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Obama: “If I was just in the Hampton Inn… I’m good.”

Higher flying doesn’t necessarily refer to the top tier, most-luxurious accommodations.  If something presents a good value for your money and makes sense for you and your travel goals, indeed, that option can be just as valuable as one that costs significantly more.  If you don’t believe me, ask Barack Obama instead!  The Washington Post recently quoted the former president singing the praises of Hampton Inns, one of Hilton’s budget-friendly brands and not one that you would associate with some/one of the most powerful people in the world.  They’re far from glamorous, but if they’re good enough for Obama, certainly they can suffice for everyone else.

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A Canadian Juxtaposition

Photo of the Week!

F 5.6; 1/160; ISO 100; 74mm.

Shot in Montreal, Canada.

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Norwegian Air 787 Economy Class Review

A proud symbol of the era of affordable air travel

The 787s that Norwegian Air uses for its longhaul operations are far from glamorous — expect slimline seats clad in grey “leather” for as far as the eye can see — but they are representative of an undeniably positive development in the commercial airline industry:  more people can afford to travel.  Norwegian occupies an interesting position in the market; it was one of the first carriers to take the low-cost/LCC model and successfully apply it to intercontinental travel.  Its fares are so consistently low (it’s not unusual to see oneway transatlantic tickets go for around $100), but correspondingly, it’s natural to wonder if there’s any sort of catch involved.  Is flying Norwegian an absurdly miserable experience or is it a viable option for higher flyers?

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The Overlook’s Edge

Photo of the Week!

F 8; 1/2320; ISO 100; 49mm.

Shot along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

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Cathay at the Gate

Photo of the Week!

F 6.3; 1/125; ISO 100; 53mm.

Shot from Cathay Pacific’s The Pier lounge at Hong Kong International 

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A Rocky Sunset

Photo of the Week!

F 4.5; 1/60; ISO 100; 33mm.

Shot at Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park, Washington.

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A temple in the (urban) jungle

Photo of the Week!

F 8; 1/250; ISO 100; 22mm.

Shot in Bangkok, Thailand at the Wat Arun.

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How To: Navigate Norwegian Air’s fees to get exactly what you want

Norwegian Air’s strong reputation is due in part to the relatively comfortable accommodations it features on its sleek new planes, but its affordable airfares are equally as important in bolstering the airline’s status.  There are some downright incredible deals to be had!  That said, Norwegian shares a business model with an infamous counterpart in the United States:  Spirit.  The former has been praised as an innovative disruptor in the long haul transit market, whereas the latter is reviled for its many layers of (perceived) awfulness… even though they both run pretty similar operations.  Don’t be deceived by Norwegian’s cheery Scandinavian/Ikea-esque branding; crafty bargain hunters must pay careful attention when they’re booking flights.  Otherwise they risk getting trapped in a fee-laden hell all in the name of getting a “cheap” fare… and that’s definitely not higher flyer!

Continue reading “How To: Navigate Norwegian Air’s fees to get exactly what you want” →

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Not-so-Norwegian Air

The introduction of new, remarkably fuel efficient planes like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 have led to two significant developments in the commercial airline industry:  the emergence of really, really long routes (think Singapore to “New York” nonstop) and the application of the low-cost-carrier business model to longhaul flying.  The former is useful and convenient for premium passengers especially, but the latter is special because it affords more people more opportunities to travel.  Norwegian Airlines is one of the most prominent operations to do this; it’s taken advantage of relatively lax EU laws and has set up shop all over Europe to offer cheap flights to the Americas and Asia.  Is it glamorous?  Far from it.  For the price though, Norwegian is comfortable enough and can certainly be considered “higher flyer” for its excellent value proposition.

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