Picture of the week

Royal Mile- Edinburgh (UK)

Stages of travel

Click here to see all the stages.

Heard in a travel agency: chapter one

Last week we received one of the.... erm.... weirdest petitions ever. We are used to being requested strange seats requests, but never like this. A passenger was flying from Europe to Asia. In economy, to be more precise and his PA sent us the following email:  

Please mind the following seat requirements: 

 

"Please, book my seat. The aircraft is A340-600, but there are two different types, depending on the type, please book according to the following preferences: 

 

When the aircraft is A340-600 (8F/60C/238M) (Airbus) then, please book the following: 

Priority 1: 38G

Priority 2: 40D

Priority 3: 41C or 58D or 58G

Priority: 58C or 41H or 58H

 

Being A340-600 (8F/56C/229M) please book one of the following :

Priority 1: 37G

Priority 2: 40D

Priority 3: 40C or 57D or 57G

Priority 4: 58C or 40H or 58H "

We were astonished. What would have happened if neither of the seats is available. Would he refuse tor travel?

Picture of the week

Sunset in Lopud- Croatia

Lufthansa cancels all his flights tomorrow

Only 32 or the 1720 flights Lufhansa planned to operate tomorrow, will leave. The rest have been cancelled, check the status here. What a day is going to be tomorrow!

Why do airlines want my phone number?

We could also say: why do travel agencies want my phone number?

Passengers always complain and they do not want to provide us with their number. Not, really, we are not calling you to offer extra services. I have ever heard of a travel agency that stalks its clients by phone. And we really are not going to sell it to anyone.

The only reason why we need your number is for EMERGENCIES. If your flight is cancelled or there is a storm that has shut down airports, it is better that you hear it from us before heading there. I still remember one lady that told me off because no one called her to let her know her flight 07:10 was cancelled. She had to wake up early and drive for one hour and a half to get there on time and now she had to come back home. When I looked at her booking I saw that there was not contact number at all and I could see how the airline and us had sent her several emails the day before. Of course when I told her that , she was a bit shocked.

Really, I can not stress this enough: always, always, give a contact number where we can find you at any time.

How do low cost save?

A great explanation of how low cost airlines manage to keep their low costs. Apart from the well know using smaller airports and the seat pitch lenght, the number of employees makes the difference.

But I have to disagree with the fact that regular airlines have to pay comissions to travel agencies. That is not a reality anymore as most of them do not give us any comission at all. So do not ask me what they do with the money they used to pay us years ago.

Picture of the week

Strasbourg (France)

Victoria Peak, see Hong Kong from a different perspective

Kowloon's bay

Victoria Peak or The Peak is a really interesting place to see Hong Kong from, it raises 552 metres, being the tallest peak in Hong Kong Island. Whether you decide to grab a cab, the tram or the local bus, the views from the road are spectacular and the vegetation extensive. It is funny to see among all that crystal and endless skyscrapers Hong Kongers have kept such a green place that remembers to a tropical garden (because the climate in Hong Kong is wonderful and extra warm). One of the reasons why this has remained untouched is, without a doubt, because building must be really difficult in highlands. I have not doubt that having being easy, the population would have already tried .

The peak itself has nothing more and nothing less that stunning views of all the city (what your sight and a clear sky can reach in such huge city) and specially of Kowloon's Bay. You can also see the West Lamma Channel and Victoria Harbour. 

15 reasons to go on a cruise

Via Mytravelmoney