This is some next level stuff. First Class in-flight meals on Etihad—the Abu Dhabi-based airline—are now being prepared by a qualified chef. No, really; one person is dedicated to cooking, preparing and plating the meals served in the front of the plane. Yes, you read correctly: cook!

Etihad announced the hiring of 110 restaurant-caliber chefs to fly back and forth from Abu Dhabi to a handful of cities while preparing the menu for the Diamond Class cabin. The chefs will also be responsible for contributing to the evolution of the menu and meal choices both in-flight and on the ground in the each of the airline's lounges. Each chef will need at least 6 years experience in a 5-star restaurant to be welcomed aboard, and there are even some Michelin-starred restaurants that have lost their chef to the airline. ]]> jetflyboy 2011-12-13T13:13:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/10/19/103054/61

Have you ever gone to the airport just to check it out? Not to take a flight, but to plane-spot, dine at a restaurant before security or just appreciate the architecture? You know we have, and do, but no matter your answer there's a huge chance you'll be champing at the bit to get to Kuwait International Airport in the next few years as they build a whopper of a new airport, with some seriously chic design by Foster + Partners.

Just look at it above, and the rest of the photo gallery of renderings below. That is some slick stuff. First thing we thought of, though? The Eero Saarinen TWA Flight Center, probably because we were just in there admiring the clean, white curves on Sunday and mostly because it actually looks derivative of the design. Do you agree?]]> JetSetCD 2011-10-19T11:51:11-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/6/9/113054/0321

Be very jealous of Australian Business Traveler, as they were lucky enough to play with Etihad's new Swarovski amenity kits, the first and only Swarovski kits on an airline, given to First Class passengers flying primo routes on this Abu Dhabi-based airline.

The cases are gender-specific, and of course they've added a little crystal bling to the ladies' one, along with a nice miniature product lineup inside:

- for women, a fashionable black cosmetic purse detailed with exclusive crystals by Swarovski and products from luxury brand La Prairie such as moisturiser, hand cream and lip balm; and
- for men, an exclusive black leather cufflink box with quality amenities, such as a shaving kit with Schick Xtreme 3 razor and shaving cream.

]]> JetSetCD 2011-06-09T11:30:54-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/12/7/25447/2257

Qatar is likely reveling in winning its bid to host the 2022 World Cup. But there's a more immediate reason to be pumped: The Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art will open in Doha on December 30.

Mathaf—pronounced "Mat-haff," which is "museum" in Arabic—will showcase more than 6,000 works of modern Arab art from the 1840s to the present. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2010-12-07T16:30:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/11/15/04344/630

"Pittsburgh to Pakistan!
Syracuse to Sana'a!
Raleigh to Riyadh!
Tampa to Thiruvananthapuram!"

This morning, JetBlue announces that they are now totally tight with Dubai-based airline Emirates, via an interline agreement. What this means is, starting today, flyers will be able to purchase seamless flight itineraries that begin on JetBlue or Emirates and end on the other, making trips like the above ("Raleigh to Riyadh") possible, complete with one-stop check-in and baggage transfer between the airlines. Currently the bookings can be made by calling Emirates reservations, with a roll-out to Emirates.com soon.

For aviation geeks, this is particularly awesome, as you can start your trip by flying on a JetBlue A320 and grab the JFK-Dubai direct Emirates flight on the superjumbo A380 (no, Emirates is not having the engine problems with these that Qantas is). There are two non-stop Emirates to Dubai flights per day, with one on the A380 and the other on a 777, so just keep that in mind when you book your Denver to Dubai getaway.]]> JetSetCD 2010-11-15T09:30:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/2/23/7505/85965

If you’ve already started to plan an around the world trip, you can now add Syria to the list of potential destinations. The United States recently lifted its travel advisory on the country, so you might feel a little more comfortable investigating what the place has to offer now. Syria isn’t totally cool with Washington DC just yet, as the US still considers them a country that supports terrorism. So just take it easy if you do decide to visit.

Nonetheless, the situation for travelers is getting better. The US has decided to bring back an ambassador to the country, as there hasn’t been one in like five years. Although the Syrian government is obviously happy about having the advisory lifted, they probably aren't about to start a tourism campaign quite yet. ]]> kjb 2010-02-23T10:30:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/9/12550/5475

Everyone wants to be on the edge of a comeback these days. The city of Beirut isn't releasing a new single or belatedly confiding in Diane Sawyer, but that hasn't stopped the Guardian from proclaiming that Lebanon's capital is "back... and it's beautiful." We'd feel guilty reading this objectifying headline in a different context, but we guess it's okay to do to a city.

Writer Carole Cadwalladr has a bit of history with the old lady, having written a guidebook to the country with her friend back in 1995. Now she declares it "the Elizabeth Taylor of the Mediterranean... if you replaced the words 'alcohol' with 'Israel' and 'a string of unsuitable marriages' with '15 years of civil war.'" That's a comeback? Oh wait, and it has two new hotels and the seal of approval of the New York Times, which is where the metaphor begins to fall apart. ]]> egw 2009-11-09T14:04:25-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/