In this experience we look into the reasons why airports may get much busier than normal.

We start out the podcast with a trip review of Vinod who recently flew to London-Heathrow.

It was his virgin flight on an Airbus 350. There was no free seat selection with the ticket that he purchased. When Vinod flew out of Vancouver the British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Plaza Premium lounges were all under renovation. This led to an interesting temporary lounge in Vancouver’s International departures.

The flight was quiet and uneventful with a landing at Heathrow Terminal 3. It had been decades since Vinod had flown into Terminal 3.

Vinod had a chance to meet up with Paul from Layovers while in London.

On his return to Vancouver, Vinod had a bag that was at the weight limit. Thankfully there were friendly service staff to help him with the situation. Vinod used the Flighty app which performed very well. The flight had an empty seat beside him and was quick and efficient on the trip back to Canada.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 35. "Beating the queue. Lining up strategies at the airport." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

We dive into events that take over an airport. Taylor Swift is a current example who has caused airlines to do incredible things.

• simpleflying.com article Taylor Swift, Like A Hurricane, Prompts Airline Change Fee Waivers 

Sometimes there are things that you're aware that some airports will be busy like holidays. Other times you may not be aware of things like sporting events, large conventions, trade shows or political events.

It can throw you for a loop if you don't know things that are happening at that airport.

Geoff remembers flying into Cairo during Hajj and it was a connection point for flights from all over Africa.

Finally, there are large international airshows with some beautiful aircraft that may or may not delay you when flying. But you could end up with a wonderful view from your window.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article United Airlines Passengers Can Now Extend Their Trip With Deutsche Bahn Tickets 
• simpleflying.com article Vistara Airbus A320 Turns Back After Dog Spotted At Goa Airport Runway 

If you have a story about unexpectedly busy airports, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we look into the world of customer service and examples when the experience goes sideways.

We review the situation of the passengers who were flying from Paris to Singapore with a farting and drooling dog in premium economy. Singapore airlines finally got the issue resolved and credited them for their experience.

In days gone by, your travel agent would have been your point of contact. Now you’re mostly on your own. Over the last four years, airlines lost many individuals who were extremely proficient in high-touch customer experience. Even more than ever, airline agents are working from home. Things that can be done virtually can be much different than in person.

A key is knowing how to be efficient and work with the people on the other side of the desk.

Geoff shares a story of a cancelled Porter Airlines flight to Newark, and the quick actions of a check-in agent to get him on another flight quicker than originally scheduled.

Vinod shares a story of remotely assisting a family member with a Cathay Pacific and WestJet check-in. He was even able to resolve some of it while sitting on his sofa!

Geoff shares a story of a flight with online information about waiving fees being much different than fees that needed to be paid in person.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 60. "We Appreciate Your Patience. Wait Times and Customer Support." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Vinod shares a story of helping a family re-locate to Ireland. The online system would not allow a check-in without paying but did the passenger need to pay?

Vinod also discusses a YVR vacuum cleaner retrieval request.

What happens online versus offline doesn’t always line up. If you are able to do things in person, you may have a better chance.

News Items:

• straitstimes.com article Couple seated next to ‘snorting, farting’ dog on long-haul flight get $1,600 refund from SIA 
• simpleflying.com article Honolulu Airport Closed Over Medical Emergency 
• simpleflying.com article Only 5% Of Allegiant’s October Flights Are On Tuesdays 

If you have a story about airline customer service, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we take a trip into the show’s archives and review tickets and booking.

We start out with a review from Vinod about his flight in the summer with Porter from Toronto to Vancouver.

As people are looking for good fare prices, this is a good lead-in to a discussion about ticketing. We talked about ticketing in our very early experiences and are revisiting it in this experience.

The moment that you purchase the right to travel on an aircraft, you get a Passenger Name Record. Every airline has their own PNR. Make sure you don’t share pictures of your PNR online.

But airline ticketing systems are not as advanced as some would think. Sometimes an e-ticket does not get associated with the PNR. Sometimes a booking ends up only being a shell. When you need to fix it, you will need a specialized ticketing representative. This is why an airline representative can't fix it...they may simply not have the access. Vinod shares a story of checking in a passenger and somehow not noticing that there was no e-ticket associated with it.

One of the key aspects of any ticket booking is who is in control of the ticket. Is it the airline, the travel agent or someone else. An airline will do everything it can to keep the control of the ticket, including upgrades in certain circumstances. But sometimes things go sideways, and an airline needs to hand over control to another airline. In the days of paper tickets this Flight Interruption Manifest was almost like an I Owe You between airlines. Today, it all gets processed electronically.

Things can get a bit complicated when a travel agent is involved. Vinod shares a recent experience of helping with a ticket booked with a travel agent and some of the surprises involved.

We look at fare classes which are important when you have to make changes. Is your fare class available anymore when you change the ticket? What do you have to pay for cancellations and/or refunds?

We look at how much ticketing has changed with it now being much more transparent than in the past. We also answer that question asked so often "when is the best time to buy a cheap ticket?" We recommend having a budget and if your ticket is in that budget then book it and don't look back!

How much talking are airlines doing with each other? Vinod shares a story when he had two tickets flying from Toronto to London to Madrid.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 1. "Maiden Flight." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

When your Passenger Name Record is created, be very careful with entering the name and passport information because it could be very difficult to change the information.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article British Airways Reportedly Offering Passengers Money To Avoid Heathrow Lounges 
• simpleflying.com article Singapore Airlines Passengers Demand Refund After Farting Dog Disrupts Their Flight

If you have a story about ticketing, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience Vinod and Geoff are both in Toronto, recording in person and celebrate the milestone of 75 episodes.

We proceed to do an analysis of travels in July 2023.

Geoff had a trans-Atlantic adventure, with flights to Germany, Austria, and Turkey.

Geoff's trip was from Toronto to Frankfurt with a premium economy ticket that had been booked early in the year but wanted to try for an upgrade. ExpertFlyer helped to figure out the load factor and Geoff tried the Air Canada bid upgrade system. Forty-eight hours in advance the upgrade was accepted. Remember that Air Canada does not have pajamas in business class as part of the amenity kit. Air Canada business class is a solid product but not top of world class. Geoff got a pointer from another passenger on how to get sleep in the airline.

When Geoff arrived into Frankfurt he checked if there was shower service in the Air Canada lounge. He learned departing passengers only and Lufthansa will not accept Air Canada passengers in their arrival lounge. Fortunately Frankfurt Airport offers a paid shower directly across from that lounge. Geoff took a train into Frankfurt Main Station and onwards from there, with a scheduled return back to Frankfurt Airport the next day.

Geoff proceeded on from Frankfurt to Vienna. A very simple self bag check, and Schengen zone flight. A warning for those using the A wing of Terminal 1 in Frankfurt. There are no places for you to fill a water bottle with cool water and water bottles are sold for four euros or more. The gate Geoff was at did not require a pushback. Overnight in Vienna and a train back to the airport the next day.

A straightforward flight on to Düsseldorf. But when Geoff arrived, did they forget all the bags on the tarmac without delivering them to the belt? An overnight in Düsseldorf and onward to Cologne the next morning.

Geoff flew with Turkish from Cologne to Istanbul and his first impressions of the massive airport in Istanbul was the very long taxiing time to the terminal. He connected for a domestic flight onward to Bodrum. He returned to Istanbul a week later taking a 777 for a one-hour flight - which managed to have a hot breakfast service.

Geoff stayed up all night for a planned Istanbul to Vienna to Toronto trip. There had been issues through the entire trip since it had been booked using points. It’s a long walk through the middle of Istanbul Airport without moving sidewalks until you get to the assorted terminal wings.

Geoff was told that his flight was late, and he was going to miss the connection, and was advised to stay another day. But the inbound flight connection in Vienna was late. Would he make it?

After waiting an hour for takeoff clearance and arriving at a remote stand with a bus, and a sprint though Vienna Airport, the answer was no. Did Air Canada get passenger information from Turkish? Who knows. Could the Star Alliance connection work better? Absolutely.

Geoff rants about the newer terminal at Vienna, the need to use stairs often at the airport and the narrow, dark atmosphere. But who was Geoff supposed to contact. Since it was booked with points, he was told to contact Air Canada.

After multiple hours waiting, Geoff spoke to Mina at Air Canada, his trip saviour. He tried with Turkish to get a new routing, no chance. He was NOT going to fly back to Istanbul to start over. Air Canada covered the re-routing of his itinerary – now via Barcelona.

After an unplanned short overnight in Vienna, and unanticipated excitement with a missing NEXUS card, Geoff flew via Barcelona. What a difference to Vienna with wide walkways and lots of light. A brief layover in Barcelona and a pleasant return flight to Toronto.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 9. "Our first deep dive into two different flying experiences." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Vinod had a family trip to Toronto with a redeye flight from Vancouver which was not a pleasant experience. The inbound Air Canada flight was delayed, the passengers sat in the plane waiting for ground crews, the temperature control was uncomfortably warm at times (which is apparently an issue with the MAX), and the crew was uninterested.

Vinod shares his rental car experience, and upgrades that can happen for those companies that share the same vehicle pool.

Vinod was planning for his first ever flight with a transcontinental flight on Porter. How was his seat planning going? Apparently quite well.

If you have a story about 2023 trips that you’ve already completed or are taking, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we take a look at our summer 2023 travel plans, and also look at trips we took in June.

It’s a very different summer than that of 2022. We’re getting closer to how things were pre-pandemic with higher amounts of staffing, however now we have to really search again for cheap fares.

Vinod and Geoff had travels in June in Canada.

Geoff flew to Yukon and did a large road trip from there also through Alaska. Geoff flew with Air North which had a terrific Connector Fare deal to Whitehorse from Calgary. There were a few adventures on the way - including waiting on the tarmac in Toronto for technical reasons and Vancouver for connecting passengers; and a bag drop in Vancouver that still required a visit to a check-in desk. Vinod shares his memories of tarmac holds and whether the passengers should be released.

Canada is very large. Toronto to Whitehorse is approximately the same distance as Toronto to Bogota, Colombia.

Vinod had an early morning flight to London, Ontario. He learned about extra costs if pre-reserving an Uber. All airlines have a headstart focus for their first flights - trying to get out early for the day. Vinod had worked as crew on the exact same Frozen plane that he was flying on. Even though he had worked for years in Calgary, there were new terminal wings he had not experienced before. His arrival in London was uneventful.

Vinod returned to Toronto with a rental car. There was added adventures making the baggage cutoff time and unexpected and unpleasant calls to the car rental agency due to a forgotten item.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 22. "Why is my plane parked there? The world of gate assignments." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Geoff and Vinod discuss their upcoming summer travel. Geoff has a transatlantic adventure along with inter-European flights. Geoff shares a tip on how to manage a flight on Turkish Airlines booked with other airlines’ points.

Vinod has a family vacation to Toronto. Vinod is trying a new cross-country player in the Canadian air market. We share a tip on how to find the price floor for fares.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article Japan Airlines Will Hire Clothes To Tourists To Let Them Travel Light 
• simpleflying.com article The Top 10 Most Expensive Airports To Park At 2023 
• simpleflying.com article Unusual: LOT Polish Airlines Adds Wroclaw To South Korea Boeing 787 Flights 

If you have a story about 2023 trips that you’ve already completed or are taking, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/.

In this experience we take a deeper look at the world of airport hotels. Sometimes hotels can be the best thing but can also be the most horrible desolate places on the planet.

We’ve discussed many different types of hotels in previous experiences, from the incredible to the incredibly terrible.

Big airports have the big global hotel brands. But there is another tier of just a place to sleep.

There are some very neat hotels that are attached to airports – Geoff remembers his visit to the TWA hotel at JFK.

There are also some hotels with very cramped and tight rooms. Vinod remembers a hotel by Orly airport in Paris.

The best experience is a hotel attached to the terminal itself, and Vinod remembers a visit to Frankfurt.

If you’re planning to have an airport hotel, make sure you have planned out the logistics. Is it easy to get to the location. Will you have access to your bags. What about transit visas? Will the food service be open and available?

Geoff remembers an experience at London Heathrow where he was so disconnected from the rest of London. Vinod shares his experience with Toronto.

Airport hotels are convenient for families who have early flights. But they can be very noisy locations since they are twenty-four hour operations. Vinod shares a story of all night entertainment playing next door when he was in Montreal. There are a large number of people passing through airport hotels.

As an alternative, is there a city that is close to the airport which has good connections? If you’re not wanting to leave the airside terminal, does the airport offer pod hotel space?

When you’re forced into a layover, you may or may not get a comped room. Geoff shares an experience in Ottawa where he got a comped room, and a very sketchy room in New Jersey when he didn’t.

Vinod shares some insight from the airline perspective and highlights that vouchers can have some variance.

There may be options for you with services like Airbnb.

Vinod shares his first childhood memory of staying at a hotel in Mumbai.

Geoff shares an experience in North Dakota while travelling from Amsterdam to Saskatchewan.

Are there local events or weather that could affect the cost of your hotel? What is the value of putting your head down and having a shower?

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 044. "Sleeping Around. Maximizing Your Rest at Airports." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article Asiana Airlines Passenger Arrested After Opening Airbus A321 Door Inflight
• simpleflying.com article Singapore Airlines Decides Against Paper Meal Containers For Longer Flights 

If you have a story about airport hotels, comped rooms, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we discuss the fact that this summer many people will be flying but the prices for direct connections are often fairly expensive. Often multiple connections are a way people find to save costs.

These multi-stops remind Vinod when planes had to stop due to the lack of range. But unlike times in the past today you can see all the travel details related to your trip.

As people change their ticket purchasing habits, it can mean a change in the way that they layover. Iceland was one of the first countries that promoted a free layover.

Sometimes you can’t find the flight to book even though you have been able to find it on a booking site.

There have been some pretty cool milk runs.

Vinod shares his experience with the Hawaii Interchange, as passengers from the North American West Coast all changed in Honolulu on their way to Australia and New Zealand.

Geoff shares his experience from northern Norway on Public Service Obligation flights flying along the coast.

We look at double stop flights and how Dutch airlines have connected to Alberta this way.

There is also the Pacific Island Hopper, which led to Vinod wondering how a United 737 made it to Tokyo.

A former route that was well beloved was Cathay Pacific's flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver to New York JFK.

When you see a cheap flight, pay attention to how long the connection time is. Do you have a chance to get out of the airport to see the city? Will your passport or visa allow you to do so? Will your layover get eaten up by a terminal or airport switch? Are you travelling alone or with family?

When you add it all together, even if the ticket is cheaper, how much are you spending to manage through it? Are two one ways cheaper? If you’re connecting to a smaller airport is it easy to take another form of transport if things go sideways?

Airlines are doing their best to figure out load factors without the last few years of data.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 024. "Into the mailbag - Part 1. Inflight meal service and free overnight accommodation." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

We also look at Europe to Asian runs, with a critical moment that did not go well. Vinod shares his family connection with it.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article Pairing Music With Food: The Story Of British Airways' Sensory Menus
• flyertalk.com article United Reveals Historic Expansion of Service in South Pacific 

If you have a story about complicated connections, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we look at the realities of flying with seniors. Vinod and Geoff realize that soon enough they will be in this demographic.

As populations age, airlines will have older populations on flights and the challenges that go with it. Since some of today’s seniors lived through the golden age of flying with certain levels of service, there is generational gap.

Often elderly parents are put on flights around the world - which Vinod saw in his role as a station manager. The system is not there for everyone to embrace every individual. Airports are larger, seats are closer, and there are language challenges faced while transiting through certain airports.

Some people attempt to get around this situation by booking assistance, which often means a wheelchair. The option does get abused. Vinod shares stories of trying to get large numbers of wheelchairs for certain flights, and the "miracles" of people being able to walk. 

There is a lesser used assistance code "meet and assist".

Travelling over multiple days can take a lot out of people. It helps to have a game plan ready in case something goes wrong, particularly if you are not travelling with the people flying. Seniors are different than an unaccompanied minor.

Vinod shares a story of his aunt visiting him as a child in northern Canada and the efforts to get her wheelchair off the plane in the snow and cold without a jet bridge.

Vinod shares a story of a shocking flight to Prince Edward Island, "Mid-flight something happened to a lav."

People unfortunately pass away on flights. There is one trans-Pacific route that is fairly well know.

Amidst all the challenges, there are magical moments and conversations that happen in flight. Vinod shares the experience of a black and white photo.

Be tolerant and understanding, know what kind of assistance is being provided by the airline and airport and build in extra time for connections.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 042. "Is There a Doctor on Board? Medical Emergencies in Flight." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Remember that sometimes long flights may not have meal service.

News Items:

• livemint.com article Singapore Airlines gets 25.1% stake in Air India group after injecting $267 million 
• simpleflying.com article United Airlines Enlists Oscar The Grouch For Sustainability Promotion Campaign  
• simpleflying.com article Japan Airlines Serves A Banana As Vegan Meal  

If you have a story about travelling with seniors, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we look back at our travel experiences over the December 2022 holiday season.

We got where we were meant to go, and fortunately did not incur any of the long delays that many other travellers encountered.

December 2022 saw serious weather systems in North America. That was combined with large volumes; technology, crewing, and baggage issues. People thought that the labour issues from the summer of 2022 had resolved themselves, but they were still ongoing.

First, Vinod planned a trip to San Diego from Vancouver. He decided to fly to Los Angeles and rent a car, which turned out to be an important factor. The Vancouver-Los Angeles route is a competitive and frequent route.

In the week before Vinod's flight there was a major winter storm in Vancouver. Vancouver does not get the same amount of snow as other Canadian airports. On the day before his flight there was another massive snowstorm. Would Vinod be able to make the flight to Los Angeles? He checked the schedules of his plane and the weather of the city where it was going to be before his flight.

All flights at YVR cancelled. Airport closed. All arrivals were halted.

But what about flights departing? Vinod's flight was still operating. The US departure terminal at Vancouver was mayhem. Vinod learned that the passport scanning terminal could have problems with infant tickets.

Flight crew also get stuck when the weather goes sideways, so there was a slight delay.

It might have led to de-icing employees getting to the airport, since the capacity to de-ice was less than 50 percent on this wintery day in Vancouver. It took Vinod 3 hours to have his plane de-iced.

Vinod looked out on the tarmac, various trans-Pacific flights were stuck on the tarmac, unable to deplane their passengers or get to a gate.

Geoff shared a story of crews getting stuck in Ft. McMurray, Alberta from the same storm.

Vinod has a love hate relationship with LAX. Right now it is on the hate dial.

Vinod was very lucky to make it out that day on a critical feeder route.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 027. "Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Holiday Travel Horror Stories." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Meanwhile, Geoff was scheduled to fly from Toronto on December 24. He had been watching the storm system that affected Vinod, along with other record cold systems moving across North America. Then there was a weather warning for freezing rain and then a blizzard warning.

However the morning of December 24, the flight was showing on time. The temperatures had dropped with strong winds. The airport was holiday busy, the lounge was full but seating was still available. The flight was slightly delayed due a baggage issue, but arrival was not too delayed.

Geoff's return flight involved a review of food at Calgary security - what happens with solid honey?

Calgary had thick heavy fog, and the inbound flight was delayed. The first officer was delayed on arriving due to the fog.

The turbulence was very strong, to the point where the crew had to take their seats. Otherwise the return was uneventful, but since the flight was late priority was given to those connecting.

Vinod's flight back to Vancouver was much more stressful than it normally was. It started well, with burgers and plane spotting, but went downhill starting with the car rental shuttle bus.

Vinod was supposed to meet a work colleague who was connecting - but logistics prevented it from happening.

Vinod needed to take apart his child's stroller and put all three parts through the x-ray machine.

The stress of the day fuelled into Vinod's child for the return flight, which arrived at Vancouver at the furthest gate from Canadian Customs.

Vinod got a good laugh as some American pilots were shamed to get back in the line to exit the customs hall.

It is important to book the right routing during periods of travel uncertainty. If Vinod had booked the San Diego flight, there is a much stronger chance it would have been cancelled. Also in late December 2022 would have had to probably land at LAX anyway due to the aviation fuel leak limiting flight distance at San Diego.

Geoff and Vinod share their love for San Diego airport.

News Items:

• travelweekly.com article Delta will spend $1 billion for free WiFi -- and a whole lot more 
• simpleflying.com article Police Arrest Man Involved In Air India Inflight Incident 

If you have a story about flights to Los Angeles, holiday flights, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we discuss that infamous club a mile high.

We look back to the golden age of travel with beautiful flight attendants and pilots and exotic locations.

Now add that to four- and five-star hotels, and crews from around the world it can lead to romance and attraction. Don’t screw the crew...well at least not yours.

The captain and crew manager would keep an eye on their crew during layovers, otherwise there was the risk of people making bad decisions.

Cancun was a location where crazy stuff would happen complete crews from multiple countries, beaches and alcohol.

Sometimes crews would hook up with hotel staff, sometimes there would be action at the beach bar. And sometimes it just went too far...and people ended up getting fired.

Crews need to be aware at all-inclusive resorts if they are interacting with their passengers.

At some airport hotels, there are party rooms for crews. Vinod shares his experiences at LGA and LAX.

Vinod thinks back to a pool in Colombo with an Emirates crew and thinking "one day".

There is a serious side to the glamourous interactions. Accusations of assault and misconduct exist, and some airlines have pilots and flight attendants sleep at different hotels.

Crew and passengers connect -- Vinod shares a couple of experiences where the individuals ended up getting married.

Working for an airline expands the possibilities of international relationships. Vinod shares a story of how he outsmarted Tinder.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 039. "Crew Life Between Flights. Crew Layovers." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

We look at passenger activity in the cabin and remember back to when people were shocked that amorous airline advertising led to amorous activity...who knew?!

Vinod shares a memory of his first flight and learning that sometimes you just ignore the oblivious, but sometimes you can have some fun.

Are you kidding me? On a Nanaimo flight? In the middle of the day? Oh it was time for fun for Vinod and the crew and a couple of passengers who were passionate in the lavatory.

Technically amorous activities in the lav are illegal due to air law - in the event of loss of cabin pressure, there is only one oxygen mask.

Often Vinod would discover the evidence after the fact like wrappers and blister packs of pills on the floor.

Vinod shares a memory of when the call bell was ringing multiple times but not from the cabin...and the pilot advised there was banging coming through the wall to the flightdeck.

The Mile High Club is probably a bucket list thing for some people. And we haven't even discussed private aircraft.

However, in 2023, many things have changed.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article "Aircraft Making Stops For Fuel Due To San Diego Shortage" 
• businesstraveller.com article "JetBlue to launch daytime New York JFK-London Heathrow service" 

If you have a story about aviation relations a mile up or on the ground, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we are happy to share an interview with a fan of the show, Stephanie, about her experience with a flight from Vancouver to Montreal to Lisbon. This took place during the summer 2022 travel chaos.

Stephanie was travelling to Lisbon, mixing business and pleasure. When her and her mother arrived in Lisbon, their bags had not made the connection in Montreal and did not reach Lisbon. They took the time to create the tracking file and met up with others whose bags were missing. She traded information with another traveller who flew from Vancouver.

Stephanie had the dilemma of buying clothes due to lost luggage "Are we trying to buy clothes that will get us through a few days, or clothes that we will love a long time?"

Stephanie took the time to buy new luggage as well, bright orange. Just what is the value of the item in your bag?

On the final day before her return trip to Vancouver, Stephanie got a text message from a stranger with a picture of her bag "Your bag is sitting next to carousel four. Here's a picture of it." Meanwhile the tracker stated that tracing continues.

Stephanie and her mother had to leave Lisbon with double baggage, and a shout out is given to the check in staff in Lisbon.

Stephanie is still trying to get the full compensation back for the replacement items - the airline would only compensate for one person.

We look at key components of Stephanie’s story. An agent can check where the last bag scan happened. She treated the baggage staff with respect. She teamed up with someone to help search for baggage. She did not have much packed in carry-on for clothing in case of lost bags. Make sure you take your medication with you in carry-on. Information on the baggage tag is critical. Do you know the value of your bag’s items? Do you have extra lost baggage coverage? Are there government protections?

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 016. "South by Southw...wait what's happening with our flight and bags?" It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article "An Avgeek's Perfect Christmas Present: The World Of Airline Gift Cards"
• travelandleisure.com article "Frontier Airlines Eliminates Phone-based Customer Service"

If you have a story about lost baggage, travel insurance claims, upcoming trips, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/