Showing posts with label US Aiways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Aiways. Show all posts

85 days in the air

I just ticked over total flying time of 85 days or   2040:40 hours!  I was tickled with that number 2040:40!!!!   This has taken me  647 flights. I am on the way to the magic one million miles - about 1.6 million kilometres! Over half of those miles have been with one airline: Qantas. A third has been with United Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, American Airlines, Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines combined. The remainder is split between 60 other airlines!




























Affordable Honolulu-we like that!

 Ok Mr Cowling...just read your blogspot and yet again found it interesting...wish I had read it few weeks ago. I'm taking my two oldest boys  Hawaii, we are leaving this Sunday...Accommodation is all booked.

 So here is the question for you: how can I save money..already thought about cereal for breakfast.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thanks for the question!!
I love Honolulu!!

Alcohol
If you are drinking, buy some duty free alcohol- reduces hotel bar prices.

Food
  • In Hawaii food is quite expensive
  • Milk and yogurt very very pricey as it is transported in from California.
  • We found the food court at Ala Moana Center, the big shopping center to be very good, extensive and reasonable. 
  • We bought snacks and lunch stuff from supermarkets - Don Quijute USA Co Ltd  801 Kaheka Street, Honolulu was great with range and pricing - near Walmart
  • Any restaurant near the beach will be pricey. we did a couple on the beach as a treat.
  • If you like Asian food, we found fantastic restaurants that the locals ate in-very basic, very good food and very cheap!
  • Check out this great list  of  local, good and cheaper food posted on Yelp by a local


Shopping

  • Check out the ABC stores, the local equivalent of 7/11 but with way more including souvenirs and clothing-. They each have an amazing specials each week.....eg 7 t shirts for $20 or 3 ice creams for $5.
  • .We also bought snacks, t-shirts, sunscreen and souvenirs from Walmart, 700 Keeaumoku St Honolulu,  -its massive and cheapest place in Hawaii.


Transport- Airport to Wakiki

  • a taxi will cost you $35 to $45 each way
  •  a bus shuttle in from the airport..http://www.robertshawaii.com/airport-shuttle/schedule-fees.php it costs $9 per person or $15 round trip PLUS they charge for bags. A $1 to $2 per passenger tip is usually expected when you get off for the driver. Handy service but you can wait for a while before it leaves. The other thing is that it weaves ts way to a lot of different hotels which can be a slow drop off. We hopped off the bus and walked to our hotel-wasnt far and beat sitting on the bus
  •  A8 taxi-- http://a8taxi.com/ for a flat rate of US$30 one way for up to four people including baggage they will take you from the airport t your hotel in Waikiki. .(they will take more people but I don't know the rate). They charge $58 round trip.  Prebook by Internet or phone. Tip on top of between $5 and $8 depending on the driver
  • The Bus, the local public bus company does the trip (Route 20)  to and from the airport for a mere $2.50 but its a long, long slow trip taking over an hour


Transport- Round Oahu

Things to do
  • click here for a list of free and cheap activities
  • surfing, swimming and sun-baking will cost you nothing and are wonderful. 
  • Walking is free
  • watching sunset from Ala Moana Park...ah heaven!
  • For a bit of history, thIolani Palace is  really cool. 
  • Hawaii State Art Museum is excellent
  • Hawaii Army Museum is very interesting
  • You have to do Pearl Harbor (where I am pictured looking somber) .  I would just book in for a tour. Its all organised for you then.- you can take The Bus there but its a long slow trip
  • If you are in Waikiki on a weekend go to  Sunset on the beach -a free quality movie for the whole family to enjoy. shown on a huge 30 foot screen @ around 7pm. They have music for two hours beforehand and food vans. Near the Zoo
  • Otherwise for cinemas; Ward Stadium 16 - Consolidated Theatres, 1044 Auahi St, Honolulu, HI 96814  - before 4pm cheaper


The Rest of Hawaii

  • Consider a cruise - talk to my friends at Campbell Cruises- they have good deals on cruises and other Hawaii travel, tours and accommodation
  • I have found bookit.com to have some great deals on Hawaii accommodation and flights, singly and as packages - I know you have your accommodation but check out bookit next time!

Enjoy!

What US airlines spend on food

One of my other favourite blogs Cranky Flier has an article on What airlines in the USA spend on food.
United spends the most around $6 per passenger. One assumes that most of this spend is for their first class pax. American and Continental spend a little less and Delta spends $5 per passenger. Southwest spends around 25 cents (all pax get peanuts and a cup of water/soft drink/juice).
Be interesting in Australia and New Zealand and Europe to compare whats spent here.

Worst Airlines I have flown

Ok, everyone has a horror story...weather delays, lost bags, line ups etc etc. I am not talking about those hiccups in travel but the consistent poor treatment of customers by an airline. The continual treatment of us as if passengers were an on-going nuisance.

Martin's DO NOT FLY LIST
This does not include the airlines I wont even try at all:  airlines in most of Africa, Kyoro North Korean Airlines, Biman Bangledeshi and Cubana- find all  airlines banned from Europe airspace here.

My do not fly list is ordered from THE worst to the not as worst!

  1. Air Zimbabwe- no confidence in them at all-very sad state of affairs
  2. DELTA...delayed Late and TArdy-In 2002, I vowed never, never, never will I fly them ever, ever again. Delta also tops the list for the most complained about airline in the USA! Things seem to be moving there, however and I am curious to see what things are like now
  3. Alitalia- Italy has style, passion, beautiful women, good food and wine- none of that seems to have got to an Alitalia plane
  4. Jetstar - as a Qantas subsidiary there are certain things they get right but fundamentally I cannot join the ads with leaping people with excitement. Herded onto crowded planes by harassed staff with no luxuries such as food and entertainment means grumpy passengers and some horrible incidents. I feel sorry for JQ staff but not sorry enough to fly them.
  5. Air Asia - The times I flew Air Asia, my heart was in my mouth. Boarding the always late flights consisted of the staff opening the doors and standing back as the passengers stampeded the plane-no one was safe! I saw grandmothers bowled over by people wanting the "best seat". Ironically this was not the emergency exit which is where I sat! I hope their safety provisions and pilot training was better than everything else I saw. Cabin crew minimally helpful and in an emergency, I would have no confidence in them. 
  6. Us Airways ...I was always told US stands for unserviceable...enough said
  7. American Airlines - operating as a fragment of their once proud selves, American is tatty, rude, and uncomfortable. Unfortunately for Qantas customers like me, they are part of One World and offer codeshares, joint lounges, combined frequent flyer programs etc. The Contrast of getting off a gleaming Qantas or British or Cathay Pacific craft onto an American flight is extraordinary. Qantas Premium Economy is better than American's Domestic First Class (I have flown both a few times)! If you see me on American its because I am grabbing at One World Frequent flyer points. If I am on American and enjoying it, offer up thanks for a miracle.
  8. Ryanair- I actually had an all right experience with Ryan and many of my friends do. I flew them because I specifically wanted to see what they are like. In fact, I would fly them again-in a pinch.  Note well their hidden costs (fares start at pennies but you then add seat cost, booking fees etc etc. NB their airports  are often miles from where you expect them to be, their cabin crew are almost rude and I frankly don't trust Ryanair's safety and I wonder at some of their ethics. (picture is the Ryanair safety card printed on seat back as they have removed the pocket on the back of the seat)

Have a look at the Most complained airlines in the USA