mike carey

To add a perspective from across the big pond, same pressures here, some similar some different responses. Of course, I don't fly anything like as much as you. Most of the cost cutting is directed at reducing how much they can sell their cheapest tickets for. They want those low numbers so they won't wind back cuts even if their expenses fall. Rather than impose radical cost cutting measures, Qantas set up a low cost subsidiary, Jetstar, 15 years ago. The legacy airline (which contrary to some expectations has not been cannibalised by the low cost off-shoot) now has 'all fares include baggage, entertainment and food' as part of its pitch. Still its seats are closer together and less comfortable than they used to be, although seat pitch is better than Jetstar. Cabins are two-class (Y and J) on jets and single class on turbo-props, and there are two price-points in economy, discount and flexible, prices for both of which vary closer to flight date. There's nothing comparable to basic economy. Passenger loyalty is gone for most, although it's easier to be loyal when there are only two airlines to choose from. As in the US, the premium product is improving and in some cases being increased. It's no return to the golden age, but you can buy more comfort although it ain't cheap. No free upgrades here for elite flyers but 5,000 points on SE routes, 10,000 coast to coast. They also have a business-class lounge as well as the regular one. Internationally, they have three or four class configurations. As I mentioned here a year or so back, Qantas are removing 30 economy seats from the upper deck of its A380s and replacing them with business and premium economy seating in their current refit.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Sint Maarten yet.

What? No Krug?

I remember looking out the window to see whether the washing was dry on the tower block balconies.

Indeed, some do, most don't. I flew on American from LAX to DCA in January and saw from the card (or maybe the safety announcement) that it was on a 737 Max but I didn't join the dots to Lion Air. I did remember, and join the dots, after the second crash. (My other flights on that trip were an A380, B787s and Bombardier Dash-8s.)

No, you said virtually anywhere, and that is true. Living in Australia, I'm acutely aware of where I can go non-stop and where a stopover is necessary. My measure is where I can go with only one stop. (Interesting the bit starting with 'Except Africa' wasn't in your post but showed up when I hit 'Reply'. Edit: The words now appear above. And there are non-stop flights from the US to Cape Town and/or Joburg, not sure if they are from Chicago.)

Well, Chicago does get you non-stop to Auckland.

I suspect that Los Angeles is the only big city in the US that would meet the 'anywhere' test, although I'm not sure of that. I live in one part of the world that is the exception that the 'virtually' allows for cities in the north east, which the climate description implies. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha seem to have non-stop flights to everywhere but the cold winters and beautiful summers part hardly applies.

I'm really naïve on these issues, but if you like watching @Kurtis Wolfe in porn videos and you do it on free sites, why not find a way to pay him something. Or maybe go to Dallas and hire him.

Copyright 101.

To be precise, the reviews aren't hidden, they are there with the star rating and basic stats, but the textual comments are not visible to US viewers unless they use a VPN.

While legality wouldn't be problematic in Brisbane, coming up with a way to obtain a work visa would be very difficult unless you can suggest a business reason for one, or if you have a marketable skill that's required in Australia. Neither of those would need to be in Brisbane, although some of those visa classes are only for the duration of one specific job.

Great comment @JoshATX.

I would totally chat endlessly with [uSER=12155]@Dominiking[/uSER].

I had two Renaults too, a 12 and a Fuego. They were both a delight to drive but the Fuego had an intermittent electrical problem that made the engine stop and not start, most annoying. For the last 20 years I've had two Citroëns.

Rugby league, not rugby, but that's a distinction few outside NSW and Queensland and the north of England understand. Ian came out over 20 year ago, but none has done so since then (in either rugby [union] or rugby league). Andy is the first male (soccer) footballer who has ever come out here. The same is so in most male professional sport.

The only thing flat-earthers have to fear ... [MEDIA=twitter]1129225831258107904[/MEDIA]

I sat across from him at Trios, based on that and this thread I share your assessment @Pensant.

No, I'm not sure.

Based on the ferry, Istanbul?

After this thread was posted I checked return fares for random dates in September, and from Canberra to New York it was about AUD2700 PY and AUD4700 on J. That's comparable to what you cite. These fares used the SQ service CBR-SIN and had an 18 hour layover in Singapore. Travel on SQ's service via Frankfurt was more expensive.

@Benjamin_Nicholas I was fairly sure it had been operating for a while, but didn't check to confirm that.

I would fly it, but wouldn't pay too much of a premium for it. I'm with a previous commenter that having a layover is good. As many of you would know, long sectors are normal for me (and unavoidable for the most part) but SYD-DFW is my longest so far. (Only 13.5 LAX-BNE going home from Palm Springs.) As AZDR noted Singapore Airlines uses a specially configured all-premium seating A350 for this route. It only carries premium economy and business passengers. The alternative to New York with them is SIN-FRA-JFK which operates in a four class configuration. Going to NYC I'll probably stick with QF11.

I don't have direct experience of this but I'm sure many can relate to this Saturday morning experience. The replies are worth reading, of course. [MEDIA=twitter]1126975965152759808[/MEDIA]

Getting enraged over half the facts is so 2019.