Jack's Flight Club βοΈ Travel News & Inspiration
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As you know, weβre all about cheap flights over here at JFC. But really, weβre all just majorly into travellingβseeing corners of the world weβve only dreamt of, experiencing places and people and situations weβd never even imagined.
Since we know that most of the JFC community feels the same way, our social media gurus took to Facebook to find out how you all feel about a side of travel we donβt discuss much: cruising.
As a travel style, it tends to divide the masses. On the one hand, you have the camp that loves the convenience of all the food, drink, and entertainment on tap, and the novelty of waking up in a new port most days.
On the other, there are plenty who feel that dipping your toes into a country for just one day just doesnβt scratch the itch to discover somewhere new. Nor does it benefit local economies or do any good for the environment.
And then there are others, like myself, who feel like it all depends on the destinations in question, the style of cruise, and the purpose of the holiday.
So where do you stand on the great cruise debate? Join the discussion over on Facebook, or hit βReplyβ on this email.
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Happy travels and safe dockings,
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By Katy
A seasoned budget traveller, Editor Katy has already been to every country in the EU, and is gradually ticking off the rest of the world - when she can bear to leave her cats.
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Last week, I waxed lyrical about my glory days onboard the train ferry between Hamburg and Copenhagen, disappointed that a new tunnel would soon force it into retirement.
As it turns out, I missed the boat (pun intended) on that pity party, as the train between Hamburg and Copenhagen has already been taking the βlong way roundβ for some time. (Thanks to those of you who wrote in to save me bitter disappointment later down the line!)
That got me digging to see where, if anywhere, I could recreate that magic feeling of sitting on a train as it boards a boat. The answer? Italy. More specifically, the routes that run between mainland Italy and Sicily.
Boarding in Rome, itβll take a little over 8 hours before you reach the town of Messina, the first stop on the island. From there, you can choose to continue across the islandβs north coast towards Palermo, or venture south to Catania and Syracuse. End-to-end, youβre looking at a 12-hour journey between Rome and Palermo, but break it up along the way, and itβs undoubtedly one of Europeβs most enjoyable routes.
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The first major port of call is Naples, a personal favourite of Flight Finder Fran. Sure, it doesnβt have the best reputation, but scratch the surface, and youβll find that the city actually has bags of character. On top of the historical buildings and gastronomical delights, it also makes a great base for visiting the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Of course, you could opt to skip the chaos and grit altogether by continuing further south to Salerno. Right on the edge of the Amalfi Coast, itβs a more affordable place to stay while you soak in the colourful cliffside towns and terraces of Positano, Minori, et al. by ferry. Even sea sickness sufferers are likely to prefer that option over the crowded buses that travel along winding cliffside roads!
Since Salerno is technically not on the Amalfi Coast itself, you avoid the main tourist throng. Instead, expect to be immersed in the real Italy, but still served up with a side of fascinating historyβanyone for a medieval aqueduct supposedly built in just one night with the help of the devil?
Chugging onwards along the rugged Italian coastline, the train finally arrives at the Strait of Messina in Villa San Giovanni, ready to embark on its voyage to Sicily. And after a scenic 25-minute sailing, youβre in Messina.
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Youβd be forgiven for wanting to hop off in Messina itself. The elegant baroque architecture, the imposing cathedral with its astronomical clock, and the marble fountains and statues all give the city a real sense of grandeur and importance. But carry on an hour further down the line, and youβre in a whole different world.
Taormina shows off Sicilyβs glitzy side, with posh hotels, luxury yacht tours, and trips to the opera par for the course. But it has its less polished, charming side, too. From winding backstreets packed with traditional cafΓ©s, to ruins of a Greek amphitheatre, and Mt Etnaβs humbling smoke rings in the distance, thereβs more to the town than the finer things.
Carry on down this branch of the line, and the mood changes again. Catania has more of an underground appeal. Itβs a city where everyday Sicilian life takes place, and finding the best bars means navigating a street full of coffin makers.
Itβs different again to the final stop in this direction, Syracuse. Joined at the hip (and by bridges) to the old town centre on the island of Ortigia, this place is for you if you want nothing more than to wash away a long train journey by jumping straight in the sea. Youβll get a bit of everything here, like a sprinkling of the baroque, and oodles of ruins at Neapolis Archaeological Park.
JFCβs resident Sicilian food expert (and Head of Socials) Danni recommends that if you stop off in Syracuse and Ortigia, you absolutely must visit Caseificio Borderi for the most unbelievable sandwiches. Not only are they βhuuuuugeβ, they also hand make each one and put a different spin on them every time.
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Taking the northern branch from Messina, however, the train terminates in Sicilyβs capital, Palermo. The city has grown and changed since the days when the Mafia ruled the roost. Nowadays, itβs filled with stunning palaces, ornately decorated piazzas, and fascinating museums like the No Mafia Memorial.
On top of that, itβs got food markets to die for. You can guess where Danni spends most of her time when she visits Palermo! In particular, she suggests Sit & Mancia, where you tell the staff exactly what you want to eat, and theyβll make it. That said, she wouldnβt shut up about the traditional ragΓΉ at Trattoria al Vecchio Club Rosanero eitherβ¦ We better save all her wine recommendations for another day!
So, now I've shared all the joy that the train ferry to Sicily can bring⦠who's with me?!
What would you like to see featured in The Detour? No travel question is too big or small for our globetrotting experts!
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Honest Airline Reviews: Saudia Airlines
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By Lauren & Fran
Flight Finders Lauren and Fran share a love of far-flung destinations, hunting down bargain flights, and dancing the night away in beach bars around the world.
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You're scrolling Google Flights and see an absolutely amazingly low price to the country thatβs top of your travel bucket list. The only problem? Itβs with an airline you didnβt even know existed!
Over our years of flight finding, weβve learned that some of you have favourite airlines (β¦and others youβd never be seen handing your suitcase to!).
Considering that we live and breathe travel, who better to trust than team JFC β weβre the travellers whoβve been in the trenches! Lost luggage, surprise delays, hidden fees, and the endless quest for edible aeroplane food, we've been there!
So we thought we would compile all of our experiences in a set of very honest airline reviews. Weβll look into alllllll the details, from how clean their toilets are to how tasty their in-flight snacks are. Weβll also point out which airlines have the best onboard Wi-Fi, the cushiest seats, and whichβ¦donβt impress.
Think of us as Skytrax without the questionable alliancesβ¦
Onboard? Great, letβs take off!
A Very Honest Review Of Saudia Airlines
Overall Rating β 4/5 ββββ
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Last summer, our flight finders discovered an absolutely insane error fare to Tanzania via Milan for Β£165 rtn including a checked bag. Twelve minutes of scrambling for passports and credit cards, and voilΓ ! Six members of the team were booked.
Once the high wore off, the inevitable question aroseβ¦ βHas anyone actually flown with Saudia before?β
Nope! And the reviews we found online were a little off-putting. From unfriendly staff to broken facilities, our expectations were low.
But, after taking the 2-in-1 trip with them, and bouncing around Tanzania and Zanzibar for ten days, we feel like we definitely had the full Saudia package, and we can now share our thoughts on this whole experience.
Flight & aircraft details:
π β Although all the planes were branded with a fresh coat of paint, featuring Saudiaβs new logo and colours, we definitely felt a drop in quality from planes connecting Saudi Arabia and Tanzania. While the first and last planes that we boarded had wider and comfier seats, wider screens and some additional features like a footrest, the middle two planes felt a bit older. Considering these two legs were overnight, this ultimately impacted our comfort levels and sleep.
π β We knew our last flight was gonna be a special one when Deal & Content Lead Tristan mentioned, βOh nice! Itβs a dreamliner!β. The plane was waaaaaay bigger than the previous ones, with rows of eight seats instead of six. The seats were comfier too, complete with higher quality headrests, extra leg space and even a footrest. The windows? Tinted, baby!
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General Facilities
While we got the usual sleeping set of a blanket and a pillow, on each leg, we were treated to a hot towel at take-off β fancyyyy!
Saudia's TVs on the back of each seat were modern and on par with most other long-haul airlines we've flown with. The screens were large, relatively βnew-lookingβ and were able to be angled according to your preference.
The touch-screens all worked seamlessly, which was a good thing since none of them had the option of a remote control. Earphones were given out complimentary β which is standard lately, but as plastic earphones go, they were pretty comfy.
There was a USB-A and even a USB-C charging port next to each screen, and a UK/EU charging plug socket under each seat.
Another piece of tech that we loved was the fact that they had complimentary Wi-Fi for economy! Although none of us managed to get social media working, we could all send texts through iMessage and WhatsApp, which β considering we paid Β£165 rtn β felt like a luxury!
But the real highlight was on our last flight, connecting Jeddah to London: the complimentary amenity kit we were offered! This included a sleeping mask, earplugs, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a pair of anti-slip socks. Since this isn't a guarantee for all long-haul flights (even if they're full service), it was a nice touch from the airline β perks of flying on a Saudia Dreamliner, I guess?
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Food
Considering long-haul flight standards, the food met our expectations and the service felt consistent across all 4 of our flights. We got the usual offering (vegetarian) pasta or chicken, and special-requirements meals (vegan, gluten-free options, etc) could be requested before check-in.
However, we were continuously treated to unexpected munchies and soft drinks throughout the flight. Apart from trolleys filled with juice and water glasses passing every 30 minutes, Flight Finder Lauren was even offered a glass of water while queuing for the bathroom! Itβs the little touches, eh?
Plus, the crew even allowed a couple of us to have breakfast after we snoozed past the breakfast service β yum.
Entertainment
Considering the moral criticisms Saudia Arabia receives from the International Community, our expectations of Saudiaβs entertainment were quite low. However, as soon as our fingers started tapping on the TV screens, we were met with an impressive, diverse, and up-to-date movie selection from a range of countries.
Though, in amongst the usual blockbusters β including Barbie and Oppenheimer! β there were some sneaky self-promoting Saudi Arabia documentaries that piqued our interestβ¦
Read more...
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All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.
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- With rental costs through the roof, this man decided to find out if it was actually cheaper to live in an all-inclusive resort.
- Brace yourselves for impending travel chaos, as strike action affects transatlantic flights and back-up is called in to find missing bags at the UK's busiest airport.
- As JetBlue changes its carry-on rules, how will the cookie crumble for United, the last of the USA's big 5 to charge for a cabin bag?
- Barcelona announced this week that it plans to ban holiday lets by 2028 in order to tackle the huge increase in short-term rentals, which has pushed many residents out of the market.
- And finally, this video from the BBC Archives reminds us what life was like for women pilots back in the 1970s. Having been told in 1948 by the RAF that they weren't interested in teaching women to fly, Yvonne Pope Sintes was forced to take the scenic route to the cockpit.
First, she became an air hostess (which she had to give up once married), all the while taking flying lessons in her free time. Next, she racked up enough hours in the air to qualify as an assistant flight instructor and joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, before getting an instructor's job at a private flying club.
Unfortunately, the club went bust and she had to look elsewhereβso she became the UK's first female air-traffic controller. Of course, she kept up flying as a side hustle, working on night flights delivering newspapers to the Channel Islands and Germany.
Finally, in 1965, she got her first role as a commercial pilot, before moving on to become the UK's first commercial jet airline pilot at Dan-Air in 1969, where she worked until she retired in 1980. In 2013, Yvonne reflected on her impressive career in another BBC interview, saying how in the early days, it was always other women who doubted her abilities!
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