Travel Wires
Tell us what you like and don’t like in the world of travel. Email travel@nzherald.co.nz Bigglier is the word
Who’s got the bigglier plane? Vladimir Putin has four identical wide-bodied, long-haul jets — no one knows which he’ll use until takeoff, and the other three may take to the skies as decoys. Each plane is worth US$500 million and the cabins are lavishly decorated with tapestries and gold accents. They are equipped with a spacious office and huge conference table. The aircraft have a special coating that make them less visible to radar and advanced communication systems. Trump primarily uses two heavily modified Boeing 747-200Bs, each worth US$1 billion and the 370sq m cabin has a bedroom, bathroom, gym and offices. A kitchen and chef ensure the President can eat whatever he wants at any time (but can they make a McDonald’s cheeseburger? — Deputy Travel Ed.). There’s a medical suite, a zone for travelling media and missile deflectors embedded in the wings. But Vlad’s plane has one feature the Don’s doesn’t: a goldplated toilet.
In the depths of luxury
Ponant’s new Le Laperouse 192-passenger luxury yacht boasts Blue Eye, a multi-sensory lounge bar below the water line. Its two large portholes are 2.5m below the water — by day natural light fills the lounge and at night spotlights illuminate the seabed. Technology allows acoustic immersion in the sea with sounds like the clicks, whistles and calls of a nearby whale transmitted live into the lounge. Body Listening sofas discreetly vibrate to the soundwaves.
‘Leaf peep’ goes up a level
Amtrak, the US rail network, is reviving its classic 1950s-style glass-domed carriage on two of America’s most scenic routes. The upper level of the glass carriage, the only one of its kind that remains in service, has windows on every side and the ceiling, meaning passengers can enjoy panoramic views without leaving their seats. From August 11 to September 23, the carriage will run through New England’s autumnal leafy glory. From September 27 to November 2, it will link Montreal, Albany and New York, taking in the changing tree colours.
No smoke, you’re fired
Two Chinese pilots have been fired after one vaped during a passenger flight, causing an emergency descent. The pair were flying from Hong Kong to Dalian when the co-pilot, smoking an e-cigarette, mistakenly turned off the air conditioning. He was trying to turn off a fan so vapour would not spread to the main cabin. Oxygen masks deployed and the plane dropped to 10,000ft (3050m) before climbing again and landing in Dalian. The pair may be forced to watch safety videos before flying again.
— travel@nzherald.co.nz