H-O-L-I-D-A-Y!

Ah, just the very thought of a holiday conjures many a nice moment in one's mind...

You could be sipping a glass of bubbling bubbly in Phuket or Tahiti or indeed roaming a fab museum in Rome, Paris or NYC. Perhaps climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is your thing? Whatever floats your boat, time off from the office is bound to be worthwhile! And vital...!

Holiday's rule the working year. Many of us jump on the merry-go-round called corporate life and long for a great break away from targets and Blackberries! Saviour every moment... You've earned this next big break...

We are off to Eastern Europe in 6 days (and counting) expect full trip reports and pics that will motivate you all to just fly and go... Ah, holiday's. Who can live without them, not me!

Regional Delights!

Are you going to the country in Oz soon...?

QantasLink: is Australia's largest regional airline - and undoubtedly the most superior carrier to fly you to country Australia.

With significant investment over the coming year, QantasLink will ensure comfortable, fabulous flights onboard brand new Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft to destinations throughout the eastern states of Australia.

Enjoy all the rewards of Qantas Frequent Flyer Points, access to Qantas Club lounges, Online checkin via qantas.com and if appropriate, the affiliation with the oneworld alliance.

Sit back, relax and enjoy QantasLink, the flight attendants are amazing. Trust me, I know...

Have you flown QF Link...? If you are going bush, I'd certainly suggest you call them, now!

Eeek-con-omy...!

Tomorrow, I am flying home (thank goodness) after a week of busy business travel... Whilst it has been a productive, great trip - let's face it, there is no place like home!

However, I will have to endure a flight in the back of the bus... Quite frankly, this is not my style, but given the flight is only an hour, I will cope! :-) Ah, domestic travel...

After being so spoilt by turning left as one boards the plane, it is hard to go back. Or at least go right. As I take my seat, I like a hot towel followed by fizzy alcohol and the offering of a local newspaper. But most most of all, I love stretching my legs and staking my personal space that is more than 34 inches long! Who wants to be cramped for 5,10 or 14 hours? Not moi!

OK! Call me dramatic! I can handle 1 cramped hour... I just love my personal space and place in the sky.

Upgrades do happen!

Who said upgrades are hard to come by!?

I have successfully upgraded another flight, and rightly so! You have got to love a good upgrade Champers all the way! I am going to eat and drink until my hearts content, oh and watch the odd flick along the way...

The pointy end of the plane has never felt so good!

Nice!

STAR! Alliance!

As a very happy, rewarded and content member of St* Alliance... Airgroove has some news to share...

Some of you may already be aware that St* Alliance have a fantastic Circle Asia Fare offering great value! You can fly around the region on St* A carriers but must cover South West Pacific, South East Asia and North Asia on your travels... Travel must commence from and return to the same country and there is a minimum 2 stops along the way...

C'mon, get airborne! Accrue some miles!

Passports, Boarding Passes and Champagne!

Ah, the joys of international travel!

I am happy to report that I have so many more trips to complete this year! I have already accumulated a mountain of miles and still have many more hours of fun in the sky!

Trips to complete in 2008:

• Auckland/Wellington/Melbourne
• Eastern Europe Holiday Extravaganza!
• New York/Munich
• Singapore/Hong Kong/Tokyo/Auckland

As an airline addicted groover, one would only understand the sheer excitement about all my forthcoming travel...!

Some of the airlines I will travel on in both C & F Class include:

• Lufthansa
• Singapore Airline
• United Airlines
• Thai Airways
• Air New Zealand
• Qantas
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Expect full trip reports on the C Class Connection - details around the food and beverage service, seating, general FA service/attitude and of course my humble opinion about the airline lounges that I spend time in prior to boarding!

Ah, the stars seem so near...

Oil, the real cost...

Airlines are always adding 'surcharges'... One for this, that and then the other...

The ever increasing price of the 'barrel', also known as black gold, is continually hiking up ticket prices. Not so much that it is unaffordable to travel, but 20 bucks here, 10 bucks there etc... I understand, don't get me wrong - airlines are not making as much money as they have done in bygone era's. Profits rule, but what about the human element?

Airlines are cutting jobs like a walk in the park. The impact of rising fuel costs really does hit home when jobs are cut - this is the sad reality of surging fuels costs for airlines. Reading the airline news can be somewhat depressing, particularly when you glean 1000 jobs are going at X Airline.

But what can airlines do when they are losing $$$? Remove the olives from a salad, cut the hot towel service, purchase cheaper wine (I hope not), or indeed serve no wine at all (I hope NOT!)?

Seriously, airlines need to cut costs and economise when faced with increasing fuel costs - it is just a real bitch that people are losing their jobs and all for 'black gold'.

The 787 - where are you!

Boeing Co. has announced yet another delay to the 787 Dreamliner - one of the most anticipated launches of metal in the modern aviation era.

It makes me wonder how airlines manage to strategise profits and routes around the acquisition of new airliners, if they are constantly delayed! Boeing is not the only manufacturer with this issue, we all know how overdue the A380 has been with only one major carrier to take delivery of this new bird thus far.

Current projections of delivery to Japan's ANA are scheduled for mid to late 2009! The carbon fibre structure is by far the most advanced construction of any airliner, to date. I am extremely excited the launch of the 787 as I cannot wait to jump on board, sit back and sip Champagne in one of the most advanced airliners in the world...

C'mon Boeing - hurry up!

Holiday planning... Oh the joy!

Holiday time will always remain one of the most precious moments during the busy working year...

I also believe that all the planning and research around a big trip are equally as pleasant (OK, well almost, being there is the real deal...) However, when we are actually 'there' time seems to go SO fast, so my point is ensure that you savour the anticipation and build up before boarding that jumbo jet (on the upper deck) of course!

Devising itineraries and fact-finding the chosen destination is such an exciting task... Deciding on the location and then exploring the delights during planning phase drives me forward to being and living in the holiday moment...

Ah, holidays... We are in planning mode now - where are you going?

Dining at 35,000 feet...

As an avid airline lover, I love eating on planes - but only in the pointy end, of course! The dining experience is such a big part of flying, all washed down with Champagne and a fine Chablis, is there any other way?

I am very excited that one of my favourite websites based on airline meals and after such a long lull is beginning to update from April! How fabulous, I love looking at all the pictures and comments from fellow Airgroovers...

One of the most amazing meals I had in the sky was in Business Class with Asiana flying from Sydney - Seoul and I decided that the Korean options looked great, and I was not far wrong! I opted for the Babimbap, and it was divine! A lovely Korean delight!

What has been your favourite dining experience at 35K feet?

I had better go, the flight attendant has just topped up my glass of Champagne, ah... very crisp and fresh indeed!

Please Upgrade me! Thanks, appreciated...

Qantas are great for upgrades? Right?

Well. according to many friends of mine, NOT!

But breathe, I have always had much luck - I am certain that will never leave me. I always check the best times, schedules and options to ensure I have a big fat seat, with canapes and bubbles...

Good luck, I wish you all well in upgrading from one level to another...

Cause, clearly, you deserve it.

Airgroove.

V Australia!

Hot off the press!

Richard Branson has announced the launch of V Australia which will begin operations in December 2008. Forming a part of Virgin Blue with the HQ based in Sydney, V Australia will take on the lucrative trans-Pacific route, flying daily from Oz to LA.

Virgin Blue will operate 777-300 aircraft in a 3 class configuration, offering International Business, International Premium Economy and International Economy. It appears as if the Business Class cabin is the same lay out as Virgin Atlantic. Very nice, I have had the pleasure of flying in 'Upper Class' to Hong Kong and it was a very comfy ride, indeed.

Qantas and United, some competition has been announced - are you ready? As far as I am concerned this is long overdue. This route needs a good shake up and we all know Richard Branson does that very well...

I can hear the Champagne corks already!

A380 Envy...

All the A380 hype has not really taken me to the runway... And for an aviation lover like me, that is scary. Although it has been the biggest thing since the 747 launch (my uber fave) all seems quite on the Airbus front. Since Singapore Airlines flew the first A380 to Sydney with much anticipation, all the excitement has also somewhat passed, and quickly!

I find the newest bird in the sky somewhat short, chunky and fat. Agree, or not, the A380 does not grab me like the long, slender 747 with the bubble!

OK, back to my envy... A colleague is flying to Singapore today on the A380 and I am jealous he flew this newest bird first! I am certain there will be many opportunities to fly the A380 in the future, this metal is here to stay. Perhaps I will warm to the A380 like the 747... Time will tell, nostalgia is a fine thing.

Do see below though the newest 747 - the 800 series, nice! Long live the bubble...

And Another Thing...!

Although old news... I have to get this off my chest.

Thai, you are one of my favourtie all time airlines and I cannot believe that you are stopping First Class to Australia!

Shame, as we have enjoyed the amazing service to our fine shores at an amazing price for so long... Now it is either Qantas or Singapore Airlines as Cathay stopped F sometime ago. Higher prices come with QF and SQ :(

I still love you though TG!

Will those new UA Flat Beds ever make it to Australia?!

Ah, United Airlines, when are you going to deploy those new sleek flat beds on one of the longest routes you fly: SYD-LAX and SYD- SFO? United announced the cabin upgrade in July 2007, and we have yet to see the flat bed touchdown on Australian soil!

I (and many others) are rather annoyed that they have not considered all their loyal frequent flyers and deployed the updated aircraft on these routes first... The first new cabin flew Washington-Frankfurt, a flight time that is only 8-9 hours, the flying time from Australia to LAX/SFO is 14 hours - go figure?

There are also whispers that United may even pull out of the Australian market after V Australia (Virgin) begin services across the Pacific - well all I can say is they had better pick up the service and add the new cabins on this route, or they will lose $$$. Qantas will also deploy their new big bird the A380, when they get them! Competition is heating up, are they going to wait until then, probably...

I hope UA do not pull out of this market, I am UA*Gold and like the option to fly with them, not that it is that often...

Finally...!

As an avid frequent traveller, I have been talking about writing an Air Blog for a quite sometime... I will discuss in detail all my flights and also post my opinions, thoughts and updates about my favoutrite, as well as my least favourite airlines.

Is there enough room in the sky for me and all those jumbo jets? I think so, fasten those seat belts ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a good flight!

Welcome!

AG.