I am short, so short that if I was chocolate I would probably be called "fun sized". When I travel by bus, air or car I can stretch my wee legs out and nap away. My latest adventure on Tiger Airways has finished and I have learned that when you are six foot three instead of five foot one there are some considerations that you have to make when you are traveling.
I am back from my latest adventure of Tiger Airways, this time to lovely Sydney to celebrate birthdays. Luckily there are many fights between Sydney and Melbourne so a late morning flight on Friday and Sunday mid afternoon return from Sydney seemed ideal for a three day two night getaway.
Of course, I hadn't planned for last minute emergencies at work and one very sick beloved leading to a very disturbed night's sleep Thursday night and a dash to the airport via Carlton where I had to promise that I would be 30 minutes and 30 minutes only at work before going to the airport. Arriving an hour and 15 minutes before our flight check in was easy peasy, luggage was weighed and we headed to have a bite of brunch. I did dissolve into giggles when going through the metal detector; I turned around to see my beloved, who prefers to keep his cash in his front pocket, clutching a fist of fifties as he tried to retrieve his coins from a blue bucket. I do feel like a liar as I said both in Melbourne ans Sydney that I didn't have an aerosol in my bag and I found when I got home that there was hairspray in my carry on luggage. Well if two lots of x-ray dudes didn't spot it I'm not going to carry that guilt for too long.
A word or two about the Friday demographic on Tiger. Much eyeliner, shapeless faux fur draped as shawl / poncho and high heels. I hope the wander across the tarmac didn't ruin too many stilettos. I totally coveted the hot pink rosette adorned tutu on the sweetest toddler, I am looking for that skirt in big girl sizes.
So full of coffee, off we toddled off to our flight. Now time for wee whinge. I either travel lightly or pay for luggage to go under the plane. On a cold blustery Melbourne morning I do not want to have to stand on the tarmac and yet here we were standing in drizzle as the line of passengers came to a standstill. As we were two of the last passengers to board I can only surmise that once again the number of cases on rollers exceeded the amount of overhead locker space. I think that was accurate summation if the Toorak momma who indignantly opened a series of lockers looking for space for her bags was a sample of what happened previously.
Our seats, window and middle, were located and I popped into the window seat. All my beloved's concerns about looking like Snoopy and having his head stick out of the roof of the plane were unfounded, but we had a more immediate problem. My love's long long legs just did not fit between the seat and the seat in front. So spread-legged my darling and I chatted away, looked out the window, napped, then as the flight was almost through I noticed the gentleman on the aisle seat kind of scrunching away. I whispered to my love who kind of tried to move his legs towards me as best he could. About 20 minutes later we landed, and my beloved muttered that he may not be able to stand, literally, as his foot had gone to sleep!! Thankfully the other passengers took a while to disembark and, blood flow restored, we went in search of our suitcase and my fab bestie for a weekend of frivolity.
Saturday night, after a day of sightseeing and waiting for our table at a restaurant in Surry Hills I received a text advising that our flight on Sunday had been cancelled. I had failed to bring our flight details with me to dinner (shock horror, what an oversight) so decided to wait until our drive home. Dinner was an amazing experience complete with celebrity sighting at the next table (think The Voice judge) and it was close to 11.30 pm by the time I was able to call. Tiger did give us a number of options: a move to an alternative flight on the same day, travel within seven days or a refund. We had to get home the following day so a flight two hours earlier than the one we had originally booked seemed the best alternative.
Twelve hours later we arrived back at Sydney airport for another hassle free check in and proceeded to the nearest coffee shop. I had decided that if we had another window seat that my love would sit there rather than have him try his "sheep farmer as safety pin trick" in the middle seat. We relieved ourselves of some cash to enjoy an in-flight gin and tonic (JB and coke for my beloved) and before we knew it we were back in grey wet Melbourne.
The lesson learned for this trip? When you are six foot three and travelling anywhere for more than an hour leg room is very important. Oh, and my beloved is macho enough to carry off toting a black brocade piece of hand luggage complete with diamonte encrusted bag tags.
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Wednesday 15 May 2013
Countering Objections
I have spent the last week or so countering objections being raised by the beloved.
The beloved is a sheep and cattle farmer, but so much more. He is keenly curious and engaged and a very well traveled man, quite the exception for a boy from the bush... or maybe I am poorly informed about those who chose to live in a rural area. Anyway, he is also 6 foot three inches tall. On his varied travels he once traveled on Emirates and, apparently, this was the pinnacle of travel experiences. So the idea of travelling Tiger has not held much appeal at all. I have had to use all my powers of persuasion including counting on my beloved believing that everything I do is perfection.
I understand, intellectually only, that when you are very tall that you hit your head on things and that can hurt. So some of the objections have centered around concerns that the Tiger planes have low ceilings and that he will hit his head. Now I am pretty sure that all planes would have a set height for their insides, but hey that is another thing I am happy to stand corrected on.
But in all this talk I realise that I have gotten ahead ahead of myself. This challenge for 2013 is all about being openly fair and give all local airlines the opportunity to woo me with deals and value for money packages. So I made the following inquiries:
Qantas - $130 each way - luggage included
Virgin - $109 each way - I think luggage included
Jetstar - $75 each way (although there is a $55 flight leaving at 6.55 am on Sunday) and an additional luggage charge
Tiger $65 each way - with taxes and a luggage charge and booking fee a grand total of $329
So once again Tiger has won through with their normal pricing, As an added bonus we are flying mid morning on Friday and mid afternoon on Sunday so there should be no need to be at the airport at stupid o'clock - woo hoo.
I now have to spend between now and next month to prepare my beloved for his first Tiger experience. He may wear his hat on the plane, he is totes worried about his hairdo (bald takes a while get just right).
Thursday 2 May 2013
Hobart or Sydney
I have some deep pleasures in life - the kind of activities that restore the soul and provide the kind of contentment that the dalai lama talks about. One of these is talking to my amazing bestie, who lives life so totally glamorously, is generous and beautiful and loving and supporting. Another and more recent pleasure in my life is reveling in lazy Saturday mornings with my beloved, cups of tea in hand, talking about all manner of things. Usually there are dogs on the bed, sadly I am never organised enough to have ginger biscuits which would make the picture beyond perfect. As luck would have it the birthdays of these two amazing people are six days apart and in June, I smell a trip brewing.
A couple of months ago the idea was floated that the bestie and I would meet in Hobart, as a born and bred Tasmanian the bestie is an amazing tour guide in her home state. With May knocking on the door I thought the conversation should progress, seeing as I left ticket purchase to the last minute last trip I thought I should be more organised this trip.
An early morning chat and comparison of diaries (mine far less busy than hers) and a decision was made that rather than meeting in Hobart I would take my beloved to Sydney for a weekend of birthday fun.
Now here is where the conversation got interesting...... the beloved is not keen to fly Tiger, not one bit. At 6 ft 3 inches he is much taller than I am, I literally could fit in the overhead locker if I needed to. So the conversation went like this:
Beloved: "But why Tiger"
Me: "Because it is my 2013 challenge darling"
Beloved: "Challenge, what are you talking about?"
Me: "Darling you haven't read my blog have you"
Beloved: "Blog? Tiger have been bought out by Virgin, let's fly them"
Me: "Trust me, this trip will make great blogging"
So, he is now on board, will be in Melbourne this weekend and flights will be booked, let the birthday festival planning begin!!
A couple of months ago the idea was floated that the bestie and I would meet in Hobart, as a born and bred Tasmanian the bestie is an amazing tour guide in her home state. With May knocking on the door I thought the conversation should progress, seeing as I left ticket purchase to the last minute last trip I thought I should be more organised this trip.
An early morning chat and comparison of diaries (mine far less busy than hers) and a decision was made that rather than meeting in Hobart I would take my beloved to Sydney for a weekend of birthday fun.
Now here is where the conversation got interesting...... the beloved is not keen to fly Tiger, not one bit. At 6 ft 3 inches he is much taller than I am, I literally could fit in the overhead locker if I needed to. So the conversation went like this:
Beloved: "But why Tiger"
Me: "Because it is my 2013 challenge darling"
Beloved: "Challenge, what are you talking about?"
Me: "Darling you haven't read my blog have you"
Beloved: "Blog? Tiger have been bought out by Virgin, let's fly them"
Me: "Trust me, this trip will make great blogging"
So, he is now on board, will be in Melbourne this weekend and flights will be booked, let the birthday festival planning begin!!
Wednesday 24 April 2013
Post travel ponderings
We've been back a week and a half - post travel exhaustion put paid to any earlier updates..... but let me take you back to the start of our journey
3.30 am on a Saturday morning is not my prime time but having failed to pack last night I have to hustle some clothes into a bag, get offspring out of bed and hit the road at 4.30 planning for a 5.00 am arrival at the airport. 5.00 am for a 7.00 am departure? Having refused to pay $6 per ticket for pre-selection of a non guaranteed seat I took a punt that arriving at the start of booking would mean a half decent seat.
Having not factored in stopping for breakfast on the Ring Road (before the brekkie menu started at Maccas no less) and the park / gulp coffee / transit bus time we did check in at about 5.20. Row 21, not bad.
The Saturday morning crowd at the Tiger lounge were a different demographic to when I have used Tiger previously, lots of young families and backpackers, judging from the conversations around me. Flight to Perth, flight to Sydney then off we trip through Gate 2 to..... a super long walk across the tarmac. Intellectually I know this is coming, but still, in my fabulous orange espadrille wedges it seems like a million miles. Every time, princess, every time........ Happily surprised that unlike other flights there is no grappling for overhead locker space, I stow my hand luggage overhead and settle down with my book, the offspring popping their tiny bags under the seat.
Second surprise of the morning, the Tiger trolley does two rounds so I score a hot chocolate. Not sure I could have faced anything stronger although I spy fellow passengers tucking into Jim Beam and cola, dudes it's 8 am!!!
Landing early, I revel again in the ease of leaving an airport when you don't have checked luggage and hop into the waiting embrace of parents for a weekend of anniversary fun.
Coming home I expected it would be the same exercise but in reverse. Arriving at the airport we start looking for the Tiger check in.... looking, looking, looking thankfully the youngest doesn't have painted on eyes today and spots the Tiger check in in behind the Jetstar counter. Apart from the secret location our check in is smooth and we head up to departure. Row 23...... can't complain.
Then something happened that I am still finding a bit disturbing. My youngest is transgender with pink floppy fringe and brightish clothes. A bit out there but I have seen wilder on the train into the city. As we head through security I go through, then they stop my youngest and start searching his bag. The x-ray guy believes that he has a concealed knife in his bag. The bag is searched, no knife, then back through the machine, they still think there is a knife or blade in there. They start to dismantle his bag, out come the art supply gifts from his grandparents and his clothes etc. I am totally frustrated, the poor guy who had been told to search my child's bag is apologetic and I am glaring at the x-ray guy. Obviously pink hair is a trigger for terrorist activities in Brisbane. They finally decide that what they thought they were seeing was a shadow in his art book and we are through.
Events from there are totally my fault. Having caught up with a fab old friend who has driven to the airport to see me, I relax via a few glasses of red then totter off to my plane. Damn that stupid walk across the tarmac, my tricky left ankle gave way and I did one of those dramatic hands in the air trip onto the ground. Ditching the high heels, I pop my trusty flats on, weave my way onto the plane and promptly fall asleep, waking up to have another wine and some cheese and bikkies.
Instead of landing at 11.35, our flight lands at 12.30 ish, we hop onto the shuttle, find the car, pay the parking fee and head home arriving home at 1.30 am.
So would I do this again? Apart from the walk of shame across the tarmac, there was nothing really to complain about. The flight was on time, staff friendly, and my fellow passengers were an amusing lot. Not raving yet, let's see what happens next time - Hobart in June anyone?
3.30 am on a Saturday morning is not my prime time but having failed to pack last night I have to hustle some clothes into a bag, get offspring out of bed and hit the road at 4.30 planning for a 5.00 am arrival at the airport. 5.00 am for a 7.00 am departure? Having refused to pay $6 per ticket for pre-selection of a non guaranteed seat I took a punt that arriving at the start of booking would mean a half decent seat.
Having not factored in stopping for breakfast on the Ring Road (before the brekkie menu started at Maccas no less) and the park / gulp coffee / transit bus time we did check in at about 5.20. Row 21, not bad.
The Saturday morning crowd at the Tiger lounge were a different demographic to when I have used Tiger previously, lots of young families and backpackers, judging from the conversations around me. Flight to Perth, flight to Sydney then off we trip through Gate 2 to..... a super long walk across the tarmac. Intellectually I know this is coming, but still, in my fabulous orange espadrille wedges it seems like a million miles. Every time, princess, every time........ Happily surprised that unlike other flights there is no grappling for overhead locker space, I stow my hand luggage overhead and settle down with my book, the offspring popping their tiny bags under the seat.
Second surprise of the morning, the Tiger trolley does two rounds so I score a hot chocolate. Not sure I could have faced anything stronger although I spy fellow passengers tucking into Jim Beam and cola, dudes it's 8 am!!!
Landing early, I revel again in the ease of leaving an airport when you don't have checked luggage and hop into the waiting embrace of parents for a weekend of anniversary fun.
Coming home I expected it would be the same exercise but in reverse. Arriving at the airport we start looking for the Tiger check in.... looking, looking, looking thankfully the youngest doesn't have painted on eyes today and spots the Tiger check in in behind the Jetstar counter. Apart from the secret location our check in is smooth and we head up to departure. Row 23...... can't complain.
Then something happened that I am still finding a bit disturbing. My youngest is transgender with pink floppy fringe and brightish clothes. A bit out there but I have seen wilder on the train into the city. As we head through security I go through, then they stop my youngest and start searching his bag. The x-ray guy believes that he has a concealed knife in his bag. The bag is searched, no knife, then back through the machine, they still think there is a knife or blade in there. They start to dismantle his bag, out come the art supply gifts from his grandparents and his clothes etc. I am totally frustrated, the poor guy who had been told to search my child's bag is apologetic and I am glaring at the x-ray guy. Obviously pink hair is a trigger for terrorist activities in Brisbane. They finally decide that what they thought they were seeing was a shadow in his art book and we are through.
Events from there are totally my fault. Having caught up with a fab old friend who has driven to the airport to see me, I relax via a few glasses of red then totter off to my plane. Damn that stupid walk across the tarmac, my tricky left ankle gave way and I did one of those dramatic hands in the air trip onto the ground. Ditching the high heels, I pop my trusty flats on, weave my way onto the plane and promptly fall asleep, waking up to have another wine and some cheese and bikkies.
Instead of landing at 11.35, our flight lands at 12.30 ish, we hop onto the shuttle, find the car, pay the parking fee and head home arriving home at 1.30 am.
So would I do this again? Apart from the walk of shame across the tarmac, there was nothing really to complain about. The flight was on time, staff friendly, and my fellow passengers were an amusing lot. Not raving yet, let's see what happens next time - Hobart in June anyone?
Thursday 11 April 2013
Paying the price for procrastination
Now I have this up and running, I have a confession to make..... I procrastinate (don't faint)
About four weeks ago Mum called, she had a wonderful idea, why don't we all (myself and the offspring) fly to Brisvegas for the weekend of the 12th of April to celebrate the parentals 45th wedding anniversary. Fabulous idea said I, having recently had a cash injection from the Department of Human Services (federal, not state) HUZZAH!!! I even looked at flights while I had my mum on the phone.
Monday (yes this Monday 8 April) I thought I had better book the tickets. Any specials I had looked at four weeks ago were long gone and it is the final weekend of the school holidays here in Victoria, so time and timing were working against me. No point in looking at Virgin and Qantas, I know from past experience that any cheap seats were long gone. So off to Jetstar and Tiger. The Tiger flight was far to early on Friday, and the Friday night Jetstar flight.... well.... let's just say I have paid less for human kidneys. What to do.... well there is a nifty next day feature on the Tiger site and I spotted flights for 7 am Saturday morning, arriving Brisbane at 9.10 am. The flights home arrive in Melbourne at 11.30 pm but that is Sunday Jo's problem.
I now have a second confession to make..... I am pretty technically incompetent.
The few times I have used the Tiger site I have been frustrated, information isn't easily located and the layout isn't intuitive. So booking flights at 6.00 am on Monday morning I was hoping for a hassle free process. I did not select luggage allowance or seat allocation and went to pay and low and behold I have been charged $120 for 60 kilos of luggage allowance (on a 36 hour trip even I though that was a bit too much), So I went back, made sure no luggage allowance was selected and proceeded to pay, and there was that darn allowance again!!! Breakfast time.
At times like this I call on the expertise of the offspring, this morning number two child was up and happy to help. It appears that Tiger have a 20 kilo allowance set as a default, Having seen what Tiger customers try to stuff in the overhead storage I am not surprised but still, frustrating. A $51 service fee and a per fare booking for paying by credit card later and three seats were booked for a return trip to Brisbane for the weekend.
Ideally we have to be at Tullamarine at 5.00 am for checkin on Saturday. Let's see how that goes.
About four weeks ago Mum called, she had a wonderful idea, why don't we all (myself and the offspring) fly to Brisvegas for the weekend of the 12th of April to celebrate the parentals 45th wedding anniversary. Fabulous idea said I, having recently had a cash injection from the Department of Human Services (federal, not state) HUZZAH!!! I even looked at flights while I had my mum on the phone.
Monday (yes this Monday 8 April) I thought I had better book the tickets. Any specials I had looked at four weeks ago were long gone and it is the final weekend of the school holidays here in Victoria, so time and timing were working against me. No point in looking at Virgin and Qantas, I know from past experience that any cheap seats were long gone. So off to Jetstar and Tiger. The Tiger flight was far to early on Friday, and the Friday night Jetstar flight.... well.... let's just say I have paid less for human kidneys. What to do.... well there is a nifty next day feature on the Tiger site and I spotted flights for 7 am Saturday morning, arriving Brisbane at 9.10 am. The flights home arrive in Melbourne at 11.30 pm but that is Sunday Jo's problem.
I now have a second confession to make..... I am pretty technically incompetent.
The few times I have used the Tiger site I have been frustrated, information isn't easily located and the layout isn't intuitive. So booking flights at 6.00 am on Monday morning I was hoping for a hassle free process. I did not select luggage allowance or seat allocation and went to pay and low and behold I have been charged $120 for 60 kilos of luggage allowance (on a 36 hour trip even I though that was a bit too much), So I went back, made sure no luggage allowance was selected and proceeded to pay, and there was that darn allowance again!!! Breakfast time.
At times like this I call on the expertise of the offspring, this morning number two child was up and happy to help. It appears that Tiger have a 20 kilo allowance set as a default, Having seen what Tiger customers try to stuff in the overhead storage I am not surprised but still, frustrating. A $51 service fee and a per fare booking for paying by credit card later and three seats were booked for a return trip to Brisbane for the weekend.
Ideally we have to be at Tullamarine at 5.00 am for checkin on Saturday. Let's see how that goes.
Wednesday 10 April 2013
Where it all begins
So a few years ago I was chatting with my amazing bestie about Tiger airways expanding into Cairns. Now the bestie is, among other things, a super talented guru in the tourism industry. I said at the time that I didn't think that those who would travel by Tiger would be her kind of customers. She put it to me that those who did fly Tiger to places like Far North Queensland would be tourists who were looking to spend more dollars at their destination.
Years have passed since that conversation and I have traveled Tiger a couple of times, interspersed with trips of Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas. I thought that 2013 would be a good year to set myself a challenge. Each time I travel I am going to see if Tiger can offer me the best price, what quality service they provide and the demographic of the passengers. I suspect that Tiger will nearly always beat the others on price for short term travel.... but when you are a bona fide princess there are other considerations beyond the bottom line!!!
Come fly with me!!!
Years have passed since that conversation and I have traveled Tiger a couple of times, interspersed with trips of Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas. I thought that 2013 would be a good year to set myself a challenge. Each time I travel I am going to see if Tiger can offer me the best price, what quality service they provide and the demographic of the passengers. I suspect that Tiger will nearly always beat the others on price for short term travel.... but when you are a bona fide princess there are other considerations beyond the bottom line!!!
Come fly with me!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)