Tag: Jaunted Reporting Live

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Virgin America's CEO Dishes During Their Inaugural Flight to PDX

June 6, 2012 at 7:37 PM | by | Comments (2)

"Put a bird on it!" That may be the most famous quote from the popular IFC series "Portlandia," but it's also Virgin America's goal—to put one of their birds on a Portland route. Today, that bird flies SFO-PDX for the first time and we're on board.

To say that Virgin America took advantage of every second of the short, hour-and-a-half inaugural flight from SFO to PDX would be a gross understatement. The second the doors closed, all the way until we disembarked in Portland, the activities for passengers kept on coming. Meanwhile, we dutifully filled you in from the air.

To kick off, the flight began by screening an episode of "Portlandia" that heavily featured the flight's two big guests: "Portlandia" mayor, actor Kyle MacLachlan and real Portland mayor/"Portlandia" mayor's assistant, Sam Adams. The episode got everyone on the flight pumped up and ready to party (as if they weren't already), as well as primed for a quick game of "Portlandia" trivia, which we knew all the answers to (duh).

Shortly after takeoff, Virgin's hand-picked crew began beverage service and, before we knew it, we were sitting with Virgin America CEO David Cush. Time for some serious questions.

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Hello from 32,000 Feet, Onboard Virgin America's First Flight to Portland, Oregon

June 5, 2012 at 6:07 PM | by | Comment (1)

"Put a bird on it!" That may be the most famous quote from the popular IFC series "Portlandia," but it's also Virgin America's goal—to put one of their birds on a Portland route. Today, that bird flies SFO-PDX for the first time and we're on board.

LIVE from 32,000' above Northern California:

We are officially airborne and on our way to Portland! The pre-departure festivities at San Francisco's snazzy Terminal 2 were complete with cookies and celebratory remarks by Virgin America CEO David Cush and "Portlandia" mayor's assistant/real Portland mayor, Sam Adams. Kyle MacLachlan, who plays the mayor in "Portlandia," is here as well, so really we just need to have shell art kits in the seatback pockets and all will be ideal.

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The Definitive Guide to Lufthansa's New Business Class, Onboard the First 747-8i

June 4, 2012 at 3:36 PM | by | Comment (1)

New airplane alert! Last Friday, June 1, Lufthansa sent the very first Boeing 747-8 for passengers on its very first regularly scheduled flight. Hopping from Frankfurt, Germany to Washington DC's Dulles Airport, the jumbo-jumbo jet made history with us onboard. Stay tuned the next few days for dispatches from the tarmac!

It used to be that flying in luxury on a jumbo jet meant somewhat wider seats with better recline, friendlier flight attendants, a spiral staircase to the upper deck and lobster on the menu. This was the premium class of the 1970s, when Pan Am took off with the very first Boeing 747 passenger plane, a 747-100. Fast forward to 42 years later (!!) to the new 747-800 Intercontinental and, as much as we bemoan the loss of the "jet set" glamor, stepping into Lufthansa's new Business Class forces the realization that—holy mackerel—these last few decades have actually produced a plane that can again cause passengers to mouthe "wow" (or "toll" if you're German).

The 747 has always been an impressive work of aviation engineering, but it's this 747-8i that Boeing is calling "a flagship aircraft that airlines will want to customize" and "a cornerstone of the Lufthansa fleet for years to come." So, no surprise that Lufthansa chose this baby for the grand debut of the new lie-flat Business Class seats, right? So let's check it out...

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Photos and Video: Onboard the Inaugural Flight of Lufthansa's Brand New Boeing 747-8i

June 1, 2012 at 7:31 PM | by | Comments (3)

New airplane alert! Today, June 1, Lufthansa sent the very first Boeing 747-8 for passengers on its very first regularly scheduled flight. Hopping from Frankfurt, Germany to Washington DC's Dulles Airport, the jumbo-jumbo jet is making history with us onboard. Stay tuned the next few days for dispatches from the tarmac!

"Haben Sie einen schönen Flug."

The captain's calm pleasantries were the usual remarks that come at the beginning of a long flight—the weather is cloudy and warm at our destination and he hopes all passengers enjoy the onboard services during the 10-hour journey—but this is where the "usual" ended and the extraordinary began.

You see, earlier today we participated in a little bit of aviation history. Take that back—what happened wasn't little at all, but JUMBO. Flying direct from Frankfurt, Germany to Washington, DC-Dulles, the very first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental completed its very first scheduled passenger flight. It is not the 747 you already know and love, but a fresher, faster, more technologically advanced and larger 747, and Lufthansa is the only airline with their hands on this new "Queen of the Skies."

Though the majority of the passengers had completely lucked out on booking this inaugural flight and only figured out something special was afoot when the airplane came under a firetruck water cannon shower on its creep out to the Frankfurt runway, our journey to the Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental began some time ago, and we'd already been in Germany for nearly two weeks, psyching up for this first flight.

So here's what went down:

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Oh, What a Ginormous Plane! Our Instagram Photos of Lufthansa's New Boeing 747-8

May 31, 2012 at 12:15 PM | by | Comment (1)


This was taken with an iPhone. Crazy, right?

New airplane alert! Tomorrow, June 1, Lufthansa will send the very first Boeing 747-8 for passengers on its very first regularly scheduled flight. Hopping from Frankfurt, Germany to Washington DC's Dulles Airport, the jumbo-jumbo jet is making history with us onboard. Stay tuned the next few days for dispatches from the tarmac!

First things first: the Boeing 747-8 is a ginormous airplane. So ginormous that we couldn't capture her in a single photo, even though we had the entire space of Lufthansa Technik's A380 hangar to work angles. Though you may see the 747-800 rolling out on the tarmac and not recognize her from her older sibling, the 747-400 you already know and love, this new jet has serious differences and all for the better.

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The Definitive Guide to Cathay Pacific's New Premium Economy Class

Where: Hong Kong
May 15, 2012 at 11:37 AM | by | Comments (2)

Premium Economy is hot, there's no doubt about that. It feels like almost every international airline is widening the seats, adding extra garnishes to the in-flight meals and cooing about deeper reclines for passengers willing to pay more than economy, but not so much as business class.

The latest airline to join the Premium party, Cathay Pacific, is also the one where ponying up the extra cash for extra cushion may make the most sense; the flight from New York to Hong Kong is a whopping 16 hours, after all.

Well we've flown it many times, mostly in Economy but also in Business and, now, in Premium Economy. Want to try it out yourself? ENTER HERE, into our contest to win a roundtrip (valued at $4,000) from the US or Canada to Hong Kong, in Cathay's new Premium Economy class.

Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty:

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Jaunted Contest: Win a Ticket to Hong Kong in Cathay Pacific's New Premium Economy

Where: Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau, Hong Kong
May 8, 2012 at 3:45 PM | by | Comment (1)

**UPDATE: CONTEST HAS ENDED**

"I'm going to Hong Kong."

Practice saying it. You have our permission to modify it to "I'm going to Hong m*thaf*ckin' Kong." They're five simple words and yet speaking them means you're about to jet into one of the world's most complex and colorful cities. Never been to Hong Kong? It's time. Been to Hong Kong before? It's time to go again. And we'll take you there.

Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong's official airline and one we personally get excited to fly, has just introduced Premium Economy to their long-haul fleet and we've got a ticket to give away!

It's a super easy contest—no video pleas or written essays required—just be psyched to fly 16-ish hours in comfort for free, to the other side of the world. Enter here:

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JetBlue's New HQ: 'An Abandoned Industrial Site Now Transformed'

April 4, 2012 at 4:30 PM | by | Comments (0)


JetBlue CEO Dave Barger holds the giant scissors to cut the ribbon

While the country is still fixated on the pilot freakout drama of Flight 191, JetBlue turned the frown upside-down today to celebrate the opening of their new international headquarters. Granted, they only moved down the length of Queens Boulevard in New York City's borough of Queens, but the change of space preludes changes for both the city and for the airline.

You may not even know that JetBlue, now just over ten years old, considered ditching NY for a sunnier spot a couple years ago. Thanks to the efforts of local politicians like good ol' Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and some other wheeling and dealing, JetBlue cemented its claim to the title of "New York's Hometown Airline" by keeping their biz in the Big Apple.

The lucky location? It's the Brewster Building, in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens. The place already comes complete with an aviation history, as it was once the factory that produced the F2A "Brewster Buffalo" naval aircraft during World War II (plus a time as a Rolls Royce car factory—bow chicka bow wow). As a passenger, this doesn't really matter to you since it's only JetBlue support staff who'll be heading through the revolving doors. And yet, it's cool to know about these things.

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Onboard the Singapore Airlines A380: The Little Things

January 26, 2012 at 3:15 PM | by | Comments (0)

The Jaunted Singapore A380 Series:

1. The Grand Tour
2. The Singapore Girls
3. Eating (and drinking) all the way to Singapore
 4. Everything you ever wanted to know about Business Class
5. Design details

Reaching the end of our series on flying the Singapore Airlines A380, it's time to look back and well...just look closer.

Paying attention to the design details means that the airlines will have to pay attention to them as well. And, let's face it, when recounting a particularly great flight, you'll utter a sentence something like this: "Oh, it was so nice...I slept and ate well and they had [detail], [detail] and [detail]!" Personally for us—on the SQ A380—we'd fill those spots with "Givenchy linens," "the cutest stackable salt & pepper shakers," and "an onboard sommelier."

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Onboard the Singapore Airlines A380: All About Business Class

Where: Singapore
January 25, 2012 at 11:04 AM | by | Comments (0)

The Jaunted Singapore A380 Series:

1. The Grand Tour
2. The Singapore Girls
3. Eating (and drinking) all the way to Singapore
 4. Everything you ever wanted to know about Business Class
5. Design details

First, let us begin by saying that although we flew this baby in biz, we would absolutely go for it in economy as well. Or in Suites Class? You know the answer to that question. Still, Singapore Airlines is known for their business class product—there's the leather seats so wide two people can comfortably sit and chat, the Givenchy china and linens, the flight attendants who greet you by name even when you're away from 25D, and (of course) the fact that they blow other airlines' First Class out of the water. We're just stating facts here.

And actually, it's this better-than-first-class-business-class on Singapore which makes the JFK-FRA-SIN route so famous among frequent flyers. Sure, there are other airline options for flying from New York to Frankfurt, but if you can expense it or redeem miles, business on SQ is typically top choice among those who know about these things.

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Onboard the Singapore Airlines A380: In-Flight Dining and Drinking

January 23, 2012 at 4:36 PM | by | Comments (0)

The Jaunted Singapore A380 Series:

1. The Grand Tour
2. The Singapore Girls
3. Eating (and drinking) all the way to Singapore
 4. Everything you ever wanted to know about Business Class
5. Design details

One time we actually attempted to cook a recipe straight from the Singapore Airlines cookbook. We're amateurs, but after watching the firsthand preparation of a service previously, we had some confidence. Truth be told, what we accomplished on land in a large kitchen will never equal what's enjoyed by passengers at 37,000 feet.

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Onboard the Singapore Airlines A380: The Iconic Singapore Girl

January 20, 2012 at 5:14 PM | by | Comments (0)

The Jaunted Singapore A380 Series:

1. The Grand Tour
2. The Singapore Girls
3. Eating (and drinking) all the way to Singapore
4. Everything you ever wanted to know about Business Class
5. Design details

This is how you usually spot The Singapore Girl: whizzing through an airport in a swirl of color, turning heads with her poise, polite smile and designer luggage. And then, just like that, The Singapore Girl has vanished beyond the security check and you're left wondering...who is she? where is she off to next? how does she keep her figure?

Naturally there are answers to all these questions, some of which we've discovered over the last few days in Singapore, both from flying for 20+ hours with them on the inaugural Singapore Airlines A380 flight on the route JFK - FRA - SIN and from visiting the official SIA Training Facility near Changi Airport.

Spoiler alert: The Singapore Girl keeps her figure thanks to "extracurricular activities..."

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