In Flight

Our "In Flight" articles are popular on Australian Frequent Flyer website. Here we provide tips, tricks and chat about all inflight activities, including inflight entertainment. Explore below for tips and reviews on what to expect during your flight.

Is it Illegal to "Souvenir" Airline Safety Cards?

Is it Illegal to “Souvenir” Airline Safety Cards?

Some frequent flyers like to collect things like boarding passes, airline amenity kits, business class pyjamas or in-flight magazines. But is it legal to collect the safety instruction cards found in aircraft seat pockets? Last week, Qantas operated three Boeing 747 joy flights before the “queen of the skies” is retired for good. Passengers on … Continued

21 Jul 2020 In Flight

Which Airlines Have External Cameras?

Many aviation enthusiasts enjoy looking out the window during their flight – as evidenced by a recent AFF debate on window shades. But there are certain things that you can’t see just by looking out the aircraft window – such as the outside of the plane, and the view in front of you. This is where external … Continued

28 Aug 2019 In Flight
Window shade plane

Window Shades Down on Day Flights?

Staring out the window and watching the world go by is one of the joys of air travel. But some airlines insist that all passengers lower their window shades to create a dark cabin – even in the middle of the day. There are several reasons that airlines may ask passengers to close their window … Continued

8 Aug 2019 In Flight
reclining into passenger in economy seat behind

Seat Recline Etiquette: Passenger Refuses to Raise Seat During Meals

Advances in technology have made flying a much more pleasant experience than ever before. But when you’re hurtling through the sky in a confined space with hundreds of other passengers, arguments are sometimes inevitable. One of the biggest travel etiquette gripes among passengers is seat reclining. It’s an unwritten rule that, as a courtesy to … Continued

15 Jul 2019 In Flight
Theft Thief stealing

Theft at 35,000 Feet

Security is something many of us take for granted when travelling by air. Most travellers are quite comfortable leaving their valuables in the overhead lockers or otherwise out of sight for the duration of the flight. But in-flight theft can and does happen. Numerous AFF members have witnessed mid-air robberies while flying to a range … Continued

15 Apr 2019 In Flight
Economy business class queues

Swapping Seats Across Cabin Classes

It’s not uncommon for people in a group travelling together to swap seats on the plane. But is it allowed to swap seats with somebody you know that is travelling in a different cabin class? AFF member maidmarion will soon be flying with Air New Zealand to the Cook Islands. There are three family members booked … Continued

13 Apr 2019 In Flight
Meal served in United international Economy

Airline Food is Overrated

Airlines love to tell their passengers how wonderful their in-flight meals are. But airlines often seem to think the food served on board is better than it really is. Both Qantas and Virgin Australia enlist the help of celebrity chefs in marketing their business class meals. But some airlines have taken this even further. United … Continued

4 Apr 2019 In Flight
Nervous flyer headache sick

Overcoming a Fear of Flying

Did you know that fear of flying affects roughly 1 in 4 people? While there is no perfect cure for a fear of flying, the good news is that it is possible to minimise the discomfort. Peter Chin, who runs Fear of Flying courses at Flight Experience in Perth, joined me on the latest episode … Continued

25 Mar 2019 In Flight
Oxygen masks fall from overhead panel in emergency

Experiencing a Mid-Air Emergency

Have you ever wondered how you would you react in a mid-air emergency? Would you remain calm? Fortunately, most people will never find out the answer to this question. But as it happens, AFF member panpan was a passenger on board a recent Qantas flight that had to divert after a loss of cabin pressure. Qantas … Continued

21 Mar 2019 In Flight
Qantas A330-200 domestic Economy cabin

Aircraft Cabins: Too Hot for Comfort?

Ever felt uncomfortably hot (or cold) when flying? You’re not alone. It seems that aircraft cabin temperatures are a sticking point for many flyers, and are something that very few airlines get consistently right. Many AFF members find that aircraft cabin temperatures, generally, are too hot. While it varies across airlines and aircraft types, it … Continued

7 Feb 2019 In Flight
How Qantas Plans to Fly A330s to LA, SFO

The Cost of Operating a Flight

Ever wondered how much it costs a commercial airline to operate a flight? It costs an airline just over $10,000 to fly a Boeing 737 from Sydney to Melbourne, meaning they need to make at least $60 in revenue from each seat to turn a profit. And it costs almost $200,000 to run an Airbus … Continued

3 Feb 2019 In Flight
Have You Had a "Flight from Hell"?

The Business Class Flight from Hell

An unlucky AFF member experienced the “flight from hell” last week upon returning home from Singapore. A culmination of unfortunate circumstances, including a disruptive passenger, made the flight especially unpleasant for those on board. pgsdiver was a Business class passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Sydney last Friday, along with his wife and … Continued

17 Jan 2019 In Flight