158 - Travel & Leisure - Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

Up in the Air
Airports excite me. The promise of far flung places hangs in the air,
of course, but for me what attracts me most is the idea of leaving.
Up and away. I would like to be able to say that it has gotten less,
now that I'm a man of the world. An experienced business traveler with a
passport full of stamps. But to be honest, despite the fact that I tell the
stories that you are suppose to tell about 'how tedious the waiting' and
the 'horrible delays', travelling has never lost its luster for me.
You can imagine my excitement when my company won ten business class
tickets to fly anywhere from Hong Kong with British Airways.
Now normally, before we won the tickets as well as ever since, I fly economy
class. That meant that the first time I used an award ticket to fly to London, I
was a rookie to the mores of flying business class. That I was a first timer,
became apparent quick enough. First of all, you have to keep in mind that you
fly business class. So you don't fly 'in' business class or 'in the' business class
– just business class.
The other surprise is that the airline staff will call you by your name. In economy
class, that would only happen if you are to be arrested at arrival is my guess
"Could you come with us, please, Mr. Smith? No, you won't be needing your
luggage…"
Another lesson I have learned from my year with the high rollers is that under
no circumstance you are to show any kind of excitement about the fact that you
are flying business class. More experienced travelers will come in the cabin,
plonk their stuff down, whip their laptops out to look at some spreadsheets
while ignoring the champagne offered. Right after take-off they stomp to the
toilet to change into sweat pants, put on an eye mask and go to sleep without
having dinner.
I, on the other hand, was busy pushing all buttons on my chair, making a choice
from the various starters and main dishes, four types of wine and 200 films on
offer while constantly being fretted over by the numerous airline staff that kept
offering me things.
My sweat pants clad fellow travellers, who actually paid for the tickets did not
seem to get much out of the trip. At least they got to listen to me laughing at
films the whole night. I am sure they were grateful.
Lifestyle
By Alexander de Nerée
tot Babberich,
alexander@dntw.com.hk
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