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Luxury In The Sky: Ever Wonder How The 1% Fly? |
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Next time some 99% occupiers revolt in your town, consider how some of the 1% occupy airplanes when they fly. For example, round-trip New York to Tokyo first-class tickets on some airlines can cost upwards from $10,000. On luxury airline, Cathay Pacific, it can go as high as $23,000.
You’d have to be a royal princess, lottery winner, MLB slugger or NFL quarterback to afford such luxury. But, hey, it includes luggage, taxes, fuel add-ons and other charges. And look at what you get for the price!
You avoid mixing with the peasant flyers by entering the private first-class entrance, where an attendant escorts you to your private compartment. Once inside the enclosed pod-like unit, you’ll experience that the cramped tourist class passengers can only envy.
Decor, including vases on the wall with fresh orchids, consist of a large sofa seat that converts into a comfortable bed for two, complete with upscale sheets and pillows. Everything is set against polished wood paneling and shining aluminum. A door leads to your private bathroom with shower stall.
Included are luxury meals prepared fresh, not frozen, by airline chefs, as well as wine and champagne served whenever you desire throughout the flight. For your sleeping comfort, there are lounging robes, pajamas and slippers.
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Dalian, China: Airport Offers Cheerleaders |
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These young ladies may actually succeed in entertaining passengers as they check in and wait for their flights. Some suggested cheers could be:
Hooray, hooray...there’ll be a two-hour delay! Sis boom bah....we’re strip-searching your ma! Give a rousing cheer...your flight ain’t even near! Let’s root for our team...on-time flight is just a dream!
According to CNN, officials at China’s Dalian International Airport brought in an array of cheerleaders to do their athletic best daily to help passengers and visitors pass the time pleasantly while waiting for flights, as well as arriving and departing relatives.
In efforts to make flying, check-in and waiting more pleasant, Dalian airport now also features free physical checkups and instant weather and flight updates by text message.
Dalian International Airport reported there were over 12 million passengers passing through last year. We find it difficult to imagine any American airports putting on any cheerleader services, unless you count those TSA security ladies who smile at you during their intimate frisking.
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Carry-On Fees: The Spirit is Willing to Charge More! |
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Spirit Airlines is the latest carrier to charge ever-increasing fees for carry-on bags. The boost from $45 to $100 makes it actually more expensive to stuff bags in the overhead bin than the price paid for some tickets.
For example, a current Spirit special offers “cheap fare” round trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for $82, fees and taxes included. If that’s all you want to pay, take along only small bags that fit under your seat.
This latest effort to extract more money can add to the frustration of passengers who already pay $150 for those $99 specials other airlines frequently display in their ads. It seems there’s always a 99 rip-off somewhere in misleading ads, such as typical gas station signs that offer $3.99 and $4.99 per gallon.
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Memphis TN: Steamboat revival a champagne smash! |
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The widow of Elvis, Priscilla Presley recently broke the traditional bubbly bottle to relaunch the American Queen steamboat. After nearly five years off the river, the Queen is expected to begin again regular passenger cruising of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
The 418-foot-long paddlewheeler is scheduled to carry up to 436 passengers. From Memphis, the Queen will typically make port visits in Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
For schedules, prices and other information on the American Queen, go to greatamericansteamboatcompany.com
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