An airport is a stressful and emotionally charged place at the best of times, a confluence of expectation, disappointment, frustration, irritation and anger being played out across the whole repertoire of human behavior. But these are not the best of times. The apocalyptic events of Sept. 11 and ongoing horror in the skies since then including the foiled attack on American Airlines Flight 63 — have led to longer check-in times and more rigorous security procedures and heightened a latent fear of flying among many people. Click here
Columns
Friday, January 28th, 2011
Will ‘virtual’ travel become the new reality?
The travel industry is always talking about ‘transforming’ the travel experience which, for us poor punters, remains stubbornly and increasingly dire: Packed planes, crowded airports with delays and indignities, in the cause of the ‘war against terror’ have seen to that. Nice when you get there – if you get there. Click here
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Frequent flier programs: 30 years old in 2011
Frequent flier programs are probably the most successful marketing idea of all time. Since American Airlines launched AAdvantage, the world’s first FFP in 1981, more than 300 million travelers count miles with one or more of 200 airline programs worldwide, many of which have scores of airline and non-airline partners, hotels, car rental firms and credit card providers. Click here
Thursday, December 9th, 2010
EasyJet makes a play for the business traveler
EasyJet’s trialling of ‘flexible tickets’ (announced in November, 2010) enabling travelers to change their flight up to two hours before scheduled departure time, is a bold play for a larger slice of the business travel market. Currently, 18 percent of EasyJet’s passengers fly on business, according to new chief executive Carolyn McCall, who wants to raise it to 21 percent in three years. Passengers booking a flexible fare are also allowed ‘speedy boarding’ and one checked bag at no extra cost. Click here
Saturday, November 13th, 2010
Listening out for God
Prayer is at the heart of our faith; it is the essence of worship; it expresses a hunger for God, exercised, and we hope, fulfilled through the liturgy. But the liturgy is simply a means to an end, not an end in itself. It is a framework, a fabric, on which we can hang our prayers, privately and in communion with our fellow worshipers in church.
Religion is not simply about believing, it is about belonging, worshiping together; the spiritual fellowship of communal singing, chanting of psalms and prayers – become mantras for our private communion, as we reach out to God in humility and hope. I can understand why the Koran relies on oral interpretation; like poetry, chanting of it can communicate to us, like poetry, without necessarily being understood by the conscious mind. Click here
Friday, October 22nd, 2010
Lightening your load with ‘Live Luggage’
Traveling light these days doesn’t necessarily mean traveling with just hand baggage. It means investing in a new generation of ‘power assisted’ or ‘zero-gravity’ suitcase. Linked to a telescopic handle, the frailest of high-powered corporate damsels can whiz along to the departure gate, tripping up fellow travelers with a flick of the wrist. Not to mention tired old road warriors like me – getting tripped up I mean. Click here