East Asia Blog

Opinion: Bulkhead travel on B777 (with Toddlers)

2012-01-28T15:15:00.001-05:00

Don't you love it when people step on your toes?
Well, that's what happened to me on a recent AA flight and probably to thousands on other airlines as well.

On a recent flight from Buenos Aires to Miami, we were sitting in the bulkhead on an American Airlines B777 flight. In the economy class sections, there was no way of getting to the other aile on this flight, except for passing through the galley, or of course, one of the two bulkhead rows. Some flights have an aile in the middle in an area which is also used for the galley, but on this jet this area was used for crew sleeping quarters. As a result, many a passenger accidentally stepped on my toes (I usually take off my shoes on flights as my feet tend to swell).

The bulkhead does not allow passengers for bag space (except for in the overhead compartments) since there is only a wall ahead of us, so we had to put our toddler's toys and various bags with snacks, books, etc. on the floor. When he was sleeping on our laps (which is also an important substitute to a crying baby), it was also inconvenient if people bumped into him during their travails across the bulkhead row. So this made it extra inconvenient for people with kids, in addition to the normal annoyance of people wandering across our already limited space.

So my strategy was to block off the entire row by telling people politely, while our fellow bulkhead passengers followed through by telling people from the other direction.

As we neared our destination, a more aggressive passenger asked for me to move while I was on the floor picking up toys, as he needed to get through to the other aisle. I told him directly, that this wasn't an aisle (camino), only to be abruptly corrected by the AA flight attendant passing through who told me that he was entitled to pass through the aisle if the galley was blocked (which only is a temporary phenomenon that we all know from single aisle flights). This was not the answer I had hoped to hear, and I think this is an awful solution for an airline.

Firstly, let's analyze why most people use the bulkhead as an aisle:
1) To use the toilet on the other aisle as people often don't have the patience to wait for the single toilet in the middle section (flights without the sleeping section usually have more toilets in the middle).
2) Visiting friends or family at the other end of the cabin. A good reason, which we can all understand.
3) Kids playing. Also a good reason, since especially boys usually have ants in their pants and parents appreciate the time they can go out and burn some energy.

So what should the solution be?

In theory, the airlines should ensure there is a cross-aile connecting the two parrallel ailes in order to ensure that people can be brought together.

BUT going through the bulkhead rows is NOT the optimal solution: it only annoys passengers sitting in the bulkhead who -- as mentioned -- don't have the luxury of bag space in the seats in front of them. Furthermore, airlines like to put families with children in this row.

SO the airlines need to make space for a hallway/aisle somewhere in the middle. BUT this probably means 5-7 fewer seats on that given flight, which in turn would hurt the bottomline of already cash-strapped airlines.

In conclusion, we thus have three options:
a) Slightly higher ticket prices (as a result of removing seats)
b) Ticked-off bulkhead passengers.
c) Getting rid of the crew sleeping area

.... why do I have the feeling that option B will prevail, and I can continue whining indefinitely ????

Having unrested and edgy flight attendants is certainly to noone's benefit.

Do you have a good solution for this?

East Asia Map from Ksiom

2011-12-11T08:19:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Ksion for bringing us this great topographical map of East Asia (link to Wikipedia article)

东亚地形图。

‪

東亞地形圖。

東アジアの地形図。

동아시아의 지형도.

Bản đồ địa hình khu vực Đông Á

Maps of East Asia

2011-05-24T16:24:00.000-04:00

Picture by Ksiom

And an old one from 1770:

Airport Updates: Your new blog for what is happening at airports around the world

2011-05-24T16:18:00.001-04:00

Stop by airportupdate.blogspot.com and see what is new at airports around the world.

This week we are following the Grimsvotn volcano eruption and what it means for airport and air travel.

See you there!

Hue Airport To Close Down from mid-May to mid-June

2011-04-20T16:00:00.002-04:00

Hue airport (known locally as Phu Bai Airport) in Vietnam will be closed from May 13 to June 16 for runway maintenance.

In the meantime, you can fly to Danang.

Or ask your all-resourceful travel agent or HR department. Im sure the latter will not help you.

Link: http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/National/2011/4/91675/

Fly from Malaysia to Pyongyang

2011-04-20T15:49:00.003-04:00

BusinessWeek writes this week about the opening of a new route between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang, DPRK (North Korea).

Although chartered flights have been operating on the route for years, this is the first time that regular scheduled flights will initiate on the route.

What is surprising, is that the article mentions that the airline already flies to a bunch of countries (e.g. Switzerland and the Czech Rep.) and that Air Koryo has its own website!

Link to article: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MMN7HO0.htm
Link to Air Koryo: http://www.korea-dpr.com/airkoryo.htm

East Asia Map

2011-04-20T15:19:00.002-04:00

Nutbars A'Plenty in the World

2011-04-01T16:23:00.002-04:00

We have invented the internet, microwave, sliced bread, what have you.

But on a near daily basis, the world still seems to demonstrate just how messed up we are.

Just look at the Koran story from Florida and the subsequent turmoil in Afghanistan:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12940014

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_florida-pastor-terry-jones-supervises-koran-burning_1522999

...

There are too many nutbars out there!

Support Red Cross' efforts in Japan

2011-03-17T05:55:00.002-04:00

Help the earth quake/Tsunami/Nuclear victims in Japan.

Support Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/en/

Tell us how you are helping those in need.

We start by encouraging everyone to donate at least USD 10 to the good cause.

Defining East Asia

2011-02-26T04:58:00.002-05:00

The boundary, the map, the way we define East Asia

Mop Sourcing

2010-09-15T20:35:00.003-04:00

Are you interested in meeting your mop needs through purchasing in East Asia?

Let East Asia Blog be your guide!

This web site seeks to promote mops made in East Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Philippines, etc.).

Share you company profile in the comments section - or if you're looking for a strong source, leave you company details in the comments section and you might be contacted back by your future mop supplier.

A few suggested places to search for your mop sourcing:

Thailand
Philippines
Vietnam
China

Top "Mop" Image

2010-03-18T12:33:00.004-04:00

If you search "mop" under Google images, the first image you will find is:

What's even MORE interesting, is that the article has a short story about the history of the "mop":

The mop was first patented in 1893 by Thomas Steward of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Links to the mop date as far back as Roman times. The mop patented in 1893 was made up of a clamping system that allowed the mop to be secured to the handle and released with a simple flip of the lever. Stewards mop in very close in style to the screw type mops we have today In 1950 the sponge mop was born making the everyday household chore a little easier. The quick action lever system allowed for easy wringing on the mop all done from a standing position. Peter Vosbikian the inventor of the mop used a sponge attached to a piece of metal connected to a lever. When the lever was pulled the sponge would be compressed by the two pieces of metal.
(Source: LuckyBogey's Blog)

Today's Mop News

2010-02-26T17:31:00.002-05:00

Today's Mop News:

- Mop discovered at murder site in Kuala Lumpur
- Mob uses Mop to Mop up Evidence
- Asian Prices for Mops Rising higher: Economist considers making global "mop index"
- Women uses mops as wig in Xi'an
- Mops are good for your health according to the East Asian Mop Health Organization

The number one hit in Google when searching for "mops asia":
http://62.189.48.160/qn-product-61725.html

Mops

2010-02-12T18:16:00.002-05:00

... The snow was heavy in the streets of London, and a young sea mate of the trading ship

The Cleaner had just disembarked the legendary vessel in hope for a new future in the misty city. He had just spent the past three years and two months on the seas to and fro Japan, Cathay and the Malukkas.

He had discovered some interesting sights. And many of those he shared with me in a pub near Knightsbridge, willing to network (1600s-style) his way to rich and fame after a well-deserved tour of duty in the Far East. The most interesting sight was that of the mop....

The Doubleminded Cleaner - An East Asian Crime Thriller

2009-07-29T10:32:00.007-04:00

... Stormy weather never deters me. Mud, water, snow or sleat never hurts me. I was born to be of pure purpose, swift justice and wild imagination. The call me the sweeper, the cleaner, the relentless workhorse that never relinquishes a chance to express a chance to take hold of a mysterious situation. Usually murders; murder of my favorite places: clean floor spaces.

This is my life. To never give up in the quest for peace, cleanliness and the use of soap or detergent.

So why am I here? Honestly, its a long story, or a series of them to be exact. I was never meant for much but through my life as an international servant of clean shoe soles and white socks, my mission never ends. I am what you might call me, what you may see - but never understand ..... i am the mop!

So what is the story - where did it all begin? ... let me begin by telling you a story of my childhood as a young, inexperienced and goalless mop.

It all began in 1654 .....

[to be continued].....

Bangkok Airport Closed

2008-11-25T09:39:00.004-05:00

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport Partially Closed

Breaking News
Read more on IHT

Only one day after protesters blocked, the Prime Minister's office in Bangkok, thousands of anti-Government demonstrators today blocked the main entrance of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to IHT. CNN furthermore reports that protesters have broken through police lines, most likely to cause flight delays tonight and tomorrow morning.

This blog will not be posting updates. Watch CNN or something...

What a map!!

Wind Power in East Asia

2008-11-15T06:03:00.002-05:00

What's the current status of wind power in Asia? Are China and india the only countries with wind turbine developments?

Why aren't any other Asian economies investing into this green source of energy?

What do you think will happen in the future?

Map of East Asia

2008-11-10T07:57:00.003-05:00

It's time. We need to show it to you again. It's the best map of East Asia on the internet.

What Obama will mean for East Asia

2008-11-08T05:59:00.001-05:00

What will the election of Barack Obama mean for politics, trade and the economy of East Asia?

Who will benefit and who will not? What will Obama do with the North Korea "dilemma"? How will relations between China and the US be in the coming years? Will Obama seek to increase US foreign investments in the emerging markets (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, etc.)?

Please share your thoughts and comments with us.

Remembering Tim Russert

2008-06-13T21:06:00.003-04:00

Source: Wikipedia

I woke up to the sad news this morning of the death of one of my favorite journalists - particularly regarding U.S. politics - Tim Russert.

Mr. Russert collapsed during preparations for his show "Meet the Press" at the NBC studio in D.C. earlier on June 13th.

With his extremely well-informed interviews, courageous questions to politicians and straight forward explanations and analysis, he will be remembered as the creme of the crop of US journalists of our generation.

Tim, you will be missed!!

Drawing East Asia - Submit your own map

2008-06-09T11:13:00.002-04:00

Drawing maps can be fun ... and artistic.

East Asia Blog tried it (for about 10 mins) and here's the result

It's fun, and although this was completed at a tremendous speed, it should be fun to see if any psychologists can get anything out of this....

Please submit your suggestion.

Sichuan Earthquake, Western China

2008-05-12T11:20:00.004-04:00

A series of earthquakes shook Sichuan Province this afternoon. The strongest measured 7.8 on the richter scale. Thousands have died, with even more injuries. Our prayers and thoughts are with those who were affected by it.

Tremors from a separate earthquake shook Beijing as well, with many people experiencing dizziness. No one has reportedly been injured in the nation's capital.

Have you been affected by the earthquake? Please send any updates.

As always, we recommend that you donate to Unicef as they usually have something creative and constructive to say/do.
CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO UNICEF

Thank you.

Anti-France Sentiment in China - Care-e-Fooooorrreeeee

2008-04-20T09:59:00.004-04:00

There's a lot of anti-Franceness going on in China these days. Quite ironic, since folks in the US seem to be getting on better terms with their love-hate relationship to their ever-romantic- farmerprotesting-escargo,cheese&wine'loving- "amis". following a barrage of anti-France/French SMS messages and various chinese blogs expressing their malice towards the French following the controversial torch relay in paris last week.

So these days, some of the more active bloggers/sms writers, or readers thereof ( or just people who feel a sense of purpose or duty to protest ), are holding vigils in front of the embassy in beijing and consulates around China, while more importantly, staging demonstrations in front of Carrefour supermarkets.

Now that's great....... I used to shop there..... Not anymore. .... Nope. ....Not after the lucky person number 1,000 drove his/her shopping over my feet while I was trying to navigate through the fruit and vegatable section of this enormously popular and crowded mini-version of walmart. Yes, people love to shop there (and piss me off in the process). ... Or was it because someone stole my shopping cart within me being in the store less than 10 mins - this happened twice in a row back in March...

Therefore you can say, I'm already holding my own anti-Carrefour protest. Not in regard to anything that happened in Paris ( i don't really care about that ) but because I'm tired of being pushed around by eager shoppers. But now that people are planning to boycott carrefour, this juncture would, also ironically, be a great time to shop there! Just me and myself!!!!! ... but then again, no ......... I don't want to find my self being chased down the streets of beijing by others than your ill-tempered beijing taxi driver (another story). so in other words. I'm just avoiding carrefour all together. Nothing against my french "ami" .... I guess it's just destiny....

what do you think? Have you seen any of these protest? are you a happy carre-one-two-three-four customer, or should I say "carre-free" (家乐自由）shop-till-u-dropper?

ps. If you have something serious to say about the anti-france issue, i'm sure you can post it at some other blog. I just want to be amused, that's all :-)

Maz-da-KAR

2008-03-31T11:51:00.000-04:00

NICE CAR, eH!?!
What's this got to do with East Asia?
Oooops... Hey, it's a Mazda..... It's Japanese..... and the owner sold it to move to China.....
Get outta here!

Kareta Di Mana?

Rope+Board+Bucket = Shiny Facade

2008-03-31T11:49:00.000-04:00

All you need is a) a bucket, b) a piece of wood (any will do) and c) lots of courage.

The result: a great way to clean the windows of this Chengdu restaurant.

December 2007