After nearly three years, it’s finally happening. It’s time to dust off those Chinese tourism visas. Starting from 15 March, China will once again be accepting applications for tourism visas. Better yet, if you had a Chinese tourism visa issued before 28 March 2020 — that is, the date China sealed itself off from the […]
Tourism
Innovations in Airport Security Are Emerging
In spite of having been mostly disappointed by my first visit to the new Terminal A at Newark International Airport (EWR) earlier this March, there was definitely a highlight worth mentioning– the security checkpoint. I’m not referring to how the airport botched the queuing system (i.e. most fliers with airline status don’t get their own […]
United Is Adding Flights from Newark to this Scottish Gem
Did you think I was referring to Aberdeen, the oil capital? Maybe from Houston. Having temporarily suspended routes between the United States and Scotland during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, United was the first U.S. carrier to resume flights between the two places back in March 2022, from NY/Newark EWR to Edinburgh EDI. Resumptions […]
Japan’s ANA Restarting Two Nonstop Flights to Europe
I try not to make it a habit of flying through Brussels International Airport (BRU). For being located in a wealthy part of the world, it’s complete rubbish. (But hey, at least they have a supermarket on-site). Nevertheless, while flying through the Belgian capital in 2015, I coincidentally noticed the following advertisement: With leisure travel […]
Saudia Starting Flights to At Least Four Destinations in 2023
The SkyTeam airline alliance — of which Delta, KLM/Air France, and ITA Airways form a part — has my two favorite underrated airlines in the industry (thus far; I haven’t flown every airline in the world, not by a long shot). China Airlines is one of those carriers, and the other? Saudia. Since my first […]
Singapore Airlines Trialing Paper Utensils
One of these days, I’m hoping to read that airlines will start introducing “Turkish food” as an option, but until then, I have some news about how your next in-flight meal might be presented. Per CNA (formerly Channel NewsAsia), since last month Singapore Airlines has been trialing paper wares on select flights in Economy Class […]
Brandenburg.2: The EU Again Threatens an Entry Fee Starting in 2024
For the title of this post, I was wavering between the current one, and Brandenburg.2: Electric Boogaloo. For some background, Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER) was slated to open way back in 2011, but due to a number of issues, only opened on 31 October 2020. Similarly, the European Union’s has frequently delayed its plan […]
Japanese Convenience Stores: Oh, The Flavors You’ll Try
I didn’t grow up going to convenience stores in the United States, in part because they weren’t really a thing. Then, once I started visiting other parts of the country, I found them to be torturous for the five senses. Aromas didn’t seem human — or edible — and whatever “food” that was sold was […]