What was your best or worst birthday while travelling?

[kiwitripper64]

Since we cant travel, more time to look back at the good old days.
I had a birthday in J on EK DXB-SYD. In the middle of the flight the crew came along with a photo card and small cupcakes with imitation candles to say Happy Birthday.
And in Delhi, the Oberoi sent up a birthday cake.
I am happy with these, but I am sure there are better ( and worse) stories out there

 

[Mattg]

It's always nice to hear about these kind of stories.

I've caught flights on 3 birthdays, but I don't recall anything particularly special. I did fly QR J from DOH-DEL on my birthday last year, and had a nice flight. But I don't think I mentioned anything to the crew so they likely wouldn't have known.

 

[93Revisited]

I lost a birthday flying home from the US - departed on the 5th and landed on the 7th. I guess that allows me to deduct a year from my age.

 

[blackcat20]

I had my birthday in Koh Samui last year, and was presented with a full birthday cake at breakfast by the restaurant staff.

 

[Hvr]

I guess that allows me to deduct a year from my age.

And you can't count this year, so you're getting younger.

 

[Katie]

I'm having my first birthday at home in 5 years in a few weeks, so that feels strange. Actually being with my family, not at a conference or board meetings!

 

[Ausbt]

I've had a couple of good ones. In Umbria sitting out in a courtyard drinking vino of some type or other, with a lovely view of Assisi. More recently in London, a nice meal and West End show. I love celebrating one overseas, that's for sure.

 

[cmbhome]

Flying with Ansett, years ago (obviously). Row 1 in one of their then-new A320s. Purser approached me and asked if I had a pilot's licence. I replied in the affirmative (it's a PPL). She said the captain asked if I could give him some assistance. Nearly fainted with excitement. She escorted me to the flight deck, introduced me to Capt Speaking and Effo. Captain said he heard I understood about these new electronic flight systems, then asks me can I work out what this EFIS message means. Uncovers the EFIS which says "Game Over, insert 20 cents, Happy Birthday". Very funny! Stayed on the flight deck from halfway across the Nullabor all the way to the terminal at Perth. Those experiences just don't exist any more.

Turns out the Purser was a colleague of the wife of one of my team at work, and the whole thing was a setup. The Purser later told said wife of my team member - "I had half a mind to find out where he was staying in Perth to pop over and make his birthday really memorable".

Fortunately that part never happened.

 

[cmbhome]

I lost a birthday flying home from the US - departed on the 5th and landed on the 7th.

That happens more and more as you get older, one minute it's your birthday tomorrow, next minute it was yesterday and the whole thing's a bit of blur.

 

[daft009]

I've had a really nice birthday cake + choccies delivered up to my room as a very nice surprise.

On both occasions we had been out during the day only to arrive back in the room to a lovely cake waiting in the room

 

[Pushka]

I lost a birthday flying home from the US - departed on the 5th and landed on the 7th. I guess that allows me to deduct a year from my age.

Same with my husband. He deducts a year and now considers himself younger than me!

 

[serfty]

I lost a birthday flying home from the US - departed on the 5th and landed on the 7th. I guess that allows me to deduct a year from my age.

I have had a couple of those flying from LAX to Oz ... I would have had three except one flight left over two hours late after midnight CA time.

 

[drron]

I have had 2 memorable birthdays when travelling.
First was in 1969 when I flew from HIR-POM on a Fiji Airways HS-748.
The terminal at HIR was still a nissen hut.It was sticky insu=ide so I sat outside resting on my backpack.The Captain wandered over about 30 minutes before departure and asked if I was Ron.Why yes.Would you like to go now as you are the only passenger.Why not.
Allowed to sit anywhere.The only other people in the cabin were 2 FAs and a flight engineer.He came over and asked what I had been doing and in my explanation told him it was my birthday.He checked my passport and then went to the coughpit.He came back and said the Captain agreed we should have an open bar today after take off.
Not sure exactly how many beers I had but did need a little help getting off.Came down the stairs with an FA on each arm.As I did so the band struck up with God Save the Queen.The Australian GG was expected.

The second was at the Min Hla fort in Burma in 2014.My welcome.
..

The set up.
..

..

And my birthday cake.
..

And back on board our boat on the Irrawaddy.
..

 

[Buzzard]

Absolutely nothing special happened on the flight but on the day of my 40th, quite some time ago now, a friend and I flew from Bangkok to Chiang Mai to start our "Turn left and see where we end up" 10 day motorcycle adventure.
Amongst my most memorable holidays unless dementia is causing me to live in the past.

 

[GladstoneTim]

Mmmm, on my 23rd birthday I’d already trekked through Thailand and Nepal for several months and was now in Agra, India. I’d been staying in hostels and low cost guest houses. Being my birthday and alone at this stage, I decided to splurge and spend the night in the Oberoi. Very flash and special!

 

[SuePa]

I visited Captain Scott's 'Terra Nova' hut in Antarctic's Ross Sea region for one of my birthdays. I'd planned to be in Antarctica for my birthday, but visiting the hut made it even more special.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

SYD-MEL Jetstar flight with ~30 AFFers, spontaneously start singing happy birthday to me mid-flight.

Fun times

 

[Pushka]

My second best birthday was last year in Alaska when on my bucket list Alaska Cruise, sitting on the rear deck at breakfast in glorious sunshine, to be followed by a day of kayaking in a sea of glaciers.



Bestest was the one in Paris which was also my 40th Wedding anniversary (married on my birthday) where we spent the day strolling around the Paris markets, bought some wonderful prints along the River Seine, had a few glasses of Champagne at a Veuve Clicquot pop up bar, then had a fabulous dinner at The Lido. And more champagne

 

[John in Melbourne]

I lost a birthday flying home from the US - departed on the 5th and landed on the 7th. I guess that allows me to deduct a year from my age.

And, if you do the same flight every year, you'll never age at all.

 

[mahooligan]

My 40th - DOH CDG on the QR A380 with 3 friends. Spent 5 hours at the bar. Was surreal and unreal. Best part of a France/Greece 40th!