April 21
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more airplane art.
This week (spotted from the balcony of the Hyatt Regency O’Hare) is a Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 on approach to Chicago O’Hare.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More airplane art next week!
April 18
Back into action, Back to the Back – To Chicago with American Airlines, American Eagle and British Airways
LHR-ORD, ORD-YYZ-LHR
The Introduction!
Index:
Yet another odyssey to Chicago, down the back of the plane.
New Readers: Welcome to a Trip Report experience that you probably haven’t encounter before – someone writing regularly about Economy Class travel on long distances, with all the nuances of travel.
Loyal readers: Welcome to a trip report I actually thought I would not be writing at one point early this year. You’ll find out why soon enough, so there is rambling (as there always in a GhettoIFE trip report).
Otherwise, this the traditional GhettoIFE spring review of Transatlantic travel, and how good/bad/indifferent it’s been since the last time I travelled down the back of the plane. Because like it or not… there’s a lot of people who travel down the back of a plane.
Besides, when I travel in Business Class, trouble normally follows right behind me. Economy is safe…
Well. Mostly…
As a reminder to some of my grammar conscious/grammar sensitive readers, please head to http://boardingarea.com/blogs/ghettoife/2012/03/18/blog-admin-a-message-to-the-grammar-checkers-out-there/ for an explanation of why my grammar may not be up to others high standards.
Dodging the Sword of Damocles (The Intro)
For those who don’t read my blog or previous blog entries, let me bring you up to speed. I used work for a part of National Health Service that specialised in Maternity Research. Alas, due to the short-sightedness of some seeing the unit I worked at being a line on a spreadsheet – rather than a place that brings change.
So when I got back from Hong Kong in November, a cloud had descended on my life, putting everything on hold in my life – be it trips, buying a sofa, getting things fixed… the works.
In December 2012, I was placed at formal risk of redundancy, leading to some mistakes, and me worrying a lot more than I should had done.
As January rode around, I spied a job at another NHS agency, and went to interview… and got the job (to my amazement).
Fast forward to March, and on day one into the new job, I negotiated leave for April. Yes, its a bit cheeky, but it was granted as I had given more than enough notice (and I informed them of the request after the interview so they would know) – and that I seemingly proving myself on the first to my new bosses satisfaction with my friendliness, interaction and actually doing the job I was asked to do (and beyond as I seem to be helping out with their Social Media strategy. Oh well…)
So with leave in place, I have enough time for a quick stop and drop in Chicago. Well, where else in the world would I go in the Spring? 
Finally admitting I was enjoying flying with Oneworld last year, I decided to make a concerted effort to get some tier points this in this year, whilst I still can. Precious time has been lost in the race for re-qualification, and I’m not about throw away opportunities when I need to.
Now the problem with the time of year I travel is simple: It’s the end of the school holidays in the United Kingdom, so fares are in the plus £500 range for a short 8 hour flight. On top of that, I’m also hit with an Air Passenger Duty Rise (Thanks George Osborne. My vote will be for someone else next time).
So I wasn’t honestly surprised to see fares in the £525 range – considering that fare hasn’t shifted much since January and this was booked before the T -28 Day deadline, I wasn’t convinced this fare was going to move downwards. I could had routed through Dublin, but considering the extra luggage I take on this trip – a straight departure from London was the order of the day.
Tradition states that I get to Chicago quickly so I can get stuff I need to do done and then take the most indirect fun route home at a low cost.
So, once again, I turned to the British Airways booking engine and plugged away some dates and hoped something interesting turned up. Whilst I was angling for a routing via Philly (like the previous trip was meant to contain), it wasn’t turning up. Boston was, but as Boston to London is one of the shortest Transatlantic runs out there, I discounted that. However, there was an option through a Canada… and Toronto.
Whilst I do have “history” with Canada; it seems when I transit through the country, they’re not interested in me… so Canada seems like a good spot to visit. On top of that, my father loves the Maple Syrup cookies.
No, I don’t get it either.
So we’re looking at:
For the Hotel… I’m being completely original, and heading back to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. My reasons are that I’ll be finishing most nights late, and on top of that – I’d be teaching a class on Photography this year at the event I go to.
Yes, I do teach. And unsurprisingly, it’s NOT safe for work!
So anyway, a map to get you started:
Map generated by the Great Circle Mapper – www.gcmap.com
On top of this, as its the usual early morning start, it’s back on National Express to London and a train home.
So, it’s time to load up my trash and head out of the door. What adventures await me this time I wonder?
Plenty as it happens… including a surprise later
January 20
It’s Sunday again, and whilst I’m cold and snowbound, it must be time for some more airplane art.
This week, it’s an United Airlines Boeing 747-400 in classic Blue Tulip (and a bit of a dirty tail) taxing at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More airplane art next week!
January 13
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more airplane art.
This week, its an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 in landing configuration, on final approach to Chicago O’Hare International Airport on a late autumn morning (Taken from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare).
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More airplane art next week!
November 4
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more airplane art.
This week, it’s an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 at a hold point at Chicago O’Hare International on an autumn morning.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More airplane art next week!
October 3
United has confirmed new flights for the summer season to UK and Ireland two sets of services
Between Houston and London Heathrow, a third service will be added from 30th March 2013.
UA970 DEPART IAH 20:30 ARRIVE LHR 12:05+1 UA971 DEPART LHR 13:05 ARRIVE IAH 17:45 Commences: 30th March 2013 Operated by United Airlines Booked equipment: Boeing 767-300 (2 Class Service)
Now the interesting thing is this will be flown by one of United’s refurbished 767-300′s. These birds (unlike the old United 767-300ER’s which went through a separate refit) will feature a two class service with BusinessFirst, Economy Plus and Economy (and yes, I still don’t count Economy Plus as a separate cabin)
Tickets for the new service go on sale from October 6.
For the Summer Season, United is also adding a service from Chicago to Shannon.
UA66 DEPART ORD 18:10 ARRIVE SNN 07:25+1 UA67 DEPART SNN 11:00 ARRIVE ORD 13:10 Commences: 6th June 2013 (Subject to Government Approval) Operates Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Booked Equipment: Boeing 757-200WL (Ex Continental)
Tickets go on sale today for this route for those who want Irish sun.
Speaking of tickets on United Flights, if you haven’t got at ticket on the Star MegaDO4 flight… you can try and win with GhettoIFE!
To win a seat with Randy, head to http://boardingarea.com/blogs/ghettoife/2012/10/01/win-a-seat-with-randy-petersen-on-star-megado-4/, read the rules, and if you’re the winner from the random draw, you’ll go forward to another random draw where 2 readers from Boarding Area blogs will a seat on the US Domestic MegaDO flight!
Well go on… Enter! And good luck 
September 23
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some airplane art.
This week taxing on a sunny spring day is a United Express CRJ-200 operated by Skywest (with some very dodgy paint flaking at the top of the fuselage) at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More airplane art next week!
September 16
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane art.
This week, sitting on the sunny tarmac is a Delta Connection Embraer E-170 operated by Shuttle America at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More Airplane art of course next week!
Regular readers may have noticed that there was no Safety Video Saturday yesterday – I can only apologise as I’ve been on the rough end of a four day conference that I’m just about recovered from now. Which is an excuse for a trip report like thing in a few days time
August 15
Qatar Airways is on an expansion run with three new services up, with two European services and one service to the United States of America.
The two new European services will serve Belgrade and Warsaw
These services will operated with an Airbus A320 configured with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.
Service patterns:
Belgrade
QR462 DEPART DOH 08:30 ARRIVE ESB 11:40, DEPART ESB 12:40 ARRIVE BEG 13:50 QR463 DEPART BEG 15:05 ARRIVE ESB 18:15, DEPART ESB 19:15 ARRIVE DOH 23:45 Commences 20th November 2012 Operates Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays Booked Equipment: Airbus A320
Warsaw
QR980 DEPART DOH 09:20 ARRIVE WAW 13:20 QR981 DEPART WAW 15:35 ARRIVE DOH 22:55 Commences 5th December 2012 Operates Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays Booked Equipment: Airbus A320
Looking to the US service, Qatar will open a route from Doha to Chicago O’Hare in 2013, making Chicago the 4th destination of Qatar Airways in the USA.
The service will operate daily, with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
QR991 DEPART DOH 09:15 ARRIVE ORD 15:50 QR992 DEPART ORD 21:30 ARRIVE DOH 19:00+1 Commences 10th April 2013 Operates Daily Booked Equipment: Boeing 777-300ER
Qatar also operates to New York-JFK, Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Washington Dulles International, as well as Montreal in Canada.
July 29
It’s Sunday again, and it’s time for some Airplane art.
This week, it’s a Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 resting on the maintenance pads at Chicago O’Hare International airport.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version – and yes you can keep them for your desktops!
More Airplane Art of course next week!
June 3
It’s Sunday again, and it’s time for some more Airplane Art.
This week, it’s an United Airlines Airbus A320 in the “New United” paint job, climbing out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The image is clickable if you want to see a larger version!
More Airplane Art of course next week… and providing the servers here behave, Safety Video Saturday will finally return!
