We found this to be a compelling and useful article for our fellow travelers in the December 28th issue of the Wall Street Journal. Despite many airlines adding more flights, 2011 held the record for being one of the safest years to fly.
"Airlines on Track for Safety Record". Michaels, Daniel. Wall Street Journal. 12/28/2011.
This year is on course to be the safest ever for modern commercial aviation.
With only days left, 2011 is posed to eclipse the postwar record low rate of passenger fatalities with roughly one passenger death for every 7.1 million air travelers world-wide, according to Ascend, a consulting firm in London. But the improving statistics mask lingering dangers, according to safety experts.
This year also appears set to end with among the lowest total number of passenger deaths, at 401 to date, despite a sharp rise recently in the number of flights and passengers world-wide. In 2004, 344 passengers died in commercial-aviation accidents, but the industry carried 30% fewer passengers on far fewer flights, according to Ascend. The figures exclude acts of terrorism.
"Safety is improving and it's improving faster than the industry is expanding," said Paul Hayes, director of safety at Ascend.
The record is best for carriers flying Western-built planes. This year, they have experienced one major crash per three million flights world-wide, a roughly 49% better rate than in 2010 and roughly three times better than 2001, according to International Air Transport Association, a global trade group. The figure represents the industry's best performance since IATA began collecting crash records in the 1940s.
Since Oct. 13, when a propeller-plane crash in Papua New Guinea killed 28 passengers, nobody has died in an airliner, which is generally defined as a commercial, multi-engine airplane carrying 14 or more passengers.
That marks another notable record: the longest period in modern aviation without a single fatal airliner accident, according to Harro Ranter, president of the Aviation Safety Network, a non-profit organization that tracks accidents and incidents. The longest previous such period was 61 days, in 1985, Mr. Ranter says.
While the year's records are noteworthy, they don't guarantee future safety - and could even undermine it by breeding complacency, warned Bill Voss, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a global advocacy organization. "We have such a fantastic record," improving safety globally that airlines and governments are tempted to say, "look how well we have fixed it, we're done now," he said.
Some safety yardsticks have not improved in years, while recent incidents have exposed areas that need work: safety on the ground at airports, the training of pilots to handle sophisticated computers, and greater awareness of flight hazards in some developing countries.
Most aviation fatalities in 2011 occurred in Russia, Iran and African countries that have long faced air-safety problems, such as Angola and Congo.
The major accident rate in North America for example has remained flat at about one in 10 million flights, while in Africa the rate is roughly 40 times greater, according to IATA. But African aviation is generally less dangerous than a few years ago, thanks to concerted efforts by local aviation officials and international regulators.
In more-developed countries, ground accidents seem stubbornly resistant to stepped-up safety efforts by industry and regulators. Planes running off runways continue to be the most common hazard, totaling almost one-fourth of all crashes involving Western-built jets, although they account for a much smaller proportion of deaths.
Causes include pilots descending without proper preparations for landing and crews failing to properly enter data or monitor flight computers.
Rarer but far more severe are so-called "loss of control accidents," when a functioning aircraft suddenly makes a catastrophic maneuver, according to Ilias Maragakis, an analyst at the European Union's European Aviation Safety Agency. At a conference EASA held in October about the phenomenon, he had no single factor is to blame. One response from regulators has been to require increasingly realistic training in simulators, including teaching high-altitude stall recovery techniques.
Another major safety threat stems from pilots who become confused by cockpit computers or who rely on automation too much. Such pilots can get into fatal difficulties when they are forced to revert to manual flying skills in an emergency.
The increasing computerization of jetliners and similar big changes to flying mean "we need to admit that fundamental changes need to occur," including how pilots are recruited, trained and tested, Mr. Voss told an international safety conference in Singapore last month.
That shift is one of many that safety experts say are necessary to further reduce accidents. Historically, improvements have come largely from better equipment and pilot training.
Experts believe that in the future, however, the biggest advances will come primarily from analyzing huge volumes of data about a broad array of incidents, culled from multiple carriers across the globe.
The technique "allows us to find that rare, high-risk event that a single carrier" could never identify or counter by itself, according to Ken Hylander, the top safety official at Delta Air Lines Inc. and the head of a joint FAA-industry safety team.
12.19.2011
K&C Early 2012 Trips: Burma, Japan, Morocco, Tanzania Safari
Many of our clients have asked for suggestions for travel during the spring break and early summer periods. Bev, Zen and I plan to return to enigmatic, beautiful Burma in February and then to our beloved Japan for the early April sakura/cherry blossoms. We are excited about our much-anticipated safari to Tanzania in early June, including Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and ending with the great migration in the Serengeti and Grumeti River Camp. This will be Zen's first visit to East Africa and she is totally psyched!
Please note below our Lynch family Burma, Japan, and Tanzania private tour itineraries for your reference. Although we do not have the time in early 2012 to visit Morocco, we have included this private tour itinerary also. The ideal time for travel to Morocco is during the March through early June period, especially if you wish to include a one-night Desert Camp stay (Bivouc tent!).
By the very nature of what we do, each private tour is custom and unique onto itself.
12.05.2011
The Battle for Retail Space in Hong Kong
Bev and I are big fans of Shanghai Tang, while Zen is a frequent shopper of Abercrombie & Fitch. We felt the following article in the Financial Times is quite interesting in terms of the two retail company's location in Hong Kong. - RL
Hong Kong Shops Look to the Mainland
Tsui, Enid. "Foreign Retailers defy Hong Kong Rent Surge." Financial Times. 11/30/11
MONGOLIAN yurts on a ferry pier may be a strange sight for Hong Kong commuters, but they are a telling symbol of the city's shifting retail landscape.
The yurts are the temporary home of Shanghai Tang, the luxury brand and Richemont subsidiary which has just lost its 13-year-old flagship store in a downtown colonial building to Abercrombie & Fitch, the US fashion chain.
"We are in-between stores. We have become the nomads of the Central district," says Raphael le Masne de Chermont, executive chairman of Shanghai Tang.
The Hong Kong retailer lost out because Abercrombie & Fitch offered the landlord about $1m in rent per month, three times more than Shanghai Tang was paying, real estate agents say.
The US retailer is part of an influx of foreign mid-range retailers defying an average 25% increase in retail rent this year to set up shop in the city in an effort to snare the big-spending mainland shopper.
According to CBRE, the real estate agency, retailers in Hong Kong are this year paying on average about $1,700 per square foot per year in prime locations, just behind prime areas in Manhattan, the world's most expensive district, where landlords charge $1,900 per square foot. Sydney is in third place at $1,224 per square foot.
Gap, the US clothing retailer, opened its first Hong Kong store last Friday, while fellow US retailers American Eagle Outfitters has already opened and Forever 21 is putting the finishing touches to its first store. Zara and H&M, the European companies, meanwhile, opened in Hong Kong in 2004 and 2007 respectively.
Hong Kong's retail market is tiny compared with the estimated $2,200bn in China's total retail spending last year.
However, it is the sheer number of shoppers coming from north of the border that represent Hong Kong's main appeal.
In 2010, 23m visitors came to Hong Kong from mainland China, a 25 per cent increase on the previous year, and they spent about $13bn in the city, according to the local tourism board. That is 17 times more than the amount Chinese tourists spent in France in the same period.
Hong Kong recorded $42bn in retail sales last year, up from $39.9bn in 2009.
Their number has increased by 17-28 per cent over the previous six quarters alone, year-on-year, according to government statistics. Competition is so intense that retailers are struggling to find the right kind of shop space. Many of the best spots are already taken up by luxury brands. Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Armani, and other high-price brands were among the first western retailers to set up flagship stores in Hong Kong in the early 2000s with a firm eye on mainland Chinese demand.
With more than 90 per cent of global luxury brands already in the city, the latest entrants tend to come from the mid-range segment, according to CBRE, the real estate consults. Gap's new 15,000 sq ft, four-story shop in Queen's Road, the busiest thoroughfare in the business district, was opened just weeks after the group announced a 20 per cent cull of its North American network amid a sales slump there.
Mr. le Masne de Chermont adds: "Hong Kong is the most capitalist place in teh world, and it's all about survival. Retailers new to the market will soon find out that if they don't do well, they will end up working for their landlords."
11.14.2011
Yes, Japan is Back
Saihoji Garden in Kyoto
We (well at least Zen and I!) freely admit Japan is our favorite, most compelling destination in the world. Bev, Zen and I are heartened that normalcy is returning to this inscrutable land, despite the devastation and suffering of March 11.
Despite our many travels to Japan, there always seems to be an impenetrable veil in truly understanding this wonderful land. As David Pillig noted, "in almost every aspect of life in Japan from sumo wrestling and tea ceremony to business, one has a feeling of something other than itself, beyond itself." A big part of Japan's uniqueness is its wabi-sabi aesthetic. Wabi-sabi represents the Japanese worldview emphasizing simplicity and purity. You may think of wabi-sabi as a spiritual longing, the beauty of all things humble, unpretentious ephemeral and imperfect. In contrast to our Western celebration of perfection, permanence, symmetry, and bravado, wabi-sabi exalts imperfection, impermanence, asymmetry and humility. Many in Japan refer to wabi-sabi as a feeling of hopeful sadness - nothing lasts; nothing is perfect, nothing is ever finished.
The pervasive Japanese spirit of jishuku has proven an indispensable asset in Japan's remarkable recovery. Although we have sent clients back to Japan over the past two months, Bev, Zen and I have not returned to Japan since 2010. We are most excited about embarking on our fifth (yes, 5!) sakura/cherry blossoms trip this April 2012.
11.01.2011
Steve Jobs & The Japanese Concept of Wabi-Sabi
Reading excerpts from Walter Isaacson's recent biography of Steve Jobs, I am struck by Jobs' affinity to Zen Buddhism and his strongly held belief of experiential widsom over empirical analysis. Based on his early travels to India, he felt that the people in the countryside did not use their intellect like Westerners do, but, instead, used their intuition. Wabi-sabi parallels the basic concept of Zen Buddhism in that intuitive insight is considered a more powerful force than intellectual deliberation.
Steve Jobs seems to have been a practitioner of the wabi-sabi aesthetic and worldview as he hailed the power of intuition in contrast to what he called, "Western rational thought." One wonders the true influence of Japan's unique culture on Steve Jobs and if indeed, he ever traveled to this amazing land.
--RL
10.20.2011
Yes - Burma!
Several developments in Burma have gotten us excited about this wonderful land. Although still ruled by the military junta, opposition leader and Noble Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who now has relative freedom of movement, is implicitly encouraging travel to her beautiful homeland. Also, based on popular discontent, the government has suspended construction of the Chinese-financed Myitsone dam project in Kachin state. This decision reflects perhaps the government's increasingly progressive stance over the past few months. The release of additional political prisoners last week was another encouraging piece of news. We hope for the best for these beautiful people.
Notwithstanding its politics, we still feel Burma to be among our favorite places in all of Asia. Bev, Zen and I all agree that the Burmese people are among the most handsome and kind-hearted people in all of Asia.
- Randy
10.10.2011
Our Extraordinary Experience with Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific's 777-300 aircraft delivery ceremony at the Boeing headquarters in Everett, WA.
We were humbled to be invited to Cathay Pacific's 777-300 ER new aircraft delivery at Boeing's headquarters in Everett, Washington on August 26, 2011. Following the aircraft delivery ceremony, our small party was flown on the new aircraft directly to Hong Kong. We had various Chicago service inaugural activities in Hong Kong and Shanghai, ending the week flying Cathay's inaugural HKG-ORD flight on September 1.
Although United Airlines has always been our preferred transpacific carrier, we are, indeed, in awe of the level of excellence and high-touch service of Cathay Pacific.
Prior to the aircraft delivery ceremony, Cathay treated us to a private tour of Boeing's main747-8F, 777 and 787 assembly building. Superlatives cannot properly describe this building, the largest building by volume in the world - covering 98.3 acres with 18,000 workers on site; 75 football fields can fit within its area! Observing the various complex stages in creating the 747-8F, 777 and 787 aircrafts, one is awed by the creative manufacturing achievements by the Boeing engineers, produced in the most leading and technologically advanced facility in the industry.
We were most impressed with the new 787 Dreamliner, a sleek smaller aircraft than its larger 777 cousin. Nearly 50% of the 787 primary structure, including the wings and fuselage, is made of composite material. Our August 26th visit coincided with the official 787 Dreamliner FAA Certification. Congrats to the Boeing 787 team!
No coincidence that most of the 787 aircrafts waiting for delivery were from the fast-growing Pacific Rim-based airlines, starting with ANA.
Cathay CEO John Slosar and Director Nick Rhodes cutting the Inaugural ribbon!
Being a special aircraft delivery flight, our Everett, WA to Hong Kong cabin service had a festive, jubilant atmosphere, with Cathay's engaging CEO, John Slosar, serving as our host. As only the First and Business Class were used in this flight, it was somewhat eerie to see a completely empty Economy Class cabin area!
Cathay's 777-300 First/Business Class Cabin
Our snapshot review of Cathay's 777-300 First and Business class cabin service:
- The First Class seats are enormous, with each seat occupying a 3-window space area. The dining trays are so large, a couple may share a meal together in one seat. Our favorite First Class keepsake was the custom Cathay Shanghai Tang pajamas - very nice!
- Cathay First Class 5-star hotel analogy - the feeling and exclusivity of an Aman Resort stay!
- Cathay Business Class 5-star hotel analogy - the comfort and service level of a Peninsula Grand Deluxe Room (sorry, no Victoria Harbour or Pudong views at 37,000 feet!)
Both First and Business Class offer amazinglyquiet BOSE noise cancellation headsets.- The First and Business Class flat-bed seats truly have a feel of a bed; roomy and loaded with amenities, including 15" video monitors with over 100 movies - "Cedar Rapids" and "Midnight in Paris" being the consensus favorites!
- Asia service culture
- With the Buddhist and Confucian based cultures' embracement of hospitality and respect, it is no coincidence that high-touch service seems almost intrinsic to Asia-based carriers, particularly Cathay Pacific. Also, in contrast to the many other international airlines, you feel the cockpit and cabin service alike have a sense of belonging and "familyness" to their airline...how refreshing! Great job Cathay Pacific management!
10.05.2011
The Hotel Du Cap Eden Roc
The beautiful lush grounds of the Hotel Du Cap
...perhaps the best in all of France.
Many believe the Hotel du Cap to be the most sought after summer retreat in the world. Yes, the Hotel du Cap is expensive, pretentious, home to global celebrities/jet-setters, AND we feel, among the most beautiful hotels we have stayed anywhere in the world. Directed by general manager Philippe Perd, the property recently completed a USD 67 million renovation project this past spring 2011. You can now enjoy wi-fi, huge Phillips flat screen TVs, and newly redesigned fine fabrics in all rooms.
Please read on for our Lynch family observations and favorites from one of France's great retreats:
- GM Philippe is a man of details and it shows in the high-touch service here – nearly everyone on the Hotel du Cap property addressed Bev, Zen, Sofia, Coco and I by our names (extraordinary for a 118-room hotel!) and you can actually summon the room service staff by using a bell alongside your bed - quite amusing for the girls!
- We were all big fans of the sun-bathing pontoons off the Eden-Roc pool and the super snooty cabanas! (33 in total).
- Although the Eden-Roc infinity pool adjacent to the waters of the Cap d’Antibes is quite spectacular, Zen did not really care for the pool’s salt water.
- Coco very much enjoyed her cheeseburger at the Eden-Roc pool grille...at a cost of Euro 48, surely the tastiest cheeseburger in all of France!
- There truly is a distinctive Hotel du Cap scent. The intoxicating fragrant smell that permeates the halls and rooms of the property is heavenly.
- A central feature of Hotel du Cap is its expansive 22 acre lush, green grounds, including rose gardens and clay tennis courts…great for morning walks and tadpole catching in the lily pond!
- Breakfast or evening cocktails on the Bellini terrace—it is difficult to imagine a more picturesque setting overlooking the warm waters of the Mediterranean!
- Zen was quite surprised to see the hotel's own pet cemetery...Edward VIII's and Wallis Simpson's dogs were buried here.
If you haven't viewed our exclusive Turkey-France luxury tour itinerary yet, visit the website and take a look!
Istanbul: The Hippest City in the World?
Sofia, Zen, and Coco at the main entrance of the
Audience Chamber at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul
From its deep, rich culture and its economic dynamism, we are very much humbled to have had such a compelling trip to Istanbul. Among the quality guides we use in Turkey is Saffett Tonguç. Widely
considered to be among the top (along with Ms. Arzu!) private guides in all of Turkey, he is the author of several award-winning books on Turkey tourism, history and culture. Among Saffet's notable clients touring Turkey are Oprah, Colin Powell, Eric Schmidt of Google and now the Lynch family!
Despite our limited time, we hit all the major stops in Istanbul's historical Sultanahmet peninsula (Hippodrome Square, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque). Similar to the Taj Mahal, the Blue Mosque is even more impressive in person than all the lovely pictures -- we found the blue tiles lining its interior walls most mesmerizing!
In addition to the Blue Mosque, we found the Topkapi Palace to be the most compelling historical site in all of Istanbul. The official residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, Zen, Sofia and Coco could not believe that Prophet Muhammad's actual cloak and sword are on display here!
Shopping was enjoyed by all at the Grand Bazaar at the Hans...please note Zen's observations in her journal below.
A 2-hour private cabin-cruiser excursion along the Bosphorus is a scenic and refreshing way to see the breadth of this beautiful city. We had a special stopover lunch at HAMDI, located near the Spice Bazaar. The restaraunt has wonderful rooftop views and delicious kebaps with delicious balloons of traditional breads straight out of the oven!
Istanbul Four Seasons Duo
Having experienced both Istanbul Four Seasons properties, we found each property offering its own unique activities and advantages.
The Four Seasons Sultanahmet offers a small, more intimate setting (only 65 rooms), located in the heart of the Sultanahmet historical district, walking distance from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, as well as numerous small shops and restaurants. Engaging general manager Felix Murillo mentioned that the property was actually Istanbul's first contemporary prison from 1918 all the way until the 1970s. The prison inscription date is still displayed on the Four Seasons entrance! The only real downside to families staying here is no pool.
In contrast to the Sultanahmet, the Four Seasons Bosphorus is a more sprawling (175 rooms) stand-alone luxury resort, saddled along the banks of the Bosphorus. Despite the property being new (perhaps three years), the Four Seasons Bosphorus has a unique 19th century feel. We love the amazing Bosphorus views to the Asia side of Istanbul from the breakfast terrace. A private hammam at the spa is a special treat and the kids love the pool overlooking the Bosphorus. We feel it is not an overstatement to proclaim the Four Seasons Bosphorus as the top luxury hotel in all of Istanbul.
Hello fellow global kid travelers!
YES, Japan is my favorite place in the world, BUT I really loved Turkey and France! My cousins, Sofia and Coco, and I wrote a list of the things we liked most about Istanbul.
Kittens and dogs everywhere! Istanbul is a kittens-dogs paradise; everywhere we walked we saw the most beautiful animals! We especially liked the dog "Harry," who returned to the coffee shop across from the Four Seasons Sultanahmet every night for food...We miss you Harry! - Shopping at the Grand Bazaar! Forget Michigan Ave. in Chicago -- we prefer all the small, cute shops at the Grand Bazaar. Top of my list were the many "evil-eye" pendants. These are great for my birthday party goodie bags!
- Prophet Muhammad's actual cloak and sword at Topkapi Palace - unreal!
- Hammam (Turkish bath)! No, we were not allowed to do this because of our age, but at least we did a walk-through!
- Our private guide Saffett! Yes, we have had so many great guides in so many countries. Add Saffett to the top - he is so awesome! Saffett is a walking "Google" for Turkish history and culture AND he is so funny!
- My only dissapointment is that we missed the sunrise hot air balloon over Cappadocia - next time!
Happy Travels!
-Zen Lynch
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