The hype about the Airbus A380 may have subsided, but it’s certainly not forgotten. Not by me anyway. After all that fanfare with Singapore Airlines’ A380, Emirates, the second airline set to receive the super jumbo is relatively quiet about is first commercial flight.

Searching for news about its maiden flight led me to ArabianBusiness.com’s article:

Emirates Airline will make its first commercial flight using the Airbus A380 super jumbo on October 1 this year on a direct flight to New York.

A search on the airline’s own e-booking website reveals that the 8.30am flight, EK201 from Dubai to New York, will be an A380. The earlier flight that day, and the same flight on the previous day, are still listed as Boeing 777-300ER flights.

Source: ArabianBusiness.com

Checking Emirate’s website, flight EK201 from Dubai International to John F. Kennedy International Airport will be an A380. It seems first class is already filled, or may be reserved as it’s marked at Unavailable. Seats are still available for Business and Economy.

Like Singapore Airlines, Emirates’ first class passengers will enjoy privacy in their own suites.

The new private suite is fully equipped with individual storage, a coat closet, vanity desk and personal mini bar. The extra-large seat reclines to become a fully flat bed, and the 23″ wide-screen LCD screen features over 600 channels of ice entertainment.

Source: Emirates’ Website

What the heck is ice entertainment?

The Emirates A380 will be configured to carry 489 passengers for Ultra Long Range flights (3 classes), 517 passengers for Long Range flights (3 class) and 600 passengers for Medium Range flights (2 class).

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When people find out that I am from the Philippines, and it turns out that they’re thinking of traveling there, the usual question that they ask me is “is it safe to travel there?”

I have been living in Manila since 1980, and lived 27 years with only minor cuts and bruises, usually caused by my own clumsiness. But that’s coming from a local who’s used to Manila’s…quirks. How does Manila look like to a foreigner?

Here’s a great article written by an Australian journalist:

MANILA is everything you’d expect of a bustling Asian city, and quite a few things you wouldn’t expect.

The Philippines capital, with a population of 11 million, is bustling to the point of being chaotic. It has its share of traffic jams, crime, poverty and pollution. The sight of heavily armed men outside shops and banks, and signs imploring visitors to leave guns at the door, may well unsettle those of a delicate disposition.

But none of that – with the possible exception of the impossibly busy streets – is likely to adversely affect an enthusiastic, adventurous and well-organised tourist.

If you know where to go, and allow the time to get there, Manila has beautiful and safe public places, plenty of opportunities for a bargain buy, a vibrant night life and – and this was a pleasant surprise for me – a thriving visual arts scene.

Source: News.com.au

He came right after the Glorietta 2 explosion. I wonder how this article would’ve turned up if he came right when Trillanes had afternoon tea at the Peninsula

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After all my talk about missed opportunities and knowing the events happening around Melbourne, I totally missed out on David Beckham coming to Sydney

David Beckham says he is been surprised by the reaction to his trip to Australia.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player is in Sydney for an exhibition match with his team LA Galaxy.

The game at Sydney’s Olympic stadium will be played in front of a sell-out crowd of 80,000.

Source: ABC.net.au

LIKE countless millions of others, soccer star David Beckham got off a 22-hour flight from London to Sydney worn out, red-eyed and in trakkie daks.

Having your own Lear jet apparently does not shield you entirely from the ghastly effects of circling half the globe in a single bound.

Beckham managed to avoid some of the paparazzi at Sydney airport when a fake “Posh” lured the cameras in the wrong direction while he made good his escape.

However there was no avoiding the glare at his first Australian press conference, where 16 television cameras followed his every eye-rub and neck-stretch, and the flashguns popped like fireworks every time his mouth creased into that shy smile.

Like anyone else who’s flown that far, he looked like he wanted nothing more than a cup of tea and a good lie down.

Source: Herald Sun via News.com.au

Crap. And I was having such a lovely day! Why did I have to miss Becks?! Gaddamit! *shakes fist*

Le sigh. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Oh well, I just have to keep on reminding myself I have an awesome birthday gift waiting to be redeemed. It’s not as cool as seeing David Beckham, but awesome, nonetheless. Yep, keep on telling yourself that Nina… Awesome gift…awesome gift… awesome gift… *cries*

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With the opening of their 3rd hub in Davao, Cebu Pacific announces international flights from Davao to Singapore and Hong Kong starting May 8 and May 9, 2008. Of course, this can only mean one thing: seat sale!

Grab these fantastic deals and be on your way to fabulous locations!

Now that we have a hub in Davao, fly direct from Davao to Hong Kong and Singapore for only 999 PESOS or to Iloilo for as low as 98 PESOS!

Direct services from Davao to Singapore and Iloilo will commence on May 8, 2008 while the service to Hong Kong will start on May 9, 2008. The seat sale wil l run from November 13 to 20, 2007 only.

Fly from Cebu to Bacolod and Manila to Laoag for only 1.00 PESO!

The seat sale will run from November 13, 2007 to February 29, 2008, and is good for travel for the same period. There are more than 20,000 seats available for this promotional sale so hurry!

Source: Cebupacificair.com

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BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — At least 3 people were injured when a Philippine Airlines jet overshot the runway of the Bancasi Airport here around 6:45 a.m. Friday, careering into coconut grove, officials said.

Superintendent Elmer Doyo, regional director of the Criminal detection and Investigation Group (CIDG), said among the injured was the plane pilot’s Captain Fernando Santos.

The Airbus A320, which left Manila about 5:10 a.m., was carrying 148 passengers and six crew, aviation officials said.

The flag carrier sustained some damage as it nosed into a grove of coconut and banana trees when it overshot the 1.2-kilometer runway. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, a PAL spokesman told Agence France-Presse.

Thirty-four passengers were taken to hospital for treatment, but all but one have been discharged, PAL said in a statement.

Emmanuel Costelo, airport manager, said it was most likely that the pilot erred during landing and missed the runway.

Costelo said he received accounts from eyewitness about the plane landing on the wrong “touch-down zone.”

“The weather was good and there was nothing unusual. We’re looking into the pilot error angle,” Costello told the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Source: Inquirer.net

Hmmm, will we see 5J ads about airline safety in the coming weeks?

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