Flights Travel Airline Tickets

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While gadgets might be a boy’s best friends, no airline gets far with me unless they can back it up with a great personality. That’s where the experienced and friendly Virgin Atlantic crew really made my first time special, even announcing over the PA system that they would be delighted for me to fly with them again! They haven’t called yet, but I’m sure they will.

Virgin Atlantic, Premium Economy, simon hillier, Virginity, passenger
Since returning from holiday everyone’s been asking, “What’s with the big grin?”

Well if you all must know, I just lost my Virginity, and to be honest, I can’t wait to go back for more. I’m no pushover you understand, but after hearing those rumors, I had to find out what all the fuss was about. So one minute I’m innocently working away at my desk, and the next I’m on the phone to my travel agent booking a seat to Hong Kong for a few nights of heady shopping, sightseeing, and degustation.

I’m not one to tell, but as soon as I arrived at the Virgin Atlantic counter at Sydney Airport they were already turning on the charm, inviting me to a special priority check-in for Premium Economy passengers, where a very friendly agent quickly checked me through with a big smile, remarking that I still had plenty of time to ogle the duty-free goodies before take off. Rather fresh of her I know, but that’s just the start of it.

As we boarded the aircraft, one of the attentive crew suggested I slip into something more comfortable - like my seat - while she fixed me a drink. Looking around with glee I discovered it wasn’t just a line; Premium Economy really did only have eyes for me, and twenty-seven others.

Not only were the seats wider than regular economy class - think Beyonce dancing next to Kylie - the chair configuration of two, three, two across the aircraft provided just the right amount of personal space. In addition, they’ve added extra padding, leg rests, and a generous recline. This baby was definitely built for comfort.

To put me in the mood before take off, I was offered a selection of drinks, including a glass of champagne. I hadn’t intended on letting my guard down so early, but I’m talking real glasses of French champagne, not just plastic picnic goblets of Spumante. What did they take me for, a Business Class passenger?

Slurping noisily on my glass of bubbly, so as to be heard back in economy, I couldn’t help but notice a well-stacked set of amenities bursting out of the seatback pocket in front. I have to say I’m a legroom man myself, however, these colourful kits were more than a handful. Each one was stuffed with socks, eyeshades, pens (who can ever find one when they need to fill out those customs forms?), notepads, tissues, and big enough to air your dirty laundry in on the way home.

Once in the skies, the crew really started to put on the moves. More drinks, impressive meals (by airline standards anyway, although I did tell them they were the best I’d ever had), refreshing hot towels, and tempting snack delights such as ice cream and chocolate bars.

Not long after dinner, the crew quietly dimmed the lights and lowered the shutters. However, this was no time to roll over and go to sleep. The flight was still young, and the fun just beginning. Both Premium Economy and Economy seats are equipped with large seatback video screens. Being sensitive to our individual needs, Virgin offer 50 movies to choose from. I could play, pause, go faster, take it slow, back a little, and, of course, stop if the film was just not doing it for me. Whenever I felt like a break between the action, a huge selection of TV shows, computer games, and audio channels awaited my every command.

After some initial fumbling around, I discovered that each seat has its own phone and email address. Of course, I could have communicated with the outside world, but why bother when the real enjoyment was dialling seat numbers to prank call and heavy breathe other passengers for free until I learnt that my seat number appeared at the receivers end. For those who would rather fly by the motto “all work and no play”, Premium Economy also provides in-seat power supply for laptop computers.

While gadgets might be a boy’s best friends, no airline gets far with me unless they can back it up with a great personality. That’s where the experienced and friendly Virgin Atlantic crew really made my first time special, even announcing over the PA system that they would be delighted for me to fly with them again! They haven’t called yet, but I’m sure they will.

Now you know how I lost my Virginity and still wear the big grin to prove it. But don’t take it from me, give your travel agent a call and tell them “I want what he’s having”.

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Many years ago, the train was the lifeblood of countries and economies. The train system, certainly in the UK can leave a lot to be desired at times, but this has been due to the continued under investment from successive governments.

expatriate, eurostar, channel tunnel
Traveling by air has always given the people of this planet the ability to hop from one continent to another in a matter of hours. There is no doubt whatsoever, airline travel has not only changed the way we travel, but it has also impacted on our daily lives.

Strawberries in the middle of winter, to packages sent the same day from the other side of the world. The aero plane has certainly made a big impact on society.

The airliner and the airlines have been the predominant choice for the majority of business people and holidaymaker’s alike, looking for quick, efficient and nowadays, a cheap way to travel. There are of course alternative ways to travel, but to some, seem a little outdated.

Many years ago, the train was the lifeblood of countries and economies. The train system, certainly in the UK can leave a lot to be desired at times, but this has been due to the continued under investment from successive governments.

Since the opening of the Channel tunnel in the late 90’s, the Eurostar train system linking the UK to mainline Europe has seen progressive growth, despite earlier faltering’s. Now this service seems likely to be the major opposition to the low cost airlines flying from the UK to Europe, especially from airports in the London area.

Typically, a flight from London Heathrow to Paris Charles De Gaul (CDG) airport takes just under 1 hour. That seems really quick especially if you need to be in Paris for a business meeting. Now consider these points. London Heathrow is not actually in the centre of London, nor is Paris (CDG). The distance from London Heathrow to the the centre of London is approximately 15 miles, and is pretty much the same from Paris (CDG) to the centre of Paris. With that said, that 1 hour doesn’t seem so appealing after all.

We arrived at the check in point at London Waterloo International at just after 14:00. The train we were due to travel on departed at 15:11, calling at Calais and Paris Gare de Nord (the north station). We had traveled by tube to get to Waterloo station, which took about 25 minutes, involving 1 change at Leicester square at a cost of ? per person.

We had taken the opportunity to book the tickets for the Eurostar in good time and received a great deal. For just ?9 return, per person, our total spend so far had totaled ?20. Two Eurostar tickets at ?9, and two underground tickets at ? each. We had looked at flying from Heathrow with British Airways and their cheapest fare was ?9 per person. Not much difference in the price, but the travel to heathrow and also from Paris (CDG) would probably equate to the same again. Not a good choice.

After initial security and passport controls, we took our seats at 14:55. At exactly 15:11 the train glided effortlessly out of the station with the view of the magnificent London Eye visible to our right. So far so good.

The journey out of London takes you through the suburbs of Brixton and then finally out into the countryside. It seems a little dated on the English side as regards the state of the railway, but after about 35 minutes into the journey, we turn off the old victorian railway onto the brand new, recently commissioned UK high speed line and race along the kent countryside at speeds up to 300kmh (186 mph).

It doesn’t seem long before we are going to say goodbye to England and the announcement informs us that the transit time in the Channel Tunnel will be approximately twenty minutes. In no time at all, we exit the tunnel to a glorious blue sky in France.

After making a stop at Calais, we have about an hour and twenty minutes before we reach our final destination. Racing through the French countryside and negotiating the Paris suburbs, we arrive two minutes early. It really was a great journey on Eurostar, and now we are at the very heart of Paris. Those people who had decided to take the plane would now be fighting for taxis or taking the RER train system into city centre. Another 30 to 40 minutes more to add to the journey, not to mention the cost.

The total journey time from the centre of London to the centre of Paris had taken us a measly 2 hours and 40 minutes (approx). This is due to be slashed to around 2 hours and 15 minutes once the remainder of the UK high speed rail link is commissioned in 2007. Once the line is opened, Eurostar will be moving homes and will no longer operate from London Waterloo, transferring to London St.Pancras.

The aero plane laid claim to the king of transportation. After traveling with Eurostar, we say the king is dead, long live the king. Airline domination from London to Paris and Europe has finally had it’s day.

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Safety is a foremost concern of any traveler, regardless of whether the trip is for business or for pleasure. Never has this need been more emphasized until recently, in light of 9/11 and of the latest bombings in London. These attacks have somewhat made people wary of traveling, especially traveling by airplane.

business travel, business trips, flight, travel
Safety is a foremost concern of any traveler, regardless of whether the trip is for business or for pleasure. Never has this need been more emphasized until recently, in light of 9/11 and of the latest bombings in London. These attacks have somewhat made people wary of traveling, especially traveling by airplane.

However, despite these risks, the US Federal Aviation Administration claims that airline accidents are rare, with the odds of death about 1 to 7 million. Most airplane disasters occur usually during the plane’s takeoff, climb, descent or landing.

To minimize safety risks passengers face during travel by air, the following measures are recommended:

Fly non-stop. Since airline accidents occur mostly on takeoff, climb, descent or landing, flying non-stop avoids these as much as possible. Not all direct flights are non-stop, though, so it is best to check with one’s travel agent.

Fly on larger aircrafts. The design and certification of aircrafts with a seating capacity of at least 30 are strictly regulated. The chances of passenger survival in case of fatal accidents are also higher in larger aircrafts.

Pay attention to the pre-flight briefing. The information given on pre-flight briefings tend to be repetitious, but it still pays to listen to them. The seating and layout of an aircraft depends on what kind of aircraft it is, so the location of the exits differs as well.

Avoid storing heavy articles in overhead storage bins. Overhead storage bins may not be able to hold heavy articles during turbulence. Heavy items should therefore be stored elsewhere.

Keep your seatbelt on. As in any vehicle, seatbelts provide additional protection for the passenger. This is especially helpful when turbulence occurs.

Listen to the flight attendants. Airlines employ flight attendants not only to serve passengers but also to ensure safety within the aircraft. It is best to listen to what they have to say first before one starts complaining or asking questions.

Do not bring hazardous materials in the aircraft. Some materials such as gas and corrosives react differently in the contained and pressurized interior of the aircraft. If allowed by the airline, these materials should be stored in their proper containers.

Do not drink too much. Alcohol has a stronger effect on the body in higher altitudes than at sea level.

Wear sensible clothing. It is advised that clothes made of natural fiber should be worn when flying because synthetic fabrics melt onto a person’s skin and cause more serious burns. Women should also take care not to wear high heels when flying.

Stay alert. It is important to keep one’s wits about one’s self in case of emergencies so there would be less panic and people would be able to get out of the aircraft more quickly and efficiently.

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Airline ticket rates can vary wildly for passengers on the same flight. One person can pay $250 for a seat, while the individual in the next seat may have paid $1000. There are many tactics to help your reservation resemble that of the first passenger, not the latter.

Book your flight as soon as you decide on travel plans. Airlines give discounts for reservations made at least 3 weeks in advance. The best rates often include a Saturday night stay and have travel dates duri…

airline reservation online, airline reservation, airline tickets,airfare
Airline ticket rates can vary wildly for passengers on the same flight. One person can pay $250 for a seat, while the individual in the next seat may have paid $1000. There are many tactics to help your reservation resemble that of the first passenger, not the latter.

Book your flight as soon as you decide on travel plans. Airlines give discounts for reservations made at least 3 weeks in advance. The best rates often include a Saturday night stay and have travel dates during the work week.

Shop at the many online travel agents to compare the rates of many different airlines. Be sure to check at least 3 different sites, as each may have a different alotment of tickets, and service fees can also vary.

Be flexible about when you travel, since even changing the flight time on the same day can effect the reservation rate. Unpopular early morning or late evening flights tend to have lower rates. Also, try to avoid peak travel season, summer, spring break, and Christmas and New Years. The cheapest fares tend to be found during the off season and at other times when planes are filled below capacity.

If travelling to a large city, Check the fares for any nearby smaller airports, as it might be cheaper to fly into a neighboring city. Remember to allow for other costs when you considering this option, such as rental car or taxi fares. This might also extend travel time.

In some instances, splitting the trip with stopovers my bring savings. However, be sure the savings are large enough to justify the extra trouble of the stopover.

Look into booking your travel plans as a package deal. Sometimes it is possible to save money by reserving a hotel room and a rental car along with the airline ticket. If you are going on a cruise, ask the cruise company if they are affiliated with any airline. Some credit card companies also have discount agreements with some airlines. The reverse is also true : many airlines have agreements with hotel chains and rental car companies that can save you money on other travel expenses.

When dealing with a live travel agent, ask if this is the best rate that they have available or if there are any specials offering essentially the same itinerary when you are booking your reservation.

Apply any special discount programs for which you are eligible. Students age 16 to 26 are can get special discounts, and seniors may be able to get discounted fares through the AARP.

Belonging to, or travelling with a group, may get you a better deal on airline reservations. If you are a member of a club or service association, check whether they have a travel plan. If travelling with a group, ask for a group discount. Discounts are often available for government, military or corporate employees. Often, airlines will even extend these discounts even for non-business travel.

In the case of large groups, it is sometimes cheaper to charter a plane than reserve individual seats. This may save time as well as money, since the charter airplane will accommodate your schedule, and baggage can be managed for the entire group, with much less chance of loss of luggage.

When you reach check-in at the airport, ask if any special upgrade deals are available. Sometimes it is possible to upgrade to first class at a nominal fee, and this is definitely worth it on long flights due to the larger seats and extra leg room.

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Tips for enjoying the vagaries of current air travel when flying economy class.

air-travel
Copyright 2006 Cole’s Poetic License

(Domestic, economy class)

Air travel, you may have noticed, ain’t what it used to be. Therefore:

1. Check your large bag. Carry your make-up and computer bags only. The airlines rarely lose luggage. Besides, you need to be free to wander airports unburdened. No clothes are worth tying you down, if you think about it. Also, no clothes are worth the effort of stuffing a suitcase into the overhead bin next to four others. The flight attendant pulls it out, turns it around and shoves it back in again with a smile. But you feel the anger in his back muscles.

2. Plan to spend as much time in airports as you do in the air-or more. Big city airports have interesting art exhibits to peruse while you’re waiting for delayed flights. San Francisco has famous paintings about the sea and its mythology along with exhibits of all kinds of weird ocean creatures under glass. You can ride the moving stairway back and forth to take it all in. That’s easier than going to a museum where you have to walk.

3. Expect flight cancellations, delays, gate changes and other snafus. Choose to relax and enjoy each one. You have that choice, you know. Some airplane, often yours, needs mechanical work which takes three hours. They rarely tell you what kind of mechanical work. There is no point in assuming it’s major such as wing failure when you can just as easily assume it is a clogged sink.

4. Expect crying babies on every flight and /or kids kicking the back of your seat repeatedly. Feel grateful that they are not your kids, unless, of course, they are. Then you can feel grateful that you don’t have to put up with anyone else’s kids.

5. Get on and off the airplane last or near last whenever possible. Let the rest of the world be frantic. You have the choice to be calm. Actually, you have the choice to be happy, too. Simply say to yourself, “I guess I’ll be happy for now. Why not?”

6. While hanging around the airport, notice the frustrated passengers pacing with their cell phones. Send them warm thoughts. It will make you feel great. They may not hear you at first, but if you keep it up, you’ll be surprised. Eventually you will give them some real peace of mind and you will be able to see the change come over them.

7. Bring your own gourmet food to eat on the airplane and in those airports that sell only fast food. You can use a fashionable soft plastic carry-on cooler that fits easily into the overhead bin.

8. Carry a disc player with headphones for soothing hypnotic discs that put your brain waves on Alpha. Brain waves are electrical vibrations that flow in waves and can be measured by the number of pulsations per second.

Beta level is 14 to 20 pulsations per second-best for action.

Alpha level is 7 to 14 ?best for thinking.

Theta level is 4 to 7 ?sleep.

Delta level ? to 4 ?deep sleep.

The Beta level is the conscious level; Alpha is the subconscious where intuition works.

The most brilliant and successful people in history deliberately slowed their minds to Alpha level daily.

With the right discs you can shut out simultaneous airport announcements that cancel each other out. I can recommend several.

9. Make sure you have easy access to pencil and paper to record the great ideas you have while your brain is waving on Alpha level.

10. Then, when you put away your disc player and return to the Beta wave world of the airport, you’ll feel refreshed. You find the movement and noise around you fascinating. You smile at the “Keep your Eye on Your Belongings” mantra, the offers from oversold flights, the scents of nervous sweat, T-shirt proclamations and cell phone conversations circling you.

You then read your book in peace and don’t even notice that your flight is seven hours late.

It’s a wonderful way to fly economy class, or do anything else, for that matter.

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Want to escape for an exotic holiday without worrying about the airfare rates? Where airfares could have been a hindrance to your enjoying a wonderful holiday, presently it will not be. With too many travel companies upcoming these days, getting a cheap airfare is never a problem. Airfare is a fare that is charged by the airline from the travelers.

Airfare tickets are offered by the airlines companies who offer you to buy tickets at a fraction of a cost. But you should re…

Airfare
Want to escape for an exotic holiday without worrying about the airfare rates? Where airfares could have been a hindrance to your enjoying a wonderful holiday, presently it will not be. With too many travel companies upcoming these days, getting a cheap airfare is never a problem. Airfare is a fare that is charged by the airline from the travelers.

Airfare tickets are offered by the airlines companies who offer you to buy tickets at a fraction of a cost. But you should remember that cheap airfares are usually seasonal and available at particular time of the year. The price of the airfares will depend on the destination you want to visit and the type of airlines you want to access. Although airfares may vary from place to place, yet you are offered with better prices if you can book your seats in advance.

Ways to get cheap airfare

There are two main ways through which you will get discounted airfares. The first way is to stay in touch with the airlines. This will offer you to know when the airfares are available at a discount or other new schemes offered by the airlines companies.

The other way is to explore “bucket shops? This means contacting airline wholesalers and consolidators who offer great online discounts. They purchase the tickets in large quantities from the companies and then pass them on to the consumers at discounted prices. But you should make sure whether the ticket for your route is available or not. The more in advance you book your ticket, the more discounts you will get.

Types of airfare

When you are reserving your airfare, you should remember some key factors. Make a quick market survey so that you can select your airfare from available sources. You should also try to choose the company that offers the lowest airfare rate.

There are different types of airfares that are as follows:

- Apex fares ?also known as advance purchase fares that are much lower than the normal fares
- Discount fares ?these are low priced fares that are offered by the airlines for a very limited amount of time
- Flexible fares ?these are also known as unrestricted or full fares. Although the price of these fares are very high, yet you are benefited with receiving refunds and doing alterations on your ticket on the same day of travel
- Joint fares ?these offer price allows passengers to access more than one airline to get to various places.

If you are one of those who frequently have to travel to various places, then finding a cheap airfare is very important. The key to getting cheap airfare is shopping around for flight tickets. You simply need to be flexible and enquire the prices of various tickets offered by various companies. You can even visit a plethora of websites and search for online cheap airfares.

You can also visit some travel agents who will definitely offer you with outstanding airfares that are unavailable at online sites.

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Private jet charter services have become an immediate solution for all flying problems. Individuals or companies whose executives travel regularly prefer private jet charter services over commercial flights. Read on to know their benefits?

Jet charter, Private Jet, Private Jets, Private Jet Charter, Private Charter Flights, Private Air Charter, Private Jet Charter Services
Traveling on a private jet means you save time and energy. Its hassle-free and a much more productive and stress-free way to fly. It puts you in control. Private jet charter services have made it very easy for people to organize instant business trips. Especially for business tycoons, jet charter travel is of great importance. There are several advantages of hiring a private jet:

Scheduling

You are the boss here. Your aircraft would leave when you decide. The main advantage of hiring private charter flights is the freedom of scheduling. You can plan out the entire schedule according to your business needs and fly at any time you want. You can also alter the schedule if required.

Time-Saver

For business community time is money. Wastage of precious time means loss of millions. Normally, traveling by a commercial airline lead to a great wastage of time due to delayed or cancelled flights. On the other hand with private jet charter services you save time reserving tickets, registering, making queues for security, getting the luggage etc. In short, you avoid delays and save a lot of precious time.

Size

Here you are the king. You choose the private air charter service which suits your needs. You can choose from a variety of aircrafts like light jets, midsize jets, super mids, jumbo jets or even helicopters according to your requirements, i.e. seating capacity, speed of travel, etc. Now that’s the luxury you will never get when traveling on commercial flight.

Additional Facilities

A private air charter service also ensures that you get excellent gourmet meals, ground transportation facilities and return services to make your trip convenient and memorable. You dictate the needs here. You can also demand specific items to be served on board like vegetarian meals or a certain drink.

Added Security

The most important benefit of private jet charter services is that you get a high level security. It’s hassle-free. You don’t need to stand in a queue to get through the security area. No need to worry about luggage loss. You get high level of comfort, privacy and security.

Choose your Airport

With private jets you get the facility of choosing the airport you want to land in. You can decide to land in a less crowed airport, where you can save your precious time in car and ground transportation.

A private jet charter service ensures that its customer service personnel are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet client’s demands. It provides corporate, executive and independent travelers with top level security, comfort, privacy and flexibility; which is not available in any other mode of transportation.

Probably that’s why more and more corporate houses are now beginning to prefer private jet charter services to regular commercial flights to ensure their people reach the right place at the right time with minimal hassles and fatigue.

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Anytime you are able to get the chance to save any money with your airfare tickets, you had better jump on them because a lot of folks unfortunately miss out on several of these because of not choosing the time out to search them.

cheap airfare tickets,saving money on airfare tickets,discount airfare tickets,affordable airfare tickets, how to find cheap airfare tickets, how can I find cheap airfare tickets, how do I find cheap airfare tickets, where can I find cheap airfare tickets, how to find discount airfare tickets, how can I find discount airfare tickets, how to find affordable airfare tickets
Anytime you are able to get the chance to save any money with your airfare tickets, you had better jump on them because a lot of folks unfortunately miss out on several of these because of not choosing the time out to search them. It’s the better part of being capable to travel truly because the benefits of saving money don’t simply stop at the airport, this will make it more relaxed for you to enjoy yourself when you do actually arrive at your destination.

Whenever you can find out how to get these cheap airfare ticket deals you will simply be surprised at how easy it actually is to purchase them. The internet offers numerous choices available to you, for these purposes. One matter to keep in mind is that you need to look at purchasing a return ticket. Several of the airline companies will offer you some discounts on your returning flights, and they’re just slightly different than the one way tickets would be. Whenever you know the precise date in which you should be coming back, then you should consider trying to purchase these tickets in good deal early. You should realizing that a few airfare ticket costs are substantially higher when they are in higher demand.

By discovering the correct websites to browse through, when you are researching on the internet for cheaper airfare ticket prices you are allowing yourself the ability of noticing some of the cheaper packaged discounted deals that are available to you, for your world traveling purposes. Be sure that you visit at any rate some of these discount ticket sites on the internet before you make your final pick, because if you spring into something too quick, you could find that you have for certain missed out on some better deal offers.

Bigger airline companies will have more pricey airfare tickets available to you since the tremendous amount of advertisements and marketing that comes in keeping them so fashionable. Attempt to avoid purchasing airfare tickets from several of these larger airline companies because you will be shocked by the expensive airfare costs. By selecting a smaller airline company, you will be seeing to it that you will get cheaper priced airfare tickets and at the same time be offered with all of their highest services.

If you are completely determined in getting some cheaper airfare tickets for your flying purposes, then all you have to do is maintain your choices open and always be really flexible on your flying schedules. Investigate all of your possibilities since you may notice that finding cheaper airfare tickets is easier done some of the times by just purchasing a packaged vacation deal or by deciding to purchase a last minute airfare ticket. A lot of folks don’t know of all of the savings that they could be enjoying because they have perhaps never checked out their options. It’s time to set out doing the researching essential in noticing cheaper, more affordable airfare tickets, because it is available to you, if you actually want it.

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Before you can work your groove on vacation or holiday, you must learn to plan!

cheap flights list, airfare, travel
Well you’ve spent numerous hours shopping online and calling up your travel agent to get the best airfare deals for your vacation. Now you are tired and all you want to do is sit on a couch and watch some good old-fashioned TV. However there’s only one big problem now, you haven’t finished planning anything yet!

Yes folks getting the best inexpensive airfare- although it is a very crucial step, is just one many steps that you should consider at the very least when planning the itinerary for your vacation.

Let’s face it we’re all tired out, whether it’s from work, or in our personal lives, or even play (like those all nighter card games you have with the boys or girls), we all need vacations every now and then or our brains will all but stop functioning properly.

Going on a vacation is a very fun and relaxing activity for everyone. The projecting portion of it should not be that stressful or difficult for anyone. Remember planning your vacation should be considered part of the fun as opposed to actual work or drudgery.

Consider planning together with your best friends over coffee or dinner. If you are bound, then set a goal for your vacation (i.e. to become more cultured, to eat exotic foods, to go on a shopping spree, etc) and then work your way backwards step by step.

Don’t worry about being perfect though because after this process you’ll have the basic plans necessary to begin living your own vacation and in a way that you will never forget. Planning ahead will exponentially improve the your ability to connect with those you go on vacation with whether it’s with family or friends.

Do you remember your goal setting class in college? Well guess what- that’s the very first thing you need to set for yourself — a goal for your vacation! It may seem obvious why a person wants to go on a vacation but the truth is this- there are many ways to go about it and you can get various results based on how you plan from the outset. For instance you may not get the same results if you plan a vacation around Las Vegas versus a vacation around family friendly Disney World.

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Airline food has notoriously been a terrible product while inflight catering for private jets has been compared favorably to five star restaurants. Unfortunately, all of this is now changing. Read on for all the sordid details!

catering, corporate flight attendant, inflight caterer, cabin managers, cuisine, wine, appetizers
Airline food has long been the scourge of the industry. Literally! With customer expectations low, few expect that the meal they are served onboard an airliner will rise to the level of even a family style restaurant.

On the other hand, corporate jet catering is a whole different animal. With delectable entrees, delightful soups, outstanding appetizers and snacks, and the most decadent desserts imaginable, the passenger on a private jet expects [and pays for!] food akin to a five star performance.

Not anymore.

Today, in-flight caterers providing exemplary service and dining options is almost a thing of the past. Thanks to the rise of fractional jet operators who demand a narrow menu and smaller portion sizes, the quality levels with many in-flight caterers has nosedived. In addition, Air Chef, the largest provider of in-flight catering to business jets in the world, continues to snap up poorly performing caterers across the US. Now, corporate flight attendants must call a 1-800 number to place their order with an inexperienced and unknowledgeable clerk. Forget customer service and forget special orders…these do upset Air Chef!

With the bad name associated with the company, Air Chef is apparently seeking to distance itself from even its name. Air Culinaire, a caterer with operations in four different cities is now part of the Air Chef network. Now for the rub: word has it that Air Chef, in a bid to sharpen its image and to stave off the growing ranks of ticked off corporate flight attendants — their bread ‘n butter — the caterer will be changing its name to Air Culinaire.

Corporate flight attendants aren’t amused by Air Chef as evidenced by their comments on the Corporate Jet Catering site as well as on Cabin Managers, a forum that is also tied in with the Corporate Flight Attendant Community.

By the way, Rita’s Catering of Boston is another Air Chef caterer…business flight attendants know this and are fleeing to the competition as fast as they can.

Hey, Air Chef: do you get it?