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BA EURO TRAVELLER SEAT ALLOCATION – A TINY MORAL DILEMMA

POST GLOBETROTTER I’ve just done a very short sector in a full BA Euro Traveller cabin. The last to board was a young couple in their late teens or early twenties. The young man politely asked the aisle seat passenger if he would swap with his girlfriend (they were in middle seats immediately behind/in front of each other) on account of his girlfriend being scared of flying and needing to be sat next to him. Said aisle passenger obliged and vacated to the middle seat in the row in front.

I was wondering – in these days of potentially paying £23 weeks in advance to reserve a preferred seat – would that aisle passenger have been reasonable (if they had paid up front) in suggesting that the young couple cover the £23? It would be a small price to pay for the comfort of the girlfriend. Perhaps I’m being naive and this is the oldest ruse in the book to blag seats together without paying. I cannot say if the girlfriend was showing any indication of being a nervous flyer as I was seated behind. But upon disembarkation she seemed happy enough and was content to force her way past people in front quite aggressively to get off the aircraft more quickly, which was a little futile given it was then a bus to the terminal. ➜ FINNKZ229 Interesting point Globetrotter. Unfortunately, if I had paid extra to choose my seat then I wouldn’t give it up (except possibly in the unlikely event that the seat I was being offered was better). This would all have worked better in the old days when you could choose a seat without having to pay. (It did sound like it was just a ruse to sit together.) ➜ NEVERECONOMY Even if they just wanted to sit together, possibly late check-ins (giving the benefit of the doubt here), I think Globetrotter did what I probably would have done – and have done in the same circumstances and then wondered afterwards if someone took advantage of me. In the scheme of things it’s not really worth too much analysis, and it seems the right thing to do. I have to say, I was not so charitable when in first class long-haul a rather snooty Singapore expat couple were angling for my 2A on a B747, just so they did not have to sit in the two middle seats away from the window. ➜ GIVINGUPBA On BA I once gave up my prime-location J seat to let a young couple with a baby sit together (they didn’t ask). I got a worse seat. The guy said: “Thanks very much”. Then, on arrival at Heathrow, the airbridge wouldn’t connect and we all had to get off down steps at the rear, and climb a load of steps up to the terminal. Climbing up, I was mightily struggling (I’m not young or strong) and almost failing to get up with my handluggage. The guy stormed up the steps past me and into the terminal without a glance at me or any offer of help (Mrs was coming up below with the baby). Thanks a lot, I thought. I don’t regret giving up my seat, and would do so again, but the incident really struck me.

WHEN WILL IT END? (100ML LIQUID BAN)

POST J O N AT H A N C O H E N 0 9 Do any of you have any idea when, if ever, the ban on liquids of more than 100ml in hand-luggage will be reviewed or come to an end? The reason I ask is that I travel through Tel Aviv on a regular basis and can take through whatever liquids I want, and do not have to remove my shoes or belt or comply with any of the other regulations that seem to apply in other airports around the world. I take security very seriously but don’t understand why, if the Israelis can satisfy themselves that none of these things are a threat (if properly screened before passengers can travel), other countries cannot do the same? All I know is that even with large queues for security at Ben Gurion International airport, I have never waited as long there as I have at Heathrow, New York JFK, Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle or Amsterdam Schiphol. Will things ever change here in the UK or is it all driven by the demands of the US? ➜ CAPETONIANM The Israelis do things properly without paying lip service to political correctness, they don’t give a damn what the rest of the world thinks, and they don’t follow fuzzy thinking. They racially profile, they interrogate and they discriminate. If only more would have the backbone to do the same. ➜ FDOS_UK There is a difference between Israel and Europe, in that we rely on technology and they prefer a human solution. The EU started working towards the removal of the liquid ban in 2103, but progress is slow and the US has expressed concerns with this approach. I prefer the Israeli approach – the technology rarely finds bombs. ➜ MARTYNSINCLAIR No liquid worries in Hong Kong International (at least in transit). They rely on machines. ➜ LUGANOPIRATE In Europe the authorities seem to want to cause the maximum inconvenience. Maybe it’s deliberate to raise revenue by getting people to pay for fast-track?

➜ CHRIS IN MAKATI

I’ve found Hong Kong International to be one of the most pedantic airports when it comes to security checks. I once bought some grocery items in a supermarket there and, when going through security for my flight back to Manila, they picked out several items that they claimed contained liquids or gels. Among these were cheese, Marmite and some canned food that contained a very small amount of water. Having agreed which items were unacceptable, I returned to the airline desk and they agreed to take them as check-in baggage. I went back through security once again but in a different lane, and they started going through my bag again. Incredibly, they picked out a couple more items that they had previously told me were okay and tried to say I couldn’t take them. So what was okay ten minutes before was suddenly now unacceptable. Fortunately, a supervisor who had seen me go through the first time saw what was going on and intervened.

NEW AMSTERDAM AIRPORT POST L U G A N O P I R AT E

A new Amsterdam airport is being built in Lelystad, as an expansion of the existing airport at Schiphol, which is at capacity. Lelystad is 50 minutes’ drive north-east of Amsterdam, so will be used mainly by low-cost carriers. What I find strange is that they do not expand Rotterdam airport, which I think would be more logical. Rotterdam is only 35 minutes by train to Amsterdam, and two lines pass close by. By adding a station, the journey time to Amsterdam could be reduced by about seven minutes. A major four- or five-lane highway also runs very close by. Rotterdam is a major port and the Netherlands’ second city. Does anyone know anything more?

➜ FLYINGDUTCHMAN1

The Dutch government is doing hardly anything that seems logical to others. Schiphol is apparently full now, as the airport gave all of the last slots away to Ryanair for another four flights a day to Dublin and the 22nd flight to Barcelona. Now they are trying to get rid of cargo flights to create a bit of space. Too many people live in the Rotterdam airport area; it’s better to expand in the polders [low-lying tracts of land surrounded by dykes], as there are only a few farmers to deal with.

➜ EDSKI777

There is no plan for a new Amsterdam airport in the near future. The airport of Lelystad, in one of the famous 1970s polders, is being extended. This airport is due to open for commercial flights in 2019. The aim of the Dutch government is to “entice” airlines to relocate from Amsterdam Schiphol to Lelystad airport. However, a limited number of slots will be available, and public transport connections are still not up to the normal Dutch standard.

A tiny problem may also be that Ryanair has already offered to take up all the available slots. In that case, Lelystad airport will not offer any solace to Amsterdam Schiphol. Amsterdam Schiphol airport is by no means full in terms of technical slots, but is limited due to an agreement between the government and environmental groups and people living near the airport. The current limit allows for 500,000 movements per year until 2020. First they will be extending Amsterdam Schiphol airport, with a new terminal planned for 2023.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS IN PHUKET POST N AV N O V 1 1

I am currently getting a good deal on British Airways flights and holidays to Phuket for next Easter. Does anybody in the forum have any recommendations for where to stay? I am looking at booking Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I am looking for a five-star property (not ultra-expensive like Amanpuri) close to or on a great beach and with decent access to Phuket Town. (It would be our first time to Phuket so not sure whether we should stay close to Phuket Town or away from it.) We would like to go diving, island hopping and try street food.

➜ HKTBOUND

I would recommend one of the five-star resorts in the Laguna area. I’m not sure you want to stay in Phuket Town and a trip to Patong Beach is very easy by taxi for the day or evening.

➜ K1NGSTON

I will be staying at the Le Méridien property just outside Patong. I have stayed there before and it is a first class resort catering for the whole family.

➜ HANDBAG

I have stayed at the Slate (formerly the Indigo Pearl). It's an amazing hotel, only five minutes from the airport, just across the road from the beach. You don’t notice any plane noise, which was surprising due to the proximity. The whole hotel is like staying in an art gallery (there is one in reception), as all the cutlery, tables, chairs and furniture all look like they have been individually commissioned. There are several great pools around the hotel (including an adult-only one) but we never used them as we had our own private one with a garden. There are lots of local restaurants nearby. I have stayed in thousands of hotels around the world but this one really wowed me. ➜

THEBIGSEATS

Take a look at the Pavilions Phuket, at Layan, which has Phuket’s best beach, just 25 minutes from the airport and about 45 minutes to Phuket Town. Pavilion villas are very nice – some have great sea views – and the dining is excellent. The hotel is not on the beach but is five minutes in their shuttle. There are some very good restaurants and bars within a tenminute drive. Anantara also has a resort at Layan so check that out too. If you want golf, plus the usual beach activities, take a look at Banyan Tree. BT