TAM Airlines

Latin America’s largest airline headquartered in Sao Paolo, Brazil. If you live in North America, South America or Europe, you get the chance to experience the Brazilian airline’s hospitality when you fly with them. The stewardesses are dressed formal and elegant, especially the red trimmings adorning their royal blue uniforms along with their heels too.

Norwegian Air Shuttle

The second largest airline in Scandinavia with flight attendants who are professional, friendly, informative and always smiling.

Air France

Ahh… France.. where all the greatest designers come from. As a matter of fact, Air France’s flight attendant uniforms are created by none other than the one and only, Christian Lacroix. He wanted to go beyond designing a uniform to create an entire wardrobe with Air France: some one hundred individual items that can be combined in a multitude of ways, allowing each person to develop a distinctive wardrobe to suit his or her personality, morphology, culture and profession. The female employees have the most choices which include summer dresses, winter dresses, skirts, trousers, short jacket, long jackets, pull-over tops, button down tops, assorted belts, scarves, shoes, boots, etc. The rules of what pieces can be worn together is even more confusing.

British Airways

Julien McDonald’s British Airways uniform looks stylish, modern and is made out of high quality materials. Although to a certain extent, one may also say that the uniform has no discernible identity so it could actually be representing any number of airlines. Well, maybe it’s intentional.

Cebu Pacific

In late 2010, Cebu Pacific’s dancing flight attendants became a sensation after a YouTube video taken of them doing a dance number to Lady Gaga’s Just Dance and Katy Perry’s California Gurls went viral. The only gripe about Cebu Pacific is the mechanical ways that things are being done, like how announcements are all automated.

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TAP Portugal

The uniform colour of bright green and striking red blend very well together, giving the flight attendants a fresh, provocative look. However, there have been feedback by passengers who frequently met not-so-friendly TAP cabin crews.

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Virgin Atlantic

One of the sexiest in terms of costume design. Striking red, form fitting dress with skirt lines above the knee with a purple fade to white scarf to match. Although Virgin Atlantic flight attendants were voted the best looking by 1000 Britons in a recent poll by the Business Meeting and Travel Show, the scope of the survey was actually too narrow to come to a conclusion to say that Virgin Atlantic has the best looking cabin crews. Maybe among the 1000 Britons, yes, but definitely not the world over.

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Eva Air

The flight attendants with their matching green outfits look really nice, and will usually speak to you in Taiwanese when serving you meals and refreshments (if you look like a typical Chinese). Most of their English is not bad either and you definitely won’t have a problem communicating with them. Also, you will find most of the time the cabin crew consist of all women under the age of 30, at least 5’7 in height with hair buns tucked to perfection and they all have fair complexions with porcelain skin tones. Cool thing is, Eva Air’s cabin crew passes out hand wipes to all passengers before each meal.

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JAL

Japan Airlines flight attendants treat you like royalty. Like most quality airlines, hot towels are given to wipe your hands prior to any meal or snack, unlimited beverages, spirits, beer, and wine, and fun Japanese snacks and beverages left in bins for you to pick as you please, all supplied at the back of the aircraft. Just imagine your experience with JAL is simply a direct result of Japanese culture that is inviting, respectful, and hard working.

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No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : North America.

Executive First is Air Canada’s international business class product, updated during the carrier’s Project XM upgrade. These cabins are available on nearly all widebody aircraft.

Executive First feature electronic flat beds, in a 1–1–1 or 1–2–1 herringbone configuration with a 21-inch seat width and a 6-foot-3-inch seat pitch. The configuration is similar in layout to Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Suite and Air New Zealand’s Business Premier Class. Entertainment is personal AVOD (Audio Video On Demand), while music is provided by XM Satellite Radio. Self-service bar areas and mood lighting are available on all B777-300ER and B777-200LR aircraft.

Return flights, Toronto to London cost about USD 4300 on Air Canada’s Executive First class as of 2011.

Air New Zealand

No.7 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : Australia/Pacific.

Business Premier is the highest available class on Air New Zealand flights. The seating is configured in a herringbone layout in a 1-2-1 configuration, allowing direct access for every passenger to an aisle. Each seat is 22 inches wide leather and comes with an ottoman footrest that doubles as a visitor seat. The seat converts to a full length lie-flat bed, for which a pillow, duvet and sheet are provided.

Each seat comes with a large tray table, multiple stowage bins, a cocktail tray, a bottle holder, in-seat power, three reading lights, and an AVOD system with a 10.4-inch monitor. On the 777-300ER, each seat also has USB and iPod connectivity, and a larger 12.1-inch touchscreen monitor.

Return flights, Auckland to London cost about USD 8300 on Air New Zealand’s Business Premier as of 2011.

ANA

No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline Ground Services.
No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Transpacific Airline.

Return flights, Tokyo to London cost from about USD 14,000 on ANA’s Business Class as of 2011.

Introduced in 2009, the “Inspiration of Japan” cabin features included fully-lie-flat-bed business class seats (the first for a Japanese airline), a nearly enclosed first class suite seats, a new AVOD in-flight entertainment system (based on Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s eX2 technology with iPod connectivity, in-seat shopping and meal ordering as well as premium cabin touchscreen consoles) as well as improvements to its in-flight service.

Since February 2010 ANA offers women’s only lavatories on international flights.

Return flights, Tokyo to London cost from about USD 32,000 on ANA’s First Class as of 2011.

Asiana

No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline Cabin Staff.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline Ground Services.
No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : Asia.

The space between seats in business class is 58 inches, and they are elongated to 165 degrees. The size of personal LCD monitors is 15.4 inches diagonally, slightly larger than the previous 15 inches. The audio and video on demand (AVOD) system of the in-flight entertainment program has also been upgraded, with better resolution and faster speed.

Return flight, Seoul to Los Angeles cost from about USD 5800 on Asiana’s Business Class as of 2011.

Return flight, Seoul to Los Angeles cost from about USD 8400 on Asiana’s First Class as of 2011.

British Airways

No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge.

Club World is the long-haul business class product on British Airways 767, 777 and 747 aircraft, and the only class on its two Airbus A318 aircraft. Passengers have access to departure lounges at most airports and an exclusive arrivals lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5. The Club World cabin provides a 20 in wide, 6 ft long fully flat bed. There are 24 old generation Club World seats fitted on Boeing 767-300ER aircraft but these aircraft will be replaced by the Boeing 787 which will feature the Next-Generation Club World cabin from 2012 onwards.

Return flights, London to Singapore cost from about USD 5000 on British Airway’s Club World as of 2011.

First is the long-haul first class service on British Airways and is offered only on Boeing 747 and Boeing 777 aircraft. There are 14 private “demi-cabins” per aircraft, each with a 6 ft 6 in bed, a 15 inch wide in-flight entertainment screen, in-seat power for laptops and personal phones. Menus are upgraded from Club World, and offer greater choice and quality.

Return flights, London to Singapore cost from about USD 8200 on British Airway’s First Class as of 2011.

Cathay Pacific

No.4 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Transpacific Airline.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best First Class Airline.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best First Class Airline Seat.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : Asia.

After receiving extensive criticism for its high-walled herring-bone configuration business class seating on long-haul flights, which many passengers felt was too narrow and confined, Cathay Pacific embarked on a total redesign of business class seating. The new design is more conventional, emphasizing the passenger’s sense of personal space while also retaining privacy.

The new business class seats will be fitted into all new Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER deliveries, with existing A330-300 and 777-300ER aircraft to be upgraded to the new seating and cabin by February 2013. However,the current Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A340 aircraft will not be upgraded to the new seating and cabin due to the impending retirement of those planes.

Return flights, Hong Kong to London cost from about USD 5900 on Cathay Pacific’s Business Class as of 2011.

The New First Class seats can be converted into a fully lie-flat bed measuring 36 × 81 in. The new seats include a massage function, a personal closet, an ottoman for stowage or guest seating, and an adjustable 17 in 16:9 PTV.

Return flights, Hong Kong to London cost from about USD 9700 on Cathay Pacific’s First Class as of 2011.

Continental Airlines

No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Transatlantic Airline.
No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : North America.

The new BusinessFirst seats have a six-way adjustable head rest, an individual overhead reading light and an adjustable seat light allowing customers to read in bed without disturbing their neighbor and a privacy shell that allows for seclusion from other travelers. BusinessFirst customers also receive one of the highest crew to passenger ratios (1:8) among all international business class products.

The new BusinessFirst seats are featured on all of Continental’s Boeing 777s and Boeing 757-200′s. Installation on the Boeing 767 fleet will follow in 2011. The anticipated completion of the roll-out across Continental’s entire international fleet is August 2012. In addition, all 787 deliveries will have the seats installed.

Continental considers BusinessFirst to be its signature onboard product, and the service is a frequent subject of advertising campaigns. Customers seated in the BusinessFirst cabin on longhaul flights from the United States to Europe, Asia, select cities in South America, and the Middle East receive special ground services, including EliteAccess priority bag service at check-in, expedited security screening (where available), access to Continental’s Presidents Club or affiliated Star Alliance lounges, personalized Continental Concierge service, and dedicated boarding procedures.

Entertainment is offered at each individual seat, and passengers on Boeing 777 and 757 aircraft have access to a new Audio-Video On Demand system with touch-screen controls. Customers also are provided headphones, a large pillow, wool blanket, and amenity kit prior to departure. Upon arrival, BusinessFirst customers have access to shower facilities and arrival lounges at most airports.

Return flights, New Jersey to London cost from about USD 3200 on Continental Airline’s BusinessFirst as of 2011.

Delta Air Lines

No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : North America.

Designed by Thompson Aero Seating and manufactured by Contour Aerospace Limited, these sleeper suites (Vantage) use a space-saving design, with the bottom ends of the seats extending under the armrests of the suites in front when in the full horizontal flat bed position. This allows for minimal reduction in capacity compared to most other sleeper suite products, particularly with the 767′s narrower fuselage. The suites will be arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, with a total capacity of 40 BusinessElite suites.

Return flights, New York to London cost from about USD 3200 on Delta Airline’s BusinesElite as of 2011.

Emirates

No.10 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : Middle East.

Business class on Boeing 777-200LRs, Boeing 777-300s and 29 of 39 3-class Boeing 777-300ERs as well as 5 of 14 2-class 777-300ERs feature seats with a 60 in pitch that recline to 79 in long, angled lie-flat beds. Amenities include massage function, privacy partition, winged headrest with six-way movement, two individual reading lights and an overhead light per seat, in-seat power supply, USB Ports and an RCA socket for laptop connection, over 600 channels of entertainment on ICE, shown on a 17 in wide TV screen.

On Airbus A380-800 aircraft, the seats recline to form a fully flat bed and are equipped with personal mini-bars. Business class passengers also have access to an on-board bar at the rear of the aircraft. Business class passengers have the ability to customize and save seat and in-flight entertainment settings to a memory key for re-use on future flights.

Return flights, Dubai to London cost from about USD 3600 on Emirates’s Business Class as of 2011.

The full suite options comes complete with closing doors to ensure privacy, a mini-bar, a coat rack and storage. They also feature the ICE system on a 23 in LCD screen. The seat converts into a 6 ft 7 in fully flat bed. Private suites are available on all A380-800, A340-500, Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, as well as 27 of 39 3-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

On its newly delivered A380-800, first class features private suites, two shower-equipped lavatories and spa, and access to the first/business class bar area and lounge. Premium class seating is located on the entire upper deck of A380-800 aircraft.

Return flights, Dubai to London cost from about USD 8100 on Emirates’s First Class Suite as of 2011.

Etihad

No.6 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best First Class Airline.
No.3 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Business Class Airline.
No.1 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best First Class Airline Catering.
No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best First Class Airline Seat.
No.2 of Skytrax 2011 World’s Best Airline : Middle East.

Business class is known as the Pearl Zone. The Pearl Business Class seats recline to 180 degrees into a fully flat 6’1″ business bed. It has an 88″ pitch and direct access to the aisle for plenty space and privacy. Each self-contained seat is equipped with individual lighting and a reading light. The Pearl Business seats each has a 15″ personal LCD screen. In-flight telephone service is also offered from inside the aircraft. There is also a built-in massage facility.

Return flights, Abu Dhabu to London cost from about USD 3800 on Etihad’s Pearl Business Class as of 2011.

First class is known as the Diamond Zone. The Diamond First Class Suites have seats that rotate 180 degrees and recline into 6’8″ flat beds. Each Diamond Suite has a privacy shell that ensures maximum privacy and direct access to the aisles; within this space there are a coatroom, a mini-bar, a fold-and-swivel meal table, an integrated personal mirror, a magazine rack, a reading light and a desk lamp. Each Diamond seat has pneumatic lumbar support, a six-way movement headrest and a built-in massage facility. Each Diamond Suite has a 23″ personal LCD. The Diamond First Class Zone will be changed throughout the long-haul fleet with new suites and changed toilets.

Return flights, Abu Dhabu to London cost from about USD 8100 on Etihad’s Diamond First Class as of 2011.

Iberia

Iberia Business Plus seat which reclines into lie-flat seats within a rigid pod gives you personal space of up to 6 ft 3 in long by 25 in wide. They have a dual adjustable back cushion with a massage function, adjustable head rests and arm rests, and extendable leg rests. A digital system memorizes the passenger’s preferred seat settings. The Business Plus section also features individual touch-screen entertainment and communications systems. Passengers can send SMS and e-mail messages anywhere in the world in under 15 seconds, and speak on an individual satellite telephone.

Return flights, Madrid to New York cost from about USD 3600 on Iberia’s Business Plus as of 2011.

Japan Airlines

The Executive Class Seasons seat reclines to 171 degrees and has a 15.4 inch personal TV screen. The business class cabin also features the “Sky Gallery,” one wall of the cabin shows a a photographic exhibition that will be regularly changed over the year. The first exhibit, in collaboration with Fuji Film, will be a series of photographs of forests in Japan entitled ‘Forest Forever’. The gallery will be located directly opposite a self-service bar counter, where passengers can enjoy snacks and beverages at anytime. Eight JAL Suites and 77 JAL Shell Flat Neo Seat are installed in each Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Return flights, Tokyo to London cost from about USD 10,730 on Japan Airline’s Executive Class Seasons as of 2011.

The suitse in JAL First Class are 20% more spacious than the airline’s previous seat in first class and only suites are available in the JAL First Class cabin set in a 1-2-1 configuration. The suite includes a seat upholstered in gray leather which converts into a full-flat bed. In the 180 degrees position, the seat combines with an ottoman located at the opposite end of the compartment to create one of the largest and widest, most comfortable sleeping areas in first class. When the seat is in the upright position, the ottoman can be used as a seat for a guest. The sliding table can be placed between the seat and ottoman. Passengers, seated in the pair of suites who are traveling together can lower privacy partitions located between them. Each suite comes with Bose noise-cancelling headphones and a personal 19-inch personal TV screen and stowage spaces for bags and small items and a laptop power point. Those in the suites can also whatever they like off the menu whenever they would like with choices of Japanese or Western full-course menus. For sleeping a cabin attendant can place a Tempur-Pedic mattress on the seat bed along with a down comforter and a pillow a well as offer special JAL loungewear.

Return flights, Tokyo to London cost from about USD 32,000 on Japan Airline’s First Class Suite as of 2011.

Jet Airways

Premiere class on the Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 777-300ER international fleet has a fully flat bed with AVOD entertainment. Seats are configured in a herringbone pattern (1-2-1 on the Boeing 777-300ER, and 1-1-1 on the Airbus A330-200), with each seat offering direct access to the aisle. Each Première Seat has a 15.4-inch flat screen LCD TV with AVOD. USB ports and in-seat laptop power are provided. All seats are standard recliner business-class seats with a few newer aircraft with electronic recline and massager.

Return flights, Mumbai to London cost from about USD 3600 on Jet Airway’s Premiere Class as of 2011.

First class is available on all Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. All seats convert to a fully flat bed, similar to Singapore Airlines first class seat but much smaller. It was the twenty-second airline in the world to have private suites. All seats in First have a 23-inch widescreen LCD monitor with audio-video on-demand systems (AVOD), BOSE noise cancelling headphones, in seat power supply, and USB ports.

Return flights, Mumbai to London cost from about USD 5800 on Jet Airway’s First Class as of 2011.

Kingfisher

The international Kingfisher First has full flat-bed seats with a 180 degree recline, with a seat pitch of 78 in, and a seat width of 20-24.54 in. Passengers are given Merino wool blankets, a Salvatore Ferragamo toiletry kit, a pyjama to change into, five-course meals and alcoholic beverages. Also available are in-seat massagers, chargers and USB connectors.

Every Kingfisher First seat has a 17 inch widescreen personal television with AVOD touchscreen controls and offers 357 hours of programming content spread over 36 channels, including Hollywood and Bollywood movies along with 16 channels of live TV, so passengers can watch their favorite TV programs live. There is also a collection of interactive games, a jukebox with customizable playlists and Kingfisher Radio. Passengers are given BOSE noise cancellation headphones.

The service on board the Kingfisher First cabins includes a social area comprising a full-fledged bar staffed with a bartender, a break-out seating area just nearby fitted with two couches and bar stools, a full-fledged chef on board the aircraft and any-time dining. A turn-down service includes the conversion of the seat into a fully-flat bed and an air-hostess making the bed when the passenger is ready to sleep.

Both Kingfisher First and Kingfisher classes feature mood lighting on the Airbus A330-200 with light schemes corresponding to the time of day and flight position.

Return flights, Mumbai to London cost from about USD 3600 on Kingfisher’s First as of 2011.

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Altough AMS may not be as large or as busy as it’s other European counterparts, it is still a favourite among passengers as there are lots of interesting stuff to do.

Schiphol Plaza, a shopping area right before customs, has more than 25 shopping outlets selling books, chocolates, fashion wear, electronics, etc. What’s more, when you purchase non perishable items, you instantly receive a 2 year global warranty! And in the event you run out of Euros, you can pay with any other major currency! USD, AUD, JPY, etc. And you can still find shops after customs. How cool is that?!

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Also, do check out the Rijksmuseum, a classical and contemporary art museum. Admission is free!

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In 2010, the world’s first airport library opened, providing more than 1,200 books in 29 languages about Holland’s history and culture. You can also download ebooks and music from Dutch artists for free.

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Suggesting you to win back the cost of your holiday is kind of wrong, but hey, who knows, you might make some money at AMS’s Holland Casino. Fun? Yes. Exciting? Yes. But as a friendly reminder, do walk away at once if you’ve lost more than what you’ve allocated. =)

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Get an unlimited day pass for EUR20 at Sheraton Fitness and Spa, which opens 24/7, to access the workout equipment, sauna, massages, beauty treatments, steam room and rainforest showers.

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Panoramaterras is the name given to Schiphol’s specially built rooftop viewing area where you can catch the best views of planes around the airport. Admission is free. This is not the only site as there’s another one at the new Polderbaan runway and also in McDonald’s.

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Did you know that you can also get married in Schiphol?

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Changi International Airport

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If there’s anywhere in the world to get stuck in for hours, this is the one. It has NEVER been below the top 3 of Skytrax’s World Airport Awards ever since 2001.

Free WiFi. The ENTIRE country is covered by Wireless@SG. Register through your device’s web browser and receive a confirmation code through the phone which you can keep for future use.

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Free PCs for use. No laptop? No problem. Get connected to the internet through one of the hundreds of free PC terminals all over the airport.

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An entertainment deck. A dedicated play area that has all the latest games on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

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There’s also a dedicated LAN gaming room for those who prefer playing against other travelers. There’s also a music area nearby where you close your eyes and relax in plush seats after selecting the type of music you want played through the inbuilt speakers.

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There’s also a MTV booth where you get to see all the latest music videos and entertainment clips.

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Or, you can watch the latest blockbusters either in Terminal 2′s or 3′s movie theater. Seats are comfortable, the sound system amazing, properly equipped and there’s also popcorn sold for the true movie experience.

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Travelers are welcome to soak in all 6 open garden areas in Changi, each representing a different group of plants namely, cacti, bamboo, heliconia, sunflower, fern and orchid.

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For SGD 14, you can use the swimming pool, showers, hot tubs,spas, gym and all other facilities located in the transit hotel of Terminal 1.

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Take a nap on the specially made for sleeping chairs in the napping area.

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If you have more than 5 hours to spare, do hope on one of the buses in the free ‘Singapore Tour’ where you will be taken for a trip around the island in 2 hours.

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Shopping is also a heaven here. With more than 300 shops selling cheap electronics to designer goods, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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Dubai International Airport

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Shopping. That’s what Dubai is known for. It is the largest retail outlet in the world with over 15,000 square meters of retail floor space selling cosmetics, jewellery, electronics, alcohol, luxury goods, sports equipment, designer clothing, tobacco products, toys and books. Opened since 1983, the Dubai Duty Free grew in sales from USD20 million in the first year to USD1.1 billion 25 years later in 2008.

Spend time and relax in any of the two well designed open air garden areas.

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There are also games for the young at heart.

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G-Force Health Club is the best place in DXB which has, in addition to a gym (USD13/hour), private shower rooms with towels, toiletries, and hair dryers, separate gender steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzis and a common swimming pool. This place is open 24/7.

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Hong Kong International Airport

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The best airport in the world. HKIA has won Skytrax’s Airport 8 out of 11 times since 2001 beating out Singapore’s Changi and South Korea’s Incheon. As Skytrax’s results are passenger driven, imagine the happiness of 51 million people in 2010 who come from 160 destinations around the world when they arrive at HKIA. Just like what the slogan says, ‘Hong Kong, Asia’s World City’.

Although Hong Kong is a small island with limited land, the government has done a good job in establishing a fantastic public transportation system connecting HKIA to important locations all over the country.

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HKIA is the only airport in the world that has a 360 seats 4D cinema equipped with state of the art 3D projection system supplemented by seven multi sensory special effects providing you a unique experience beyond any normal theater can offer.

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There’s also the highly interactively educational Aviation Discovery Center for you to discover the aviation development of Hong Kong through fun and exciting settings like the themed exhibits, interactive kiosks, cockpit simulator, SkyDeck and best of all, the 4D Motion Ride plane cabin simulator. How cool is that?

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Adjacent to Terminal 2, you’ll find a golf course inspired by the world famous 17th hole at the Tournament Payers Club in Sawgrass, Florida with a special hole called “Island Green”, situated on an island in the middle of an artificial lake.

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Playstation Gateway is HKIA’s very own dedicated gaming area allowing you to play to your heart’s content for free.

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iSports. HKIA’s one of a kind sports simulator for the physically inclined travelers. Types of sports simulation offered include soccer, basketball, golf, boxing, skiing, car racing and shooting.

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Asia Hollywood is an interactive themed entertainment center aimed to provide an entertaining experience of the local film industry through interactive fun. Do check out the D-Blue Screen and CentiStar while you’re there.

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Although HKIA is HUGE, passengers will find that the terminals are built with convenience in mind. You will not miss riding on the super cool Automated People Mover, a driverless people mover system consisting of 3 stations that travels at 62 km/h, cutting traveling times between check-in areas and the departure gates.

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Terminal 1′s Skymart is great for shopping because it operates on a ‘Downtown Pricing Guarantee’, meaning that prices found here will either be equal or lower to those found in the retailers’ own Hong Kong downtown outlets. Items to look out for are make up brands, fragrances, alcohol and tobacco.

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Incheon International Airport

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Won Skytrax’s Best Airport of The Year in 2009 while it has always been in Skytrax’s top 3 airports of the world since 2006. Is one of only 3 airports in the world certified 5 stars by Skytrax and consistently rated as the best airport in the world by Airports Council International since 2005. Here’s why.

Incheon Golf Club is a modern ‘golf town’ that features a 330-yard driving range and an 18-hole putting course conveniently located within the perimeters of the airport.

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The internet facilities area is a must try experience for any traveler to visit as South Korea is the No.1 country in the world in terms of internet speed. There are also fax and photocopying facilities provided in the same area for a small fee.

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The Airstar Terrace located on the 4th floor of the passenger terminal offers the best scenery for checking out airplanes landing and taking off. Gaze at the panoramic views of Incheon International Airport in one of the many relax chairs laid out by the transparent glass walls.

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ICN is the first airport in the world I have ever come across that has an indoor ice skating rink!

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Thrill seekers and fortune hunters from around the world will surely be enticed by Paradise Golden Gate Casino, located within Hyatt Regency Incheon in the International Business Center.

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If you are just transferring through planes in ICN, you get to use the showering room facilities for free!

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Experience 5000 years of Korean culture at the Museum of Korean Culture. Each of the items in the museum is categorized into Royal Culture, Traditional Arts, Printing/Korean Alphabet Heritage and Traditional Music.

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Munich Airport

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Although it is only secondary to Frankfurt Airport in terms of traffic, Munich Airport is the most liked by visitors traveling through Germany. This was proven when MUC won Skytrax’s Best Airport in Europe title consecutively from 2004-2008 and again in 2010.

The Airport Tours must be one of the main reasons that makes MUC so interesting. Spend 50 minutes passing through a 12 kilometer route that covers Terminal 1 and 2, both runways of the airport and the two fire stations. You will see the freight buildings and maintenance hangars, the engine testing facility and the storage tanks while picking up all kinds of information on every aspect of ramp operations.

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Open from 8am to 10pm, passengers should check out the view of the eastern apron and both runways in Munich Airport from the Visitors Terrace. Cool thing is, you enter the terrace through a glass tunnel called Skywalk that slowly rises through the terminal from the 5th floor.

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The Visitor’s Park of MUC is an interesting section of the airport. Here, you will get to learn how airports work through explanations by MUCi the mascot and the 60 seat cinema open from 9am to 5pm. Do step into the cabins and check out the 3 historic aircrafts on display outside the park namely, a Super Constellation, a Douglas DC-3 and a Junkers Ju 52/3m.

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There’s also the family oriented, modern 18 hole mini golf course open to both adults and children.

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Wireless internet can be found throughout the airport, so can wired internet terminals. However, both come at a fee. =(

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Merkurs Spielothek is an entertainment center functioning as a casino and a games arcade.

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Showers are available in 3 places at the airport, so is the vending machine from which you get your towels, shower gels, etc.

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Massage chairs are found all over the airport but if you’re looking for the human touch, there’s Be Relax, a relax center offering massages, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures. Happy hours from 12pm to 5pm.

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There’s also a special service offered by Munich Airport called the Meet And Assist Service (MAAS). Passengers who have arranged for the service will get trained staffs to accompany them as soon as arriving, throughout the entire time at the airport. You will get help with language translation, personal luggage management and navigating around the airport.

Napcaps are opened, private ‘pods’ that comes with a small couchette, a flat screen TV, desk and internet connection rentable at EUR 15/hour.

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If you are sharp enough, you will find free coffee/tea machines and EUR1.10 ice creams to make your day. =)

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Munich’s Airbrau must be the coolest airport beer garden cum restaurant in the world. Surrounded by an artificial lake, Airbrau is so BIG it can take up to 600 customers at a time! Moreover the food is really, really delicious and so are the fresh beers (Helles, Weissbier and the super strong Aviator). AND they are really cheap. Meals for under EUR10 and half a liter of beer for under EUR3. A real MUST visit for anyone passing by Munich Airport.

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A red-light district is a neighborhood where prostitution is a common part of everyday life. It was discovered in the US at around the 1890s, and derives from the practice of placing a red light in the window to indicate to customers the nature of the business. This is based on the biblical story of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who aided the spies of Joshua and identified her house with a scarlet rope.

Below are some of the more well known red light districts across cities of the US.

• Alaska

Anchorage
Spenard Road

• Arizona

Phoenix
Van Buren Street
Tucson
Miracle Mile

• California

El Centro
Adams Avenue
Los Angeles
Sunset Boulevard – Hollywood
Western Avenue – Hollywood
San Fernando Valley
Sepulveda Boulevard
San Francisco
Tenderloin

• Colorado

Denver
East Colfax Avenue

• Florida

Orlando
Orange Blossom Trail (OBT)

• Georgia

Atlanta
Metropolitan Parkway (formerly known as Stewart Avenue)
Macon
Broadway
Savannah
River Street
Warner Robins
Front Street

• Hawaii

Honolulu
Hotel Street

• Iowa

Council Bluffs
South 24th Street

• Louisiana

New Orleans
Bourbon Street
Baton Rouge
Plank Road

• Maryland

Baltimore
The Block

• Michigan

Detroit
8 Mile Road
Michigan Ave (Southwest Side)
Grand Rapids
Division Avenue

• Minnesota

Minneapolis
Washington & Central Avenue

• Nebraska

Omaha
Saint Marys Avenue/Leavenworth Street

• Nevada

Reno
Fourth Street

• New York

New York City
Hunts Point

• Oklahoma

Oklahoma City
South Robinson Avenue (between SE 29th and 44th Streets)

• Texas

Dallas
Harry Hines (Note: Way overpriced)
Houston
Bissonnet and Beltway 8,US 59S(Southwest Freeway at Hillcroft),Montrose

• Washington, DC

13th-16th streets between L and M NW
Vermont Avenue, NW

One of my friends is going to China to work in 5 days time. Although he is a Chinese, he cannot really speak Mandarin. So I imagined myself going to China and thinking of how it would be like for me to communicate with the locals. I believe that it would be pretty troublesome if I didn’t even know some of the common words. It applies to travelers in foreign countries. Learning at least these 16 common English words in another language would certainly make things easier for the travelers. Not everyone speaks English.

Anyways, here’s the super cool site that has the 16 commonly used English words translated into all the world’s languages. It’s very useful when you know at least how to say ‘thank you’ or ‘hello’. Locals may find you amusing and give you special treatment.

Here are the 16 polite words that comes in handy.

1. Cheers!
2. Excuse Me
3. Good Afternoon
4. Good Evening
5. Good Morning
6. Good Night
7. Goodbye
8. Hello
9. I do not understand
10. Nice to meet you
11. No
12. Please
13. Thank you
14. Thank you very much
15. Yes
16. You’re welcome

I know how to say ‘Good Morning’ in a few foreign languages like bonjour (French), o hayou gozaimasu (Japanese), selamat pagi (Malaysian) and cho san (Cantonese).

=P

English To Local Languages
Be polite when traveling

1. Make sure the dishes are washed
2. Shaving
3. Get someone proper to temporarily care for your child (if it is left behind) or pet.
4. Confirm airline tickets
5. Get airmiles in advance
6. If you haven’t, call the airline and ask for good seats and kids meals
7. Memorize PIN codes to all credit cards
8. Call your credit card company and notify them about your trip overseas in order to prevent possible freezing.
9. Check out the hospitals that are covered by your health insurance
10. Get travel insurance
11. Change money
12. Install or recharge batteries
13. Get maps
14. Check that the passport and visas are in order
15. Get photocopies of passport and other important documents
16. Get a vaccination certificate if you have to
17. Carry the insurance certificate (Health Insurance card)or get an official paper from your local social insurance office
18. Bring along your driver’s license, ID card, address list (with phone numbers and email addresses)
19. Also the International Student Identification Card (ISIC) if you have one
20. Dive certificate (if you’re going on a diving trip)
21. On the day itself, double check the wallet, airline tickets, boat tickets, bus tickets
22. Bring both small and large scale map if you have to
23. Guidebook
24. Bring along a serviette or matchbox of your hotel, in case you get lost
25. Check your embassy’s contact