Revealed this week an A380 for the tenth operator of the A380 British Airways. The plane is due to be delivered by July, 2013 followed by three more this year and then another eight after that to make a grand total of 12 for the carrier.

The plane will be flying initially between
- London and Los Angeles from 15th October (as BA268 and 269)
- London and Hong Kong from 15th November as BA25 and BA26

The BA A380 will have 469 seats in a four class set up:
1. BA First Class – 14 “mini-suites” all on lower level. Pitch: 78″ Width: 21″
2. Club World Business – 44 seats on lower level arranged 2-4-2 and 53 seats upstairs arranged 2-3-2. Pitch: 73″ Width: 20″
3. World Traveller Plus premium economy – 55 seats upstairs arranged 2-3-2. Pitch: 38″ Width: 18.5″
4.  World Traveller economy has 199 seats downstairs arranged 3-4-3 and 104 seats upstairs arranged in a much nicer 2-4-2 setup (thats where I will try and sit if I am in Economy). Pitch: 31″ Width: 17.5″

How this compares with other operators:

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Following on from last week’s post about Czech air, the ex European bloc airlines have not fared well since the dissolution of the former Soviet states.

•  In Slovakia, Slovak Airlines closed in 2007, SkyEurope 2009 and Air Slovakia in 2010
• Last year, Malev, the airline of nearby Hungary collapsed and WizzAir has made continuous losses since launching in 2003
• Poland’s LOT is in financial difficulties
• Bosnia and Herzegovina B&H Airlines was grounded briefly last month
• Romanian government owned TAROM has had five years of losses
• Croatia Airlines has lost money almost every year since commencement in 1989 and was unable to pay for four A319s last October when it faced bankruptcy
• Slovenia’s Adria airlines has operated at a loss in 2005 and every year since 2008. The government tried to sell the airline in 2012 but no one wanted it
• A month ago, the Serbian government took over their carrier JAT ’s accumulated debt of $170million Euro, ahead of a tie up between JAT and Etihad which many hope will lead to an eventual Etihad takeover of the Serbian carrier
• Not quite Eastern Europe but over in Austria, Lauda airlines disappeared into Austrian in 2005 and Niki was taken over by Air Berlin in 2011 although unlike its new owner, it was profitable. Lufthansa took over Austrian Airlines in 2009 but were unable to stem years of losses. Last year, all of Austrian’s operations were handed over to its subsidiary Tyrolean Airways

Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG (British airways/Iberia) says there are too many airlines and favors widespread consolidation:
Will we have 1,057 airlines in five years’ time? I think the industry would be a hell of a lot better if there was half that number.

Who would take on East Europe’s airlines? Could we see Turkish or Lufthansa or IAG get the appetite for LOT? Ryanair or Easyjet or Air Berlin look at Wizz? JAT go to Etihad?

Whoever gets involved, I cannot see in five years time, the same number of Eastern European carriers. Maybe two or three big carriers (Lufthansa? Etihad?), a large regional and a smaller low cost carrier? Walsh will get his wish in this region at least!

Korean Air finalised its 44 percent investment in CSA (Ceske Aerolinie AS), the Czech government owned flag carrier on April 11, 2013 for a nominal price of 2.64 million euros ($US3.4m). The government said: “We only had two options: either find a strategic partner or consider liquidation of CSA”. Korean was the only bidder for the carrier, although Qatar expressed an interest.

If the European Commission loosens regulations on foreign ownership of EU carriers then Korean Air will have first option to buy the remaining 56% stake held by the government owned holding company.  If this occurs in the next twelve months, then the price would be based on the current bid. After the year,  the asking price would be calculated by an an independent adviser.

Korean have pledged to hold their stake in CSA for five years, according to the terms of this week’s sale. In return, CSA won’t  make “significant” changes in its strategy.  Korean Air have also publicly stated they are not interested in managing the Czech carrier. Korean Air is likely to use its new investment as a feeder airline for its Asian flights making the Czech capital Prague one of its European transfer cities. Korean are also moving their European call centre to Prague.

The European airline has been running since 1923 and has 26 planes flying 59 routes. It was one of the first airlines to fly jet planes back in 1957. It is currently rated a three star airline by Skytrax. Korean, has a fleet of 152 aircraft and operates flights to 130 destinations in 45 countries including 11 European cities. This of course, includes Prague. It is a four star airline according to Skytrax. Both the airlines are members of Skyteam, along with US Carrier Delta and Air France-KLM. I have flown with Korean and rate them at eight out of ten overall. My brother has flown CSA and though they were okay.

Korean may have luck with CSA. The integration into the Korean network should prove a fillip to the smaller carrier. What the picture will look like in 2018 will be interesting.

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Tuesday Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

I have flown 82 airlines.  28 of them are no longer in business. This is a ranking of all the 54 airlines that I have ever flown that are still in the air with my score out of 100.  I rate each flight I take for every factor from Booking to Check-in to deplaning. and keep a tally of my rating using Flightmemory.com.  The scores averaged out provide a ranking of flights, airlines and airports.

Top Airlines

1. Qatar Airlines  - 100%

2. Emirates – 100%

3. Cathay Pacific – 96%

3. Air New Zealand  - 96%

5. Virgin Australia -95%

5. Thai Airways -95%

7. Singapore 92%

8. JetBlue 91%

9. Virgin America 90%

10 Qantas  88%

Highly Commended

11. Lufthansa  86%

11 British Airways 86%

12. LAN 85%

12 Turkish Air 85%

14 Alaska Airlines  84%

14 Southwest 84%

Acceptable

Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus A340 (Wiki)

16 AirTran  83%

17 Delta  82%

18 Etihad 80%

18 Swiss  80%

18 Air Canada  80%

18 Korean Air 80%

22 Air France 78%

23. Royal Jordanian  77%

24.  Frontier Airlines  76%

25.  easyJet 76%

26. Virgin Atlantic Airways 74%

27. Air Pacific  72%

28. KLM Royal Dutch 70%

Okay

29. TACA 68%

30. Gulf Air  67%

31. US Airways 66%

32. Jet Airways 65.6%

33. Aer Lingus 65.3%

34. Vueling  65%

35. Air Iceland 64.6%

36. Skywest Airlines 64.3%

37. Logainair 64.1%

38. SAS Scandinavian Airlines 64%

38. Iberia 64%

40. Air Berlin  64%

41.Island Air 63.9%

42. flyBE  63.9%

43. Mesa Go 63.6%

44. Regional Express (Rex)  63.3%

Not Recommended

45. Air Asia - 63%

46. Jetstar-63%

47. American Airlines- 60%

48. United Airlines -58%

Do Not Fly

49. Alitalia -30%

50. China Eastern -29%

51. Air China -28%

52. Tiger Airways – 27%

53. Air Zimbabwe – 20%

54. Ryan Air -19%

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For the last few years, every year a friend of mine, Paul and I,  have an extended long weekend in a new city. The rule is that the city must be new for both of us. i.e. we have never been to that city before. As a result we have been to Reykjavik (iceland), Madrid (Spain), Berlin (Germany), and Southampton, UK. We usually travel sans partners and use the time to explore, catch up and eat!

This year we chose Istanbul, an immense metropolis of 13 million people which has been home to people for almost 7000 years. Istanbul was the 173^rd city of over 100 000 I have ever visited.

Aesthetics 8 out of 10

Istanbul is not a beautiful city  but it definitely makes an impact! Houses of many ages jostle on the hillsides seemingly tumbled together. Minarets, towers and chimneys punctuate the skyline. The  Bosphorus and Golden Horn waters  provide a space for travel and commerce stretching over 5000 years.

Liveability: 6 out of 10

The greater Istanbul area has a population of between 12 and 19 million people .

The Mercer Quality of living index placed Istanbul as 114th in the world. The Global Liveability Survey ranked Istanbul last year as 109th in terms of liveability. Readers of the Financial Times, however, chose Istanbul in 2011 as the most liveable city in the world. The review said:  ”İstanbul is cosmopolitan, busy, young in its population but historic in its fabric, socially mixed with a huge disparity of income, accessible and a city that has always built on its status as a bridge between not just continents but civilizations, ideas, religions and peoples” . 

While, Istanbul would be a fascinating place to live, I got the impression its not that easy. Huge Urban population growth  creates pressure for infrastructure.

An average annual salary  is $US35,000.

The Big Mac index says that at July, 2012, a McDonald’s big Mac is $US3.54, about the same as an hour’s wage. The theory goes onto suggest that the Turkish Lire is undervalued. Restaurant meals set me back $US8 to $US20. A takeaway doner Kebab from a local food stand cost around $US4 to $6 including drink. International Fast food chains are more expensive. A cup of Coffee around $US1.80.

Temperatures drop to -4c (25F) in January and climb to 26.5C (80F) in July. Humidity is very high. According to an World Bank, İstanbul is the seventh most polluted city in the world Of concern also is that a 7.6 plus magnitude earthquake has a 60 per cent chance of striking before 2030.  And many of the structures I saw throughout the city looked very flimsy.

Turkeyis the 58th least corrupt country in the world.

Culture: 9 out of 10

3000 years of history mean the museums, galleries, monuments, and landscape mean Turkish culture is very rich. Think religion, sport, music film and  food. We ate like sultans, enjoying 3 course meals for $10 each.Turkish food is of course is way more than kebabs. We munched through:

• Borek- baked or fried filled pastries made from a thin flaky dough known as phyllo, filled with cheese
• Manti-a Turkish ravioli served with yoghurt

• Chai, coffee, cherry and pomegranate juices,
• Pastries of every kind
• Rice puddings
• Dondurma -a thick incredibly tasty ice cream

Service in restaurants was  gracious and welcoming. Menu Prices can vary. In the parts of the city where the menus were in Turkish or even in Turkish with an English translation, expect to pay a third of what you pay in the parts of town where the restaurant signs and menus are almost exclusively in English.

Crime 9 out of 10

The crime rate is half that of London. – and London’s crime rate is low. I didn’t see much evidence of pickpocketing activity and I usually spot that. There is a salutary story that every one is told of the tourist who makes friends with a local, gets taken to a pub owned by a relative of that “friend”, and  after a couple of drinks being made to settle an obscenely high bar bill of $1000. We decided that the story is apocryphally We did meet men who wanted to entice us to places with promises of cheap beer and nice girls but we deiced they were probably fairly harmless – in it for a commission. I may be wrong in this but so many urban myths grow up in places. The aforementioned men were an irritation but a stern “no thank you”, usually dislodged them .

This also worked for the shopkeepers and restauranteurs who wanted you to come in. In most cases, this worked. We did see one poor Korean woman being almost chased along the street by a guy who wanted to drag her to a carpet shop. Our rule was if there were no locals in the shop or restaurant, we would not go in. We found all of the shopkeepers we dealt with to be scrupulously honest.

Begging was rare.

Transit 7.5 out of 10

Like many cities in the world Istanbul was guilty of underfunding public transit in the 60 s, in favour of the private car. The extensive tramway system the city had was shut down in the 1960s. This public direction has seen some reversal in the last few years with the reinstatement of trams, and opening of new transit options such as the Taksim funicular which looks like the ride out of Total Recall. I kept expecting the gravity to shift half way through the  gentle descent. Tram 1 was an incredible useful ride linking the key tourist sites together.  The city has a very large (and busy) bus way which links the Asian and European sides of the city.

To use the system, we bought an Istanbul Card , a stored value transit card. It costs 6 Turkish Lire ($US3.34) for the refundable deposit plus whatever you add to it. The Card distributors are labelled AKBIL and can be found at magazine, juice or snack stands. They cannot be bought in stations. It was easier to have the one card than be fumbling for tokens each ride.

Vibe: 10 out 10

There is an atmosphere in Istanbul that is addictive. The city pulsates with life 24/7! It does mean it can be noisy 24/7 so choose a quiet hotel!

The Verdict: 85%

I ranked Istanbul at 21st on my list of top cities. Any city that makes my top 40, I believe is world class.

Top Twelve Sights for Istanbul (I could not reduce it to ten)

1. Hagia Sophia  This It is a stunning, stunning  ancient building has survived earthquakes, wars, riots and outlasted several civilisations. It was dedicated in 360AD as an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral. In fact it was the world’s largest cathedral until 1520. It is  82 m (269 ft) long, 73 m (240 ft) wide and has a dome 55 m (180 ft) off the ground.  This is about eight storeys. Hagai Sofia operated as the seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1204 when the Crusaders rode into town and made it a Roman Catholic cathedral. This lasted until 1261 when it reverted back to being an Orthodox Cathedral until 1453. Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror entered into the city of Constantinople and made Hagia Sophia his imperial mosque. In 1931 it was decommissioned as a mosque and  became a museum on 1 February, 1935.  In the Building we found symbols of both Christianity and Islam. 
2. When my friend Paul suggested the Basilica Cistern , I agreed to go along without realising quite what I was going to. I found myself in an underground palace with 336 marble columns. These cisterns were built in the sixth century to store up to 2,265 cubic meters (80,000 cubic feet) of water in case the city came under drought or siege. It is eerie, mysterious and romantic simultaneously. Fish flitter around the pools and around an  upside-down head of Medusa that forms the bottom of one column.
3. Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Sultanahmet or Blue Mosque was a little bit of a hassle to go in. LInes of pushy tourists who had no idea really what they were going into except that the Guide book told them to go. Inside, this place is jaw droppingly amazing. Avoid visiting the mosque at prayer time or you will line up for longer. Paul was amazed that somewhere so beautiful was free.
4. The Nuruosmaniye Mosque - considered one of the finest mosques in Ottoman Baroque style.
5. Ferry Ride- Imagine cruising from Europe to Asia for a dollar! Hop on an Istanbul ferry, swipe your Istanbul Card and you can. I love being on the water in any city and Istanbul’s waterways must be one of the most amazing sights on earth. First of all there is beauty of the water. Secondly, the city views were fascinating. Thirdly, the waterways are home to a constant stream of boats, tankers, ferries, cruises ships and yachts from around the world. Finally, if one got bored with the aforementioned (as if!), one could visualise 3000 years of history with conquering armies sailing to victory or defeat and millennium of tourists, traders and touts coming to see this famed metropolis. 
6. I have always wanted to see the Whirling Dervish ceremony and for $20 we got to sit in the waiting room of Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal, the famed departure and arrival point of the original Orient Express and watch five Dervishes perform the mystical ceremony. It was moving, powerful and special notwithstanding the women behind me who kept talking through it.
7. Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian side. There are many places in Istanbul. This one appealed to me!
8. People watching on Istiklâl Caddesi, this three kilometre long pedestrianised shopping street crowded with boutiques, cafes, cinemas, night clubs and ice cream shops! Apparently three million people visit the street every day. There is a historic tram that runs through it.
9. Upon another friend’s recommendation, I dragged Paul to the Spice Market and boy were we glad we came. I enjoyed way more than its much bigger counterpart the Grand Bazaar
10. No visit to Istanbul can escape the Grand Bazaar. however. Think ancient shopping mall with 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops visited by at least a quarter of a million people every day! We were disappointed with the quality of stuff and the sameness of it. There were not a lot of  different stock in the stores and the eyes glazed over looking at Carpets, jewellery, Carpets, leather-ware, carpets, Turkish delight, Carpets. The building itself is amazing, however and watching the haggling and market commerce is fun. Every sale seems to be washed down with tea.
11. Çamlica Hill at 268 metres, this park dominates the city skyline. Recognised by all the  broadcasting aerials on it.
12. Galata Tower was built by the Genoese in 1348 and sits 35 m (115 ft) above sea-level. The peak of its  dome is 62.6m (205.4 ft) above ground level, therefore and almost 100 metres (321 ft) above sea-level. There is a legend (?) that  from this tower,  Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi flew  3.358 km (2 mi) across the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia in 1638, landing in Doğancılar square. If this feat is true, then he inaugurated the first ever intercontinental flight. I would love to believe it

Xiamen Airlines joined the SkyTeam alliance last week becoming airline number 19 in the grouping of which three others cover the area China :  China Southern and China Eastern Airlines (China) and China Airlines (Taiwan)

Xiamen are the fifth largest airline in China,based in Xiamen in the Fujian Province.

This picture shows one flight attendant representative from 18 of skyteam airlines with three representatives from Xiamen.

Left to Right- match  the airline to the uniform. How many can you match?

• Aeroflot
• Aerolineas
• Aeromexico
• Air Europa
• Air France
• Alitalia
• China Airlines
• China Eastern
• China Southern
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Korean Air
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudia
• TAROM
• Vietnam Airlines
• Xiamen Air

Few people have flown Air Koryo. The North Korean carrier officially has  14 destinations in six countries. It reportedly has a fleet of 30 old mostly Soviet aircraft which are usually grounded due to lack of fuel and or parts. Video of the fleet can be found here.

Combined with an erratic schedule and a one star Skytrax rating, the airline has been described as “the world’s worst airline“.

Following a visit to the airline’s  headquarters in July, 2012, by the country’s new leader, Kim Jong-un, the airline has reportedly attempted to modernise. The carrier has launched an on line booking service:  www.airkoryo.com.kp giving customers ”easier, quicker, reliable booking and ticketing services.” Interesting decision, seeing most of North Korea does not have access to the internet. In addition, only 2000 foreigners presently visit the country.

You can book to fly between Pyongyang, North Korea and  Beijing and Shenyang in China, and Vladivostok in Russia, on the website. If you can find it.  I  keep finding page not found errors as I navigate through it. Others report multiple failures with the site.

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Air Zim Goes Monty Python

The recent Qantas -Emirates partnership agreement seems to be having a flow through effect with two major announcements today. One World Alliance has been set  for a week now to announce a “significant membership development” today in NewYork. The alliance includes American Airlines, British Airways/Iberia, Cathay Pacific, LAN and Royal Jordanian. The shortlisted options are: Qatar Airways or Emirates. In the meantime, Etihad snuck in their own announcement today with a wide sweeping relationship with Air France-KLM.

Etihad’s a major code-sharing arrangement is between itself and 30% owned Air Berlin (itself a new member of One World with Air France-KLM), a Skyteam founding member The code-sharing agreement is seen as “the first phase of a much larger strategic partnership” which includes “the proposed integration of frequent flyer programs”, between the Etihad Guest Program’s 1.5 million members and  Air France-KLM Flying Blue 21 million members. It includes code sharing on all flights from Etihad’s hub  Abu Dhabi  (the United Arab Emirates’ capital) to Amsterdam and Paris, as well as some  flights to other European, Asian and Australian destinations. Etihad now has code-sharing relationships with 40 airlines as well as investments in four other carriers.

Most people are tipping Qatar Airlines will be the new member of One World but CEO Akbar al-Baker has refused to answer this question saying: “It’s all rumors.” The more he protests, the more it seems likely. It is no secret that Qatar has been very interested in One World for some time now. Qatar is rated by Skytrax as a five star airline and it has also been their Airline of the Year for the past two years. Its code-share partners are largely Star Alliance airlines including ANA, Asiana, Lufthansa, USAir, United, Lufthansa. It also partners with soon to be One World member Malaysia Airlines. Qatar  had tried to link up with Qantas earlier in 2012 but was beaten by Emirates. Qatar joining One World could be both tricky and immensely useful for Qantas as it would then be in a relationship with two middle eastern carriers.

Emirates has eschewed alliances until the recent Qantas one. The carrier does have code sharing relationships with One World carrier Japan Airlines, JetBlue (who have a relationship with One World’s American Airlines), Skyteam airlines: Korean Air and Star Alliance members:  South African Airways  and Thai Airways International.

If Qatar joins One World today and Etihad continues to cosy up to Skyteam, then that leaves Emirates without a global alliance connection. If it now wanted one, the logical thing would be for Emirates to join Star Alliance.  The Star Alliance group will be working very hard to entice the partner less middle eastern carrier in. This will be intensified in Europe where Lufthansa faces the double blow of Air Berlin and Etihad code sharing and the possible new One World member.  This has the complicating factor of Qantas’s One World membership. Qantas, of course, could switch to Star but that seems extremely unlikely.

The announcement of all One World announcements would be Emirates and Qatar both joining simultaneously! The OneWorld announcement could, of course, also be to announce that Kingfisher will never be joining One World. Or that US Airways is defecting as part of a possible American Airlines-US Air merger!

Any movement at One  World will be watched keenly bv Qantas arch rival Virgin Australia which is also partly owned by Eihad. VA is not in an alliance but has chosen to pick and choose strategic code share partners including Etihad, Skyteam’s Delta and Star Alliance carriers: Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines.

Whatever happens, these changes are massive in terms of the future of the airline industry. Lets see what happens today in New York! Bets on for Qatar!

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Booking 8 out of 10

I actually started my flight in Auckland, New Zealand. The fare for Auckland-Melbourne-Los Angeles-Melbourne-Los Angeles was actually $A1000 less than the  fare for Melbourne-Los Angeles-Melbourne. Combining two New Zealand trips in was easy for me.

The Qantas website easily worked out the multi city fare and came up with  a better fare than Expedia.com or Webjet or Kayak could find. Sometimes looking at the airline’s website can be a bonus. Trying the same search with Virgin Australia online was  not possible.

Seat selection was easy. All the preferred seats were gone, These included the exit row seats which you pay $180 for with Qantas  and the bulkhead seats which could not be selected online.

Check in: 8 out of 10

I attempted to check in online four times over 20 hours. Each time, I finished the whole process before the Qantas website told me that check in was not possible at this time.  Grrrr.  When I arrived at Auckland airport I tired to use the “Q Reader” kiosk system. The same thing happened. I ended up checking in at the Premium Check in at Auckland airport. The woman said that there had been a lot of trouble with online check in with this flight. She also told me that there were a number of seats available in the Bulkhead but she could not access them. They could only be unblocked in Melbourne (something which she did not offer to d0). She did block the seat next to me, though.

Melbourne Lounge: 10 out of 10

Boarding 10 out of 10

To get into the boarding area, meant presenting your boarding pass and passport to security. I can never understand how anyone can get through with the wrong documentation. After all, you have to show them to get into the international departure area. Then it is checked at customs.

Anyway,  I then joined the priority boarding line for Business, First, Gold and Platinum customers.  Cabin crew at the door were very welcoming. I always love stepping onto an A380. It brings a rush of excitement for me.

On Board: 9 out of 10

The plane was almost completely full. True to her word, however, was an empty seat next to mine. This airbus had four classes on board:

1. First Class: 14 suites of 83.5″ pitch and  29.0″ width
2. Business Class: 72 seats  80.0″ pitch 21.5″ width (seats convert into fully flat beds)
3. Premium Economy Class:  32 seats of 38 to 42″ pitch and 19.5″ width
4. Economy Class: 332 seats with 31.0″ pitch and 18.1″ width

From my vantage point I had a glimpse into the hallowed sanctum of First Class!

Take off: 10 out of 10

The other guy in my row had never witnessed an A380 takeoff. He was amazed. The plane is just made to fly. It never seems to have gathered enough speed on the runway before it lifts effortlessly into the air. Watching the take off out the window and simultaneously via the tail mounted camera broadcast on the entertainment system TV Screen was very cool.

Meals 8 out of 10

There were a choice of three dishes for the lunch and two (continental or cooked) for the breakfast. The lunch tray contained salad, a roll, peppermints, a small chocolate bar and a mousse. The crew brought through an ice cream, a small pizza in a box and apple through the night. There were also apples, biscotti and other snacks left on a serve yourself basis in the economy galley. I did not find the quantity sufficient. I raided the snack area few times.

Entertainment: 10 out of 10

The Qantas interactive system has one of the best ranges of any carrier I have been on. If not, the best. They claim to have 100 movies, 500 plus TV  programs,  a thousand CDs, 20 radio channels and 80 games. You also have access to  Lonely Planet destination guides. The seatback screen is  approximately ten inches.

The system responded well. Channels changed quickly. Sound and visual quality were good. I would like more Dr Who episodes please, Qantas.

Landing 10 out of 10

We landed early into a very foggy LA morning. The landing was magic and the view from tail camera and through the window super.  I made my way to immigration as quickly as possible (being close to the front of economy really helped) and was through the whole process and outside in the LA sunshine in 25 minutes.

The Verdict

My rating: Overall 93% (4.6 out of 5)- my overall rating of Qantas based on my 260 previous flights is: 4.7 put of 5.

Skytrax Rating of Qantas: 4 star

Positives:   Almost everything especially the Entertainment system

Negatives: Not enough food

Would I fly them again?  Yes!

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Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

Trip Report: Lufthansa’s A380

Trip Report: Air France A380

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Emirates- comparing the A380

Thai Airways will take delivery of its first Airbus A380 this week on 28th September, 2012.  After delivery the craft will bear the registration: HS-TUA.

 Thai will become the ninth operator of the A380 after Singapore, Emirates, Qantas, Air France, Lufthansa, Korean,  China Southern and Malaysian. The airline has firm orders for six A380s and will operate the aircraft between Bangkok  and Hong Kong next month. This will be followed by Bangkok and Singapore then Bangkok and Frankfurt followed by Tokyo and Paris in 2013.

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Tuesday Trip Report: Air France A380

LAX-SYD on A380

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My Pinterest pictures of A380s

A Korean movie In Another Country at the recent Melbourne International Film Festival followed by an amazing Korean banquet with friends, reminded me I have not written about my Seoul experience. So here we go:

Aesthetics: 8.5 out of 10

Seoul is built on the Han River, its plains and is bordered by eight mountains. It is easy to bike, run or walk along the riverside and there are many cafes and restaurants dotted along. In a 2011 survey, over half the population and two-thirds of “urban planning professionals” voted the river as the second most scenic place in the city! I loved it.

The other scenic place I enjoyed is Namsan (South Mountain) Park. The mountain is 262 metres tall. The park there is lovely and there is a cable car up to the top where you will find the Seoul  communications Tower at the top. The Tower tops out at 479.7 m (1,574 ft) above sea level and has four observation levels which have been open to the public since 1980. Stunning view.  This park was considered in that survey I mentioned, to be the most scenic place in Seoul.

Another  of my favourite places was Cheonggyecheon, a 5.8 km creek which flows to the east right through the middle of downtown Seoul. It is an amazing urban renewal story. In the 1950s the creek became heavily polluted and was treated as a rubbish dump. In 1958, the city began to cover over the creek with concrete. Then in 1976 an elevated freeway was built over the top.  In 2003, the freeway was dismantled, concrete removed and creek revitalised. It was opened as a linear park in 2005. The effect was amazing. Economic activity around the stream was boosted. There are more birds now. Amazingly, the fresh water of the stream cools the area round by an average of 3 to 4 degrees celsius – a boon on hot days. The removal of the freeway reduced the number of cars entering the area and traffic sped up around the area.

The reduction of traffic is significant for Seoul has a terrible pollution problem. It is one of the worst cities in the world for air quality. To change this, more green space is being introduced, diesel buses retired and fast bus lanes installed. Factories have five years to reduce their pollution by half.

Many also criticise the light pollution of Seoul. All lighting systems of downtown buildings, outdoor art and construction in Seoul are allowed from 30 minutes after sunset until 11 p.m. One issue is the light emitted from crosses on the many church buildings across the city!

Liveability: 5 out of 10

The Global Liveability Survey of 140 cities was released by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a think tank affiliated with the Economist magazine. named Seoul as the 58th best city in the world to live, roughly on a par with London (53rd) and New York (56th). I think that is the right position for the city.

One of the issues is  ”The city of Seoul is a metropolis that has achieved rapid expansion after the Korean War. But because we focused solely on practicalities, while quickly building the city’s infrastructure we gained a bad reputation and was known as a city of gray concrete”, (Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul from 2006 to 2010 )

Another is that as a city of 10 million people in an area of 605 km²(234 sq mi), it is very crowded. My city Melbourne has less than half the population in an area 14 times bigger (8806 km² -3400.0 sq miles).

Culture: 9 out of 10

Seoul has an amazing amazing cultural life.

Food is a key part of Korean life.  Seoul’s Gwangjang Market,  the nation’s first permanent market, it opened in 1905. Officially a cloth and clothing market , it has some of the most amazing street food you will ever see, smell and taste. For more on amazing food check out Streets of Food. Add to this a vast array of amazing local and international restaurants.

Seoul has over 100 museums, including The National Museum of Korea 

Crime: 9.6 out of 10

Public Transport: 10 out of 1o

Public transportation is a dream in Seoul. I used to think Paris, Berlin and Madrid ruled the world of Public Transport. Not any more. Apparently, the city government employs mathematicians to build a coordinated subway, bus, and traffic timetable.

Twelve major underground railway lines criss cross the city. They are linked by a complicated but logical colour coded bus system:

• Blue Trunk Buses operate at high speeds in dedicated bus lanes
• Green Branch Buses connect the major subway stations and bus terminals to outer areas
• Red Rapid Buses focus on commuters getting into and out of downtown
• Yellow Circulation Buses connect Bue Trunk bus stops, railway stations and key downtown locations.

All directional signs and announcements about Public Transport seemed to be written in Korean and English. The system was so easy to navigate.

More subway extensions are planned. Korea is clearly looking both at the present and the future for public transport.

 ”The Vibe”  10 out of 10

There are some cities that just have a buzz. Seoul is one of them.  It is a very dynamic city day and night.  Some people find the Koreans can be pushy. Maybe because I am tall, I had no negative experiences. Instead I met people who were proud of their city, they got me excited too!

The Verdict: 86.1%

Seoul has got to be one of the best cities I have ever been to. On my top city list it sits at 16th place – tying with New York City in my mind. It is slightly behind Koln (Cologne) at 86.2%.

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