Safety in Paradise

So far, I have not had the pleasure of flying Air New Zealand but judging by their latest onboard safety video it sure looks tempting.

Air New Zealand has a bit of a reputation when it comes to safety videos. Previous versions of the video - starring anything from Hobbits to Bear Grylls to New Zealand's all conquering All Blacks rugby team - have revolutionized the on-board safety message airlines deliver to passengers.

Their latest version (released on Tuesday) has gone viral, however, it has hit some turbulence after the airline teamed up with Sports Illustrated magazine to produce what it's calling "the world's most beautiful safety video."

Fun or offensive, either way, Air New Zealand actually get their customers watching and interpreting and internalizing their safety messages, better than - I would argue - anyone else, because they get their attention with the video.

I sure wouldn't mind a little creativity and fantasy in those monotonous but nevertheless vitally important onboard videos. You decide what looks better: Cooks Island or the Sports Illustrated Models?

Introducing new airline fees for 2011

“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.”
John Steinbeck


An avid traveller I pack up the kids and fly off to some European destination once a month on average. In order to keep up this rhythm costwise (because emotionally we are full of beans when it come to travelling) we fly easyjet most times. Therefore, I am not a happy camper when I start hearing about how the low cost companies are planing to hike up their prices.


It's a fact that airlines made most of their operating profit in 2010 from all those added fees that we love to hate.


It seems to me that airlines have thought of every possible way to squeeze more money out of you, charging extra for everything from early boarding to checking bags, but alas.... here are some fees that you might "bump" into in 2011:


Infant fees: Europe's Ryanair, never shy about adding new fees, (remember the rumour about "using the bathroom" fees a while back) charges 20 Euros each way for lap children.


In person check-in fees: What if airlines start charging a fee to check in with a live agent? You'll weigh and measure your bags at home, calculate and pay any fees online before leaving for the airport, print out a boarding pass and then drop any bags off with bag check staff at the conveyor belt. Otherwise, you'll pay an in-person check in fee.


Using a credit card: some European airlines already charge a small fee for ticket purchases but there's always room for change (upwards).


Checked bag fees by the kilo: many airlines charge a flat fee for bags weighing up to 20 or 30 kg, and then charge by the kilogram for anything over and above. Your bag could cost way more than your fare if you had to pay it by weight. This point is the one that scares me the most personally....where am I stow away all my shopping?!?


Carry-on bag fees: Last year, an Amercian airline began charging up to USD 45.- for carry-ons that don't fit under the seat in front and seems to be still flying. Easyjet is not far from catching on to that in my opinion!


Last but not least:
Internet "convenience fee":  Ryanair charges 5 Euros per passenger each way to “cover costs associated” with its booking system. 


I'm wondering at this point: "Whose convenience is this, anyway?"

A pleasant travel experience

My plan was to avoid the Christmas travel crowd but how could I resist travelling. My passion is exploring the world and combining this with visiting friends is the perfect holiday plan for kids and adults. So, when the kids school holiday begin we NEED to hop on a plane and get a breath of fresh air. This time my scheduled trip was just the way I imagined it. I figured by Monday, Dec 27th everybody would have arrived to where they need to be for Christmas. The unlucky ones who had to work between X-mas and New Year's Eve would be back in their offices by today. I won my gamble! Malpensa airport was deserted, no queues in sight and no delays. It was an absolute pleasure travelling with my family today. Only pictures can describe the bliss of travelling on this sunny day!

Travel? No, thank you!

Do you remember when travelling used to be fun? That was actually only a few years back but it seems like ages. Everytime we set off on a new trip it takes longer and longer although the distances remain the same. Who said that the world is getting smaller?

Now, I admit personel is getting scarse, efficiency is a term few apply nowadays but state of the art planes and super-duper scanning technologies are suppose to make up for that, aren't they?

If it's not Eyjafjallajokull, the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano that shuts down the European air travel, it is the French strikers, sometimes the Spanish and if all of the above actually cooperate and act the way they are suppose to....it starts snowing! It doesn't snow in the South or in the North but across the whole continent at the same time, preferably on a Friday or a Sunday...et voilà!

How many times can you get stuck in an airport within one month? An easyjet plane landed in Gatwick yesterday and the passengers could not disembark for 7 hours?!? Hello, remind me kindly which century we are living in?

My conclusion: today's real luxury is to own a private plane which would allow you to wizz off whenever you felt like it without any hassles or delays. Dream on, girl!!!!

Easyjet is late!

“Like a bad British Rail apology from the 1970s, passengers were informed that the flight had been cancelled that morning due to staff sickness.” 

Source: The Independent

Yesterday we boarded an easyjet flight (if they’d have a frequent flyer programme, we would be top of the list) and much to our surprise:

a) they were ON TIME boarding

b) they were ON TIME taking off

c) they were ON TIME  landing

Now that hasn’t happend in the last year. I am serious. On average we travel with easy jet once per month. Expat kids and myself were ecstatic. You might think we are exaggerating a wee bit. Let me tell you of our past adventures. 

Our average delay is around three hours, add the two hours you need to show up before take-off: makes five hours and you haven’t even gone anywhere yet. We’ve had flights cancelled at midnight (after waiting since 2pm in the airport) with no alternative solutions (i.e.bus, hotel, anything??????). 

We’ve been flown off to our destination on Christmas Eve only to find they hadn’t shipped our luggage due to lack of time?!? 400 furious passengers queuing yet again at baggage claim on Dec 24th (and the entire Expat family spent four days over Christmas wearing the same jeans, turtlenecks and underwear!). In the past, we have managed to board an easyjet plane only to be taken off the plane again two hours later and sent to a hotel (we were lucky this time!!!). 

Therefore, given that the plane was on time yesterday I decided to share this positive experience with you.

I am writing all this also to share my secret of staying alive & kicking in Lugano. TRAVEL, TRAVEL, TRAVEL. I love Lugano but I do miss the big city action and therefore need to get away from time to time in order to come back zened out (yes, that is a word nowadays). 

Lugano airport (http://www.lugano-airport.ch/pdf/Orario_2010.pdf) is tiny and has four international destinations to its name therefore the closest alternative is Milano Malpensa. It is a 60 minute drive from Lugano but worth the hassle considering the cheap flights that are available there.

Easyjet might be late, it might be frustrating and very often tyring but nothing beats a 50.- Euro ticket to a European destination and we loooove our weekend escapes....if we manage to get to our destination!