TravelCommentator

Category: Opinion

Airports / Opinion

24 Hours In Changi Not A Problem But How About 96 Hours?

This crazy idea came to me when I was thinking about my up-and-coming four day trip to Singapore. Could I perhaps forego the reason why I’m travelling there and spend that time inside the terminals at Changi Airport instead? We know there are some long layovers at airports, but for some Australian travellers, in particular those travelling to and from Adelaide with Singapore Airlines, like me, this happens quite a lot. Especially the all-day layover when arriving early morning in Singapore from Europe and then departing (on the same day) at 23:35 on flight SQ279. This can entail layovers of approximately 18 hours either spent at the airport or a quick trip to a city hotel. We know Changi is a great airport for...

Apartments / Opinion / Vacation Rentals

Clean Rentals Make For Better Vacations

If you are looking for a holiday rental (or as the Americans call them, vacation rentals) in the USA and cleanliness is your main concern then renting from a select list of properties managed by a professional cleaning company is the way to go. Many properties run by Airbnb and HomesToGo are cleaned professionally by MaidThis, a company that specialises in cleaning holiday rentals. The company employs vetted professional cleaners and applies its process meticulously from a pre-determined checklist that is strictly adhered to ensuring tasks are organised, cleaners stay on track and nothing is overlooked. Knowing hotel accommodation is cleaned on a regular basis, rooms cleaned and linen changed every day, you’d expect holiday rentals be given the same treatment. Of course this...

Opinion

ITB Asia 2024

ITB Asia is Asia’s largest business to business travel show where many deals are initiated and signed between buyers and sellers of travel related services and products. Tourism authorities, destination management companies, tour operators, airlines, hotels, travel technology companies all attend. It will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore in late October. I’m hoping to attend this year’s event, my first since 2019, again as a member of the media. My interest in the trade show lies mainly with the individual national tourism boards and with some of the DMCs. Especially if there are any new destinations, products and services that need media attention. Anything the travel consumer would find appealing and tour operators and travel agents would snap...

Air Travel / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Anti-Bacterial Wipes a Necessity in the Cabin, Definitely

Some will be thinking, “I won’t be taking any wipes with me and do the cleaning others should have done for me”. I’ll guarantee you, you will get strange looks from other passengers if you start doing the wiping and cleaning after sitting down in your seat. They do it to make you feel out of place as most won’t bother. But there is no dodging this fact; airline pilots and cabin crew recommend antibacterial wipes. Why? Because they know their workplace and know what goes on. Do I agree with them? Wholeheartedly even though I haven’t asked them specifically. I have always suspected the airplane cabin to be a place that harboured bacteria. I can tell you this through observation. Others should do...

Air Travel / Opinion / Tips & Advice

The Risks FAs Take on The Job Deserves Respect

The recent events of severe turbulence on two flights Singapore Airlines SQ 321 (London to Singapore) on the 21st of May and Qatar Airways QR017 (Doha to Dublin) on the 26th of May, has highlighted the dangers of being a Flight Attendant (FA). Yes, passengers did get hurt some severely with one elderly person dying from a heart attack, but cabin crew do this everyday with higher probability of getting injured while making sure passengers are safe. Their job is not all rosy and glamorous as some may think. They work very hard. Passengers need to understand this. Next time you fly please spare a thought for the FAs and what they have to endure while doing their job and the risks they take...

Loyalty / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Hotel Memberships and Newsletters; Their Value

Just recently one of the hotel chains based in South East Asia, Far East Hospitality, sent me an email with a discount voucher. It was a nice surprise. They valued me as a member, even though I haven’t been that loyal. My last stay with them was many years ago. It’s not because of their product, which is good, it’s just that I’ve stayed elsewhere during this time. Just after that stay I signed up to their loyalty programme and newsletter which I receive regularly and keeps me informed of their products, services, promotions and new hotels. This particular email was sent to all their members celebrating “Members’ Day”. A promotion they do every year during the month of May. A nice gesture for...

Opinion

Travel Bug; Is there such a thing?

Yes, but it is not a real bug, or a disease or some other ailment. It is an urge, a feeling that comes over you and lingers in your body for a while. It’s there after you’ve returned back home to the everyday repetitive routines that makes life what it is. This mental state enacts itself just after the first withdrawal symptoms. We all get this as soon as we realise our travel adventure is over. Some get it on the return flight home. Others when they open the front door and realise they are back to what they had escaped. No matter how, it hits you, and then…the so called “travel bug” bites. The urge to get back to travelling and the feeling...

Opinion

After Four Years…

Yes, that’s how long it has been since my last international flight or for that matter any travel overseas. To be precise it was since November 2019 just before COVID-19 was officially announced. I have my personal and very strong opinion about COVID, the pandemic and the restrictions on travel. I won’t get into a discussion or detail here otherwise the post will not be about travel…I’ll say no more. How did I go? Better than I expected. I did stuff up a few minor things mostly due to stress rather than not remembering how to do things. My mind was always on matters happening back home. I had read an article a while back how COVID affected a travel writer who for a...

Opinion / Tips & Advice

Tipping, When, How and Whom?

When is the right time to tip and how much and who should benefit? I’ve had several experiences with tipping. Not a lot but they were in different situations. Tipping just doesn’t only happen after been given great service. It can also be an incentive to get better service, perhaps even again and again. In the right places tipping can make a difference…

Hotels & Resorts / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Hotel Etiquette

When staying at someone else’s house, perhaps a relative’s or friend’s place, do you respect the house rules? Do you behave accordingly? As a guest you will follow a few rules. Some are written, others are just commonsense but they are all rules a person with some decency would respect. These are the same kind of rules you would expect at home, so why can’t staying in hotels be the same for a few? We’ve already seen how bad etiquette can impact air travel so I thought let’s explore what is good and bad etiquette while staying at a hotel or other accommodation. Logically we’ll start and finish at the hotel door, checking-in and checking-out. Lobby and Front Desk First contact; where it is...

Opinion / Tips & Advice

Online Travel Agencies Booking Hotels, Yes or No?

Should you book your hotel accommodation with an Online Travel Agency or through a Travel Agent or direct? A question many ask when planning their travels. Here I’ll explain my experiences and what I think is the best way of going about booking accommodation. Save money, get a good deal and be loyal. In my early days of travelling I booked everything through my travel agent (TA); flights, accommodation, cruises, insurance, etc. I was happy to give them the commission for all their hard work. I had faith in their experience and they saved me a lot of time searching and organising. This went on for a few years then I decided to start booking travel myself to see if I could save money....

Loyalty / Opinion

Miles+Bonus Status Retention/Upgrade Changes

Elite status to become much harder in 2023 for Aegean Airlines’ flyers Aegean Airlines informed its frequent flyers and status holders on the 1st of February there will be changes to the tier retention and upgrade rules. Gaining status will be more difficult, especially for those not living in Greece and not able to fly on Aegean metal. The decision by Aegean is disappointing but understandable. They have good reasons and it has all to do with economics, which I will not delve upon here. Personally as a member of Miles+Bonus, the Aegean frequent flyer programme, I will find it much harder to obtain Gold status. I’ve already lost this status during 2022 being demoted to Silver. Aegean have been generous in the retention...

Loyalty / Opinion

Star Alliance Gold Status by Credit Card

With the launching last week of the HSBC Star Alliance credit card in Australia travellers now wanting gold status with a select group of Star Alliance airlines has become easier, well at least they have been given the option of spending their way to Star Alliance Gold, which for many may be the best or only way they’ll achieve this status. This is the first credit card of this kind awarding status with one of the airline alliances. It also seems Australia is the only country so far where this card has been issued, perhaps being used as a testing ground for future releases elsewhere. Is this just another card to add to your wallet and another dent in your credit rating? Now the...

Air Travel / Opinion

Snippet: Should You Dress Up or Down on Your Next Flight?

Recently there was an article about dressing up while flying and explaining why it was good to do so. The writer started the piece by describing how air travel used to be glamorous and goes on with the example of old films where you’d see passengers handed a cocktail seemingly enjoying themselves while in photos movie stars striding off the plane with their small, classy luggage. They had a good thing he says. I agree, in those days only the ones that could afford to fly would dress up, like movie stars and the well heeled. Glamorous for sure. How else would they be able to fly? I doubt they wouldn’t have it any other way. He goes on to say since the demise...

Air Travel / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Air Travel Etiquette: Some Basic Rules

To me etiquette, in the context of air travel, starts way before getting on board the plane. It starts as soon as you enter the airport terminal. Good etiquette alleviates frustration, anger and conflict. Issues that have become more common with air travel. What is etiquette? Etiquette is basically a code of conduct, an unwritten set of rules that govern behaviour and social interactions. Principles such as: respect, kindness and consideration, or the proper and polite way to behave are the mainstay of etiquette, but also decorum, manners and attitude play their part. Applying etiquette to air travel I suppose like in any situation where one has to interact with others in a comunal setting certain rules need to apply. So before stepping into...

Air Travel / Opinion

Unruly Passengers to Confront or Not?

Should you get involved in situations where there’s a problematic passenger on board? I would say no. Let the cabin crew do their job and sort things out. Flight attendants are trained to handle all kinds of situations even those when someone becomes unruly and violent. Are there exceptions to the rule? If the cabin crew ask for assistance and if you are capable of holding your own in a situation like this, then yes. Especially if you have experience or are trained in crowd control or mediation. Otherwise if you have self-defence knowledge, perhaps ex-army or police, speak to the cabin crew and assist. On some aircraft among the passengers they may also be an air marshall or a law enforcement agent. So...