5/09/2008– The Weekly Round Up : Cathay Pacific's Flight Simulator : Airline Jargon 101 : WiFi In The Sky : Coolgorilla's French App :Why Are We Here?

Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com

5/09/2008 – The Weekly Round Up : Travel Planning For Natural Disasters : Cathay Pacific's Flight Simulator : Airline Jargon 101 : WiFi In The Sky : SWA Goes Cashless : Coolgorilla's French App : WiFi Worldwide : Why Are We Sitting Here?

This week the residents of New Orleans are lucky that Hurricane Gustav passed by their city. With Hurricane Gustav rapidly approaching New Orleans, this week started off with some travel planning basics for travel to, or departing, an area that is expected to be hit with a natural disaster. While this information may not be of general use to travelers, it should be helpful to journalists and first responders planning their travels to future hurricanes, floods and spreading wildfires. For some basic information on the disaster travel logistics check out :
30/08/2008 – Travel Planning & Natural Disasters

Have you ever wanted look out the cockpit window of a Boeing 747-400 as it enters it's final approach and landing on one of the most 'intense' runways in the world? Cathay Pacific Airways' new interactive website puts you in the simulator with the airline's flight crew as they practice their skills. Be sure to watch the simulator landing at Hong Kong's famed Kai Tak airport here: 1/09/2008 – Cathay Pacific Lets You Experience Landing At Some Of The World's Greatest Airports

Airlines and Airports have a language all their own. Often times flyers hear terminology announced over the loud speakers both on the ground and in the air that are unfamiliar to them. This week was Part 1 of 'airport jargon,' which will hopefully clarify those confusing announcements. To find out what words you've been confused about visit this entry: 2/09/2008 – Airline & Airport Terminology Glossary 101

Since Boeing Connexion was discontinued on international carriers there has been a void in the world of WiFi-in-the-Sky. American Airlines has begun to fill this void on select routes with American Airlines GoGo, soon to be followed by Delta Airlines and Virgin America. You can find out where you can fly and surf the web here: 2/09/2008 – American Airlines Puts WiFi In The Sky

No one likes fumbling for cash while sitting in a cramped seat, even fewer people enjoy seeking out an ATM machine and paying ATM fees, in an airport before a flight. This coming week Southwest Airlines joins other airlines in becoming a cashless airline. Next SWA flight? Skip the ATM and bring the plastic! Want more info? Visit here: 3/09/2008 – Southwest Airlines Moves To Cashless In-flight Sales Only

This week's iPhone 'App' of the Week? Coolgorilla's Talking French Phrasebook (I wrote up French as I have used it, but I have also now played with German and Spanish and they also seem great!). Want a great language translator on your iPhone? Check this one out here: 3/09/2008 – iPhone 'App' Of The Week : Coolgorilla's Talking French Phrasebook

Need to work or just send an e-mail home on the road? Why pay for it when you can get two hours per day free from Starbucks? The Starbucks Card Rewards program now offers 2 hours of free wifi per day.......the cost? FREE! OK, you do need to use the card at least once a month, so grab a multigrain bagel with some low-fat cream cheese once a month and log on for free for the rest of month. You can find more details in this post: 4/09/2008 – Free WiFi Worldwide (well sort of)

Have you ever been at an airport where there are known 'ground stops' or heavy delays, yet the airline boards your flight anyway? Ever get annoyed boarding your flight only to have your aircraft sit at the gate for 45 minutes while you're advised of the delays by the Captain? Yea, we've all been there, in fact, that is how I spent nearly an hour of my afternoon. To see the airline point of view, not that I agree with in anyway, check here: 5/09/2008 – Airline Courtesy To Its Passengers During Delays?

Next week be sure to check for an updated No Jet Lag Workshops web site! The workshops for this coming winter have been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances in my health and an instability in airfares. I have selected new dates, verified the new fares (which are comparable to the original fares). With my healthy greatly improved and the new information in place, I will be re-introducing the Round-the-World Workshop and the EuroWorkshop this week!

That's it for this week!

Happy Flying!

Free WiFi Worldwide (well sort of)

Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com

4/09/2008 – Free WiFi Worldwide (well sort of)

Love Starbucks or hate Starbucks, they are everywhere. With stores in 54 countries, spanning four continents and a sub-continent, it is hard to not spot a Starbucks. Throughout most Starbucks locations you can find public WiFi spots to sit down, log on and surf the web.

How does any of this tie into getting free WiFi around the world? Simple, sign up for Starbucks Card Rewards and you can activate your card with two free hours of WiFi per day at Starbucks.

In the United States this offer is through AT&T, despite the vast majority of Starbucks locations still primarily offering T-Mobile WiFi hotspots. While the offer may vary from country to country, Starbucks customer service tells me the ability to access your two free hours per day should be available to all Starbucks Card Rewards users who use their Starbucks.com account and use that account to log on.

The cost of the Starbucks Card Rewards? Free. Want to customize your card? It is US$4.00. You can top-up the card, you can leave it bare, but you can still get your 2 hours of WiFi free per day. The only catch is that you muse use your Starbucks card at lease once per month.

Last week I came home and found a greeting card containing a personalized Starbucks Card Rewards card in my mailbox. What does my card have on it? A picture of 'me' holding a passport in a city.

While I do not drink coffee, I find myself in Starbucks all over the world.......almost always sitting down to log on and use the internet. From Frankfurt to Hong Kong, I have always been able to find a store when I want to read the news, send an e-mail home or transmit photos to clients via an FTP site.

Want your 2 hours of free WiFi daily at Starbucks? Order yours here: www.starbucks.com/card

Below are a few photos of my Starbucks card......and one of my Starbucks travel mug with my 'Fish Family' drawn on it.

Happy Flying!

--Click Images To Enlarge Them--