News and notes from around the interweb:
- Once the pride of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific becomes government’s punchbag many of its problems were caused by the government’s response to Covid, and criticism serves as an attack on old, cosmopolitan Hong Kong and to rewrite history in favor of a turn inward towards mainland China and the ‘Greater Bay Area’.
- Pilot secretly flying for Virgin Atlantic and Malta Airlines at the same time. She was exceeding her regulated maximum flight duty hours, and Virgin fired her when they found out. She was apparently only suspended at her other job. Pilot rest is one of the most important factors in cockpit safety.
- The Marriott I stayed at last week didn’t refill these either (they often go unfilled). The bottles weren’t tamper proof. And do you think housekeeping cleans the pumps?
- Lotus of Siam family is suing each other. The restaurant was once hyped as the best Thai food in the United States. It’s in a strip mall off the strip in Vegas. Years ago it was good but not great, and their attempt at a New York effort was a dismal failure.
- Flying first class with your sister in coach: “I don’t want her to feel bad about it, but I do want her to recognize the difference.”
@bdollhall Flying first class while my sister flys coach on the same flight. #fyp @Alaska Airlines ♬ original sound – bdollhall - Soylent Green?
What is this veggie dip from American Air’s first class meal??
byu/Apprehensive_Lake761 inamericanairlines - Las Vegas has more tourism than the entire country of Japan
The Cathy article was insightful, they key statement was this: “Most observers agree with the Hong Kong Aviation Officers Association’s (HKAOA) assessment that a pilot shortage is at the core of Cathay’s woes – the result of Hong Kong imposing some of the world’s longest-lasting and most draconian travel restrictions during the pandemic.” In other words, the Chinese Government is heavily criticizing Cathay Pacific for a situation caused entirely by the Chinese Government.
Unless and until Japan becomes a very popular tourist destination for repeat visitors from China, it shouldn’t be a shock that Japan sees fewer visitors than Las Vegas. Las Vegas has the benefit of being a cheap flight destination for a lot of people not needing a passport and open more to domestic and foreign visitors than a Japan that is still very uneasy with a lot of foreign tourists. If you think American waiters/waitresses and bar tenders have an issue with foreign tourists, you should really try to find out what Japanese restaurant and bar owners and their employees think about foreign tourists. Let’s just say America is a far more open and welcoming place, and it’s a key reason why America is growing and getting better off while Japan (and Europe) really are not keeping up and are increasingly falling behind. Xenophobia sucks life out of a country.
I am generally not impressed with the Thai food in the USA after having been to Thailand more than two dozen times. The street food in Thailand is generally outstanding. That being said, I had reasonably good Thai food at a Thai restaurant in Mesquite, NV a month ago. The other three in my group were Thai ladies and they also agreed that the food was reasonably good.
Lotus of Siam is fine but IMHO the absolute best Thai restaurant in the US is Jitlada in LA’s Thai town area (Sunset just east of Western). Southern Thai is their specialty (which can be very hot and the way I like it) but a very large, diverse menu. Restaurant has been featured numerous times on TV and in magazine rankings. If in LA and enjoy Thai food give Song and her team a try at Jitlada. Very authentic and unique. I’m not comparing to restaurants in Thailand, just like I wouldn’t compare any other food (Indian, Italian, French, etc.) to native countries but the best I’ve had in the US and I love Thai food so have eaten at many, many places across the country.
Is Jitlada the place with The Simpsons sketches in it? If so, it’s good. Unfortunately, LA traffic is so horrendous that I try to minimize even visiting.
@GUWonder – yes. Matt Groening is one of their many fans and has quite a few Simpson drawings around the place.
Let’s not feel too bad for Cathay Pacific. The Al Jazeera mentioned that company received “pressure from the Chinese authorities to crack down on employees who supported the (2019 pro democracy) protests.”
CX fired people who either attended protests or posted social media posts supporting them.
Company is getting exactly what it deserves.
The guy acting like a prize jerk about flying first class reminds me why I loathe social media.
Multi-guest shampoo/conditioner/body wash dispensers are sweeping the hotel industry worldwide these days. I’d say 80% of the hotels I’ve stayed in during the last 6 months have had them, in all categories from budget to luxury. If sharing a container with other guests grosses you out, I’d suggest an easy solution: bring your own products. Personally, I always have an old-school tiny hotel shampoo bottle in my quart-ziplock just in case the maid hasn’t refilled the bottle and I don’t have time/interest to call down for a replacement.