Wild About Travel
Crossing a Border Few Dare to Walk—What Happened Next
“Bpai nai krub?” The immigration officer asked robotically as I handed over my passport. (Where are you going?) “Klap bahn krub,” I replied. “Bpai tee Krung Thep.” (I am going home, sir. To Bangkok.) My accent, coupled with my Australian passport, caught his attention. He looked up at me, momentarily...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Brings Back Hong Kong In-Town Check-in
According to the South China Morning Post, Qantas is reopening its in-town check-in for Hong Kong after a nearly five-year hiatus. Starting next week (Monday, 10 February 2025), Qantas passengers will join those travelling on Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines in enjoying in-town check-in. Passengers travelling on those airlines...
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EMIRATES: New Bangkok Lounge, largest outside Dubai. Inaccessible for Qantas premium flyers
Emirates has unveiled a larger and more luxurious lounge at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, but there’s a catch for Qantas passengers. Those flying from Bangkok to Sydney on Qantas will no longer have access to this upgraded space. Why the Change? Unusually this is not because of the caprice of some...
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AIR INDIA: Melbourne to Mumbai route cancelled
As of the end of March 2025, there will be no more flights on Air India between Melbourne and Mumbai. It will become a seasonal route, currently planned to restart in mid-September 2025. Background The route was launched in late 2023, using a Boeing 787 to service the Melbourne to...
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VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Everyone has a say in who shouldn’t be the next Virgin CEO
Everyone seems concerned about who will replace outgoing CEO Jayne Hrdlicka at Virgin Australia. First, it was the various unions that service Virgin Australia, including the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Now, it’s the Employment Minister Murray Watt. The Minister has urged Virgin Australia to carefully consider the industrial relations track...
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VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Paul Jones NOT in the running for CEO says Virgin
UPDATE: How prescient of me! On the same day as I published the post below (7 February), Virgin Australia issued a media statement covered in the Australian Financial Review: ‘Virgin Australia has caved to government and union pressure over the search for its new chief executive by ruling chief customer...
Wild About Travel
Malaysia’s Jungle Railway: From the Heart of the Country to the Sea
The Jungle Line (Malaysian East Coast Railway) was one of the most stunning and enjoyable train rides ever! Time flew by, and I got off the train feeling like I had completed an adventure. Summary Yesterday, I outlined how to ride Malaysia’s rail system. The country has two main rail...
Wild About Travel
How to get around: Exploring Malaysian and Kuala Lumpur Transport Networks
Malaysia spans approximately 1,300 km (808 miles) from north to south and 800 km (497 miles) from west to east, covering around 330,803 km² (127,724) square miles. This is about the same size as Finland, Norway, and Vietnam. It is slightly bigger than New Mexico in the USA and Victoria...
Wild About Travel
New Month, New Travels, New Challenges— One Unforgettable Border Crossing
My busy travel schedule kicks off this month! This year, I will visit Brazil, China, Colombia, Finland, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, South Africa (first time!), Switzerland and the USA amongst a few other places. January has included air and rail journeys through Malaysia and Thailand… January included a stingray attack...
2PAXfly
DELTA AIRLINES: Launches subsidised seasonal route between Melbourne and LAX
Starting in December 2025, Delta Air Lines will add Melbourne to its global network as a government subsidised seasonal route. Delta is one of the world’s largest airlines. It’s large domestic footprint in America will allow Australians to transfer to Delta flights across the USA. Delta will be the third...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Cancels direct flights between Adelaide and Darwin.
The three-times-per-week Adelaide and Darwin route was scheduled to restart operations on 22 June this year. This was for the Top End’s popular winter tourism season. A Virgin Australia spokesperson confirmed the route was ‘indefinitely suspended’. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro is naturally outraged. In an interview with ABC...
Wild About Travel
Being Captured by Captivating Krabi: Thailand’s Cultural and Natural Paradise
I just had to share some photos from my recent trip to the southern Thailand province of Krabi, where I spent a few days. Located along the Andaman Sea coast, Krabi offers visitors picturesque islands such as Phi Phi Islands, Railay Beach, and Ao Nang. The province is known for...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: T-80 rule now becomes T-24 – to find the best domestic seats with more leg room
Recently, well, in the second half of 2024, Qantas changed the T-80 rule to T-24. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Let me explain. T-24, formally T-80 is the number of hours before your flight that Qantas releases seats normally reserved for their most premium customers. Qantas changed the T-80...
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AMERICAN AIRLINES: Helicopter and Bombadier CRJ700 crash outside Ronald Reagan Airport, Washington DC. At least 18 dead
Emergency services have recovered at least 18 bodies from the Potomac River following a tragic midair collision between a passenger jet and an army helicopter near Washington DC. The accident occurred as the passenger jet was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. Rescue efforts are ongoing. Details of the Collision The...
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QANTAS: New uniforms to arrive in 2027
Qantas has a long association with infamous Australian and international designers. It’s scouting for a new designer to produce its next uniform collection, which will debut in 2027. Part of the process is consulting with its 17,000 staff. It’s been more than a decade since the current uniforms designed by...
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ON-TIME-PERFORMANCE: The war on punctuality performance—Qantas v Virgin Australia
For some time, Australia’s domestic airlines have been fighting over the prize for the most reliable on-time performance. This week, however, the war has come to an absurd conclusion (I wish that were the end!) with warring press releases from Australia’s two major domestic airlines: Qantas Group and Virgin Australia....