Enjoying business class

[pie-eater 207]

I want to go "upstairs", looks quite and cool up there.

But with my cheapo ticket I can't confirm seat until 24 hours before so I presume the regulars who pay full price will have nabbed them up. Oh well.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

The last time I went all out on drinking during the flight was the first flight to Japan. Me and a couple of mates sank a few ales in the pub at Heathrow before getting on and continued as we flew across Europe towards japan. Inevitably I fell asleep and woke up with the WORST hangover ever!! Thumping headache, beer sweats and a toungue like week old jerky!! Still had 5 hours of the flight to go....t was the last time I drank a lot on a flight.

[thursday 1]

May have posted this before. But on one flight I was on, I asked the sweetie for Champagne, she brought me a glass. I finished it and she came over and asked if I'd like another one.

 

I wanted to sleep so declined. But she came back with "I opened the bottle for you, you sure you don't want to finish it?"

 

Umm.... bring it on baby. I was unmarried then but got too pissed to get her phone number.

[pie-eater 207]

Headache?

[veronica 2]

I would definitely make the most of it.

Maybe take just a few hours nap.

Have fun!!

 

Out of interest, how much was it?

[big-will 7]

I hope you will keep a pie and beer diary again pie-eater.

[cheeseman 1]

I hope they serve some good cheeses for you.

And please keep a cheese report going too!

[pie-eater 207]

I will report Cheeseman. Just a few weeks now.

[big-will 7]

Hey pie-eater, looks like BA crew going out on strike again next month.... affect you?

[thursday 1]

Seems like it's gonna be March.

[pie-eater 207]

Called BA yesterday and they basically said "we can't tell you anything for now all flights as scheduled". I think it is today that some strike dates will be announced.

[thursday 1]

don't worry Pie Eater, I cancelled a free biz class ticket just to stay home.

[pie-eater 207]

If they need to give a full 7 days notice of a strike, then it would seem that my flight is ok because I travel next Thursday.

 

BA. It's possible.

 

[RobBright 35]

Drink on the plane all the time - I hate flying.

[pie-eater 207]

I do usually but I am really looking forward to it this time, it being business class. I did get upgraded once ages ago, but the seats look so much more appealling now than they used to.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

As long as you get the good plane.

Some of the Qantas oldies are still flying, and usually the routes I want to upgrade to business - so it hardly seems worth it.

 

I booked business for a trip we did last week. Couldnt get it return, but booked it one way. Then as I was packing my gear for the airport I got a called from Qant-ass telling me that the plane had been downgraded and there were less business seats available than planned, so I was being moved to economy.

 

What?!

 

Ahhh well...she tried to get me to go via Melbourne or Sydney instead of direct to Canberra to get a business seat, but I would have had to be at the airport already! So economy it was.

 

Then - same day I read about Qantas profits being way down because people don't want to fly business anymore, and they book economy all the time.

Well stupid Qantas took my $300 for economy instead of $1600 for business ... so they ended up with $1300 less for me, and $1300 less for Papa, and if they had the return flights we would have booked them too - so they actually lost $5200 in profit from us just last week.

 

Ya really gotta wonder. That Canberra flight should have WAY more business class seats - and nice ones at that - the ones they have are crappy - because it is mostly business people flying that route.....and they are prepared to PAY to be able to sleep or work on the plane.

 

Who is in charge of their financial decisions!?

[scouser 4]

I don't think there's much to worry about there. All the planes on the London <> Tokyo seem similar and the business seats always look good to me when I walk past them!

 

Have fun and have some pies and boddies for me.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

That is a route where the best planes seem to be employed the majority of the time.

 

My parents had old seats one way last year but it was Dubai<>London.

[scouser 4]

Would still like to know how 'clean' they are. Or perhaps not!

[scouser 4]

Quote:

Several years ago, I was a Pediatric Infectious Disease consultant for the company that makes Lysol. One of the members of our committee was a microbiologist who worked for the company. He conducted a clandestine study of airplane cleanliness by secretly taking swabs from the tray tables, bathrooms, air ducts, etc. on several flights around the U.S. The results were VERY eye-opening since several of those cultures grew out coliform bacteria (bacteria from our intestinal tract), and not necessarily found just in the toilet areas. He found it on the tray tables! He also found Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and other disease-causing organisms throughout the plane. That poor man will never be the same again. He now disinfects EVERYTHING on all his flights; carrying his Lysol Spray, of course.

Over the last thirty years, I have flown quite a bit. As a medical provider, I take a particular interest in the habits and mannerisms of others. It is difficult not to notice someone coughing at the back of your head, sneezing on the seats, wiping their snotty noses and stuffing them in the magazine pouch, or watching a mother change a poopy* diaper (assumed to be poopy based on smell alone) on the adjacent seat (or tray table!). Since there are significant penalties for cancelling flights, people think nothing about flying while they are ill. In the close quarters of an airplane cabin microorganisms can be freely shared.

Fuel costs have skyrocketed, so airlines are cutting flights and stuffing even more people in those seats. Flights turn around quickly, so the flight crew only has time to pick up the trash. They do not have time to disinfect (not the same as wiping off) the tray tables. I hope they disinfect the toilets, but something tells me this is not always done, at least to my satisfaction, anyway.

In my Blog about dirty toilets, I mentioned that I have developed an iron bladder over the years. I especially avoid using the toilet on an airplane whenever possible. With a few hundred people sharing a few toilets, they start looking like those porta-potties that you see at the county fair. If you could SEE bacteria with the naked eye, airplane bathrooms would be virtual Petrie dishes.

Unless you are flying with two other friends known to be well, there is a good chance you will be exposed to some infectious illness on your flight. Many airlines do have HEPA filters for the circulating air; some still do not. HEPA filters are good, but they will not filter the wet sneeze of a fellow passenger or the unwashed hands of someone returning from the toilet. Breathing the exhaled air of hundreds of other people in that airborne tunnel is not one of the healthiest environments I could imagine.

Some suggestions to reduce your infectious disease exposure on air flights:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly and often, and avoid touching your eyes or nose - the main entry points for disease-causing microorganisms.
2. Carry some disinfectant wipes for the tray tables and seat arms. It is a good idea to wipe down the window if you are sitting in this particular seat. There can be some odd-looking stuff on that window!
3. On short flights, avoid using the airline toilet. If you must, do so with caution. Short of wearing a Hazmat suit, you are putting yourself at risk. Again, carry those disinfectant wipes with you to the toilet and use them. After carefully washing your hands (again), use a paper towel to flush the toilet and open the door again.
4. Notice if your seat-mates are ill. If they are blowing their noses, sneezing, coughing, etc., then be extra, extra careful. If there are empty seats (unlikely), then consider sitting somewhere else.
5. Bring your own magazines.
6. Stay hydrated. When your own mucous membranes dry out, you are more susceptible to respiratory organisms. Drink plenty of WATER, especially on long flights. The air in the cabin is usually dry, so use a saline nasal spray.

When you arrive safely at your destination, you are still at risk. It is not unusual to get ill when you are traveling, since you may not have any acquired immunity to circulating diseases in other communities. We tend to develop herd immunity with our family, friends, and co-workers, but when you are traveling the herd quickly changes. Respiratory viruses (colds) can have an incubation period from 12 to 48 hours, so don't be surprised if you get one of these unwanted gifts on your vacation.

[muikabochi 208]

I'd rather not read that!

 

Glad your flight will be ok pie-eater.

[2pints-mate 0]

Have fun!

[pie-eater 207]

Not long now.

The days before going are always a whirlwind of tying things up and the bloody tedious process of packing.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

pie-eater on his way.

Sleeping or watching some movie?

[pie-eater 207]

Those Club World seats are ace. Got one upstairs next to the window, so could see no-one else. 180 degree flat. Marvellous. Would you like some champagne, Mr Pie-eater? I most certainly would!