ASIA

Search Results for "ASIA".

JetBlue Introduces New Business Class, And Seats Above Business You Aren’t Supposed To Call First Class

by Gary Leff

Feb 01 2021

JetBlue just introduced its new Mint (business class) seat, which will roll out on Airbus A321LRs that will begin flying to London this summer. Some A321neos will get the product, too, so it will eventually be available on certain domestic flights as well.

They’ve selected the Thompson Aero’s VantageSolo seat for their new business class Mint Suite. In addition there will be a row of two seats at the front of the plane they call the Mint Studio (reminiscent of Etihad’s Business Studio) featuring a larger screen, extra side table, and a guest seat so that passengers can dine together. JetBlue claims it will offer more space than any other US airline premium product, and the largest lie flat bed offered by a US airline.

Continue Reading »

Your Airline Seat Preference Reveals Your Value As A Customer

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Jan 23 2021

When you’re in an aisle seat you direct your own destiny. You get up to use the lavatory whenever you wish and don’t need to worry about waiting on other passengers to gather their belongings to let you out, or your seatmates falling asleep and needing to be woken to let you out. I find window seats claustrophobic.

It turns out that the preference for an aisle seat over a window seat also means you’re a better customer of an airline’s loyalty program, based on data.

Continue Reading »

The Jones Act: How Secretary Of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Will Keep Poor People Poor

by Gary Leff

Jan 22 2021

The Jones Act requires cargo ships traveling between U.S. ports to be built in the U.S., owned by U.S. companies, employing only U.S. workers. That means a ship from Asia can’t stop in Hawaii, drop off food and other products, pick up other cargo and continue to the West Coast. As a result goods are generally shipped to the mainland and then from the mainland to Hawaii. That’s one reason why things are so much more expensive in Hawaii.

Secretary-designate Buttigieg supports this because unions like it, and West Coast Senators like it, and the voices of the poor in Puerto Rico who are kept poor aren’t heard nearly as loudly.

Continue Reading »

What Visitor Quarantine Is Like In Thailand Right Now

by Gary Leff

Jan 21 2021

Thailand is technically open to visitors, but even with a negative Covid test there’s a 14 day quarantine requirement and the idea of being stuck inside a hotel room that long hasn’t been popular. It’s attracted only a few hundred tourists per month to the country.

However people will go to greater lengths to visit friends and relatives than they will for just a vacation long enough to justify the quarantine period. I saw on social media that the owner of my favorite Thai restaurant was back in Bangkok, in the middle of his quarantine period at a hotel with his wife. He was gracious enough to share his story and some photos.

Continue Reading »

Norwegian Drops All Transatlantic Flights, Liquidates Long Haul Subsidiaries

by Gary Leff

plane on runway
Jan 14 2021

Norwegian helped drive low cost transatlantic travel with its Boeing 787s, much to the chagrin of legacy carriers. British Airways even considered buying the airline in order to quash it as a competitor. Now it will focus on domestic and regional flying with its narrowbody aircraft.

None of this is surprising but it’s disappointing for consumers who benefited from the competition, whether they flew Norwegian or not.

Continue Reading »