Wild About Travel
Tremedous Taipei – Asia’s best city
Every time I come back to a favourite city, I wonder if my experience on tis occasion  will be as enjoybale as it was on the previous visits. Yaipei did nit diusappoin. – it never disappomts, In fact, I would go to say it is the best city in Asia....
2PAXfly
DUMB PEOPLE: Social media pre-flight pump stunt inside jet turbine now flexing in court
Some people hit the gym, others prefer a more… unconventional approach to their fitness routine. Former Sydney Airport baggage handler Preslie Ginoski chose the inside of a plane turbine (admittedly, the plane was stationary) as his personal workout studio, a move that, according to a report in the SMH, landed...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Velocity frequent flyer program goes revenue. For Platinum status, spend AU$12,000.
Velocity Frequent flyers, if you want to gain status with Virgin Australia, you will have to dig deeper into your pockets. Earning and retaining Velocity status will cost significantly more from this week, because Virgin Australia has moved to a new spend-based system, rolling out from today, Wednesday, 2 April...
Wild About Travel
Australia’s Prospector train: a Golden Ride Through the Outback
​The Prospector is a passenger train service Transwa operates that connects Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The journey offers a unique perspective of the region’s vast landscapes, covering an approximate distance of 653 kilometres in 6 hours and 45 minutes.​ While most regional rail lines across Australia were shut...
2PAXfly
FIJI AIRWAYS: Becomes full member of OneWorld, with AAdvantage Rewards as loyalty program
At last, Fiji Airways joins the grown-ups Fiji Airways has officially become a full member of the OneWorld alliance instead of a lone member of its half-baked ‘connect’ member program. This is a significant milestone for the airline and its passengers. As of today, 1 April 2025, the Fijian national...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA & QATAR AIRWAYS: Final approval granted for integrated alliance, doubling flights between Australia and Doha
Friday, 28 March 2025, saw the formal announcement from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approving the ‘integrated alliance’ between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia. Now allowing an additional 28 flights per week between Australian capital cities and Doha in Qatar. Or, more formally, its approval of: ‘…cooperative conduct...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Unveils Embraer E190-E2 Interiors
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) has released details of the interiors of the brand-new Embraer E190-E2 cabin layout. The airline has opted for a dual-class configuration primarily for use in Western Australia’s charter market. It’s a significant upgrade from the aging Fokker 100 fleet. No more middle seats The E190-E2...
Wild About Travel
Gold, Grit and Ghosts: A Long-Awaited Journey to Kalgoorlie
I almost came to Kalgoorlie decades ago but never made it. I have travelled across Western Australia’s 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) from Esperance in the south to Wyndham in the north and many towns, beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges in between. I love the state. Kalgoorlie remained a...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Update to Qantas First Lounge Sydney for Autumn 2025
Greetings from New Zealand. I’m here for a week-long break, visiting the north of the South Island. I started my journey as a Platinum Frequent Flyer with Qantas in the Qantas First Lounge Sydney, sampling their new Autumn Menu and their plum variation on the deconstructed pavlova. I also noticed...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Lounge news #1 — Auckland lounges to close for refurbishment
Previously, we knew that the two Auckland lounges, Business and First, were to be refurbished. The plan involved closing one while it was redeveloped and funnelling passengers into the other until both lounges were complete. That is no longer the plan. Now, as reported in ET, both lounges will close,...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Economy upgrades for A330 international aircraft
Airbus A330s have become Qantas’s workhorse for medium—and long-haul routes. They have been almost entirely removed from domestic and trans-Tasman routes so they can be used on longer international ones. Ten of these aircraft, deployed on routes like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, are having their economy cabins upgraded with...
2PAXfly
HEATHROW: Closed for the day (Friday 21 March) due to substation fire
London’s main airport, Heathrow, has been forced to close due to a large fire at an adjacent substation that provides it with power. According to a statement from Heathrow authorities, the airport is suffering from a ‘significant power outage’. “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: The Americas — north and south on Red Tail sale. Some real bargains
Qantas had a Red Tail sale similar to this last year, from memory. It had a North American sale just after its double status credits promotion. I picked up a roughly AU$7,000 Business Class fare to Vancouver for September ’24. A trip I eventually had to delay and then cancel...
Wild About Travel
One of Japan’s Three Great Gardens
Kōraku-en is gorgeous Japanese garden located near Okayama Castle in Okayama City, Japan. It is considered one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, alongside Kenroku-en in Kanazawa and Kairaku-en in Mito. It is a place where visitors can enjoy the timeless beauty of traditional Japanese garden design, offering a very peaceful...
2PAXfly
AIR FRANCE: New La Première first class cabin announced. No door scandaleux!
Air France has announced the launch of a completely redesigned La Première first-class cabin for the 777-300ER fleet. Four suites will occupy the first five windows, meaning each suite will cover nearly 3.5 square metres (376 square feet). The suite will premiere in the northern hemisphere spring 2025. The first...
2PAXfly
AUSTRALIA: Passenger protections go to Senate enquiry
Australia’s airline industry is under fire again, with renewed scrutiny on passenger rights and compensation for delays and cancellations at a Senate inquiry. It looks like Qantas will need to be dragged kicking and screaming to compensate consumers for not delivering flights on time. Remember this is the airline that...