RICHARD BRANSON has plans for a new Supersonic Commercial Jet to replace the Concorde

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4622382/Supersonic-baby-boom-aircraft-year.html

This is encouraging news about how we will be advancing forward in technology in the future.  Billionaires they may be, but Richard Branson and Elon Musk are making giant steps forward mankind, unlike the imbecile trump and his junta government.  I've always thought the it was very sad that our supersonic transportation became obsolete when the Concorde fleet was retired in 2003.  Thank heavens for the amazingly wealthy humans who are doing something for mankind.  The same could be said about billionaires who are philanthropic (Bill Gates).  Fun article.  I just hope I live to see the day it flies (well, maybe not, based upon the wold today).

The aircraft could go into commercial service as early 2020 and several airlines have committed to buy.   The Concorde was funded by governments.  Two airlines, Air France and British Airways starting in 1976.  The aircraft was never profitable for either carrier.

This new plane will be more profitable for airlines to operate and will passengers will pay the equivalent of a Business Class fare today.

BEST cookies in the world: American Airlines' Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

http://boardingarea.com/onemileatatime/2011/04/29/review-american-airlines-first-class-from-tampa-to-chicago-to-new-york/

I just returned from a two week sojourn around the country to visit friends and family (Indianapolis, Chicago, Asheville/Hendersonville NC, Briston/Salem WV, Washington DC).   I live in Palm Desert (Palm Springs area of California) and I upgraded to first class for the outbound and return flights from Palm Springs (PSP-DFW, DFW-IND, IAD-DFW, DFW-PSP).  For most of the segments of my trip I flew my preferred domestic airline, American Airlines. *

American has a very nice first class service for a two and half hour flight.  The hot nuts are amazing.  The entrees are creative and very good.   They used to serve freshly baked chocolate chip cookies but now they offer a choice.  On two of my flights they offered a hot, freshly baked oatmeal, cranberry cookie that is truly the best cookie I've ever eaten.  It tastes a bit like a pop tart (which is a fond memory of my youth).  I was moaning and raving over the cookies and twice the flight attendants gave me an extra.

These cookies are heaven.  I am going to contact American Airline to see if I can get the recipe.  If I can I will post it here.  Until then, does anyone out there already have it?

Kudos to the American first class flight attendants that worked my flights.  With the exception of the last flight from DFW to PSP, every one of them were impeccable professionals who clearly took a great deal of personal pride in providing excellent customer and first class service.  I think they were all flight more senior flight attendants.  The last one was obviously new.  She could use some retraining on the first service protocols.

I'm an ex-Stewardess (30 years ago I flew for Western Airlines and then Delta, upon the purchase and merger of the two airlines by Delta).  I truly appreciate the demands and nuances of the job.  I was most appreciative of the excellent service, topped off with those phenomenal cookies (and the aroma as they were baking in the ovens).

*For one short leg, from Chicago Midway to Greenville SC I flew "Southworst" Airlines (as I call it).  It was wretched in every way.  I haven't flown Southwest in years and unfortunately it hasn't improved a bit.  You see the worst of human behavior on this airline.  I think they advocate the decline and fall of the United States (along with Wal-Mart).

Proposed Spaceport for Houston

Houston has always been the country's space capital heretofore.   But now that the space shuttle program has ended and the future of NASA's objectives are uncertain, Houston stands to lose it's pre-immenence in Space development.

Virgin Airlines owner Sir Richard Branson will begin commercial space travel in the next couple of years (assuming no setbacks) via his Virgin Galactic company.

A spaceport has already been constructed:  Spaceport America.  It is located in the White Sands Missile Range, near the cities Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences,  located in Sierra County, New Mexico.  Spaceport America has been constructed.

Houston's bid to build the largest spaceport would help retain it's importance in the future of space exploration.  Should the city's proposal for the port be accepted it would be operational in 2024.    The project has been dubbed "Space City USA".  If built it would be the world's hub for commercial space
travel which is a consumer market that seems to be quite appealing for the 1%-ers of the world (the only percentage of the world's economic demographics that seems to be growing at a disproportionate rate).    Virgin Galactic will begin offering commercial flight for $250,000.    The flight will be about 2.5 hours, but weightlessness will be for only 6 minutes.  See the video below of the space flight:



Personally, I wish I could win a position on the one-way ticket to Mars competition.  I think any other planet would be a better alternative to this fucked up world we live in!  (IMHO)

Here's more photos illustrating Houston's proposed Space City USA.

 See more information at the following locations:

Virgin Galactic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Galactic
http://www.virgingalactic.com

Spaceport America (new Mexico)
http://spaceportamerica.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceport_America

Space City USA (Houston)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2412201/Houston-unveils-plans-America-s-largest-space-port-bid-retain-title-Space-City-USA.html

Sir Richard Branson's LIAT complaint letter example posted on TWITTER

Sir Richard Brandson recently tweeted (or "twitted" as I call that forum or whatever the fuck it is called) one of the most remarkably witty missives I've ever read in English:  "How to write a complaint letter – read this hilarious note from a frustrated airline passenger."

It is a complaint letter written by a dissatisfied customer to an airliner after a particularly horrible trip.  This letter is utterly biting.  Utterly witty.  But most of all, utterly effective.   And that is why  Branson tweeted to his Twitter followers the letter that is excerpted below from Huntington Post (click here to see the Huntington-Post article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/liat-complaint-letter-arthur-hicks-branson_n_3529385.html)

Dear LIAT:
May I say how considerate it is of you to enable your passengers such an in-depth and thorough tour of the Caribbean.

Most other airlines I have travelled on would simply wish to take me from point A to B in rather a hurry. I was intrigued that we were allowed to stop at not a lowly one or two but a magnificent six airports yesterday. And who wants to fly on the same airplane the entire time? We got to change and refuel every step of the way!

I particularly enjoyed sampling the security scanners at each and every airport. I find it preposterous that people imagine them all to be the same. And as for being patted down by a variety of islanders, well, I feel as if I’ve been hugged by most of the Caribbean already.

I also found it unique that this was all done on “island time,” because I do like to have time to absorb the atmosphere of the various departure lounges. As for our arrival, well, who wants to have to take a ferry at the end of all that flying anyway? I’m glad the boat was long gone by the time we arrived into Tortola last night — and that all those noisy bars and restaurants were closed.

So thank you, LIAT. I now truly understand why you are “The Caribbean Airline.”

Arthur Hicks

P.S. Keep the bag. I never liked it anyway.

NEW YORK to LONDON in 1 hour: perhaps there is hope for our future?

A German company, German Aerospace Center, has announced plans for a new hypersonic airplane, the SpaceLiner, which would fly at 24 the speed of sound, capable of flying to New York from London in one hour or from London to Sydney in one and half hour. This vehicle that they are proposing would carry 50 passengers and would include both a rocket lift into space to 50 miles above earth and a glide back to earth ending in a typical airplane landing on a runway.

One of the saddest things about last century was the fact that mankind created a miraculous supersonic aircraft (the SST and the Tupelov) in 1973 by the next century no such technology was being used at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The Concorde fleet were retired with no replacement.

This beautiful aircraft started commercial airline service in 1976 and the entire fleet was retired following a crash of a Concorde at Paris' Orly airport and downturn in airline travel as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the US.

In my opinion, it is a tragedy that, whilst mankind created such an amazing aircraft like the Concorde, that we were not capable of continuing the evolution of this type of aircraft after 27 years of commercial service. Or after it's retirement in 2003 (a decade ago no SST flies).

There have been many proposals throughout the years for supersonic aircraft. But nothing had traction enough to be the successor to the beautiful and astonishing Concorde. For almost thirty years humankind flew from New York to Paris in approximately 3.5 hours. But since 2003 we've gone back to the horse and buggy in airline service, so to speak.

Read this current proposed supersonic aircraft in an article at the hateful Republican slanted newsline (owned by the hateful, unethical, immoral Rupert Murdoch companies) at The Daily Mail at the following article: London to Sydney in 90 minutes: Hypersonic SpaceLiner that travels at 24 times the speed of sound 'to be built by 2050.'

I guess cell phones and I-pads, computers, etc were a more important evolutionary moment for our pathetic species? Somehow they seem rather small and lame next to the accomplishment of space exploration or supersonic flight. Let's hope that we begin to aspire to a more noble and higher aspirations. Not until Republicans die out though.

Air New Zealand YOU TUBE commercial

Funny short commercial titled "Bare Essentials" for Air New Zealand

PET AIRWAYS--what a wonderful concept--How Fun

Thank you to my friend, Sylvia Grossberg, for this.

Here's a new airline for pets: "Welcome to Pet Airways, a pet-only airline dedicated to pet-friendly travel.

With Pet Airways, your pet will be safe and comfortable flying in the main cabin --- not in cargo!

Give your pet a first-class travel experience today!"

This is legit.....I kid you not! How wonderful! My "Wallis" (jack russell) would terrorize the aircraft and destroy everything in sight but my sweet little "Chips" would, I think, be quite delighted to fly. How about your "kids"?

The animals depart from pet lounges and there are even air hostesses! The rates are reasonably reasonable ($149-$299).

Watch the youtube video commercial:




Here's the route map and the aircraft (Beech 1900) . For more information visit their website at www.petairways.com

747 HOTEL--that's my kind of hotel--how original and how beautiful

I have always been fascinated with airlines and airliners. When I was a kid I collected airline timetables from around the world. Go figure?

The 747 was launched in late 60s which was about the same time that I became an airline timetable addict. I was maybe 9 or 10. But the 747 captured my heart and imagination. It still makes my heart flutter and I breathe a wistful sigh whenever I see a photo or when I actually see the real thing. Such a graceful stately bird!

But can you imagine this. In Stockholm, an old 747 has been converted to a hotel! Isn't that an original thought (have you heard about those restaurants in NY and LA and I think in London where you eat in a bed.....that is my kind of living. I'll have to research and blog on that one day). So here it is. It'd be nice to see Stockholm, yeah, but this would be the real reason I'd be going. I might not even leave my room. Just order room service and stay holed up in my hotel room for the duration (which is my idea of the ultimate in comfort).

Check it out:

This must be the penthouse suite......I don't think so. Can I see another room, please?
Oh Stewardess, I'll have some tea, please.

Perfect.......even have a plasma tv.