Trip Report: QANTAS 747-400 business class San Francisco – Sydney (Photos)

March 31, 2016

A QANTAS 747-400 parked at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport. Note the Sydney skyline in the background! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Last month I took a dive to the land down under on a big QANTAS 747-400 in business class on its recently restored nonstops between San Francisco International and Sydney.

Highlights of this 14-hour flight include:

A business class lounge that exceeded my expectations
One of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had onboard a plane
A spin through an empty 747 including the secret crew rest area
Bottled water that helps with jet lag
Pajamas worth changing into
Dramatic view from the cockpit on approach to SYD
A raucous greeting in Sydney that will make you smile
One of the easiest train rides from airport to city I’ve experienced in a while

Currently, QANTAS economy class roundtrip fares between San Francisco and Sydney are in the $1,400 range (but can dip as low as $1,000 during periodic fare sales). Premium economy fares are about $3,000 round trip, and business class roundtrips run from about $8,000 to $10,000. QANTAS does not offer first class on its SFO-SYD flights. United and QANTAS offer the only nonstops between SFO and SYD and their fares are identical.*

QANTAS covered the cost of my flights, but TravelSkills paid for hotels, meals and transfers related to this five-day trip.

So glad to be upstairs on the 747! Wow! (Chris McGinnis)

Checking in at SFO for an 11:25 pm departure was fast and easy. My ticket did not allow me to select a seat ahead of time, so I was worried that I’d be stuck in one of the few middle seats in business class. So I arrived at the airport early planning to spend a couple hours working in the lounge. Lo and behold, at check in there was one seat left upstairs in the “business class bubble” so I snagged it! Seat 14B is an aisle exit row, so I had miles of legroom. How much? See this.

Call me culturally confused: I’m headed to Australia, but the business class lounge says otherwise (Chris McGinnis)

At SFO, QANTAS passengers must use the Air France / KLM lounge. While I was hoping that I might be able to slip into the lounges of Oneworld partners such as British Airways or Cathay Pacific, I learned that due to crowding issues at night, QANTAS passengers are only provided access to the Air France / KLM Lounge.

QANTAS uses the Air France lounge at SFO- this is one of two rooms (Chris McGinnis)

My expectations for the lounge were set low– I had heard that there was nothing special about this lounge. But when I entered, I was greeted nicely by two fun and interesting agents who explained to me that I had to be sure and see BOTH rooms in the lounge. Apparently, many lounge visitors think the lounge is just the first room you see (above). But there’s a somewhat hidden door that leads to a much larger room with a big buffet, and plenty of tables and chairs. The back room was definitely where the action was.

A relic from its Northwest Airlines past- the Air France lounge still sports a fireplace (Chris McGinnis)

This lounge used to belong to Northwest Airlines. Remember when most NWA lounges had fireplaces? This relic (not working) is still there, which adds a homey feel to the space. Apparently the fireplace will be removed next time this lounge is updated.

A friendly attendant passes around cups of fried rice that hits the spot at 10 pm (Chris McGinnis)

A friendly attendant passes around cups of warm fried rice that hits the spot at 10 pm (Chris McGinnis)

What the Air France / KLM lounge lacks in atmosphere is made up for in the service you get once inside. As I said, the door agents were fun and friendly (we joked about feeling French when flying to Australia). Inside the lounge, servers were all over the place, passing snacks, cleaning up and interacting with travelers. I arrived early, and the place was pretty empty, but as flight time approached, seat space became scant– it was a good thing that they had staffed up for the crunch.

A healthy hearty pre-flight plateful from the lounge buffet (Chris McGinnis)

I was impressed by the amount and variety of food and drink on offer at the KLM / AF lounge that QANTAS uses. The lounge also had a noisy and convivial feel– mostly Australians enjoying a beer and time with friends and colleagues on their way home.

Stairway to heaven: inside the business class bubble on a 747 (Chris McGinnis)

Due to my status as a travel writer, I received a special favor– I asked if I could board five minutes early so I could get some good photos of the plane before it filled up with passengers. At the last minute my wish was granted, so I scrambled on board, up the “stairway to heaven,” threw my bags down and took off with flight attendant Jerry for a quick tour of the plane INCLUDING a look at the secret crew rest area in the aft section of the “bubble” with access via a special stairway from the main deck. See that here or scroll to the bottom for the video. This big bird has a crew of 14 flight attendants and four pilots and on a 14+ hour flight, they need a place to hide!

18 big business class seats upstairs on the QANTAS 747 (Chris McGinnis)

18 big business class seats upstairs configured 2-2 on the QANTAS 747 (Chris McGinnis)

There’s not a better place in the world than upstairs in business class on a Boeing 747-400. On QANTAS there are 18 seats up here configured 2-2 with a galley in the back and a lavatory and door to the cockpit up front. I was seated in 14B- the seat (seen below) with the suitcase in front of it. Not only is it in the cosy confines of the business class bubble, it’s an exit row seat. Upside of this seat: limitless legroom and no interference from your neighbor getting up. Downside: In seat storage is almost nil– window seat passengers get those nice big bins along the windows, but aisle seats don’t. Another downside with this seat: it’s tough seeing out the windows.

Row 15 upstairs on QANTAS 747 is exit row w endless leg room (Chris McGinnis)

Row 14 upstairs on QANTAS 747 is exit row w endless leg room (Chris McGinnis)

Seat controller for business class lie-flat seats- with massage! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS 747-400 business class seats are the same ones you’ll find on its A380s– fully flat, lumbar controls and with a nice massage feature. The massage was nice, but controlling it via these buttons was difficult.

There is no wi-fi onboard QANTAS 747s.

Main deck business class on QANTAS 747-400 (Image: Seatguru)

Row 1 on the main deck- I call these “windshield seats” because of the curvature of the plane in the nose (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

While upstairs is nice, downstairs in the nose of the 747 is a pretty nice space, too. Especially if you are seated in row 1– these seats are super private and quiet and insiders say that this is usually where QANTAS seats its superstar VIP guests.

Least desirable business class seat on QANTAS 747 are middle seat on main deck, rows 5, 6,7 & 8 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The best seats on the main deck are row 1 (for privacy) and also row 5 if you are traveling alone- that’s because these two seats (B&J) are solo seats– there’s no one seated next to you. See what I mean here on the 747-400 V2 three class layout on SeatGuru. Seats to avoid if possible would be the three middle seats on row 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Economy class on QANTAS 747 configured 3-4-3 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are 270 economy class seats on this big bird. One cabin is green (pictured), the other is pinkish maroon. The best seats are those in the mid-cabin area. Avoid seats at the front or the rear of the cabins due to lines that form near lavatories.

Economy class seat pitch is 31 inches on QANTAS 747 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Economy class seat pitch is 31 inches on the QANTAS 747 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS also offers a distinct premium economy section with 26 seats configured 2-4-2 with wider seats and arm rests. Premium economy passengers also get a special menu, noise canceling headsets, preflight champagne, and special amenity kits.

QANTAS premium economy on 747 is configured 2-4-2- ask for the 2 side! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Seat pitch in QANTAS premium economy is 38″ plus wider arm rests (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Back upstairs in business class… we took off on time at 11:25 pm. Shortly thereafter, a mad rush for the lavatory ensued as everyone was eager to change into pajamas for the long night ahead. This was also the time that flight attendants helped passengers position nice quilted cotton seat covers over cushions that really helped with the coziness factor of the cabin. (See below)

QANTAS SFO flight departs at 11:30 pm and arrives SYD about 14 hours later (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS SFO flight departs at 11:25 pm and arrives SYD about 14 hours later at about 8:00 am two days later (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Soft and stretch pajamas improve sleep quality & preserve your clothing for arrival (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Soft and stretchy pajamas improve sleep quality & preserve your clothing for arrival (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I’m usually not one to fuss over pajamas, but on a 14+ hour flight it was very nice to change into a shirt I’d not spent the night in. Plus, you get to keep the PJs for use at home (or for gifting those who did not get to go on this trip).

Salmon with spinach & sauteed egglant (Photo: Chris McGinnis

Salmon with spinach & sauteed eggplant (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I was disappointed that we did not get any menus on this flight… I usually like to peruse and photograph them. But on this flight there was a snafu due to the change from February to March, and the menus did not get loaded. So my choice was made based on a description provided by the flight attendant. I chose to go with salmon and was not disappointed. It tasted delicious, and was a right sized portion. Not pictured is the bread– flight attendants roll out two big loaves of warm bread (sourdough and whole wheat) which they offer while serving the main course. Warm bread is always nice.

A delicious vanilla custard with raspberries for dessert (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Since I knew I’d be trying to sleep on this flight, I ate about half my entree and a few bites of this cool and velvety vanilla custard. After that, it was time to hit the sack on my cozy quilted lie flat seat.

Quilted seat covers help! Flight attendants place them at passengers’ request before or after meal (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I tried to watch “The Intern” after my meal, but started to doze off. Once I put my seat down, Jerry was there with a bottle of flower-enhanced Balance water– supposedly to help with jet lag. You know what? It worked! No jet lag at all on this trip. But that might have more to do with the fact that I slept for 8 hours on this flight…. amazing because I rarely get 8 hours at home!

Here’s what worked for me: First, of course is the true lie-flat seat upstairs on a 747. Second, I made it a point to eat lightly and only had one glass of wine with dinner. Third, on this flight I tried using Mack’s Moldable Silicone Earplugs– each one is a small plug of translucent putty that covers up your entire ear canal and truly blocks out all sound. That, along with my Bucky eyemask and I was down for the count!

Special jet lag water provided to get you through the night (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

On this flight I slept for nearly 8 hours — I remember falling asleep as we approached Hawaii and I woke up with only about 2-3 hours flying time left! Wow!

Fell asleep somewhere near Hawaii & woke up 8 hours later- almost there! (Chris McGinnis)

I could not believe my eyes when I woke up and looked at my watch at around 6 am Sydney time. Perfect time for a flat white!

Woke up to a fine flat white prepared by flight attendant (Chris McGinnis)

I strolled back to the galley to find the second of two flight attendants plating breakfast and making toast in a big toaster– that burnt bread smell reminded me of breakfast at my Canadian Granny’s house!

A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and (my fave) baked beans (Chris McGinnis)

After a full night of sleep and a flat white, I was raring to go. In that sharpened state, I asked our flight attendant if I could pass my camera to the pilots to take some shots of the approach to SYD. They agreed and took about 30 shots- the best of which I posted below. Very cool!

I handed my camera to pilots for some great approach shots- note Sydney skyline! (Photo: QANTAS Pilots!)

A quick thanks to the crew for helping me out with some photos (Chris McGinnis)

Arrival at Sydney was quick and easy via kiosk. No lines at all at 8 am.

Quick and easy entry via kiosk at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Now this was a surprise: Sydney’s big Mardi Gras festival was taking place during the week I was there… and the airport had drag queens welcoming flights– which caused quite a stir as we filed past them. One of them looked at me and said, “Sir, you must have flown in business class because you are looking fresh as a flower this morning!” I had to agree– and pose for a few selfies 🙂

Since it was Mardi Gras in Sydney, our flight was greeted by some festive drag queens. What a welcome! (Chris McGinnis)

Getting into the city for my meetings was a cinch using the quick and easy Airport Link, which takes about 20 minutes to reach the Central Business District or “CBD” as Sydneysiders say.

A quick, easy, one-seat ride from airport to central business district or CBD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Trains depart for city every 10 minutes from airport station- a 20 minute ride (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Fares run about US$13 each way for the 20 minute ride to town– that’s pricey for two, but definitely beats the morning traffic. Taxicab fares run about US$35.

Plenty of room on the clean, modern & bright double decker trains to the city (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The train dropped me just a couple blocks from my Sydney hotel- easy! By the way, did you see my post: Trip Report: newest business class hotels in Sydney? Read up!

And stay tuned for a follow up post to this one where I’ll explore QANTAS’ flagship first and business class lounges at SYD!

Stay tuned for another post this- QANTAS first & business class lounges at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Here’s the video of the crew rest area:

–Chris McGinnis

*(Fares checked for May flights using Google flights on March 28 and subject to change)

Disclosure: QANTAS covered the cost of Chris’ flights. TravelSkills paid for related hotels, meals and transfers.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble

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Most popular: Last chance 747 + Bankrupt airline + Europe on sale + United Global Services

February 28, 2016

A United 747-400 enroute to Osaka (Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr)

How to jump on a big 747 like this for a domestic trip (Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Get on it while you can! One easy, last chance to ride a United 747

2 How’d that happen? Another airline declares bankruptcy

3 Screamin’ deals: Fares to Europe tumble

4 Routes: Southwest, Delta, American, United

5 Up or down? It depends: Airfares all over the map

6 Gimme a break! Airlines face new scrutiny over surcharges

7 Big job ahead for Marriott How would YOU merge Starwood & Marriott? [Poll]

8 More, better food on Delta, United & American

9 Great comments! Excuse me, do you speak English?

10 Bay Area to London for $299 + United non-stops to Singapore? + New Paris route + more

Chris McGinnis on CNN at SFO

Off to Australia! Hey folks! I’m off to Sydney, Australia for four days this week to give QANTAS a try and write up a Trip Report. Plus I’ll be checking out Sydney’s 5 newest business class hotels. And I’ll dip into the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday. Have you been to Australia lately? What should I see, where should I eat? Please leave your comments below or email me.

Are you elated or worried about the impending merger of Marriott and Starwood? How would you suggest the two hotel giants merge their many brands? Stay tuned to TravelSkills for a post about our meeting last week with Marriott’s top loyalty brass! And be sure to offer your two cents because Marriott is listening!

The view from my room at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The view from my room at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles where I stayed for Marriott’s “Future of Loyalty” forum (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

What’s it like to be Global Services on United?

Delta’s newest, edgiest Donald-Sutherland-voiced commercial

Global corruption index

Earn 10,ooo IHG Rewards points for stays in NYC, DC

Why did American threaten to dump Gogo?

Take a look at plans for world’s largest airport in Istanbul

Dubai International gets new billion dollar terminal

Starbucks loyalty program follows airlines “spend more get more” mantra

A first class “bunk bed” proposed

Chris’s “Caged Bird” on Instagram. CLICK on the pic to follow him!

Free inflight wi-fi on QANTAS

Experts question security of in-flight Wi-Fi.

Crackdown of Uber. Lyft at Newark Airport may be back on.

Southwest flyers can use Pay With Amazon to access in-flight Wi-Fi.

Virgin America’s Elevate program hits 4 million members.

Australia gives final OK to Qantas-American transpacific partnership.

Climate change could make flights longer, more turbulent.

Choice Hotels loyalty program adds vacation rental option.

Norwegian passenger poll shows data on in-flight Wi-Fi usage.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble

Do you follow us on Twitter? It’s a great way to keep up with the latest news!

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Routes: AA to Sydney, Air New Zealand to Houston, Delta to South America + more

December 22, 2015

Traditional Maori dancers welcomed Air New Zealand’s first flight from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental. (Image: Houston Airports System)

In international route news, American has kicked off its new Australia service from Los Angeles; Air New Zealand has linked up with Star Alliance partner United at Houston; Delta inaugurated flights on three new Latin America routes; KLM will eliminate one U.S. gateway and add another; Kuwait Airways drops a U.S. route; and United will increase flights to Brussels.

At about the same time that Qantas started its Sydney-San Francisco 747 service this past weekend, its joint venture partner American Airlines launched its own new transpacific route to Sydney from Los Angeles International (a route also flown by Qantas, along with Melbourne-LAX). American’s daily flight uses a 310-passenger, three-class 777-300ER and departs LAX at 9:50 p.m. At the end of January, Qantas will trim its own Los Angeles-Sydney schedule from 14 flights a week to 10. It’s the first time in 23 years that American has flown to Australia.

Air New Zealand last week inaugurated its promised new service from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental, where it offers connections via its Star Alliance partner United Airlines. The Kiwi carrier is using a 777-200ER with economy, Premium Economy and business class seating (with lie-flat seat-beds) for the route, which it flies five times a week. The westbound flight takes about 14-1/2 hours.

Delta added a trio of new routes to South America this past weekend. The carrier started new 767 service from Orlando to Sao Paulo, Brazil, operating four days a week (increasing to daily in March), and two routes from Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson to Colombia, both using 737s. Delta’s ATL-Medellin service operates daily, and ATL-Cartagena flies three times a week.

Instead of reviving its summer seasonal service from Amsterdam to Dallas/Ft. Worth next May, KLM reportedly plans to replace it with new Salt Lake City-Amsterdam service. The change is seen as benefiting KLM’s joint venture with Delta, which has a hub at Salt Lake City. The two carriers are reportedly looking to bolster the traffic feed to their new code-share partner Jet Airways for onward travel from AMS to India.

Facing a charge of unlawful discrimination from the U.S. Transportation Department, Kuwait Airways has discontinued the London Heathrow-New York JFK segment of its one-stop New York-Kuwait route. Last fall, DOT issued a cease-and-desist order to the airline after it learned that Kuwait Airways refused to sell a ticket to an Israeli citizen between London and New York. The airline maintained such a sale is barred by Kuwaiti law.

United Airlines said it plans to add a second daily flight next summer from its Newark hub to Brussels. The second flight will operate from May 5 through October 28; departures from May 25-September 6 will use a 214-seat 767-300, while earlier and later flights will use a 169-seat 757-200.

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Australia Day: 5 ways to behave down under

January 26, 2015

It’s January 26: Australia Day 2015, a perfect time to examine the subtle and not so subtle ways of our Aussie mates. With the Australian dollar hitting new lows against the US dollar, now’s a great time to extend a business trip…. or just head down for a nice vacation.

This is the first of a TravelSkills series of cross-cultural business tips that we’re thinking of calling “Oh, behave!” Let us know what you think!

Let’s jump right in with five ways to behave in the Land of Oz:

A lovely lunch at Balmoral on Sydney Harbour (Photo: Herry Lawford)

Tipping Point: The debate on tipping versus no tipping in Australia is ongoing. However, more often than in the past, tipping is now accepted even though that was not the case back ten or twenty years ago. In fact, in business and especially while hosting a meal at a fine restaurant, the act of leaving a tip is increasingly common.

As one Sydneysider told TravelSkills, “If you love the service, tip as much as you want. If you don’t, really don’t bother.” She added, “The minimum wage is a lot higher here, so there is no need to tip as a matter of course. Even if you are trying to impress a room full of business contacts, I would still follow this policy. After all, Aussies won’t respect someone for tipping bad service.”

Sit up front when jumping in a Australian taxicab (Nicki Mannix / Flickr)

Riding Along: Australian taxi riding is played out in a much different way than in, say, New York or San Francisco, where getting into a cab means getting in the back seat unless more than a couple people are riding with you.

In Oz, the opposite is true. If you’re sharing a taxi with a colleague, by all means sit together in the back but if you’re flying solo, choose the front seat beside the driver. And expect a good gab session out of this experience as well since cabby’s are happy to chat about almost anything with the person paying the fare.’

A long black coffee contains espresso and hot water (Katherine Lim / Flickr)

The Language Beat: Talking to another an Australian can test even the most acclimated traveler’s verbal knowledge. Those of us who have traveled to Australia before [See Chris’s BBC Business Trip Sydney] may have found out the hard way that if you want American coffee, you need to order a long black- a combination of espresso and hot water.

Other words and phrases to get know so you can act like a local are numerous. Some include “aggro” which is short for aggressive, and “arvo,” short for afternoon. A “bludger” is a lazy person, a term no business traveler wants to be tagged, and a “bogan” is a person without class or good taste (also not good if you want to conduct business with the person calling you this).

Meanwhile, “strewth,” which rhymes with “truth,” means just that and “on the piss” indicates it’s time to leave work and go out to a bar to drink together. The latter can be a very bonding experience that could put your business acquaintanceship into the friend category by the end of the evening.

Rude Reactions: Learning to avoid certain offensive silent expressions in Australia might come in handy during a business trip to Oz.

So, keep in mind that although a thumbs-up signals a positive, happy meaning in the United States, and is almost universally used around the world and even down under, this same signal is traditionally unacceptable with older Australians. In fact, the gesture is often interpreted as being downright obscene among older generations while younger nationals will probably not care at all or else will just let it go in short order.

A Good Day: Finally, Australia is a very friendly place where saying hi after offering a semi-hardy handshake is just fine when meeting a business associate who hails from this chummy nation. However, don’t try to be a good business mate by saying “G’day” because that overused and, yes, abused way of saying hello is just for tourists — and, even then, only tolerated.

–Jane Lasky

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United shifting some 747s away from SFO

August 21, 2013

United 747-400s departing Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport (Aero Icarus)

United could be watering down its strategy of making SFO its Boeing 747 hub, based on summer 2014 schedules released earlier this month.

For example, starting April 1, 2014, United will switch out its aging 747-400s on the SFO to Sydney and Melbourne flight and deploy newly refurbished, three-cabin 777-200ER’s on the route. It’s also taking the 747 off the SFO-London Heathrow route and will use only 777s. And it’s replacing the 747 on the SFO-Osaka route with SFO’s first scheduled United 787 Dreamliner.

Economy class on United's refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

New economy class Recaro seats on United’s refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

AUSTRALIA: The switcheroo on the Australia flights is good news for economy class passengers who suffer through the 14-hour odyssey to Oz at the back of the plane on United’ old 747’s from both SFO and LAX. The newly refurbished 777’s are more comfortable at the back with a 3-3-3 configuration (vs the 747’s 3-4-3), and individual seatback video screens. United says that the 777s will offer its new satellite-based wi-fi and in-seat power outlets, too. (See this BAT post for a slideshow of the refurb and updated 777 interiors.)

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For those flying in business and first class, the switchover will not be as dramatic– the flatbed seating on the 777 is similar to the 747. But it will be sad lose those nice biz class seats upstairs in the bubble of the 747. That’s one nice ride up there, especially for long overnight flights.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

Upstairs in biz class on United’s 747 (Transworld Productions)

The move represents a significant reduction in capacity on the route—those big ole 747s hold 374 passengers, while the 777s only carry 269, with eight in first class, 40 in business, 117 in Economy Plus and 104 in economy.

With Qantas gone, and United reducing capacity, brace for some painful price hikes for nonstops from SFO to Sydney and Melbourne. Currently, roundtrip economy fares on SFO-SYD are in the $1,500 range, business class is running close to $9,000 and first is around $17,000. Fares typically run cheaper if you are willing to stop in LAX on the way down.

Where are those 747’s going to go? Well, some are going back to Chicago, where United will run the big birds nonstop from O’Hare to Frankfurt, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita starting next spring. United will also deploy two 747s per day on the SFO-Tokyo (Narita) run. (H/T to Routes Online)

What does this mean for United’s recently announced strategy to make SFO its 747 hub? That seems a little murky at the moment. When TravelSkills asked, a spokesperson would only say: “Most of our 747 flights will continue to operate to and from SFO,” but would not comment on whether these moves represent a shift away from the 747 hub strategy.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

—Chris McGinnis

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So long QANTAS. Last SFO flight departs Saturday

May 6, 2011

QANTAS 747-400 parked at SFO. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS will depart San Francisco International for Sydney for the last time tomorrow night, Saturday May 7. The flight departs at 11:10 pm.

QANTAS is moving the daily nonstop flight to Dallas/Ft Worth where it has close ties with Oneworld partner, American Airlines.

With QANTAS out of the SFO-SYD market, only United will offer nonstops on the route. One stop options from SFO include Air New Zealand via Auckland, or QANTAS via Los Angeles. I’m wondering if perhaps the newly named Virgin Australia may consider adding nonstops from Sydney to connect with SFO-based Virgin America. Stay tuned for more on that…

I’ll sure miss seeing that graceful kangaroo on the big red tail of the QANTAS 747 parked at SFO’s international terminal.

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SFO officials are sad to see it go, too. “We are sorry to see them go and we would warmly welcome back QANTAS in the future,” said airport spokesperson Mike McCarron.

I’ve been unable to get QANTAS officials in Los Angeles to make any sort of statement about its departure. SFO says that no formal farewell is planned.

So I guess the big Aussie bird will go quietly into the night tomorrow. A sad sight indeed.

How do YOU feel about QANTAS’ departure? Please leave your comments below!