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| Jack's Flight Club ✈️ Travel News & Inspiration
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Hi there, JFC-ers,
Despite the holidays being over, there seems to be no end to the travel chaos - perhaps we should be calling it, "the new normal". This week has seen a fair few flight fiascos around the world, the most significant of which involved every single flight in the USA being grounded due to a computer glitch.
That resulted in nearly 10,000 flights being delayed on Wednesday and over 1,300 being cancelled altogether. Despite early speculation that a cyberattack was to blame, it turns out that one little corrupted file was behind the whole debacle.
While flights in the USA are mostly back to normal now, things may not be so straightforward for anyone travelling to parts of Peru or Mexico. Civil unrest in both countries has caused significant disruption, with airports damaged and closed amid fighting. Some US and Canadian airlines still aren’t flying to the Mexican resort town of Mazatlán, and a few regional airports in Peru remain shut after weeks of protests.
The UK isn’t getting off easily this week, either, with Wizz Air announcing that it’s pulling out of yet another small airport. This time, it’s Cardiff on the chopping block. We can’t help but wonder if all these cancellations are the real reason Wizz is able to claim that 2022 saw its lowest ever carbon emissions…
And it’s bad news for anyone in the UK with a ticket to Mars, following the failure of the UK’s first rocket launch. Virgin Orbit intended to send seven satellites into space via a rocket strapped to a repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747, but alas it was not to be.
Despite bestowing the aircraft with the name Cosmic Girl (and thus the spirit of Jamiroquai), the Launcher One rocket couldn’t reach orbit after its release. Fingers crossed this isn’t their only attempt - after all, it would be Virtual Insanity not to try again.
It’s hardly surprising, really, that with all the potential mayhem of just getting to your destination these days, a whopping 96% of travellers surveyed by Expedia said they want to do absolutely nothing on their next trip abroad.
As we discussed back in November, many of us find holidays incredibly stressful. Add to that a busy festive season, and everyone’s ready for a completely hassle-free trip with time scheduled for... well, an empty schedule. We can get behind that.
Happy travels,
Jack
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Last weekend we had a hankering for a really fancy meal on a deserted island, so we switched on a certain well-known streaming platform, plonked ourselves on the sofa, and watched The Menu. Well, Hawthorn turned out to be a whole lot more than just a swanky restaurant, but we don’t reckon we’ll be making the trip there any time soon.
And unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll ever get the chance to visit Copenhagen’s world-famous noma, either. The restaurant has become renowned as one of the world’s best, where it’s practically impossible to get a reservation and your evening meal costs £420-odd - despite the fact you might be served up ground ants or reindeer penis ragout.
The restaurant is set to close in 2024 and transform into a food lab and occasional pop-up venue. Chef René Redzepi put the decision down to a broken culture within fine dining, where staff are worked to the bone for little reward. While the closure will make it harder for us to wrap our gums around their foraged and fermented creations, it sounds like combating the unsustainable working conditions of the fine dining world isn’t such a bad idea.
That said, if your foodie heart is breaking, noma’s culinary influence reaches far beyond its own walls. The city (and even the world) is flooded with restaurants headed by chefs who have worked or trained there, so much so that you could easily spend a whole trip to Copenhagen eating the food of noma alumni. If you haven’t watched The Menu yet, just trust us when we say you’ll want to head straight for a burger at POPL.
Here are a few more ideas for destination dining experiences around the world (most likely without reindeer bits):
Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant, Diani Beach, Kenya - Ten metres underground and at least 120,000 years old, you’ll soon be a candlelit cave dining convert. Dinner costs approx. £50 pp.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Maldives - Like SeaWorld for adults, plus champagne and caviar. Dinner costs approx. £230 pp.
 Credit: Conrad Maldives on Instagram
Outstanding In The Field, North America - Outdoors and always changing location, but much more exciting than a picnic in a lay-by. Dinner costs approx. £300 pp.
Treepod Dining, Soneva Kiri Resort, Koh Kood, Thailand - Perched in a bamboo bird’s nest overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, you’ll be served by zip-lining waiters. Dinner costs approx. £165 pp.
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Feeling Classy In Business Class
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Ever wondered whether shelling out for a business class flight is really worth it? Or whether it’s actually any different to premium economy or first class?
Genora from our Flight Finding team has been digging into the nitty-gritty of it all in her most recent article on flying business class. Plus, she’s thrown in some of her top flight-finding expertise to help know when you’re actually finding a deal on top-tier tickets:
The cost of a business class ticket varies widely depending on several factors, including the airline, the route, the season, and how far in advance the ticket is purchased. Don't worry, you don't need to be a millionaire to fly business class - just a little luck or a lot of miles/points!
The general rule of thumb is that you should expect to pay 2x to 5x the price of an economy ticket.
The specific amenities and features you'll find can vary depending on the airline and the route. Some airlines offer fully lie-flat beds, private suites, and gourmet dining options in their business class cabins, while others may have a more basic offering.
Most times, international flights are where business class really shines. These routes offer the more flashy perks, from exclusive lounges and premium dining options to power outlets, lie-flat seats, and in some cases, luxurious travel kits. Emirates’ long-time partnership with Italian designer BVLGARI is just one very fancy example.
First class typically offers the most luxurious amenities, such as private suites, full-size beds, and gourmet meals. Business class also has high-quality amenities, such as larger seats, more legroom, and premium dining options. Premium economy is all about the seats - you’ll get additional legroom and more space, but apart from that, your amenities are often similar to those in economy.
Read more…
Of course, if you’re looking at this and thinking, "Completed it, mate!", then maybe it’s our guide to the heady heights of first class that you really need.
Spoiler alert: sometimes it isn’t actually any different from business class!
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Around The States In 50 Editions: West Virginia
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Each week in 2023, we’ll be going on a whirlwind tour of a different randomly selected US state. This week, we’re heading to West Virginia.
Here’s a state with hidden depths if we ever saw one. Famous for Civil War monuments and a certain karaoke favourite, you’d be forgiven for not knowing much more about West Virginia than "Blue Ridge Mountains" (though even that’s questionable).
You’re on the right track, though. The Mountain State gets its nickname from the Appalachian Mountains that encompass it, and reaps the rewards of all the glorious nature they bring along - including the amazingly named Dolly Sods Wilderness. In fact, the state’s trails and dramatic vistas are so impressive that we’ll leave it to the gurus at Lonely Planet to tell us which ones are best.
The historic town of Berkeley Springs is likely your next stop after a strenuous ramble. Known for its healing thermal waters, it was home to the USA’s first ever spa. It is also said to have been a popular retreat for none other than George Washington back in the day, and you can even visit a recreation of his bathtub, if that’s your kind of thing.
What we found surprising about West Virginia, however, is that the quirkiness doesn’t stop with its famous presidential tub. Firstly, the state-wide legend of the Mothman is kept alive by more than just stories - the town of Point Pleasant has a 12-foot statue paying homage to its very own mythical supervillain. It also has a Mothman museum and celebrates with an annual Mothman Festival each September. Not one for lepidopterophobics, we suspect.
Other weird and wonderful spots around the state include the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, which hosts regular paranormal tours and ghost hunts, an abandoned amusement park on an ancient burial ground, and - most spine-chilling of all - the world’s largest teapot. It may be hard to believe, but the list does go on. West Virginia is weird, and we are completely into it.
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All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.
China finally reopened its borders on Sunday, dropping all quarantine restrictions for incoming travellers. The country expects over two billion journeys to take place in and out of the country during the next month or so over the lunar new year period.
However, tourists visas still aren’t available for citizens of the UK, so don’t all run at once!
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is advertising for its next ambassador. That may sound dull, but "the world’s best job" involves being paid $100,000 for just two months' work on the entertainment island".
CNN Travel have been investigating the reason behind the disappearing recline button on plane seats. It turns out the reasons aren't as straightforward as you might think, though bickering passengers do have something to do with it...
And finally, no matter whether you like it crunchy or smooth, peanut butter won't help you smuggle gun parts onto a plane! Security agents at JFK found the weapon dismantled into several pieces, wrapped in plastic and hidden inside two jars. What a nutty idea!
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