Best airlines for families April 26, 2011
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, Asiana, Cathay Pacifiic, Emirates, Etihad, family travel, flying with children, flying with kids, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Travel, travel with children, travel with kids, Travel with Kidz
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Apart from a large glass of wine, what makes the most difference when travelling long-haul with children? Is it the inflight entertainment, the attitude of cabin crew, well-thought-out activity packs, or stress-savers such as being able to skip the check-in queue? Offerings for families on international airlines range from virtually non-existent to very generous, making it both important and difficult for parents to choose.
The executive chairman of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Peter Harbison, sat on a panel to select finalists for the 2011 Family Friendly Airline Award and says it was a very tough job. The award, organised by the US-based Kids First Fund, was won by North American carrier Air Transat, which offers families dedicated airport counters, children’s welcome kits, prize drawings and on-board birthday celebrations. Services offered by other finalists in the awards included kids’ zones in airport lounges, inflight magazines for kids, the opportunity for children to make inflight announcements and even staff training to help autistic children.
“It was very hard to differentiate between airlines,” Harbison says. He says he looked for evidence that airlines really cared about families, such as by having priority check-in and quality entertainment.
The general manager of Travel with Kidz Newport, Uschi Howard, nominates airline scheduling, pre-seating policies and inflight entertainment systems as the top factors for smooth family travel. “Do not sacrifice… (click here to keep reading this article by Jane E. Fraser)
The duty free minefield March 8, 2011
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, airports, duty free, Travel
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You walk smugly out of the airport duty-free shop with a couple of bottles of cheap alcohol … only to have them taken away at the next security checkpoint.
Travellers are being repeatedly stung by confiscations of duty-free as the regulations are inconsistently applied at airports around the world. Passengers are losing duty-free purchases travelling into and out of Australia and at different stages of their journey, as they struggle to make sense of the system.
The Sun Herald receives numerous letters from readers bewildered at having fallen foul of regulations – and angry at being left out of pocket. One reader reported that duty-free alcohol purchased at Sydney Airport was confiscated in Singapore because shop staff did not put it in a sealed bag. Another reader bought a bottle of duty-free liquor at a shop near their boarding gate in Bangkok and had it confiscated minutes later as they boarded their flight to Australia.
Many travellers assume that they are free to buy duty-free once they have passed through airport screening but much of what is confiscated is being taken at secondary checkpoints. And while the staff in duty-free stores are supposed to advise travellers according to their destination, there is widespread confusion about the rules and how they should be applied.
Sydney lawyer Michael Cooper bought two bottles of duty-free whisky at London’s Heathrow Airport after he had checked in his baggage and cleared all the security checks. He had no problems when boarding his flight at Heathrow but… (click here to keep reading this article by Jane E. Fraser)
Buckle up for cheap flights to Paris February 22, 2011
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Asia, Travel, Travel tips & trends, UK & Europe.Tags: AirAsia, airlines, aviation, cheap flights, flying, Paris, Travel, travel deals
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When AirAsia recently promoted a “world domination sale”, it was as much a statement of intent as a catchy marketing line. From relative obscurity a few years ago, the no-frills carrier has become a significant player in the Australian market and plans to challenge the leisure business of leading airlines.
In a clever marketing ploy, AirAsia began flights to the “city of love”, Paris, on Valentine’s Day, allowing Australians willing to forgo a few niceties to fly to France at bargain prices. Australian travellers who booked during the launch sale were able to secure flights for well under $1000 return and, while these were special fares, ongoing pricing remains very low.
AirAsia says it sold more than 30,000 seats in less than 72 hours after it opened its Paris bookings, indicating huge demand for cheap access to Europe. “There’s never been a low-cost option between Australia and France before,” says the head of commercial for AirAsia X, Darren Wright. AirAsia X is a local offshoot of the Malaysian-based airline.
AirAsia is yet to secure rights to fly to Sydney; it claims it is being blocked by the Malaysian government’s protection of the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines. Even so, anecdotal evidence suggests some NSW travellers are heading to Melbourne or the Gold Coast to pick up cheap overseas fares.
Wright says 25 per cent of AirAsia X’s traffic from Australia is… (click here to keep reading this article by Jane E. Fraser)
When you win the Lotto… January 10, 2011
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Travel, UK & Europe.Tags: airlines, aviation, flying, Lufthansa, luxury travel, Singapore Airlines, Travel
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Two of the world’s best flying experiences, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa Private Jet, have joined forces to create a seamless journey for cashed-up travellers to Europe.
Passengers can stretch out in Singapore Airlines’ first class suites on the A380 superjumbo – some of the most spacious first class suites of any commercial airline – then connect to Lufthansa’s private jet services to more than 1000 airports around Europe and the Russian Federation.
A ‘private jet event manager’ puts together a tailor-made itinerary, including limousine services, baggage transfers and personalised inflight catering. They even take responsibility for (more…)
Top 10 posts for 2010 December 22, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Adventure travel, Airlines, Asia, Hotels, Spa reviews, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, frequent flyer, hotels, Kuala Lumpur, London, shopping, Spa reviews, top 10, top ten, Travel
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These posts have been the most popular on this blog in 2010:
A cheap London hotel you could actually stay in
What to do about supersized airline passengers
The travel agents who come to you
Products I love: new luggage tags
Spa review: Stephanies Ocean Spa Noosa
Who really wins with frequent flyer programs?
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a safe start to the New Year. I’ll be back in January with more tips and tales.
Plants fuelling planes December 16, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Travel, Travel technology, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, aviation, biofuel, green travel, Lufthansa, responsible travel, Travel
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Biofuel will be used on commercial flights for the first time next year.
In a step towards more sustainable flying, Lufthansa has announced it will begin a six-month trial of biofuel on scheduled flights within Germany from April. It will use a 50-50 mix of biofuel – which is being touted as a more sustainable alternative to standard fuel – and kerosene, on an Airbus aircraft operating the Hamburg-Frankfurt route.
Lufthansa says the trial will save about 1500 tonnes of CO2 emissions and will use biofuel procured from sustainable sources. “No rainforest will be deforested for Lufthansa biofuel,” says Lufthansa chief executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber. “Our licensed suppliers must provide proof of the sustainability of their processes.”
Lufthansa says the primary purpose of the trial is to (more…)
Top travel complaints December 14, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, Fair Trading, hotels, Travel
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Great expectations can be a recipe for great disappointment, so it’s hardly surprising travellers complain from time to time. When a hotel doesn’t match its description, a flight is cancelled or a promised experience turns out to be deadly dull, a much-anticipated holiday can be quickly tainted.
NSW Fair Trading received 1420 formal complaints about the travel industry last financial year, about issues ranging from the quality of holiday accommodation to cancelled flights. And if we assume only a fraction of those who have had bad experiences take them up with Fair Trading, that translates to an awful lot of unhappy travellers.
However, where do you draw the line between disappointment and cause for complaint? And what rights do you have if you do want to make it official?
The deputy commissioner for national reform at Fair Trading, Rod Stowe, says travellers often have more rights than they realise. More than 80 per cent of complaints taken to Fair Trading can be resolved through mediation; those that aren’t can be taken to a tribunal hearing.
Stowe says one of the most common complaints brought to Fair Trading is difficulty obtaining refunds for cancellations, particularly flights cancelled by low-cost airlines. Stowe says that in most cases airlines will provide a remedy, such as a refund or another flight. However, consumers need to understand that terms and conditions clearly disclosed at the time of booking do have a bearing. If, for example, an airline’s terms and conditions state it has the right to reschedule the flight, the consumer may not be eligible for a refund.
Stowe says most travellers don’t… (click here to keep reading this article by Jane E. Fraser)
Prepare to pay more for travel November 26, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Hotels, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, American Express, business travel, hotels, Travel, travel forecasts
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Airfares and hotel prices could rise as much as ten per cent next year, according to a respected annual forecast by American Express Business Travel.
Domestic airfares are expected to increase by between five and 10 per cent, while business class fares on long haul international routes are likely to see similar increases (the forecast does not include economy class pricing for long haul routes).
Mid-range hotels in Australia are predicted to increase their rates by between two and seven per cent in 2011, while hotels in the upper range could add as much as 10 per cent to their rates.
“Pricing power has swung back to air and hotel suppliers for the first time in two years in 2011,” says American Express Business Travel spokesman Robert Tedesco. Tedesco says there will be more competition for limited seats on planes and hotels will (more…)
Which airlines get you there on time? November 19, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Airlines, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: airlines, aviation, flying, Jetstar, Qantas, Tiger Airways, Travel, Virgin Blue
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It seems the more you pay, the more likely you are to get there on time.
The latest government figures show budget carrier Tiger Airways managed to get just 65 per cent of its flights in the air on time in September, compared to 84 per cent for Qantas. Virgin Blue and Jetstar came in at 79 per cent and 76 per cent respectively for their on-time departures, leaving Tiger as the clear loser of the four main carriers.
Regional airlines, which have far fewer flights, are the best performers for on-time departures, with Regional Express (Rex) and the Western Australian airline Skywest getting nearly nine out of ten flights in the air on time.
Those who got caught up in the Virgin Blue chaos that followed the collapse of its computer system in late September will (more…)
