Upright & Stowed

Ready for Takeoff: 787 and Me

After two years of delays, the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" took off on its maiden voyage yesterday.  I am such an airplane geek that I kind of teared up watching the video below. 

As dedicated blog readers know, my past few years have been full of their own work-related fits and starts.  Travel idea ... consulting ... new travel idea ... consulting ... internet startup ... consulting ... non-profit shift ... consulting.  It was all getting a bit tedious, even though the goal of meaningful work in something travel-related never waned. 

Starting January 6th I will take off on what promises to be the most exciting career move for me in years.  I will be joining an organization called the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  In a nutshell, GBC helps businesses leverage their resources – money, communications, core capabilities and employee contact – in the fight against these three global health pandemics.  It's an incredible and very influential organization, founded by Richard Holbrooke in 2001, at the request of Kofi Annan and the UN.  My role will involve working with the travel/tourism industry to leverage resources in the fight against these conditions.  It should be an exciting and very meaningful pursuit.  You can read more here:

So there you have it.  New decade, new job, new possibilities.  David is ready for takeoff!

Portland _ _ _ ' _ Jetport

If you’ve read this blog over time, you know how I love Maine (though not its recent vote on gay marriage).  Maine is a rugged, magical place, and I have visited many times over the years, usually as a guest of my dear college friend Michael and his younger brother Danny (who was my BF for four years).   Michael and Danny grew up in Portland.  They also have a family house on Sebago Lake, a picture-perfect vision of wooded Maine.  Heaven on earth.

If you fly to Maine, you’ll likely being flying into the state’s largest airport: The Portland International Jetport, aka PWM.  I’ve never known which part of that title I find more ridiculous … the “International” or the “Jetport.”  Talk about an airport with a complex. 

The other day Michael sent me the above clipping from the Boston Globe, announcing the suspension of international flights to and from the Portland International Jetport.  Sad yes, but as partial salve, the airport still welcomes planes with jets.  For now.

Nosmo King

I read an article in the Times this week reporting that several major NYC apartment buildings are about to ban smoking… IN PEOPLE’S OWN UNITS.  Kind of shocking, and also kind of cool.  The evidence is clear that second-hand smoke causes cancer.  And smoke definitely wafts through apartment hallways.  I just love that smoking ban policies keep getting stronger … saving lives in the process.

All of which reminds me of the bad old days when passengers could smoke in airplanes.  How insane does that seem today?!?  People lighting up cigarettes in a pressurized aluminum container.  I can remember the sinking feeling of realizing that the person sitting next to me was about to light up.  THAT was a definition of living hell.  Then they banished smokers to the back of the plane, so you only had to gag your way through a cancer cloud to get to the bathroom.   While praying (pre-flight) that you wouldn’t be seated in the last row of non-smoking section either.

Happily those days are a distant memory.  From a certain perspective, we live in a blissful moment for flying:  No smoking and no cell phones.  How long will it last?

Fatal Crash Miscellany

I am flying to San Francisco tomorrow, on a Virgin America A320, seated in row 14.  On the right is a nifty graphic with a variety of facts and figures about fatal airplane crashes.  The good news for me comes from my choice of carrier, seat location, aircraft type and general odds of dying in a plane crash.  The bad news for me is rooted solely in my chosen month of travel.  (Click on the image to see it full size.  It's fun.)

Overall, I expect to make it to SFO alive.  Were there a similar chart, however, on the survivability of getting to, from and through Burning Man, the story might not be so rosy.

One Million Virgins

I received an email from Virgin America yesterday announcing that they've reached 1 million members of their frequent flyer program, Elevate, in only two years.  They also announced a contest to win 100,000 Elevate points for the best story of your "first time" flying Virgin.  I entered, and my fingers are crossed.

Virgin America has upped the ante on delivering what customers can expect from a low-cost carrier.  The interiors are clean.  The staff is friendly (mostly).  The entertainment system is fantastic.  The planes are internet wired.  And the website is a breeze to use.  Topping it off for me, I once scored a date with the guy sitting behind me on my LAX-SFO flight.  If you're a Virgin virgin, grab a seat soon and say "Fly Me."  It's fun.  

Aeroflot Un-Bloc'd

In 1997 I went to Russia for the first (and only, so far) time.  It was a fantastic and memorable trip.  The country was in its early stages of post-Communist transformation, and the many stages of visible history were fascinating to behold.  Halfway through, we flew from St. Petersburg to Moscow on former state carrier Aeroflot.  Here I am, just prior to boarding.  The interior of the plane was indeed worthy of a good knuckle-bite, but we made it through the trip safely.  A fun adventure.  Today's New York Times reports that Aeroflot will soon complete its makeover with a 100% US/EU-made fleet.  So long Tupolev.  Sayonnara Ilyushin.  And here's hoping the reprehensible 757 joins you in the junk pile soon.

The Privileged Few

Back in the day, I sat in the front of the plane.  How?   By traveling often.  By sticking to a couple airlines (no discounters like JetBlue and Virgin America to distract me back then).  And by knowing people with influence. 

Times change.  Last week I flew from SFO to JFK on Delta.  The 100% capacity flight was a 757 – the most hateful aircraft ever built – and I was in seat 41B.  That's a middle seat, in a one-aisle plane.  Not fun.  But I scored big in the on-line trivia competition, and I had two good books to read.

When I returned, I flipped through the latest New Yorker, and came upon a short piece called "The Privileged Few."  In 5 brief paragraphs, it summarizes what getting upgraded looks like today.  Enjoy the hilarity below...

The Privileged Few, by George Meyer, New Yorker writer

Good afternoon. This is your pre-boarding announcement for Flight 505 to Milwaukee. All first-class and business-class passengers, passengers needing special assistance, and families traveling with small children may now board the aircraft.

We also invite any Platinum Club, ProTravel Select, Apogee Plus, and Sigma Alliance cardholders to board at this time.

Thank you for waiting. We now welcome members of Skyline Advantage, Priority Partners, Front Row Preferred, Exclusa, Summit V.I.P., Head of the Line, A-List Connections, Imperial Privilege, InCrOwD, Icarus Prime Choice, Top Rank Silk, and Top Rank Crystal Reserve. You may now board the aircraft.

We appreciate your patience. We now welcome members of Focus^One, Altius PremierPlan, Silver Platter, Jet Pack Invicta, Above and Beyond, Screaming Eagle, Canadians of Distinction, e-Go Trip, Express Wishes, Superba/FasTTraKK, Freedom Rider Élite, ¡Por Supuesto!, The Circle of Enchantment, Hegira, Hegira Mach Five, Wanderlu$t, Godhead Supreme, Godhead Burnt Offerings, Qomfort Qlub, MeFirst, MeFirst Deluxe Rewards, Out of My Way, and VelourPass. You may now board the aircraft.

The rest of you? Beat it.

Absinthe in the Air: A Virginal Experience

In the early fall of 2004, I went to Greece on an all-expense paid sailing trip celebrating a friend's ten year anniversary in a relationship that would end two years later.  On that lavish sailing affair (see above), we were each treated to bottles of Absinthe.  I returned to NYC with my bottle, and it sat untouched in a cabinet for the next 4+ years.  I had a little party a month or so ago, and finally, after all these years, the Absinthe was drunk.  Hallucinations were imagined.  Sloppy speech was everywhere.

Today I received an e-mail announcement from Virgin America.  They will soon become the first airline to offer in-fight Absinthe.  It's such a brilliant move, I can't stand it.  And guess what airline I'm flying to SF next week?  I'm gonna have me a Mile High Cocktail: Le Tourment Vert Absinthe, sprite and lemons shaken and served over ice.  Bring it on!

Look What's Landing at LGA

That's right.  Finally, after all these years, Southwest is set to begin flying into the capital of the Northeast (and the world), New York City.  My fervent wish is for nonstop flights to St. Louis and to Albuquerque.  Alas, she'll only be making no-stoppers to Chicago Midway and BWI.  Still, it's a start.

Grounded

I've been moaning and groaning a lot lately about being grounded here in NYC, with no plane flights since last November, and nothing on the books.

I now realize that I'm not the only thing that's grounded.  Take a look at these shots of the US Airways plane as it was transferred out of the Hudson and through (egads!) East Rutherford, New Jersey.  Now that's some serious grounded.  Thanks to my blog bitch Bruce for this tip.