Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Cool

Shep Cheyenne

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:23:00 +1200

Travel in NZ is SAFE.
One poor dear who has had a sh!t ride through life is in the courts now and this might means she gets a bit more help she obviously needs.

LAX are a-holes, go through SFO or Asia dodge those dudes big time.

Kyle Matthews

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:29:26 +1200

What they don't do is to security check you at any stage. So if you had an accomplice (like an LAX cleaner) hide weapons in the lounge area, you could get on the continuing flight with them.

That's the case with any exit lounge, not just a transit one at…

Kyle Matthews

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:27:36 +1200

On the leg thing, get to the airport early and request an exit door seat.

Sadly (because of the requirement that you open the door), they exclude those of us that travel with small kids.

Rich of Observationz

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:21:47 +1200

Last time I went through LAX on NZ1, you leave the plane and are held in a primitive lounge area for two hours while they refuel/load and unload passengers/generally fluff around.

Because you are 'entering" the US, you are checked by a customs dude and get a green tag, which…

Geoff Lealand

Thu, 15 May 2008 08:20:56 +1200

Sartre was probably anticipating the perils of economy class international travel with his "Hell is other people"..Whilst we are on the horrors of such experiences, can anyone tell me why, on the return leg from Narita to Auckland, why you have to go through the security process twice--once at Narita,…

Simon Grigg

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:10:58 +1200

Nick – I have a frequent flier card with United – it's free and I can clock up mileage on all my AirNZ travel

Yep, I have a Krisflyer SIA card which does the same. None of those silly Air NZ Dollars or whatever they are.

Krisflyer are fantastic, their…

Shep Cheyenne

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:00:08 +1200

Paul – How do you find using UAs programme in NZ?
or do you use it more for int flts & upgrades on UA?

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 21:39:03 +1200

Nick – I have a frequent flier card with United – it's free and I can clock up mileage on all my AirNZ travel (even though I live in NZ) – only downside is that while I can book tickets on my mileage I can't seem to do upgrades on…

Yamis

Wed, 14 May 2008 21:30:13 +1200

On the leg thing, get to the airport early and request an exit door seat. I've done this for about my last 10 long haul flights and got it everytime. The aisle seat and the one next to it (there's usually 3) allow you to stick your legs in any…

Yamis

Wed, 14 May 2008 21:23:20 +1200

Given rising costs of living they really need to cater for the poor in economy as well and to keep costs down I propose they have somewhere to plug in your 8-track and a turntable for those records. A table to but your ghetto blaster on would be sensible as…

Peter Ashby

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:28:28 +1200

I remember flying Singapore airlines back in '96, must have been just after they put the systems in. They were wonderful back then.

As for not being able to see the screen if the person in front leans their chair back. Instead of scalding them or getting mini me to…

Kyle Matthews

Wed, 14 May 2008 18:17:49 +1200

So unless the plane has every second row empty, one should not use the recline at all, ever? Maybe the airlines should disable that feature?

Yup. Either of those things would be good.

Nick D'Angelo

Wed, 14 May 2008 18:06:49 +1200

Air New Zealand is equipping 18 of its planes with ... the Panasonic X Series in-flight entertainment

Great, but can the airlines focus on screens that work? My screen died 30 minutes before the film concluded on a recent Singapore Air flight (11 hours). Naturally nothing could be done (damn why…

B Jones

Wed, 14 May 2008 17:19:11 +1200

Hmm, perhaps this is where the outrageous $20-$30 annual airpoints membership fee they're trying to charge me is going. It does not cost $20 to send me a couple of emails a year telling me what my balance is and how much will be expiring at the end of the…

Gareth Ward

Wed, 14 May 2008 17:07:41 +1200

On the AC power to seat things – Air NZ Premium Economy is listed as providing that feature but in reality it seems to be to only every third seat or so.
So was rather disappointed on a flight back from London when I had planned to charge (and keep…

Rich of Observationz

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:59:37 +1200

PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR SEATS BACK WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE BEHIND THEM

So unless the plane has every second row empty, one should not use the recline at all, ever? Maybe the airlines should disable that feature?

You could always buy two tickets and select the seat behind you for…

Lyndon Hood

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:48:12 +1200

" " se*a*t " "

Lyndon Hood

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:47:42 +1200

It wasn't back far you understand, just back at all.

That's why God gave you sharp knees.

Actually, straightening my legs under the set I could've kicked them in the ankles.

Don Christie

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:42:10 +1200

Spilling hot coffee on the offender's head can also help

...as can

feed my daughter (allergic to salicylate acids) tomatoes and onions and then hold her up over your head waiting for her to vomit

obviously.

Kyle Matthews

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:01:00 +1200

Unfortunately I'm tall and if the person in front lent back even slightly I had to dislocate my neck to see the screen properly.

I think I'm even taller than Lyndon. My one experience with a personal screen I never had this problem, but PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR SEATS BACK…

Don Christie

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:38:49 +1200

Unfortunately I'm tall and if the person in front lent back even slightly I had to dislocate my neck to see the screen properly.

That's why God gave you sharp knees. Spilling hot coffee on the offender's head can also help.

Steve Ballantyne

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:22:21 +1200

Singapore's inflight entertainment system would be a lot better if they didn't insist on playing two or three commercials before every movie.

Air NZ, on the other hand, could do with a better selection of movies — but I welcome the opportunity to catch up with popular rubbish I don't…

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:20:32 +1200

yeah the screens on AitNZ cattle class suck – I'm not tall, but I do have bifocals – the screens plain don't work if the person in front leans back – there's nowhere I can put my head where I can focus on the screen and that doesn't involve extreme…

Mark Thomas

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:00:05 +1200

damn, i'm flying an Air NZ 747 to hong kong tomorrow. they don't even have humidifiers for the air con.

and what is it with the ubiquity of the ipod? me and my creative zen player are feeling a bit marginalised. an ordinary usb charger socket or power socket would…

Rich of Observationz

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:26:55 +1200

Lufthansa had in-flight WiFi, but they took it out, citing lack of demand (which I don't believe – it was only EUR20 a sector or so as well – it may well have been really crap and slow).

One thing with better entertainment is that at the moment, one main…

Paul Williams

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:03:19 +1200

Lucky bastards. Until recently I was doing weekly trips around Australia, often only short flights however. I'd love to have been able to plug in my iPod to watch my own video content. Qantas coach and business class don't have this function and so you're stuck with 'blockbuster' movies on…

Lyndon Hood

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:46:30 +1200

It did help with Singapore air flights to and from Europe being able to watch movies and tv and do some very basic language courses.

Unfortunately I'm tall and if the person in front lent back even slightly I had to dislocate my neck to see the screen properly.

Talking…

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:11:18 +1200

I always take my noise cancelling headphones on long flights – they basically turn loud engine whine into gentle white noise – I unplug them but leave them turned on when I want to sleep – I'm not sure how one turns up noise cancelling headphones (or rather the noise…

Steve Barnes

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:05:27 +1200

The thing i would love to see on long haul flights would be AC power and ethernet cables at all seats

Hmmmm......electric chairs ;-)

Kyle Matthews

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:04:54 +1200

to say nothing of electric chainsaws...

I'm hoping that you have to check all electric chainsaws into your bags to go in the hold.

Because if someone sits next to me having put one of them in the overhead locker, I'm getting off the plane, power supply or not.

Steve Barnes

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:03:24 +1200

Not quite on topic but almost

noise canceling is great sometimes they make me feel like my ears are going to explode.

Is this because silence something that is almost impossible on this planet, there will always be some sound whether it is the wind in the grass or the birds…

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:47:12 +1200

I think AirNZ do in biz class too – just not for the plebs (and their chainsaws)

James Green

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:38:29 +1200

the customer can plug ANYTHING in – and fires are such pesky things

to say nothing of electric chainsaws...

Simon Grigg

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:33:37 +1200

The thing i would love to see on long haul flights would be AC power..... at all seats.

Singapore's A380s provide exactly that

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:05:32 +1200

from a technical poiint of view AC power to seats on an aircraft is a real nightmare – the customer can plug ANYTHING in – and fires are such pesky things

Samuel Scott

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:03:02 +1200

I always borrow my dads Bose headphones and although the noise canceling is great sometimes they make me feel like my ears are going to explode.

The current in flight system on Air NZ long haul seems fine to me. Certainly miles better than any other air line i have…

Simon Grigg

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:53:39 +1200

I used to think the AirNZ inflight system was a little buggy, and a little laggy, until I few 14 flights in 6 weeks from NZ to the UK via Asia, and experienced what other airlines call inflight entertainment.

Air NZ should be good, they came into the game a…

barnaclebarnes

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:49:16 +1200

New AirNZ System + Mux Tape would be pretty cool. Share your playlists and listen to other peoples iPods. Then have a link to buy the song of iTunes...The possibilities are endless. You could also download city guides to the iPod Touch and do all sorts of other interesting things…

Paul Campbell

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:48:01 +1200

well anything has to be better – I've seen people stare at window's blue screens of death for the entire trip across the Pacific

While I suspect the ipod dock is to let you charge and maybe to screen your own movies wouldn't it be cool if they took the…

Gary Hutchings

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:39:01 +1200

The el'reg item notes this system is to be installed on the A320s and 767s, ie the short haul hopes that serve the Tasman and Asia, ( Although I would expect them to eventually install the same system in the 787s and dreamliners when they come on stream in the…

nic.wise

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:25:31 +1200

I used to think the AirNZ inflight system was a little buggy, and a little laggy, until I few 14 flights in 6 weeks from NZ to the UK via Asia, and experienced what other airlines call inflight entertainment.

Lufthansa came close. Singapore wasn't tooooo bad, Thai was non-existant, but…

Public Address

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:25:31 +1200

Discussion from blog post.