United Airlines has unveiled its brand new business and first class offering, a product that is sure to provide extra needed comfort for the avid business and leisure traveller.  The airline truly believes that it has a good fighting chance with its competitor, Virgin Blue as it launches V Australia in December.

The US carrier revealed its new business and first class seats, featuring a six foot four-inch fully lie-flat bed for business class and two inches longer bed for first class.  It also includes a 15 inch video screen, three times bigger than the previous screens provided; meals on demand are also available which makes United’s service truly impeccable.  These amenities shall be included across its fleet of 90 aircrafts, including the 747’s flying on the Pacific route which would commence at the end of this year.  This is argued to be United’s point of difference amongst its competitors, which would be sure to target frequent business travellers all over the globe.

The airline also boasts its vast array of available connections into Los Angeles and San Francisco with 550-odd daily flights from California to other parts of the world.  This alone would be a difficult challenge for V Australia.

X-ray vision is no longer limited to superheroes, as Qantas debuts a security screening technology in Melbourne this week that can see through the clothing of passengers.
Although the ProVision Portal is not a part of the current security screening process, the technology is being introduced into the Qantas Domestic Terminal for public consideration.
“Passengers are invited to view and test the equipment on a voluntary basis in order for Qantas to gain customer feedback on this new technology,” said Qantas Group General Manager Security Geoffrey Askew.
The device utilises millimetre waves which “are not invasive or harmful,” according to Askew, which scan the body, creating an image of the outline of a person and indicating the position of any foreign objects. Concerns of privacy violations can be dispelled, as “the face is unrecognisable and sensitive areas of the body are blurred.”
“The security operative is the only person with access to the image and that person is located away from the screening location,” Askew continued. The operation appears simple and speedy, something which airports currently lack in their security processes. Passengers basically walk in and out of the unit, standing on a designated spot for only three seconds with arms raised. “This is a major advancement on current technology and will eventually deliver significant improvements for security and the efficient movement of passengers through airport terminals,” said Askew.
Mr Askew espoused the continued commitment of the Qantas Group to safety and precautions, having maintained itself as a frontrunner in aviation security for many years.
Although the technology is currently being introduced in a limited nature, Askew explained that “It is our intention to have this technology in active use at selected Qantas screening points in the not too distant future”.

An article in The Herald Sun says that Qantas is sending its entire force of 20,000 customer service staff to charm school,as the flying kangaroo invests in multi-million dollar projects. The new $10 million training academy for staff and new recruits is one of two multi-million dollar ventures the airline has planned to coincide with next October’s delivery of its first A380 super jumbo. BusinessDaily learned that Qantas will also spend more than $20 million promoting the flying kangaroo brand in its biggest advertising campaign yet on foreign television. The commercials, produced by a leading Sydney agency M and C Saatchi, are expected to go to air within weeks. The aim of both is to convey a different image to potential travellers by way of a new product range, the first of which are the wider seats and improved legroom in a new premium economy class section. Lesley Grant, general manager Qantas customer services and products, said it was hoped up to 20,000 staff who deal directly with customers could be put through the academy in the first year. The first intake will be in November. “We are designing programs that reconnect our people with what the customer experience is,” Ms Grant said. At the centre, flight attendants will study separate course modules for each aircraft cabin section. Both long haul and domestic airline staff, as well as airport workers and call centre employes, can expect to spend time there. Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said while airline staff will get their meet-and-greet and passenger handling skills polished, would-be passengers from Europe, the United States, Japan and other major markets in Asia will experience the ‘Australianess” of Qantas via the television commercials. The ads will showcase Qantas as a company, and will be markedly different from the award winning I call Australia home commercial series. Mr Borghetti would not discuss the theme of the campaign or series format, saying only that people sitting in and watching television in Europe would come to know the Qantas brand. All we can hope is that the programme includes flight attendants! Article courtesy of the Herald Sun

Westin Hotels & Resorts and United Airlines have entered into a partnership that will treat first and business class customers who fly United’s p.s. service to a new level of comfort with Westin’s Heavenly Bed products. Also, as part of this partnership, select United Red Carpet Clubs in New York (JFK), Los Angeles and San Francisco will debut custom-designed Westin Renewal Lounges later this year: private areas outfitted with luxurious touches from Westin to create a calming oasis where travelers can relax before or after their flight.

Inspired by the iconic all-white, ten-layer Westin Heavenly Bed, United’s first and business class p.s. service between New York and California will include a signature oversized Heavenly blanket and pillow - bringing a new level of luxury and comfort to flying. The Westin Renewal Lounge areas will provide Red Carpet Club guests with a soothing environment with many spa-like amenities for relaxing and escaping the hustle and bustle of an airport.
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First day, 25th Dec, Xmas day, half way to Rio, at Santiago airport

damn i missed my flight! now i have to stay here for another 6hrs!! Cannt blame anything one but myself:-( was getting too comfortable in the lounge…

i have a feeling this is not good to be a smooth trip. things have already gone wrong a few times, since i left sydney this morning. But as usual, as if some angel´s been looking after me, plus i always try harder, things always turn out to be ok:-)but i have to remind myself, not to rely on good luck!

My flight from sydney did not start smooth. i arrived just a little over an hr at the Sydney airport, LAN counter, i was told all staff travel (anyone working in travel, standby discounted tickets) are handled by Qantas, at counter E. There wasn´t anybody waiting when i approached, but was told to come back at 10 (my flight departs at 10.45). when i returned, there was a loooong line. Worried about missing the flight, i approached the check in staff, but was told they´re not checking in LAN standby yet, so i had to wait in the queue. By 10.15, i had to approach him again, as there´s no way i could make it following the queue. then he told me to approach his supervisor, who´s on the phone sorting out another couple of pax to Santiago. i waited another 10min, he called my name and gave me my boarding pass, i ran, without noticing that he checked me in economy class till i was in the line of customs check point. i had no time to go back, had to try my luck at the boarding gate. the LAN staff at the gate was very helpful, i knew there were seats in business class, she said the Qantas staff did not realise my ticket was in business class, typical! she then told me first she couldn´t do anything for the flight from sydney to auckland, but can change it to business from auckland to santiago. Eventually she managed to book me all way through to santiago in business, i was soo happy, and gave her a Merry Xmas kiss!

On the plane, i sat next to an interesting lady, who´s a very active middle aged traveller, especially into trekking tours. We were telling each other the most interesting travel stories. She´s meeting her husband in Santiago, going on a trekking tour at En Atacama, and then to Bunos Ares cruising to antarctic. She told me a wonderful walking tour she did in turkey and how she researched 90 hours for her itinerary and was able to explore alot of remote areas where tourists don´t normally go, they also chartered a boat with another couple to those hideaways where only boat has access to, and interesting market shopping for food for the boat chef to prepare. I asked her to email me the special itinerary so that we could suggest to our clients too. Hope she will!

its not too much a torture waiting in the LAN lounge actually. its the second time i´m here for long hours, last time was on the way back from Rio to Sydney. Food here is simple, but nice, rasberry juice is not sth. you can easily get in Sydney, its simply devine! and if u need to sleep, there´s a seperate area, with lie down chairs. The internet area i´m in is private, spacious, big enough table to put yr bags, food, drinks. I´ll just have to treat it as an office for 6hrs and get some work done, so i have more time for fun later!

Later that night
I didn’t realise there’re other costs of missing this afternoon flight! not only there’s no biz class on the evening flight, it goes via Sao Paulo, which adds another 2hrs to the already looong trip!
when i finally arrived at airport at 2am, my luggage did not arrive! its getting worse, by the time i arrived at the Luxor Regente, there’s no reservation for me! Its all prepaid through an agency in Florida, there’s nothing i could do but let the staff to freeze 2nights costs on my credit card, before they could look into it tomorrow… AND, the hotel is shit! 4 star??? NO WAY! 3.5 the most! I later found out, most 4 star hotels in Rio are like 3-3.5 star in Asia.
I get my flight confirmation last minute, 4 days before departure, and there was no 5 star available, but never again, book anything relying on others’ comments or feedbacks online (i checked feedback on tripadvisor, obviously it says nothing what i experienced! staff are ok, location is good, nothing else…) few days later, i learnt the hotel doesn’t even have any iron and ironing board for guests!

Our client Justin says…

With regards to Etihad on my last trip they where OK better than Qantas, BA and Thai. Areas for improvement would be the following

• Airport Lounges – In a nut shell terrible

Sydney well it’s the business class lounge

• Abu Dhabi again business class lounge very small I had to wait to get a seat

London the same

There didn’t feel like there was any difference between Bus and First class
(Thai for example are the best people to greet you when u get off the plane etc)

• Food - I know its airline food but it was below what I would expect
• Service Great staff where very accommodating only prob no PJ’s from Abu Dhabi to London and return
• Inflight entainment not bad, great screen and pretty good line up of movies. disappointed they where the same on the way back (cross over month June – July) but plenty to choose from
• Seat Great very comfortable good sleeper

Over all they where pretty good better than a lot of others out there if they improve the lounges and food they will be well and truely there..would I would recommend them yes and already have

Hope this helps also it should be noted your services was wonderful very easy uncomplicated and fast I will continue to using u and recommend u