I have done e-checkin on Emirates but on the leg from Dubai to London, doesn’t look like DH and I will be sitting together. Why does the system apologize when I try to swap his seat next to mine? I can change my seat anywhere, but system won’t budge DH! Is there a sinister reason? And just my luck that there is no empty seat next to DH.

I am hoping that they will be able to fix it at the counter – fingers crossed, coz that’s what I’ve promised DH.

Packing is half done, Siya has been put in a nice kennel where there will be loads of friends and just need to shut down the house.

Jazz and Sangi want to know whether they can join – packed as luggage, of course. Sorry ladies, 30 kg is max baggage allowance. I know both of you are over that limit by at least 20kg!  

It looks like a night out! We’re to fly out in the wee hours and have to get to the airport at around 1am. So I may as well say goodbye sleep what with the loads of other pending tasks on that very short checklist. I have a feeling we are forgetting something. (Deja vu from Home Alone!)

Independent Political Analyst & Keynote Speaker, Daniel Silke comments on the economic crisis facing Dubai. All comments may be used in press reports with appropriate credits.

Don’t Write off Dubai Just Yet!

For many, there was a jealousy consumed with envy in their analysis of Dubai. Double-digit economic growth for over a decade made the Emirate a new economic model in a region that never before saw itself as a true global player. The audacity of development projects like The Palm and Burj developments were breathless achievements and a testimony to ingenuity and design. You couldn’t help but be impressed with the scale and size of property and residential projects – nor the strategic expansion of Emirates Airlines which was the catalyst in making the location of the Emirate critical to its economic development.

So, the “Debt Restructuring” or “Standstill” of some $80bn worth of loans just announced was justifiably enough to unnerve investors and the larger banking sector. Dubai’s exceptional growth path was built on debt. Its huge infrastructure projects financed by loans while its glamorous real estate companies played a global game of investing in assets as diverse as the Cape Town’s Waterfront, Barney’s clothing store in New York and the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas.

Sanctioned from the Sheikh’s palace, Dubai World and Nakheel (the largest of the property conglomerates) acted with impunity. A lack of any regulation or oversight enabled these companies to adopt the adage of “build and they will come” negating the market forces of demand and supply. Testimony to this is the many incomplete or vacant office towers that litter the desert along Sheikh Zayed Road – now a living monument to oversupply and market saturation.

But, for all the Western sniggering (and frustration) with Dubai’s current malaise, Dubai managed something of a miracle in a region beset by violence and social disintegration. For the first time, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum invested in his own region (or City) rather than accumulate vast sums of cash for the private use of the favoured class. Be it motivated by vanity (and who can deny that building the biggest and best are not vanity projects?), Maktoum laid the foundation for a remarkable Arab recovery.

Instead of looking inward and retracting into a religious or nationalist cocoon, Dubai stepped out of its comfort zone to create wealth and engage the world – and in particular the West – through the development of tourism and promotion of the City as a global player alongside London, New York and Paris. Dubai’s vision was much broader than just being a fleshpot in a hot, dusty and inhospitable part of the world. Making Dubai and example in the Arab world, exposing the region to outside influences (and vices) and creating a welcoming environment for business and leisure surely was an achievement rarely seen in decades of strife and disengagement with the West. And, the vision was copied by Abu Dhabi, Qatar and even conservative Saudi Arabia albeit on a more modest (and wiser) scale.

But here’s the rub. Although the vision of Maktoum and his Father can only be commended, the inability of the authoritarian nature of the state to effectively manage its execution coupled with an unexpected global financial crisis, has brought the Emirates credibility into disrepute. Without transparency and scrutiny in the public domain, a maverick state-sponsored capitalism took root that failed to temper the over-stimulated economy and bubble-like property market. Instead of putting checks and balances into corporate governance, the free-for-all reigned forth.

Ultimately, Dubai’s model was built around importing demand and services from the rest of the world. Its lack of any domestic market (and population), meant that the Emirate was vulnerable on virtually every front of its economy. Although Sheikh Maktoum enjoyed the luxury of having virtually no poor to worry about, relying on (often fickle) ex-pat skills and their purchasing power was almost a bigger millstone. And, with no domestic demand, every other sector of the economy had to be imported – from media conglomerates to services.  So, as the world contracted, so did Dubai. Bad timing combined with Authoritarian inertia and the narcotic effect of prestige, has placed the Emirate in a negative light. It’s credibility as an investment destination will take a long time to recover.

Ironically, what Dubai started, others will continue to emulate. Certainly Abu Dhabi looks set to come out of the crisis smiling. It too, watched carefully as its more flamboyant brother flirted with excess. And, it has learnt from the Dubai model. Watch Abu Dhabi market itself now as the region’s new emerging leader and take advantage of the stumbles across the Emirati line. With massive oil deposits as an insurance policy against the vagaries of the markets, Abu Dhabi knows it is now the proverbial son. Didn’t your Father always tell you that it’s fine to dabble in a risky business so long as you had something to fall back on? Abu Dhabi now has the ultimate fall-back position and with the Dubai model textbook in hand – warts and all – it can only come out trumps.

What is really mystifying is how badly the Dubai example was handled. The surprise Debt Standstill surely could’ve been massaged a little better. Again, the closed nature of the political system and the experimentation with a hybrid state capitalism in a state governed like a tribal familial authority showed that despite all the money in the world, good old fashioned Public Relations was lacking. Keeping investors informed and having international finance privy to problems was the only way to mitigate the fall-out from the present position. And, to think there are so many international PR companies with so many ex-pat PR practitioners waiting in the gleaming towers of the city who could’ve helped. Now it’s down to Deloitte to sort out the mess – at least the consultants will still have a role to play!

Dubai might be down – but it’s certainly not out. The Emirate has learnt some valuable lessons. Its brashness and assertiveness might have taken a knock – but it can come back fighting. Sheikh Maktoum is a visionary leader whose ego may now be dented, but the notion of integration with the rest of the world and the creation of an alternative financial and cultural hub is not something that should be allowed to flounder. The Dubai model, while unique in the Arab world is a light unto its neighbors and the world. While jealousy and envy might cause many to sneer at recent events, Dubai can (and should) get back on its feet. Don’t count it out just yet.

This weekend our opponents are local rivals Arsenal and the fixture is probably the most important game we have played against Arsenal since a 1-1 draw in 2007 that ended our slim title hopes.

Arsenal like in 2008 have had an amazing start to the season, with the young players groomed by Arsene Wenger playing attractive attacking football and surging up the table.

In 2008 Arsenal buckled under the pressure and we narrowly missed out to Manchester United in the title race, it has now been 6 years without a title and patience at the Emirates can only buy so much time and the question is how this crop of players will react when the pressure mounts?

Despite defeat to Sunderland last week the match on Sunday brings the league’s two form teams together and gives us a chance to record 3 straight wins against last season’s top four sides.

Hopefully Carlo Ancelotti will have an almost full strength squad to pick from for this game with Lampard, Drogba, Ashley Cole all expected to be fit in time for kick off after recent injury problems.

The game itself should be quite open with plenty of chances with the leagues top scoring teams pitted against each other, the key however will be the midfield battle and Chelsea must ensure that Arsenal’s flair players are not given the time on the ball they crave.

On balance I think that Chelsea are stronger across all over the pitch and have a much more settled and balanced line up than Arsenal with or without the injuries, defensively we have the best defence in the league so far this season and the capabilities of our forward and midfield units are the stuff of dreams.

Ideally for me the Chelsea team to face Arsenal would be.

Cech  A. Cole, Terry, Carvalho, Ivanovic, Lampard, Essien, J. Cole, Mikel, Anelka and Drogba 

This is a fairly standard team for the players available however due to Arsenal’s attacking prowess I would give Mikel the nod ahead of Michael Ballack to provide the back four a more defensively minded midfield option.

Prediction: well I will let you do this bit, what do you predict?

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Esse tal de iPhone veio para revolucionar mesmo e vai se tornando o melhor amigo do homem. Um aplicativo para chamado iLingual promete revolucionar a forma de comunicaçao entre turistas e locais. Com frases formuladas em uma série de idiomas, o aplicativo simula os movimentos da boca como se o usuário estivesse, de fato, falando aquela língua. É grátis e foi patrocinado pela Cia Aérea Emirates

Via Blue Bus.

By Joe, www.Bettingexpert.com

Could there be another brawl at the Emirates? The London derby is one of the most heated matches in Premier League.

From the Merseyside derby to the London derby, it is sure a Super Sunday for all the Football fans in the world. The London derby will be an interesting one as it could determine where the Premiership will go this season. Chelsea are leading the table and if they win at the Emirates then it would be a two legged horse race between the blues and Manchester United. Arsenal will have to dig deep to avoid this.

The North side of London will be contesting for the top spots in the Premier League. They are currently third in the league and eight points behind their London rival, Chelsea, at the top. Many have doubted Arsene Wenger’s kid this season but it seems like they are finding their stride. They reached the last 16 of the Champions League in the midweek after beating Standard Liege 2-0 at home. The French manager will be happy to put away another London rival at the Emirates after disposing Tottenham with 3-0. Wenger is concerned over the injuries of Kieran Gibbs, Andrey Arshavin and William Gallas. Gibbs is out after needing a metatarsal surgery while Gallas has an ankle injury.  Theo Walcott and Samir Nasir are set to play a role in the London derby.

Leading the Premiership with 5 points to the closest rival, qualify for the last 16 in the Champions League and playing at the top of their form, could Chelsea continue their winning streak without Frank Lampard? Chelsea have depth in the squad and that could bring the Premiership title back to Stamford Bridge since 2006. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has inherited a good bunch of players and now managing them looks simple. Ancoletti will be without Frank Lampard and Jose Bosingwa for the London derby. Michael Ballack and Deco are set to return to the starting lineup while Essien and Drogba are back after complains over receiving knocks in the midweek.

Massive brawl whenever these two teams meet and it will not be the last of it. Chelsea have the upper advantage going into this match, they beat Arsenal twice, 4-1 in the Premier League and 2-1 in the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger will be desperate to claim one over the Chelsea team as he wants to close the gap between them. A stalemate could be reached but without the inspirational Frank Lampard, anything can happen.

Read the report on Bettingexpert.com called  “A betting report for the 2008/2009 season“ and the tipsters might be able to help you decide where you want to bet.

Register yourself on the Bettingexpert.com twitter to keep up with sports, bonus codes and live sports.

Air India is pushing back delivery dates on 30 787s and 777s, in a cost-cutting move.

The airline also says it will lease out three ultra-long-range 777-200LRs that Boeing recently delivered to it.

The deferals are part of a cost-cutting plan that will save Air India about $322 million, according to The Hindu newspaper. Air India was scheduled to take three 777-300ERs starting next year, and was set to take the first of its 27 787-8s in April 2011.

The planes were all part of a 68-jet order that the state-run airline placed in December 2005. The deal was valued at $11 billion at list prices at the time, although its actual value probably was more like $7.8 billion, after discounts.

Airbus also has been dealing with customer deferals. On Tuesday, US Airways also announced it will defer delivery of 54 Airbus jets – A320s and A330s – until at least 2013, a move that will save it $2.5 billion in the short term. US Air also said it would push back delivery of its first A350XWBs from 2015 to 2017.

All these deferals could put pressure on Boeing and Airbus production rates in the near term. However, they could also open slots for the handful of airlines that are looking to buy planes right now, such as United Airlines or Emirates.

In other news, Boeing executives say they’re talking with Thai Airways about an order for 777F cargo jets. Thai recently announced plans to launch a new cargo-jet business.

The old days saw the best airlines in the USA. Pan Am, Braniff, United all had a unique services and brands. Then, when deregulation happened in the U.S., the standard of service fell and , well, we have what we have now; crap.

The torch then passed over to Europe  where the airlines improved service, and now they are some of the best in the world. Back in the 80’s not many people wanted to fly on Air France. Now, they are one of the best carriers in the world. Remember BOAC? They had a lousy, cold English reputation. Then BOAC formed in to British Airways, went private, and became the world envy.

Currently , we see many European carriers struggling. Part of the reason is increased competition from low cost carriers, and some in part due to high labor costs, along with high fuel costs etc. While all of this is taking place, developing nations are improving their standard of air services, and are surpassing many airlines in Europe, USA, and parts of Asia.

Here is a look at some of the best “new” airlines in the world:

1). LAN Group (Chile, Peru, Argentina)- a new fleet of Airbus A320’s and 767’s. High standard of service in both cabins, and very profitable due to lack of competition. Part of OneWorld Alliance.

2). Etihad (UAE)- brand spanking new everything. Probably the best product in all cabins in terms of hardware. Amazing First class and business class product. Adding new destinations right and left.

3). Jet Airways (India)- jet has been around for a while. But when India got richer of the past 10 years, jet grew and went long-haul. They have a good reputation in India and have a new fleet with beds.

4). Qatar Airways (Qatar)-claimed as a five star airline, this new carrier rivals the best. New fleet, cute flight attendants, and ever expanding network. Also, they provide some cheap fares in economy and business.

5). Arik Air (Nigeria)- new airline based in Lagos. The CEO is committed to making it Africa’s #1 airline, and the best in service.We’ve heard things like this before, but this airline deserves a look at.

6). TAM (Brazil)- TAM has been around a while, but they keep getting better. They have a modern fleet, and some of the hottest flight attendants in the air.The service on a typical domestic Brazil flight, surpasses any US flight.

7). Emirates (UAE) -We all know this one.

8). COPA (Panama)- A strong management group, and a focus on product and their Panama City hub, makes this airline really good. Not many people realize they can fly from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires on COPA, while not having to fly on American or the miserable Aerolineas Argentinas.

9). Singapore Airlines (Singapore)/Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong)- they have been the best two in customer service for many years., but I had to mention the two. They are cash rich and will continue to dominate the Asian area for many many years.

Emirates bar

Arik Air

Dubai can count itself amongst the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The splendid weather, beaches and unbelievable shopping have been the ingredients for unforgettable holidays for years. But of course Dubai has much more to offer. These are the 25 highlights for your memorable visit to one of the fastest growing cities in the world;

Traveling to Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the most rewarding and stimulating trips that one can take. Not only is it a beautiful location, but it is rich in history and culture. The possibilities are almost limitless as far as what you can see and do while you are there, but here are some suggestions for those who need some direction.

1) Visit the Dubai National Museum. The Dubai museum is located on the Al Fahidi Fort, which was built in 1799 to protect Dubai against invasions. It was converted to a museum in 1993 and now houses a vast collection of artifacts. Not only that, but it gives you a glimpse into the lives of those in the region with beautiful depictions of everyday life.

2) Shop and marvel at the Heritage and Diving Village, located at the mouth of a creek. Potters and weavers display their crafts and present tourists with Dubai’s heritage in a traditional village. The Heritage and Diving Village recreates the way Bedouin life used to be in Dubai.

3) Learn about the history of Dubai at Sheikh’s Saeed House, a listed national monument. Once the official residence of the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh’s Saeed House now has a collection of photographs, documents, coins, and stamps that are quite rare.

4) Witness the beauty of the Jumeirah mosque. One of the largest and most beautiful mosques is the Jumeirah Mosque. It is a spectacular example of modern Islamic architecture that is built in stone, according to the medieval Fatimid tradition. It is especially nice at night extra, when subtle lighting enhances the beauty of the craftsmanship.

5) Travel back in time in Bastakia, and view some of the oldest buildings in Dubai. Here you can see traditional wind-towered, mud-walled houses. In the summer, the wind towers would funnel the sea breeze, protecting the people from the overwhelming heat.

6) View the camel race area where traditional sports take place and go to Sheikh Zayed road, where you can view the towers of the Dubai sky line and the Emirates towers. The Emirates towers are the 10th highest building in the world.

7) Find out why Dubai is called the “City of Gold” at the gold market. Purchase goods, or just view the splendor and beauty of jewelry and other gold goods. The Middle East is a huge market for gold with the world’s highest per capita sales. Dubai is the center of the region where more than 150 tons of gold are sold each year.
Wander over to a Souk or a traditional market to view gorgeous fabrics or just travel through the streets of Old Dubai. The Souk is located on both sides of the creek, but the best side to venture to is the Deira side. The spice market is a must-see and smell.

9) Ride a camel in the desert so you can experience the beauty and vastness of the region. While you are at it, climb the sand dunes too.

10) Learn about the culture and customs of the people at Hatta Village, which is considered one of the most ancient locations in Dubai. Hatta Village is completely fortified and contains thirty houses that have been restored to their ancient style. It contains a splendid, old mosque which is over 200 years old. Once you have grown tired from exploration, rest at the oasis and seating areas.

Two airlines are taking a broader view of their mission.  Virgin Atlantic and Emirates have recently helped bring two innovations to the market, and neither has anything to do with moving people from one airport to another.

Virgin Atlantic has sponsored Taxi2 (www.taxi.to), which helps travelers find ride-share partners at their destination airport.  What a great idea – helps travelers save some money, and reduces carbon emissions by using fewer taxis.

Emirates funded the development of iLingual, an iPhone app that translates spoken English phrases into French, German or Arabic. You have to see the video to believe it: iLingual demo on YouTube

What’s the big deal about these two off-the-radar developments?  After all, neither one addresses any of the large-scale problems faced by airlines or their often-frustrated customers.  It’s that both show a much more sophisticated view of what travelers need.  One addresses making travel more affordable, and the other makes travel more enjoyable.  These innovations are a step in the important direction of stimulating demand.  Emirates and Virgin Atlantic recognize that reducing the barriers to travel is a worthy goal.  Our industry needs more efforts like these.

I thought I underestimated how sick I was on Sunday and that my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw the score of the Tottenham/Wigan match in the bus on my way to camp this morning.

“9-1?! No way! Holy Shit!”

I want to be part of the crowd.
Anfield. Emirates. Wimbledon. British Grand Prix.
Next year. Can’t wait. Hell yeah.

EasyJet apologises for Holocaust fashion shoot

BA-Iberia merger – bigger, but is it better?

Aer Lingus looks to move for the long-haul

Ryanair passengers miss flight in airport mix-up

Ryanair leaves passengers stranded

JAL Seeks 40 Pct Pension Cut For Survival

The beleaguered Aer Lingus may relocate from Ireland to UK

AirAsia: Ancillaries and brutal cost control deliver 17.6% after tax margin for Malaysian operations

Emirates to fly to Tokyo

Branson Says Competing Airlines Should Start From Scratch

Nach fast drei Wochen Ruhe, wird demnächst wieder geschrieben.

Der Urlaub in Uganda war super klasse, wenngleich auch etwas anstrengend. Die Tage in Dubai waren durch Autofahrerei und endlich etwas Strand geprägt.

Einige Sachen, die ich aus Afrika mitgenommen habe

• Ich bin ein Muzungu.
• (Afrikanischer) Straßenverkehr schüchtert mich ein. Manchmal.
• 2.700 Uganda-Schilling sind 1 Euro. In etwa.
• Es gibt in Uganda asphaltierte Straßen (rund um die Schlaglöcher).
• Finninnen kennen weder UV-Strahlen noch Hautkrebs.
• Magen-Darm-Probleme treten zu ungünstigen Zeiten auf.
• Mücken haben ihre Vorliebe für bestimmten Personen.
• Taxi-Fahrer finden die Strecken immer zu weit. Nachdem man ankommt.
• Emirates hat gute Flugbegleiter.
• Emirates hat (auch) schlechte Flugzeuge.
• Ein Flug in der First Class wäre toll.
• Auf Flügen von Dubai nach Düsseldorf gibt es keine deutsche Zeitung.

Emirates’ planned increase on Dubai – Colombo – Singapore service from 4 weekly to Daily from 01FEB10 (posted on 31DEC08), has been scaled back.

Service will increase to 5 weekly only from the same date.

Here’s a cool – bordering on bizzare – new app that your international travelers will want to check out, assuming they have an iPhone:

It is designed to translate spoken English into spoken French, German and Arabic.  It was developed by Lean Mean Fighting Machine for Emirates Airlines, in order to reinforce Emirates as an innovator in the travel space.  Well done on all accounts!

You can find six versions of this app, all free, on the Apple iTunes store.  Here’s the link from the developer’s site, or you can search the app store for the product name iLingual (clever name, that.)

(Thanks to Tnooz for posting on this topic yesterday)

Paris-based Air France has completed its first revenue flight with the Airbus A380. Flight AF 380 arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport at 1318 hrs, after crossing the Atlantic from Paris (Charles de Gaulle), where it departed at 1119 hrs. The flight marked the A380’s first transatlantic flight by a European airline and the aircraft was met by a customary water cannon salute on arrival in New York.

Onboard the double-decker aircraft are 538 passengers, invited guests and 24 crew, who were treated to complimentary champagne and a 3-member jazz band. 380 passengers who participated in a charity auction in October 2008 also raised 300,000 euros to benefit humanitarian projects supported by the Air France Foundation. Having generated a larger amount than expected, Air France will donate the proceeds from the auction to 2 more charities in Brazil and Madagascar, in addition to 3 previously announced organizations in France, India and South Africa.

The Air France A380 features 538 seats in a 3-class configuration with innovations including improved seating, mood lighting and an onboard meeting area showcasing artwork from various museum collections. The airline has announced Johannesburg as the second destination for its A380 following New York, which will be operated daily. Air France joins Dubai’s Emirates, Sydney-based Qantas and Singapore Airlines as the fourth operator of the type.

For more information, visit www.airfrance.com.

I’m not sure what is it about Sydney but sleeping is great here. It’s the waking part that we can’t get used to. We have prepacked everything last night so when the alarm goes off at 05:30 we bolt out of our beds, grab the bags and hug Ludo (our awesome host) goodbye. He helped so much by letting us stay at his place! The walk to Bondi Jct seems long with the 23kg backpack and at least 12kg camera bag but we eventualy make it. The train tickets to the airport are AUD 32.60 and we switch trains at Central. Checking in with the Emirates goes smooth. This airline stands above all the ridiculous KLMs, BAs and US airlines big time! While the lady is checking us in she inquires how long we stay in NZ and where do we fly from there. When I say Rarotonga, Cook Islands and she turns to her colleague for the three letter code of that airport. That’s when I hear myself say “I got an app for that”. So now I even sound like a walking Apple commercial. The bottom line is that it works. After check in we grab breakfast at Subway and head for the security checks and duty free “wandering”. Boarding the Emirates flight we are again reminded that not all airlines are equal (see economy class set up below).

After appoximately 3hrs flight we land in Christchurch, New Zealand. I watch Food, Inc. on the plane and strongly recommend the movie to anyone concerned with where our food comes from. Once we clear the customs and immigration we pull some money out of ATM and get local Vodafone SIM cards with internet on them as well (NZD120,-for all the perks). We grab a shuttle bus for NZD25,- for both which takes us directly to YMCA. As we cruise along the streets the first impressions are that the city is beautifully clean, green and quiet. We pay NZD120,- total for 2 nights (which is approx €60) and get a room with this amazing view! Wow!

Taking a walk around Christchurch is cut short because I get bluffed by the sun. It feels like I’m still in Sydney with the 42C but as we walk out (me in shorts and fleece jacket) the wind makes it clear we have moved! Still, we walk around and then stop in a local restaurant and enjoy truly great soup and Mexican food. The streets are almost empty but the feeling from the town is great. Calm, clean, neat and totally relaxed. We quickly make our way back, Katka takes a shower while I snooze till almost midnight. No special plans tomorrow except to explore and maybe run in the beautiful botanical gardens next to YMCA So far NZ is very pretty.

Российская авиация

В прошлый раз я писал про рейтинг безопасности российских авиакомпаний. Неделя началась с ряда публикаций по этому поводу. Вот одна из них на gazeta.ru. Понятно, что любой рейтинг несовершенен и не отражает всего, что творится в той или иной авиакомпании. К тому же, ни один рейтинг не сможет предусмотреть нештатные ситуации.

“Аэрофлот-Норд” всё же переименовывают в “Нордавиа – региональные авиалинии” с 1 декабря. Недавно я с удивлением обнаружил, что “Аэрофлот-Норд” больше не обслуживает дневной рейс Самара-Москва-Самара. Получается, что у “Аэрофлота” осталось лишь два рейса – утренний и вечерний. Напомню, что зимнее расписание полётов через “Курумоч” можно посмотреть здесь.

Третий терминал аэропорта “Шереметьево” всё же начал свою работу по графику 15 ноября с рейсов в Сочи и Магадан. В сети появилось ещё несколько публикаций на эту тему. “Ведомости” предлагают небольшое видео и статью. Отмечается, что автостоянка пока бесплатна, городские автобусы уже ходят до нового терминала (что не может не радовать меня лично), а в стерильной зоне Wi-Fi Интернет может быть бесплатным. В ЖЖ есть и пост с подборкой фотографий нового терминала.

Наконец, новому терминалу посвящён и материал сайта “Транспорт сегодня”. Отмечается, что заинтересованность в использовании нового терминала проявляют некоторые российские компании – “Россия”, “Татарстан”. Это помимо того, что кроме SkyTeam и “Аэрофлота” в терминал D переведут некоторые компании-конкуренты, а часть рейсов “Аэрофлота” вынуждена будет остаться в Терминале 2 (позднее в Терминале Е). Я решительно не понимаю, почему в аэрофлотовский терминал над переводить рейсы всех остальных компаний (не входящих в SkyTeam), когда самому “Аэрофлоту” уже не хватает места. Что это за странная логистика? В конце концов, в Терминал Е можно было бы перевести рейсы конкурентов, у которых с “Аэрофлотом” есть код-шеринговые соглашения, а не тащить их в третий терминал.

“Ведомости-пятница” же пишут о ещё одной новинке шереметьевского аэропортового комплекса – новой штаб-квартире “Аэрофлота” по соседству с третьим терминалом. Я летом проезжал мимо и видел это красивое здание. Вот прекрасный пример того, когда современная архитектура в нужном месте может быть украшением. В новой штаб-квартире рождаются и очередные инициативы по пересаживанию российских чиновников на самолёты российских авиакомпаний.

Но и это не всё. 25 ноября в “Шереметьево” откроется первый у нас “капсульный” отель “Воздушный экспресс”, который разместится в терминале “Аэроэкспресс”. В отличие от Японии, номера будут выполнены в более традиционном виде, нежели знаменитые капсулы, но минимализм сохраняется. Минимальное время пребывания в гостинице – 4 часа. За 4 часа в одноместном экономе нужно будет отдать 1312 рублей, за 2-местный эконом без окна 1600 рублей, а 2-местный эконом с окном 1800 рублей. Имеются также 2 и 3-местные номера бизнес класса, а также 3-местный номер первого класса. По истечении 4 часов оплата взимается по часам. В том же 1-местном экономе пребывание в течение 5 часов обойдётся в 1599 рублей. Во всех номерах есть туалет с душем, кровати, телефон и доступ в Интернет. Постояльцы обеспечиваются набором постельного белья и полотенец. Это может стать удобным решением для тех, кто должен рано вылетать из аэропорта, а приезжает в “Москву” накануне вечером. Можно заселиться в полночь, а в 4-5 утра уже отправиться в терминал на регистрацию.

Тем временем, ОАК всё же получит акции самарского “Авиакора”. Актив этот достаточно проблемный. Долги большие, производство минимально. Сохраняется вероятность того, что самарскому заводу отведут роль производителя запчастей и ремонтные функции. Собственно, ОАК не скрывает своих планов перенести производство самолётов Ан-140 в Воронеж.

Пока же некоторые самолёты хотя бы где-то сохраняют. В пригороде Барнаула открылся авиамузей. Каждый раз, когда читаешь подобные сообщения или открываешь в ЖЖ очередной репортаж из авиамузеев Киева или Ульяновска, становится стыдно и обидно за Самару, где самолёты ржавеют на тренировочной базе СГАУ.

Авиация за рубежом

OAG (Лондон) подвела итоги голосования и представила рейтинг гражданской авиации 2009 года. Этот рейтинг считается одним из самых авторитетных.

Авиакомпания года: Singapore Airlines
Лучшая авиакомпания на трансатлантических маршрутах: Virgin Atlantic
Лучшая авиакомпания на транстихоокеанских маршрутах: Singapore Airlines
Лучший салон первого класса на международных линиях: Singapore Airlines
Лучший салон бизнес-класса: Continental Airlines
Лучший салон экономического класса: British Airways
Лучшая североамериканская авиакомпания: Continental
Лучшая авиакомпания Ближнего Востока и Южной Азии: Emirates
Лучшая бюджетная авиакомпания: Southwest Airlines
Лучшая авиакомпания Латинской Америки: LAN
Лучшая авиакомпания Африки: South African Airlines
Лучшая авиакомпания Западной Европы: Virgin Atlantic
Лучшая авиакомпания Центральной и Восточной Европы: CSA Czech Airlines
Лучшая авиакомпания Австралии и Океании: Qantas
Лучший аэропорт: Singapore Changi

“Аэрофлот”, кстати, попал в число финалистов в категории “лучшая авиакомпания Центральной и Восточной Европы”.

В прошлую пятницу Рик Сини вспомнил о том, что число 13 отсутствует в салонах некоторых компаний. Так, 13-го ряда нет у Continental Airlines, Alaska и AirTran. А в салонах Lufthansa, согласно Рику Сини, нет 13 и 17 рядов, так как в Италии и Бразилии несчастливым считается ещё и число 17. Однако надо понимать, что сидящие в “14” ряду, на самом деле оказываются в 13-м.

Любители авиации могут заинтересоваться видео с компьютерной симуляцией полёта А320 компании US Airways, который в начале года удачно приземлился на реку после столкновения со стаей птиц над Нью-Йорком.

Авиапутешествия

Сергей Доля разместил в своём блоге подборку ссылок на материалы о разных ситуациях, которые могут быть восприняты пассажирами как нештатные. Заметки призваны развенчать некоторые аэрофобные мифы.

Если Вы уже не боитесь (или никогда не боялись), Вас может заинтересовать предложение от Air France. До конца ноября можно забронировать перелёт по маршрутам Москва-Париж-Нью-Йорк или Санкт-Петербург-Париж-Нью-Йорк на период с 23 ноября 2009 по 31 марта 2010 года. В чём изюминка предложения? В том, что шесть раз в неделю, кроме среды, перелёт из Парижа в Нью-Йорк и обратно осуществляется на двухпалубном A380. А билет туда-обратно (со всеми сборами) в экономическом классе обойдётся всего в 20500 рублей (при бронировании через сайт компании).

А ещё у Air France и KLM есть предложение для любителей Европы – билет в три европейских города по цене одного. За 15000 рублей (со всеми сборами) можно выбрать любой европейский город из 13 (Ницца, Тулуза, Женева, Мюнхен, Цюрих, Милан, Рим, Лиссабон, Барселона, Эдинбург, Лондон, Берлин, Вена) помимо Парижа и Амстердама. Например, можно забронировать билет по маршруту Москва-Париж-Лондон-Амстердам-Москва за 15000 рублей. Фактически, Вы платите только за билет до Лондона (или другого города по выбору), а остановки в Париже и Амстердаме совершаете бесплатно. Бронирование до 30 ноября, перелёт до конца марта 2010 года.

Ну, а японская ANA решила модернизировать свои салоны. Увеличенное расстояние между креслами в экономе, разделители и двойные подлокотники в премиум-экономе, горизонтально раскладывающиеся кресла в бизнес-классе и полностью приватные места в первом. Бретт Снайдер предлагает взглянуть на всё это великолепие. Новые кабины появятся в 2010 году на самолётах Boeing-777-300ER, летающих между Японией и Северной Америкой или Европой.

Recht unerwartet setzt sich Deutschland dafür ein, dass die Lufthansa weniger Wettbewerb von günstigeren Anbietern erhält. Da die EU dies bei rein europäischen Flügen nicht zulassen würde, verbietet das Deutsche Luftfahrtamt außereuropäischen Fluglinien die kleinen Preise.

SPON berichtet:

Rückschlag für mehrere ausländische Airlines: Deutschland hat ihnen den Verkauf von sehr preiswerten Tickets verboten. Betroffen sind bestimmte Strecken zwischen Deutschland und Flughäfen außerhalb der EU. Dies geht aus einem der Deutschen Presse-Agentur vorliegenden Schreiben des Bundesamts für Güterverkehr an die Fluggesellschaft Emirates hervor.

“Ich muss Sie um Verständnis bitten, dass Emirates wie auch andere Nicht-EU-Luftfahrtunternehmen keine Preisführerschaft auf den genannten Relationen ex Deutschland wahrnehmen können”, heißt es in dem Schreiben. Das Amt beruft sich dabei auf bilaterale Luftverkehrsabkommen.

Die Preishoheit auf bestimmten Strecken zwischen Deutschland und Nicht-EU-Zielen solle “vornehmlich den designierten Luftfahrtunternehmen einschließlich den Luftfahrtunternehmen aus den EU-Mitgliedstaaten vorbehalten sein”, heißt es in dem Brief des Präsidenten des Amtes, Andreas Marquardt, weiter. Das Amt greife ein, wenn es eine “Marktstörung” sehe. Das Vorgehen richte sich nicht allein gegen Emirates, auch andere Airlines seien aufgefordert worden, ihre Tarife vom Markt zu nehmen.

Dass ein Euroland zu dieser Maßnahme könnte damit zu tun haben, dass Euroländer keine eigene Währung mehr haben. Länder ohne eigene Währung haben einen Anreiz bei Deflation die Protektionismus-Karte zu ziehen.

Sevens rugby is watched by 25 000 000 people worldwide. George Sevens is 1 of the top events on the international sporting calendar. At the moment contractors are busy upgrading the Outeniqua Park stadium and temporary pavilions are also been brought in. As for ticket sales only 70% of Friday (11 December) has been soled and 50% of Saturday (12 December ) has been soled. South Africa plays in pool 1 with Kenya, France and Zimbabwe and this will kick off on Friday 11 December  @ 11:30 at Outeniqua Park stadium in George. All our SUPPORT goes out to South Africa playing in Dubai on 4 & 5 December and 11 & 12 December in George on home ground.   

Emirates dará apoio à Senegal Airlines (Foto: Airlines.com / Clique para ampliar)

Durante o Dubai AirShow, evento realizado entre os dias 15 e 19 de novembro em Dubai, o Governo senegalês e o Grupo Emirates anunciaram que a empresa dará suporte técnico e comercial à Senegal Airlines, nova companhia aérea que começa a operar em 2010. 

O anúncio foi feito após o encontro oficial entre o Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, presidente e CEO da Emirates Airline e Grupo Emirates, e Karim Wade, ministro de Infraestrutura, Transporte Aéreo e Cooperação Internacional do Senegal. O Grupo Emirates contribuirá com sua expertise técnica e apoiará a nova empresa comercialmente, colaborando para o desenvolvimento de produtos e serviços aéreos da Senegal Airlines.

“O Senegal está fortalecendo sua indústria aérea e construindo um novo e tecnológico aeroporto internacional chamado Blaise Diagne Airport que, em conjunto com a nova companhia aérea, irá colaborar para que a aviação senegalesa se destaque não só na África, mas no mundo inteiro”, disse Karim Wade. “A Emirates é  líder mundial, reconhecida pela qualidade superior de seus produtos e serviços. O conhecimento e experiência da empresa será fundamental para a consolidação da Senegal Airlines”, finalizou ele. 

Segundo o Sheikh Ahmed, a Emirates tem interesse estratégico na África e atualmente opera em 17 destinos no continente africano. “Os Emirados Árabes e o governo senegalês estão estabelecendo diversos acordos que beneficiam ambos os lados e, dessa forma, fortalecem os laços entre os dois países.  Estamos felizes em colaborar com o desenvolvimento da infraestrutura aérea do Senegal, participando do lançamento e do futuro da Senegal Airlines”, concluiu ele. 

Fonte: Mercado e Eventos

Economy is basically economy whichever airline or aircraft you fly but on a recent trip to Beijing via Dubai on Emirates there was a little twinkle in cattle class as night fell two hours out of Gatwick enroute to Asia. The new 777 has a surprinsgly sensuous lighting system which dims the cabin through a series of ambient shades of yellow, orange and blue while dots of tiny constellation LED’s glimmer on the ceiling. More sophisticated than sticky glo-stars in a bedroom and not as impressive as the Greenwich Planetarium, nonetheless the 777’s lightshow was an unexpected highlight in the humdrum of eight hours of Economy.

Relaxing the seat-back, an operation that normally brings frustrated noises from the person behind and only slightly eases sleep, also was a little different as I found myself being tipped gently into the seat and head-rest an inch or two more than I’ve experienced before. I can’t say I slept like a baby but it is the first time I have ever got shut-eye on long haul. Maybe the introduction of a few child’s mobiles in addition to the night lights would work. Now there is something to think about Boeing.

13:50pm – London, Heathrow to Dubai now boarding! Twas the biggest feckin plane I’ve ever been on with an upstairs downstairs the whole lot. I’m shuffling along behind a group people all wearing the same orange “LOVE JESUS” t-shirt… dunno what they’re hoping for in Dubai. I walk miles down the plane (yah seriously miles) trying to find my seat. I pass some old Muslim guy praying to the seat in front of him. There are all sorts on this plane. Elvis, Mother Theresa the lot.

My seat is j70 or something like that, and I wonder what type of character I’m going to be sitting beside. A mad Arab, some big happy African businessman, those crazy jesus people… who knows? I reach my seat anyway and give a nod to the younglad sitting beside me. He has a certain go about him… a ceann… I ask him where he’s from and he goes “Carlow”. Can’t get away from the feckin Irish!!! He’s on his way to Dubai for a connection to Australia. We skit and howl for a while.

Takeoff time approaches. Our seats were right in front of the air hostess seat, which is facing us, so this nice black hostess sits in, and it’s kind of funny because there’s about one meter between us and we’re face to face. Where will I look? Up, left, right, down, oops! don’t look down, she’ll think you’re looking at her legs… well you are, but still… hmmm have a quick gander at this magazine… diddle dee doo… I eventually say well howzit goin? She’s from Zimbabwe, and I tell her I’m going traveling around East Africa, which she’s delighted about. We talk about her country, she tells me lots of places to go and things to see and blah de blah… After take off she heads off for a while and returns with a camera. She takes off her Emirates air hostess hat and asks me to put it on so she can take a photo! She takes a few snaps and gives me a polaroid copy. I must say I looked quite DASHING with that funky hat…

Not much else happened, chatted with the paddy beside me, slept a few hours, ate some pretty good Indian food or Dubai food whatever it was. Arrived in Dubai at about 12:30am local time… There’s an 8 hour stopover so I try to find a place to kip. I found a quiet enough bench after about an hour of wandering around. Took me a while to get to sleep…. The morning call to Allah woke me at about 5am. I suppose I shouldn’t have went to sleep outside the feckin prayer room, but it was the quietest shpot at the time. 10 minutes later and the morning call is still going strong so I pack up my €2 Shop travel pilla and head off to grab some free brekky in the special “Emirates Stopover” lounge. I finally board the plane to Entebbe at 8am.

Flight to Entebbe: Not much happened. Got to see a real desert out the window. It looked pretty hot. Sat beside two Chinese people… We stopped in Ethiopia to let a few people off, saw a huge black flying insect thing chasing our plane as we took off for the second time towards Entebbe.

Raid on Entebbe: Finally I arrive in Entebbe on Tuesday at 2:15pm after a solid lump of traveling. It’s pretty hot and humid… just as you’d expect in the Devils Petri Dish. Welcome to East Africa!

The sweat from the last 20 hours of traveling had turned into a sort of gel, and now hot and humid Entebbe has defrosted it. I’m a walking tub o’ absolute shweat. But that’s ok cos everyone else smells of shweat too. Up at the customs desk, they’re charging folk 50dollars here and there for entry into the country… the guy looks at my passport and says “Irish are OK” and waves me through. Sound.

Dinas brother Bashir (pronounced BashEEL) is waiting for me with a “SEAN COOKE” sign outside the door. I feel all cool and important. I should have worn my shades… This was all organized in the last 24hours. I rang my aunt Dina the night before and asked “hey throw us a few numbers of your relatives I might call in for a cup of tea some day”…. and now one day later her brother is here to pick me up. He’s 35 years old but looks much younger, at times he looks like Wesley Snipes. He’s about 5ft 5, he has one front tooth missing, he has a slow hearty laugh like “heh… heh….heh….heh”. He has a wife named Aisha and four kids called Bushuwa, Haji, Jab and Brehma. Can you tell who’s a boy or girl just from the name??? His family live back at his village Masaka, but he sticks around the city during the week. I thought he lived in Entebbe, the town we flew into, so I was looking forward to acclimatizing to the weather and culture and all that before hitting the crazy capital, but he tells me “Let’s go to Kampala”… which is the capital. I said “aren’t you supposed to show me a nice aul hotel here no? Dina told me you were going to show me”… and he goes “no…. we are going to Kampala!”

I was happy and terrified at the same time… From Kilsheelan to Kampala in 20 hours. I could suffer an overdose of mentalness….

I’m sweating buckets and need some water quick, but no, before I know it we’re in a taxi going 100mph down the road. The speed limit here is 100KMPH, but lots of people here drive old cars whose speedometers are still in MPH, so they just drive at 100MPH.

“Why are you driving so fast?”

“Look the speed limit is 100, and I’m driving at 100!!!”

“Yeah but that’s miles per hour…”

“No it’s 100 which is the speed limit, so I’m OK!!!”*

(*actual conversation)

I suppose it doesn’t really matter because if their cars speedometer is in kph, they just break the speed limit anyways. The drivers in Uganda are simply nuts. No two ways about it. They take a lot of risks, stupid risks, (like over taking two trucks on a blind bend up a hill with a dip… at night. No exaggeration by the way.) And don’t get me started about the potholes, you could pitch a tent in the smaller ones.

*NEWS UPDATE* – A minibus was crushed to bits on the Jinja road when an oncoming truck decided to overtake 9 vehicles at once. The truck didn’t make it to the front in time and smashed into a minibus killing everybody. 15 people in total. I saw them dragging the bodies out of the ditch on the news. The truck driver fled the scene. A few days prior, a military truck smashed into the same type of minibus killing nearly everybody. The military guys fled the scene. This sort of stuff happens a lot…

We’re on a good road though, Entebbe road. It has a few streetlights, and it’s the only one in the country with cats eyes. But it’s daytime so that doesn’t matter. I turn to Basir and tell him I’m roasht. He laughs “he….he…he…” and tells me it’s winter in Uganda. “Only” 25 degrees. He says he’s cold. He teaches me some Luganda, their local language. Oli otya jebale ko. Kaaaaaali! The word I’ll be most acquainted with is Mzungu, which means white man. He told me to expect to be called Mzungu at least a hundred times a day. It’s not a racist term, it just means “white dude” …. like “Hey mzungu you wanna buy this?” etc. There are t-shirts for sale around town which say “My name is not Mzungu!”

Nearly every car or truck has black smoke billowing out the exhaust and into your lungs. There’s naer an NCT to be seen for MILES in this country. Cars are driven to shite here and are fixed at the side of the road whenever the wheel or roof or whatever finally falls off. The pollution isn’t too bad when you’re driving fast, since you can just drive straight through the clouds of black smoke, but as you enter the city, and get yourself stuck in a Kampala Jam, that’s when your lungs are shown a thing or two about how to make a good phlegm. There is thick smoke and dust EVERYWHERE. Red dust. The roads are tarmac but they are red from the dust. Paths are concrete but they also have a nice red covering. Nearly every surface is covered in red dust. You walk around for 2 minutes and the soles of your feet are red. Wipe your face with a nice white tissue after a day in town and guess what?

So Basil has found me a nice hotel in the town, just for the first night. Our taxi makes it’s way through the streets as hundreds of boda boda motorbike taxis zip past us through the lines of traffic. The boda boda is the most dangerous form of transport in Uganda. A tiny motorbike, which costs a couple of hundred to buy, is driven at breakneck speeds through the city with anything up to three people on the back. Or a cupboard or armchair. I’ve even seen a photo of some guy carrying a cow on one. They drive up paths, the wrong way down roads, through junctions without looking, through the tiniest gaps between trucks, tippin and clattering off cars here and there, (wierdly enough they stop for red lights…) and all this while trying to keep their eyes open just enough to see while at the same time keeping them closed enough to keep the dust and smoke out. They really should use sunglasses or something. There is no right of way or rules of the road here. Sometimes the Police come out to direct traffic but for the most part it’s pretty chaotic. We pass a hotel called “Excellent Hotel”. That’s not my one though. Pity. Nearly every shop on the smaller streets is blashting out rap or reggaeton, but once we get onto the main Kampala Rd. it’s pretty decent. Still haven’t seen any white people/mzungus.

So we arrive at my hotel. Funnily enough it’s is painted the same colour as the dust found everywhere…. or is that actually a layer of dust and maybe it was originally painted white or something. I can’t tell. I say hello to the security guard with the shotgun as I walk in to the FOYER or whatever you call them. It’s actually a daycent hotel.

Right, €50 room booked, bags thrown in. It’s like 5pm. I tell Bashir I need to get a few things in the shop, mostly water. Can’t drink the tap water in this country unless tis boiled. So we saunter out of the hotel and walk down the street a bit. It’s not too bad, I’m getting stared at a bit, but no muggings or shootings like the papers would have you believe.

So I’m tipping away enjoying the sights and sounds but not the smoke and dust when Bashir calls me. I turn around and he’s sitting on a boda boda and he points at another one and tells me to hop on. Feckit I say, it’s now or never! Bashir shouts “Garden City” to my driver and we tear off like a rocket through the congested streets of Kampala. I’m hanging onto the driver for dear life and I look over at Bashir who’s just sitting there relaxed with his hands on his knees. I tried being cool and I put my hands on my knees like Bashir, but lasted about two seconds. I ended up holding onto the bar at the back which was like 50% cool, good enough. I want to blend in like the locals and I’m getting pretty close. Just need to work on my tan.

We approached a roundabout and I was like “Ah they have roundabouts here”… but the rules are a bit different. I’m still trying to figure it out but I think you just drive as fast as you can onto them and make sure not to indicate or look left or right.

So we arrive at Garden City about 5 minutes later, me white knuckled and full of adrenaline, Bashir cool as a cat. I give the driver 1,000Ugsh which is about 35cent.

Garden City seems to be where all the white expats go to shop. I am no longer the only Mzungu in town. It’s a nice place, it’s pretty much like any mall you’d find in a decent city. Bashir wants to introduce me to his old college friend Josef who works in the cinema upstairs, so we saunter up. We meet up with Josef and he turns out to be the soundest. He brings me up onto the roof so I can see the city and we talk about this that and the other. He was in art college with Bashir a few years ago and they shared a room. Josef is a bit of a party animal and he wants to know if I can get him any Mzungu ladies… I say I’ll see what I can do if he gets me some Ugandan ladies, and a free ticket into the cinema. We shake on it and he starts pointing to different ladies passing by and asks me “so what size ass do you like? This one? That one? How about that one over there?” He’s a good man. Not a great worker though. He’s supposed to be working in the cinema but he’s hanging around the shopping center with us, Warriors style.

So we say our goodbyes and I go shopping for some water with Bashir, then another boda boda ride back to the hotel. I say thanks to Bashir and he heads off, we arrange to meet up tomorrow so I can buy a phone and find some cheaper accommodation. The rest of the night was just spent chillaxing in the hotel room and drinking lots of water. Went to sleep at about 8pm.

Airlines aren’t announcing orders at this year’s Dubai Air Show, taking some of the luster off what has become a major industry event.

But new Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Jim Albaugh did have one piece of important news for District 751 Members — Boeing plans to continue producing 737s at the current record pace.

“We don’t anticipate that we are going to be down from the 31 (per month) we are at today,” he told Reuters. That should quash some rumors that Boeing was planning single-aisle rates cuts in the new year.

Overall, Boeing plans to produce and deliver about as many jets in 2010 as it will this year, Albaugh said. (That’s between 480 and 485.)

Otherwise, it’s been a slow air show. So far, only Airbus has announced any new business: a 10-jet deal with Yemenia Airlines with a list price value of $700 million. (The airline’s probably paying closer to $455 million for the 10 A320s, after discounts.)

Both Boeing and Airbus are talking with Emirates about an order for “tens” of mid-size widebodies, either A330s or 777s. Emirates CEO Tim Clark told Dow Jones that both jet-makers will have delivery slots open in 2011 that Emirates could fill, and added that it “won’t be long” before the airline decides who it will order from.

Boeing at the air show has been mostly talking about prospects for the future. Albaugh said the Company is already seeing an uptick in demand for air freight, but passenger numbers are likely to remain flat into 2012. Don’t expect a surge in new passenger jet orders until 2013-14, he said.

6 Wochen. So lange herrschte hier Funkstille. Das ist natürlich eine lange Zeit, und länger als ich geplant hatte, meine Leser auf Neuigkeiten warten zu lassen. Doch es gibt eine Entschuldigung für diese Inkonsequenz: Ich bin einfach zu viel rumgereist in dieser Zeit. Mit sieben Flugzeugen geflogen und mehr als 45.000 km zurückgelegt, und mit fünf Autos mehr als 6.000 km zurückgelegt. Doch vielleicht fange ich mal ganz am Anfang an. Die Erlebnisse der letzten 6 Wochen werde ich in einer Art Tagebuch verarbeiten. Der letzte Eintrag ist vom 2. Oktober, also dort irgendwo sollte ich ansetzen…

Samstag, 03. Oktober 2009

Es ist nachmittag und ich habe noch nicht gepackt. Heute Abend muss ich nochmal arbeiten, und morgen fliege ich schon ab. Nach Deutschland. Das ist mal wieder der typische Last-Minute-Stress. Aber ich kenne es ja schon, also, alles halb so wild. Bei der Arbeit ist es ganz nett, relativ stressig natürlich, weil es ein Samstag ist, aber gegen Mitternacht bin ich wieder im Hostel. Bis drei Uhr morgens packe ich noch, dann haue ich mich in die Federn bis um neun, da klingelt das Handy. Jetzt wird es natürlich spannend. Abflugtag Richtung Deutschland, nach etwa genau einem Jahr in Neuseeland. Gegen 11 Uhr vormittags fahre ich dann nochmal zum Restaurant, wo ich arbeite. Mein Boss gibt mir ein Mittagessen aus, ich trinke ein Bierchen. Jetzt geht die Reise los. Zunächst fahre ich mit meinem Subaru nach Hamilton, wo ich das Auto bei einem Freund stehen lasse, der mich anschließend zum Flughafen fährt. Aufgrund des heftigen Verkehrs auf Highway 1 zwischen Bombay und Manukau (Stadtteile von Auckland) komme ich erst um 17:30 am Flughafen an, Abflug ist um 18:45, und mein Kollege besteht natürlich noch auf ein Abschiedsessen bei McDonalds. Etwa gegen 18:00 gehe ich durch die Sicherheitskontrollen und als ich am Gate ankomme, ist das Boarding längst passiert und ich kann schnurstracks in den A380 laufen. Schon beim Einsteigen merke ich, wie alles extrem modern und groß proportioniert ist. Breite Gänge, große Treppen, die nach oben führen. Ein tolles Flugzeug. Während des Starts kann man sich auf seinem Bildschirm die Ansicht verschiedener Außenkameras angucken, man halt also auf seinem Display, was die Piloten sehen. Dank des Entertainmentsystems bei Emirates kann ich zwischen tausenden Filmen und Musikalben auswählen. Und so kommt mir in den Sinn, dass ich jetzt gerne “Comfortably Numb” von Pink Floyd hören würde, zack, schon ausgewählt, aus dem Album “The Wall”. Dann wird das Essen geliefert, Seelachs mit Senfsoße, und ich bestelle natürlich einen obligatorischen Weißwein dazu. Pink Floyd hören, Lachs essen, Wein trinken und die Sonne untergehen sehen, das alles 40.000 Fuß über dem Ozean – so einen Moment vergisst man lange nicht. Auf dem Weg nach Deutschland… was mich da wohl zu erwarten hat?

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