

Transatlantic flying: Wow throws a curve-ball - pyronite
http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2014/11/transatlantic-flying

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jpatokal
It's worth underlining just how hard the American carriers have been fighting
against Norwegian and WOW under every excuse they can think of: "unfair"
competition, spurious safety concerns, labor laws, strong-arming airports into
denying them landing spots, etc. My favorite example of chutzpah was claiming
that lower fares are "not in the public interest" (...because what's good for
AA is good for America, right?).

[http://time.com/money/2827588/cheap-flights-europe-
norwegian...](http://time.com/money/2827588/cheap-flights-europe-norwegian-
air/)

In general, international flights to the US remain remarkably restricted and
regulated. Foreign carriers aren't allowed to transport passengers within the
country, transit without a visa is completely impossible, etc. Compare this to
the EU and (soon) even South-East Asia, where anybody can fly anywhere they
wish, as long as they fulfill standard safety requirements.

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pkaye
Sometimes competition with lower costs lead to a race to the bottom in quality
where you cannot even buy anything of the former quality even at higher
prices. You will see carriers nickel and dime you everything that was
previously included.

~~~
MichaelGG
This already happens, every time I sit through United's forced-ads talking
about how "I saved up to $100 on checked bag fees". (All to promote their
crappy Chase partnership.) Still, pretty cheeky to rub the baggage fees in
people's faces, I think.

Or, United not carrying amaretto on some flights, or having the nerve to
charge $6 a drink for it in the lounges.'

Spirit's even worse.

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jameshart
All I need is WOW to throw in a $100 upgrade that includes a shuttle from KEF
to the Blue Lagoon[1] for a quick hot water wallow to take the pain out of
sitting in a cramped seat for a few hours, then back on the bus and onto
another plane for the onward leg. Transatlantic flying would be a whole lot
more tolerable.

[1] [http://www.bluelagoon.com/](http://www.bluelagoon.com/) \- no, not a
natural geothermal spring, but no less relaxing for it.

~~~
ericd
What a wonderful idea, that place is great... I can't imagine how nice that
would be after two 5 hour legs.

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oska
Rather than finding a globe I'd rather just look at the routes described in
the article on some sort of online great circle mapper.

I just tried a couple from a quick search but wasn't impressed with their
interfaces. Anyone care to recommend a good online tool with this
functionality?

~~~
jpatokal
Try gcmap.com and choose polar-aspect orthographic:

[http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=BER-KEF-BOS;NRT-HEL-
CDG&MS=wls&...](http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=BER-KEF-BOS;NRT-HEL-
CDG&MS=wls&MP=p&DU=mi) (Berlin to Boston via Iceland; Tokyo to Paris via
Helsinki)

