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Volume 5, Issue 44, October 30, 2007 |
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The first commercial flight of the superjumbo Airbus A380, from Singapore (SIN) to Sydney (SYD), landed on Thursday evening. It was met with huge excitement Down Under — so much so that you’d think it wore Qantas’ colors, and not those of Singapore Airlines. (Qantas will be the next airline to put the A380 into service, sometime in the spring of 2008.)
The massive new aircraft, which measures a whopping 240 feet long and stands 79 feet high, with a 262-foot wingspan, drew crowds despite bad weather that delayed takeoff of the return flight by two hours. Passengers on the first flight ranged in age from 10 months to 91 years; some had paid more than $100,000 for the privilege. Thirty-five nationalities were represented among the passengers, with Australians constituting the single largest group.
Our intrepid Sydney reporter, Ross Hoddinott, was there to watch events unfold. He writes:
“On time and two years late, the inaugural commercial flight of the Airbus A380 touched down at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. The Singapore Airlines flight carried VIPs, successful bidders in the eBay charity auction, and some 70 members of the press.
“A gray and drizzly day prevented some Sydneysiders from seeing the huge aircraft as it made its final approach. They were kept amply informed nonetheless. Local newspapers carried large supplements from the airline promoting the aircraft’s features, in particular the ultraluxury first-class suites on the ground floor, near the nose. Reporters on board the plane made live calls to their radio stations, and TV networks streamed onboard flight footage to the 6 p.m. evening news broadcasts. Next morning, breakfast television featured extensive coverage, with one network broadcasting its many weather reports from various parts of the A380 as it sat on the ground awaiting its departure for Singapore.
“Initial comments from those who had enjoyed their eight-hour flight were unsurprisingly positive. A party mode prevailed throughout the flight, with special catering for all. Singapore Airlines had also left some business- and first-class seats empty, so that those in the ‘back of the bus’ could have a peek at the luxury side.
“It was, of course, the suites that got the most comment, with many comparing them to premium yacht or rail cabins. While their privacy walls might not quite reach the ceiling, they do provide seclusion never before seen on an aircraft. The two suites that convert into double beds were the most mentioned, the buzz helped along by the airline strewing flower petals across the crisp white sheets.
“The view from economy was a bit more subdued. The additional seat width was noticeable, but the seat pitch seemed much the same as on any other large airliner. Business class looked nice, although the full-flat effect is achieved by a slight diagonal offset. The bar area, where passengers could collect a drink or snack or even have a chat, was apparently quite popular.
“Some passengers commented on the very smooth ride and the reduced inflight noise which, combined with the spacious cabins, provided a more than usually comfortable journey. I’m not sure that all of them noticed, however; the party was going strong, with many passengers comparing how much they’d paid for seats at auction, and exchanging email addresses.
“Then again, parties like this don’t come along every day. The last jumbo ‘first’ — the first commercial flight of the Boeing 747 — took place way back in 1970.”
InterContinental Hotels’ Priority Club is stepping up to the plate to help victims of the California wildfires. Members can go online to donate points to the Red Cross, earmarked for California fire relief. (You may need to scroll down to the bottom of the page, past other charities, to find it.) The online donation form is set to accommodate donations in 5,000-mile increments, but you can call Priority Club at 800 272 9273 to make donations of different amounts, or of cash. InterContinental Hotels Group has pledged to match all contributions, up to a maximum of $100,000. 
If you don’t much like the idea of your seatmates aloft chattering away on their cell phones, you’re not alone. A survey conducted at the Business Travel Show in London in early October showed that only 23 percent of respondents thought that mobile phones should be allowed on airplanes, while a much larger number — 46 percent — hated the idea. Several airlines, including Air France, BMI and Ryan Air, have announced plans to install phone masts that will allow them to offer passengers satellite phone service in-flight.
Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class Wing at London Heathrow’s (LHR) Terminal 3 has not only a dedicated security channel for Upper Class passengers, but even a ‘drive-through window’. Passengers booking Virgin’s chauffeured limo service to Heathrow are driven up a ramp to an arrival area where they are greeted by an airline host, personally checked in, and guided to the security area, which leads to the Clubhouse.
If you’re heading anywhere in Great Britain, you can now book taxis online via official tourism sites. Working with Where2Guv.com, the domestic tourist site EnjoyEnglandDirect.com now has a button for online taxi service, and it will soon be available on VisitBritain.us. You can even get a price quote first. There’s also an online service that lets you find out which train stations, underground stations and tram stops in Britain have taxi stands.
Our Global Traveler of the Year essay contest is underway. Please note that some changes have been made to the Grand Prize: The winner will now be heading to Rome instead of Milan. Global Traveler invites you to enter our essay competition, sponsored by GT and Alitalia. One Grand Prize will be awarded: an Alitalia package for two to Rome, including Magnifica-class tickets and two nights at a Boscolo hotel. The winner will also be invited to Global Traveler’s annual Awards Luncheon on Jan. 16 in New York City. Essays will be accepted online through Dec. 16. This year’s topic: In 200 words or less, tell us about your favorite place you have visited in the world, and why.
United Airlines, Tampa (TPA) – Denver (DEN), Economy Plus
www.united.com
Businesslike and no hassle — that’s the way I like my air travel, and my United flight to Denver fulfilled that mission. Upgrades to Economy Plus are sold until the last minute if available, and I was able to get one at the gate. The flight pushed off from the gate one minute early and was airborne within five minutes of the posted departure time.
Economy Plus seats were arranged three-abreast on either side of the center aisle on the A320, identical to the width and arrangement throughout the aircraft, but 10 or so of the first rows have more seat pitch, i.e. considerably more legroom. The seats were comfortable, but the neck rests are quite padded and, since I’m 5’3”, pushed my head forward uncomfortably. Even raising it (which I guess is to accommodate very tall people) didn’t get it out of my way; I had to pad the whole back of the seat with pillows to keep from having to stare at my lap.
The cabin crew announced that except for the air traffic control system, none of the audio entertainment channels were working. Since there was no movie anyway, no one seemed to mind — at least half the passengers seemed to have iPods or noise-reduction headsets on. About 40 minutes into the flight, attendants came around with beverages and packaged cookies; I declined the opportunity to purchase one of several $5 snack packages.
It was a full flight, and the flight attendants didn’t seem hassled in the least, calm and pleasant throughout, and returning for beverage refills. However, used cups and wrappers stayed on the tray tables until the descent announcement. As a result, that meant most passengers left their tray tables down, to hold the trash. Since I had the window seat, getting out to stretch my legs looked like too much of an undertaking.
We touched down at 9:34 a.m. Mountain Time, and were at the gate by 9:45, beating our scheduled arrival time by nine minutes. By the time I traversed the distances from the gate to the shuttle train, and from the train stop to the baggage area, my luggage was just coming out, so essentially I never had to wait for anything from the moment I exited the aircraft; I was in my limo by 10.
If you’re tall and need the legroom, or you like traveling in the front of the airplane, Economy Plus is a pretty good deal. You can buy the upgrade regardless of how much you paid for your basic ticket. As short as I am, I still enjoyed the extra legroom on a four-hour flight, but probably wouldn’t bother spending the extra money for a shorter trip.
Score: ••••• Mary Hunt
The Food Network’s reality show The Next Iron Chef took the four remaining contestants to Munich for last week’s episode. The winner of the competition will be given the opportunity to collaborate with Lufthansa on a signature menu for the airline’s Star Chefs premium menu program. Through Nov. 4, log onto Lufthansa-USA.com to guess who will survive that week’s elimination. After that, you’ll have until Nov. 11 to log on and guess the final winner. Everyone who guesses correctly will be entered in drawings for a pair of round-trip economy-class tickets on Lufthansa to Europe and other prizes, which include a $500 MasterCard gift card, cooking gear and more.
Last week, BMI launched 17 new destinations from its London Heathrow (LHR) hub, and has teamed up with its Star Alliance partner United to share the celebration. Mileage Plus members who fly United to Heathrow and connect to a BMI flight to any of the new destinations — which are in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with Cairo coming online Nov. 4 — will earn double miles for the whole trip. The offer is good for flights through Dec. 31.
You can make New Year’s Eve last all day and night with a special package to Reykjavik being offered by Icelandair. The New Year’s Eve On Top Of The World package is good for U.S. departures on Dec. 28 and 29 and includes round-trip airfare, three nights in Reykjavik, buffet breakfast daily, a visit to the Blue Lagoon plus two different sightseeing tours, New Year’s Eve dinner at the Pearl restaurant, and the Brenna Brenna celebration with a bonfire and fireworks. The package costs $1,379 per person for departures from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS) or Baltimore (BWI), $1,429 from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) or Orlando (SFB).
The Sofitel New York has introduced a new Business Premium program to encourage business travelers to stay, or stay longer. The program includes some features of Sofitel’s Privilege Card membership, including 4 p.m. checkout and complimentary room upgrade if available (normally only offered to Sofitel Gold members), and adds extras such as complimentary ironing of one item of clothing each day. The program can be booked by calling 800 SOFITEL and mentioning GDS Code 018.
Northwest Airlines will begin flying between Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) and Paris (CDG) in April, and there’s an incentive to be among the first passengers on the route. Book your flight anytime between now and May 31, and you’ll get 15,000 bonus WorldPerks miles. You must register for the bonus to qualify. The offer is also good for other recently announced new Northwest routes to Amsterdam (AMS) from Portland (PDX) or Dallas (DFW).
