Aer Lingus

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Unfortunately, flights are cancelled. Staff with Covid. Gute Besserung !!

Notes on Air Travel ~ Do we miss it?

Swiss Air Landing at Zürich Airport/Fabio Meier

I don't especially care for air travel, but it's an only option to see my family and besties back in the USA. Flying Star Alliance United Airlines from Germany to USA is standard fare, a day flight. I miss most, however, not so much the flight, rather the pre-boarding savoir faire at the Munich and Frankfurt airports, as duty-free shopping accounts for more than half my carry-on; as well, handbags to beget not only by me, but also instinctively by our frequent flier Asians who have unlimited resources, each carrying two shopping bags of high-end handbags back with them to their respective countries. They show their Asian passport and get the golden ticket to board. "Thank You for shopping our friendly German stores; only the sky's the limit here. Auf Wiedersehen !!" ("See you again.")

Return flights are tough: saying Au revoir to Chi-town, and being a night flight, especially if there is a commute through Switzerland, but oh, .... that Chicago O'Hare Terminal 5 matches Munich with eateries and shopping for trinkets that tuck nicely in the carry-on, and delightful Swiss Air staff that make that added commute all the more worthwhile. Maybe it's the sight of the Swiss Alps in Zürich, that could outbeat the landing at Chicago. If, however, it's Lufthansa direct, the Pilot's: "Welcome on board your flight to München," sounding like "munchin'", (as i'm packing in a sandwich just before takeoff to prevent motion sickness) warms the heart. I think the service associated with air travel: be it airport amenities, shopping, gastronomy, airport and flight staff, is what I miss most about air travel; everyone treated as a first-class citizen, and frequent-flier miles, which despite the Corona pandemic lockdown, are still valid for that bonus trip -- Aer Lingus to Dublin anyone?

7 Things Flight Attendants Notice About You When You Board A Plane By Suzy Strutner

Flight attendants may seem chipper and carefree, but don’t be fooled: While pouring bubbly and chatting with travelers, these trained first responders are also keeping a close watch over the plane for threats, starting the very moment you board. “Passengers think we are just greeting them at the door,” Jay Robert, a flight attendant and founder of Fly Guy, told HuffPost. “But they’d be surprised at the number of threats we eliminate at that stage of the flight which would have caused a delay or even harmed their health and safety.” We asked flight attendants to name the first thing they notice about passengers when they board a plane. Most of their answers have less to do with judging your in-flight look and more about keeping you safe. The right boarding behavior could score you better service, too. Here’s what the cabin crew notices:

If you look them in the eye.

″[I notice] who makes eye contact with me and who doesn’t. More often than not, the ones who don’t make eye contact make me investigate... Are they scared of flying? Are they feeling okay? Are they dealing with a personal issue? These are things people don’t tell you outright, and a facet of my job is making sure everyone is having a comfortable flying experience.” ― Stephanie Mikel, Southwest Airlines

If you’re drunk.

“Intoxication and aggressive passengers are prime suspects we try to identify at the doors. We are trained in basic taekwondo techniques to handle acts of aggression in the sky, but stopping them before they get up there is our main goal.” ― Jay Robert of Fly Guy

If you’re in shape.

“I’m looking for able bodied persons who can assist with security problems inflight, as well as someone who appears willing and able to assist in an emergency evacuation. Typically, this is someone who is traveling alone and in street clothes, looks like they are in above average physical shape or is known emergency service personnel.” ― Zac Ford, flight attendant with a major carrier

If you talk to them.

“When I say hello and a passenger responds back, I notice and think, ‘wow, that person is really nice.’ If I ever needed help with something, I’ll probably ask the nice passenger. [And] if a passenger ever needs help from me, I’ll probably go above and beyond the call of duty for a nice passenger.” ― Heather Poole, American Airlines

If you’re under the weather.

“It’s important to check if my passengers are fit to fly. Once all doors are closed and we’re airborne, it can get very challenging to handle medical emergencies. During boarding is the perfect time to take a look at who will be on my flight.” ― Claudia Sieweck, TUI fly

If you’re pregnant.

“I’m searching women to see if they are hiding baby bumps with loose clothing. After a certain point in a pregnancy, women need a doctor’s certificate to travel, and after a set period they are no longer allowed to fly.” ― Jay Robert of Fly Guy

If you’re nervous.

“I ask passengers if everything is alright if I have the feeling something isn’t perfect. Passengers with fear of flying get my special attention: I love to care for them and to make them feel comfortable.” ― Claudia Sieweck, TUI fly
Some responses have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost .  Yahoo!

Lonely Planet releases 2017 top 10 travel destinations rankings By Darla Guillen

Photo Credit: Toronto, Canada/worldplacez.blogspot.com

The No. 1 country to visit in 2017, according to Lonely Planet, will be Canada, because it's "turning 150 in 2017 and making no apologies for it."

"Canada is always popular with us," Lonely Planet's Canada destination editor Alex Howard said. "But there are several things going on in 2017 that made it number one. It's the country's biggest birthday party in recent memory with the sesquicentennial next year [2017], and they won't be shy about celebrating. Also, international travelers can expect their money to go further due to the weak Canadian dollar, so now is the time to start planning a trip." Chron

BRITISH ISLES & NORWAY • JULY 30th – AUGUST 11th, 2017

Connect with the peoples and places of the British Isles and bask in the region’s luminous seascapes, green grass and golden hills on Bright Horizons 32. Travel roundtrip Copenhagen to England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland with scientific experts and science buffs on HAL’s Zuiderdam July 30 – August 11, 2017. 2-Page Flyer Scientific American

Iceland becoming 'Disneyland' as US tourists outnumber locals By Hugh Morris

Photo Credit: www.demilked.com

Iceland, a country hailed for offering a secluded, otherworldly travel experience, is being turned into Disneyland, it has been suggested, as new figures show that the number of American visitors this year will surpass the country’s population. The capital Reykjavik has been transformed over the last few years as the number of tourists visiting the island has soared, nearly all of whom arrive via the city’s airport on the south coast. And Birgitta Jonsdottir, leader of the anti-establishment Pirate Party, which could yet form the next government later this month, is not pleased about the new arrivals. “It’s like the city is not my city any more,” she said. “It’s like Disneyland downtown.” The exceptional growth of Iceland’s tourism industry is well documented, with dramatic year-on-year rises since 2010, but 2016 will mark the first time that the total number of American tourists will be greater than the number of Icelandic residents. New figures released by the Icelandic Tourist Board detailing arrivals for 2016 up to the end of September show 325,522 visitors from the US. The Icelandic population is 332,000. The number of US visitors will continue to rise through to the end of the year, and contribute to the estimated 1,500,000 visitors from around the world -  the figure was 1,353,000 by the end of September. In 2010, the annual number of global visitors was 459,000; back in 1996 it was just 200,000. Jonsdottir said her party wanted restrictions on the numbers of tourists visiting natural sites outside the city, which often lack basic facilities such as toilets, and would introduce a tax on hotels to help fund tourism infrastructure. The rush of travellers drawn to the island's glaciers, geo-thermal pools, extra-terrestrial landscapes, and seasonal Northern Lights displays has meant the country’s fledgling tourism infrastructure has been under mounting pressure, while the capital has seen an increase in hotels and souvenir shops, and rising rental costs for residents. This month a poll by broadcaster RUV found that 87 per cent of Icelanders believe the government should impose larger fees or taxes on tourists. Though the country welcomes the revenue created – filling the growing hole left by slumps in the industries of both fishing and aluminium – there is concern over the burden placed on the country. The government is currently in the middle of a nine-year tourism strategy that runs to 2020, with a focus on improving infrastructure while also “protecting and maintaining” tourist sites. “The development of tourism infrastructure shall aim at protecting nature, and the tourism strategy shall aim at incorporating the concepts of sustainability and responsibility for Iceland’s culture and natural surroundings,” it said. However, it would not have been prepared for the enormous growth experienced after the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, and subsequent ash cloud that shut down European airspace for seven days, helped put the country on the map. It coincided with a PR drive from the Icelandic tourist board, while its appearance in the HBO series Game of Thrones provided further encouragement to visit. Since 2010, arrivals have soared. This year alone, the number of visitors from January to August is up 33 per cent on the same period in 2015. British visitors over the eight months are up 32 per cent to 200,000. Tourism officials believe Iceland will welcome two million visitors a year by 2020. The influx has caused a number of issues for the country. Attractions around the Golden Circle and south coast have become increasingly busy, with coach-loads of tourists flocking to see the Gulfoss waterfall, Thingvellir national park and the Geysir geothermal park. Iceland’s tourism authority has attempted to educate visitors of both the risks to their safety and the importance of maintaining natural sites. In March it launched a course on how to stay safe in the country, with a spokesperson at the time saying: “The majority of tourists want to experience nature, and we know that Icelandic nature must be treated with respect and care.” Photographs posted on social media showing tourists ignoring safety barriers have not endeared them to the Icelandic public. Attempts to advertise the appeals of eastern Iceland, including new direct flights this year from Discover the World to Egilsstaðir, are designed to take the pressure off the south-west of the country and Reykjavik’s Keflavik airport. The Telegraph Photo

More airline outages seen as carriers grapple with aging technology By Jeffrey Dastin and Jim Finkle

REUTERS

Botswana named Lonely Planet's No 1 destination for 2016

(CNN) It's one of the most hotly anticipated travel guides of any year -- the annual survey of destinations Lonely Planet is recommending for 2016. The travel giant's "Best in Travel 2016" is a roundup of top as well as emerging destinations and experiences. The collection "highlights not the places travelers are headed to next year, but the places our team determined they should visit," says Tom Hall, Lonely Planet's editorial director. Next year's must-visit country is Botswana, which the team at Lonely Planet calls "wild Africa at its best." CNN Photo

Singapore named Lonely Planet's No 1 destination for 2015

Chinese New Year laterns add a splash of colour at Marina Bay. -- PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/LONELY PLANET Singapore has been named Lonely Planet's top travel destination for 2015. Lonely Planet said "a slew of new developments has elevated the 'Singapore experience' to a new level", from Marina Bay to "a new crop of swanky hotels". The Straits Times