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THE BEST OF FIRST CLASS AIR TRAVEL

      From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

          DAY  USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82
July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572
Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130
Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82
Oct     21      1225      6849         571        703       85
Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118
Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465
Jan     14        4142    15512         1151        189       712
Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398
Mar     2        1989     9490        1726       110      194
April   6         906     11787         4211       631       37
May    4         853    13667        3025      3786      59 
June   1         287    10637         2346      3205      95
 July   7          251      8440        1595         817     411
Aug    4          656    10120        1118         532     423 
Sept  22       2228      9326          839        279     124
Oct    6         2102      8255          543        315       59
Nov   3         1436      7830         186         458       23
Dec    1        1633      8475          266        477       28
Jan    7         2025      6729         148        285      140
       28          2732   10,516         779        862      133
Feb  2           2990   12,012         946        991      175
      24           1823     9,809        996        304       40
Mar    2        1778      7,756         335        173        28
         11        1022      6002         465           88       28
         16         982      5579         354           59       40
         18         721       5214         380           69       39
         23         771       4695         294           67         6 
         24         649      5008        300           82       33
         31          676      4287         276           28       44
Apr     1          439     4056         290           52       12 
           5          466      3712         205           72       15 
           7          409      3554        253           44         5

Summary:  

  • While our new deaths figure is beginning to drop, yesterday, we remained #1, with South Korea at 348 and UK at 317.  On a per million population rate, new deaths/million.
    • U.S.  1.2
    • South Korea  6.7
    • UK  4.6
    • Hong Kong 12.8
    • New Zealand  4.4
    • Finland  4.8
    • Chile  4.6
  • Still a lot of new cases (in parentheses, per million population):
    • #1    South Korea  224,761 (4381)
    • #2    Germany  200,547  (2382)
    • #3    France  158,792 (2424)
    • #4    Italy (1172)
    • #5    Australia  64,000 (2462)
    • #6    Japan  54,142 (429)
    • #7    Vietnam  45,886 (464)
    • #8    UK  41,934  (61)
    • #9    USA  32,659 (98)
    • #10  Brazil  27,139 (126)
So those new cases/million numbers become useful if you happen to be traveling to those countries this week.  Note that the U.S. is only at 98 new cases/million, yet, those leading politicians in DC, all vaccinated and boosted, are being infected.  No doubt they were not wearing a mask and met with many people who also were not masked.  Lesson?  Continue to wear your mask in any setting involving people.

Going to Europe?  Many of those countries have an infection rate 25 times that of the USA.  Oceania?  Australia is at around 25 times that of the U.S., while New Zealand happens to be 24 times worse than us.  Take your second booster shot a few weeks before flying off to anywhere.

Before I post on first class air travel, some updates on old news:

  • Yesterday I reported on that momma fox in DC that was euthanized for biting people.  


Ami Bera, M.D.
@RepBera
Thanks everyone for the well wishes! I feel healthy and am glad to be back at work.

Despite the dustup, I hold no grudge or ill will against 
@thecapitolfox
. Hoping the ðŸ¦Š and its family are safely relocated and wishing it a happy and prosperous future.

Unfortunately, a decision was subsequently made that rehabilitation was not possible.  So the three kits were also euthanized.
  • More on animals, a rare virus is killing wild cottontail rabbits with a lethal hemorrhagic disease in Dinosaur National Monument, located in Colorado and Utah.  Began in France in 2010, and  confirmed in the U.S. in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas.  Apparently not transferrable to humans or dogs.
  • I recently reported that Bruce Willis was insulted with a special Golden Raspberry Award.  Now we learn, perhaps, why this happened.  He has aphasia.  His family announced that he will retire from acting.  Aphasia is caused when there is damage to the language-dominant side of the brain, and can be caused by a stroke, tumor, infection or dementia.  In certain cases, treatment can improve performance.  Here with daughter Rumer.

  • U.S. men's soccer team qualified for the World Cup.  
    • Sure, in their last match they lost to Costa Rica 2-0, but there is an overall goal differential table that allowed Canada, Mexico and us to go to Qatar.  
    • Costa Rica has a one-game playoff with New Zealand to determine the final spot.  
    • It took seven months and 14 games to make it.
    • The average USA starting lineup age was just short  of 24, the youngest in history.
    • They were placed in Group B along with England, Iran and one more from either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.  This delay is because of the Ukraine war.  Our first game will occur on November 21 with the winner.
    • All games will be shown on FOX sports.
    • So what's the big deal about qualifying?  In 2018 we failed, for this 8-year absence.
    • Notice to the right the Iranian national team name is IR Iran.  Why?  Stands for Islamic Republic of Iran.

Many airlines now have no, or very little, first class flights.  Almost a decade ago I took My Ultimate Global Adventure, first class around the world on Star Alliance.  Departing Honolulu, quote:

Ultimately, I flew a little more than 35,000 miles at a cost about one-third of what individual fares would have been.  The longest leg of 7408 miles was San Francisco to Sydney.  Thai Air and Lufthansa first class were the best, with United the worst.  On international flights, try to avoid United First, for they don't serve caviar, Dom Perignon and Johnny Walker Blue Label.

Around the World in 51 days.  My first class on Lufthansa from Beijing to Frankfurt was wonderful.  

A couple of years ago I tried to put together another first class global journey, and could not find enought first class legs to justify the cost.  I don't think prices have changed that much, but not long ago it was around $22,000 for first class, $12,000 for business class and $6,000 for economy class.  This is because many airlines blended first and business into a hybrid class that is not as classy for a lower cost.  For example:

United Polaris is a reinvention of our international premium cabin travel experience, offering elevated comfort and service from lounge to landing for a restful night's sleep in the air. Our focus as we developed the United Polaris experience was on providing our international travelers with what they've asked for: better sleep in the sky. Features include exclusive United Polaris lounges with rest spaces and high-end pre-flight dining options; a custom-designed personal onboard suite with added privacy, comfort and convenience; sleep-focused amenities such as custom Saks Fifth Avenue luxury bedding and premium skincare products from Sunday Riley; and reimagined dining options created in partnership with chefs from The Trotter Project.

However, a few airlines have gone to positive extremes.  For example:

  • Singapore Airlines features its A380 Suites providing:
    • 59 square feet of space.
    • Starts in a special The Private Room portion of their lounge that serves Dom Perignon.
    • Choose from a dozen meals before departure.
    • Your seat is a swivel chair.
    • Desktop and bed.
    • An electronic tablet allows you to control lights, color, etc.
    • The TV measures 32 inches.
    • You can combine two of them into a 100 square-foot palace in the sky.
  • Air France La Premiere Class Boeing 777-300ER
    • The epitome of sophistication, and your seat area is actually an ultimate relaxation chamber.
    • High thread count bedding.
    • Car takes you from the lounge to your plane.
    • Urged to fast 24 hours so that you can survive the the Alain Ducasse masterpieces.
    • Sisley skincare complimentary facial.
  • Emirates 777 First Class
    • Virtual reality, zero gravity seats (like you're floating in air) and fabrics by Mercedes-Benz.
    • Imbibe from a $500 million wine cellar.
    • Of course the standard 32 inch TV screen.
    • Wherever you seat, you can see outside in HD clarity.
    • Floor to ceiling privacy.
    • Byredo eye cream, chamomile sleep oil and pillow mist.
    • Chargrilled wagyu burgers and foie gras terrine. 
  • No United first class worthy of mention, but All Nippon Airways (a Star Alliance partner) has one:
    • The Suites on a 777-300ER has fully closing doors and a 42-inch TV.
    • Lengthy list of sakes, sochu and plum wine.
    • Japanese omakase or Western menu.
    • Free internet.
  • Lufthansa 747-8, also a Star Alliance partner.
    • You don't bother with the airport terminal, but go to a private building with a restaurant, napping rooms, shower suites, cigar bar and dedicated security/immigration service.
    • Luxury car transfer.
    • Free internet.
    • Heaping helpings of caviar.
    • Elegant after-dinner cheese spread.
    • I experienced this in Munich.
        -
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