Air Miles Are Worthless

Those of us who are frequent flyers would be well advised to check the status of whatever air miles they have accumulated - and spend them while they are still most useful.

Back in 2007 some bright spark at the Economist calculated that if all the air miles that had been issued were called in, the airlines would have to fly passengers continuously for free - for 25 years!

The usability of air miles has been going steadily downhill ever since - and the small print has been continuously fiddled with - more recently, big time.


New restrictions will apply from December 15, this year and as a result, air miles are going to be worth a lot less in the future than they are now.

The attached warning/explanation written by Merryn Somerset Webb appeared in last week's MoneyWeek.

To link directly with the MoneyWeek article, click here.

Who cannot put a seatbelt on?

I really do not know how many first time travellers there are on each airplane journey I take but I suspect the percentage of first timers is pretty low.

I am reminded of this every time the stewardess says those immortal words "the seat  belt is fastened, unfastened and adjusted like this."

You know what? I have never yet managed to put my seatbelt on while holding it above my head.

Car Hire and Driving in Turkey

Turkey is a single country almost the size of Europe and within it it has a great many Car Hire facilities yet I wonder why does it only have one map?

On a single sheet of paper the road network of the entire nation is spread out before you.

Totally useless when you want to find your way in the late evening from Daliman International airport to Gocek a distance of just some 20 minutes duration.

Road signs would help but hey: this is Turkey and anyway the locals know where Gocek is in relation to the airport.

So instead you resort to the Tom Tom or Garmin in car satellite naviagtion system which you cleverly remembered to bring with you.

You gloat at have spent the extra money at purchase when you coughed up for world maps and you set off.

The familiar voice directs you clear of the airport and tells you to turn right.  Strange you think, why would this road be un-named and come to that rough surfaced?

You carry on and only have doubts when, in the pitch darkness, thousands of small lights waver in front of you.

No worries you assure yourselves, even the sheep need to get back to the airport from Gocek, this must be the right road.

The journey continues, you turn round and head back to town.  You ask a local and he insists you were on the right road so you retrace your steps and try again.

Nerves are jangling you do not know where you are, its dark and you are tired and hungry there is not a car in sight nor a road sign to guide you.

Then suddenly, there is Gocek right in front of you and there indeed is the hotel!  Isn't in-car GPS wonderful?

Who Could Not Visit the Kebab Hospital

Any Resturant that sets up shop in Turkey using the name Kebab Hospital has got to bear with the inquisitive who just have to come in to see what it is they do to the humble kebab.

For those who venture into the street-side eatery in Gocek, the rewards are great.


For instead of treating patients, it is those who dine there who are treated!

The small kitchen is open fronted and surround on three sides by glass and it is clear they have nothing to hide.  Good honest fare served simply without fuss or bother on plastic table cloth covered tables and plastic chairs.

Ice cold Efes beer at 5 scoobies for a big glass full makes this place cheap and affordable and tremendous value for money.

Is this the most expensive international airport ever?

Passing through Istanbul we changed flights leaving the International and moving to the Domestic terminal. With an hour to spare until our connection we chose to have a beer apiece and share a bag of crisps.

Unbelievably two local draught beers and the crisps came to US$ 17

I have been to some expensive resorts and extortionist night clubs where drinks can be pricey but in a snack bar at the airport I think this is pretty outrageous

I am wondering, is this the most expensive airport beer?

Have you experienced higher prices?

Do let me know

Bored now

I have long wondered how many people pay attention while the stewardess drones her way through the pre departure safety script.

We have all heard it before, none of us is in any doubt that in the event of an emergency masks like these will drop down in front of you and everyone knows that when the you know what hits the fan it's everyone for themselves.

It is not just because of the extra leg room that I ask for the emergency exit seats.

I do so because when, and if it happens, I want out first because everyone else will panic.

They will do so because they have not listened to the safety brief.

They have not listened to the safety brief because it is boring and never changes.

So hats off to Turkish Airlines who have injected a little humour into their safety briefing films.

It does make them watchable and memorable for the first five or six flights you make with them, but know having watched them for six months or so I find I am just as bored by their same old jokes.

Why not have a different script each time you fly?

Where would we be

It is easy to get lost in unfamiliar airports with signage in languages unfamiliar to the traveller but generally speaking I am on safe ground when I board the airplane.

Seats A and B are always on the right as you head towards the tail and it's a good bet that if your seats are are a letter greater than G you need the aisle on the other side of the plane.

True, some aircraft have two alleyways and some have one but all in all it's pretty difficult to get lost.

So tell me what is the point of the stewardess taking your boarding card, Squinting at it and passing it back telling you what seat you are in or which side of the plane you are on.

Do they think we cannot read?