Let’s stir up controversy with some airline route maps. JetBlue is in the news for having displayed Palestinian Territories on its in-flight map. I don’t care. What I do care about is a plane landing safely at its intended destination. But wait, maybe I do care … such stories make for great rabble-rousing here. To […]
Middle East
What is a Positioning Flight?
If you have ever come across the term “positioning flight,” it doesn’t always have to do with human locomotion. To clarify the first definition, it simply refers to when an aircraft gets repositioned from one airport to another, generally for operational reasons. These positioning flights don’t take on passengers or cargo. Whisk me away to […]
Airport Supermarkets (Updated 18 September 2024)
As much as I personally love finding new foods to eat, I feel that much better when I can share some of the findings with family and friends. Though, it would be fair to say I don’t always remember to get to a city supermarket for some last-minute local food souvenir shopping. Enter: airport supermarkets. […]
Kunming Airport International Departures Lounge with Bonus Track
Like many Chinese airports, Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) has steadily growing international connectivity. It offers flights to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, various Southeast Asian cities, and even a 16:30 route to Dubai. For that last destination, I wound up in the Kunming airport international departures lounge. Officially the “first & business class lounge,” it […]
Restaurant Review: Shang Palace, Shangri-La Dubai
Disclaimer: In exchange for lunch at Shang Palace, Shangri-La Dubai, I am writing this review. After a packed four days of networking, and moderating a panel on culinary tourism at the Arabian Travel Market event, Friday was the day to relax. As my flight was leaving in the evening, I had a few hours to […]
Hotel Review: Marriott Marquis Dubai
Disclaimer: In exchange for a stay, I am writing this review of the Marriott Marquis Dubai. Located in the brand-new Jewel of the Creek district close to downtown Deira and City Centre Deira shopping plaza, the 434-room Marriott Marquis Dubai just opened in late March 2024. Check-in I had a short walk to the hotel […]
Airline Status Match Reality
ASMR for me has nothing to do with the sound of someone crunching a mid-flight Air France crouton. No, it’s all about the airline status match reality I’m currently facing. Prepare your small violins for this one. In my last post, I mentioned about how Emirates was quite open to the idea of a status […]
The Emirates Status Match
Really, there’s a Skywards Emirates status match challenge available? If access is granted to its business class lounges in Dubai (DXB), it might be worth it. But how did this discovery come about, and more importantly, what’s a status match? A few years ago, to invite frequent fliers to sign-up for its brand-new Volare program, […]
