Odds n Sods

[S.o.S.]

The title is an English reference to 'Odds and Ends'.

I have often seen airline related news items that did not need a whole thread and might be just for amusement or passing information. Also, many things go into the Airlines, Airports & Routes forum and might be missed in here. So this thread is aimed as being a catch all for one line items, humour and so forth.

My opening gambit is that I am fed up with seeing articles 'How to prevent/cure jet lag'. They are simply trying to sell you something or fill space. On the occasions I am changing several time zones - I deal with the jet lag as and when, by sensible scheduling. As I get older jet lag becomes more of a problem but I have more time to snooze!

[redsnail]

Only way to do long haul is sitting in a comfy seat, watching movies and drinking champagne.

My pet peeve are articles about "how to guarantee an upgrade" (hint. Pay for it) or "the things that annoy cabin crew the most" (hint. Passengers )

[PAXboy]

It is amazing that they are still recycling those stupid 'free upgrade' items. They have nothing new to say. The articles about Cabin Crew are always marked with hyperbole to catch attention for all the adverts, nothing else.

I cannot recall the last time I needed to use the seat call button but some people seem to have their finger resting on it at all times.

[Asturias56]

they're click bait or similar - all the poor SLF dream of an upgrade it almost never happens - like a lottery win - but people like to read about it and dream

In many years of traveling I've had one - and that was because the airline had screwed up the numbers in Slave Class.

[Saintsman]

I once was upgraded to first . Something I ate, made me sick through most of the flight.

Upgrades are not always what they are cracked up to be...

[Mr Mac]

I have had two upgrades when flying in the back. One BA out of Delhi circa 2004, one on TWA St Louis to Little Rock after inbound flights had been delayed in JFK meaning a missed connection. As others have said, find the money and pay for ticket. I am lucky to have been upgraded from Business to First on a number of occasions with my companies favoured carriers LH, SQ, EK, but this is easier to accomplish than the initial upgrade.
As for Jet Lag get the best seat you can afford and on arrival try and stay awake until back on local time.

Cheer
Mr Mac



mm

[PAXboy]

It is always 'interesting' that, in arrivals, folks will abandon their trolly to run into the arms of their family/friend who have ducked under the barrier to reach them, thus making two 'lumps' of congestion in the pathway. I saw this again at LHR T5 last Sunday morning. This happens with such regularity at LHR, I wonder if it happens at other airports? Or, do they have a better 'out flow' system that limits such actions?

[S.o.S.]

[PAXboy]

Sites that specialise in flyer points now assessing the changes BA made to the Avios system last week - especially with the 2-4-1 credit card vouchers. If you are laying plans, you may wish to check the announcment and changes.

[S.o.S.]

I was checking out options in the Far East when I saw something called the Value Alliance. So I looked at their route map and this is a screen shot. If they cannot make their map display in my browser of choice - I am not going to travel with them.

[DaveReidUK]

It's upside down.

[Asturias56]

as any Australian would tell you that's a clear statement of Northern Hemsiphereism Dave

[PAXboy]

BBC:Airport security 100ml liquid rule to be scrapped
BBC 17th Dec 2022

[paulc]

After a shambles by a well know german airline last week, i was rebooked onto Kuwait Airways and overall was pleasantly surprised. However during a transfer at Kuwait City, security decided to relieve me of 2 packets of AA and AAA batteries (20 in each) leaving me 8 in total. New rule or did they need some batteries.

[clareprop]

Originally Posted by PAXboy

BBC:Airport security 100ml liquid rule to be scrapped
BBC 17th Dec 2022

I can see this is going to be fun. Apparently, in the beginning, some lanes will allow +100ml and some won't because they won't have the equipment installed - how do you pack for that? . Then, of course, what happens when transiting through airports that still have the 100ml rule?

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by clareprop

I can see this is going to be fun. Apparently, in the beginning, some lanes will allow +100ml and some won't because they won't have the equipment installed - how do you pack for that? . Then, of course, what happens when transiting through airports that still have the 100ml rule?

Probably not worth worrying too much yet about something that's not going to be allowable for another year and a half.

[PAXboy]

I saw this today. Airline told her that her bag was with the third party in a warehouse waiting to be forwarded to her. But the AirTag said otherwise and she tracked it down.Some airlines do have a reputation.

[Asturias56]

Originally Posted by clareprop

I can see this is going to be fun. Apparently, in the beginning, some lanes will allow +100ml and some won't because they won't have the equipment installed - how do you pack for that? . Then, of course, what happens when transiting through airports that still have the 100ml rule?

This summer at CDG longhaul we were kept waiting by a large Saudi family - the ladies had every carryon bag full to the brim with great big bottles of perfume etc etc. It was so bad an agent finally turned up, took all the "confiscated" bottles and assured them they'd be in the hold.

[Donkey497]

Originally Posted by PAXboy

It is always 'interesting' that, in arrivals, folks will abandon their trolly to run into the arms of their family/friend who have ducked under the barrier to reach them, thus making two 'lumps' of congestion in the pathway. I saw this again at LHR T5 last Sunday morning. This happens with such regularity at LHR, I wonder if it happens at other airports? Or, do they have a better 'out flow' system that limits such actions?

I do kind of like arriving in at Pearson in Toronto. There's a slight rise after you pass through the last check in the baggage/customs hall that incorporates a right / left dog leg to sliding doors out into the public concourse. Kind of naturally regulates the speed of the escapees leaving the baggage hall, but once you get through the doors you find that you're at the top of a little "stage" only about 18 inches high with 20metre long ramps down into the semi-circular amphitheatre for the waiting families that had a load of Muskoka chairs put out for the folks waiting.
This layout seems to work quite well - everybody waiting gets a good view of who's coming through the door and the layout with the chairs seems to encourage the waiting families to chill out a bit and the ramps have tall perspex bannisters to discourage folks from climbing onto the ramp and are also high enough that they can't be used as leaning posts either so there's nobody obscuring the line of sight & kids are kept out of the way of the trolleys.

A couple of times there was also overhead screens listing the flights that had landed and estimates of where the passengers & luggage were in the system - deplaning, immigration, baggage reclaim, customs etc. I don't recall seeing these the last couple of times I so that may have disappeared, but on the whole I generally find arriving at Pearson [for personal reasons] fairly painless.

[PAXboy]

Bemused to see advert for a Cabin Bag that is self powered and will follow you around, when wearing an arm band. It will also BlueTooth to your phone if out of distance. It looks very smart but the empty weight is 6Kg. I guess that, if you are travelling in F, that might not be a problem. Nor might the £500+ cost.

Has anyone seen one of these at first hand?