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Love is in the air! Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend before take off

A pilot has proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend just minutes before take off in a heart-warming display of love. Polish pilot Konrad Hanc was captured emerging from the cockpit before embarking on a flight to Kraków to make a surprising announcement over the PA system. Hanc introduced himself to the passengers before explaining the real reason for his message. “On today’s flight there is a very special person," he began. “Ladies and gentlemen, about one and a half years ago in this job I met the most wonderful person that completely changed my life." “You are most precious to me. You are my greatest dream come true. This is why I have to ask you a favour, honey." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6EHHyQskLc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6EHHyQskLc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by LOT Polish Airlines (@flylot)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Will you marry me?” he asked while getting down on one knee, as another flight attendant handed him a bouquet of flowers. His girlfriend, Paula, sprinted up the aisle of the plane before leaping into the arms of her future husband. Passengers watched on in anticipation for her answer with one yelling, “Did she say yes?” to which the beaming captain responded: “She said yes!” Hanc explained that he chose to pop the question on the flight to the Polish city as he met Paula on the same flight just 18 months ago. As the pair embraced in a hug and kiss, passengers erupted in applause, with many taking to the now viral Facebook post to send them well wishes. “I love this! Sweet couple!” one person wrote. ”TOTALLYYYYY LOVE IN THE AIR,” another enthusiastic person commented, to which the airline responded: “YES, love IS in the air!” Image credits: LOT Polish Airlines

Relationships

“Love is so sweet": Man's sweet mid-air proposal goes viral

Love is in the air! A smitten passenger took his love to the skies and proposed to his girlfriend while on board an Air Peace flight, with the romantic moment captured on camera. A social media user took to TikTok to share the sweet proposal, with the caption: “POV: My friend was proposed to in a plane.” The minute-long video showed a man getting out of his seat on board the packed plane to use the aircraft’s PA system so that he could ask for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage. “She’s so precious and her name is Precious,” the man said before popping the question. “Please, my Precious, I want to ask, will you marry me?” “If you will, just come out and say ‘yes’ to me, my precious,” he added before walking down the aisle of the aircraft. Other passengers cheered for the couple, and in a second video, the man is seen greeting Precious, then getting down on one knee to offer her the ring. Precious was overjoyed at the proposal and said yes, hugging her new fiance. While it is unclear where the plane was travelling, Air Peace is a Nigerian carrier that operates flights to destinations in West Africa and the Middle East, according to the NY Post. TikTok users were also touched by the romantic act, with many of them congratulating the couple. “This is beautiful,” one wrote. “Love is so sweet for real,” another swooned. Images: TikTok

Relationships

Longing for the ‘golden age’ of air travel? Be careful what you wish for

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a> Long lines at security checkpoints, tiny plastic cups of soda, small bags of pretzels, planes filled to capacity, fees attached to every amenity – all reflect the realities of 21st century commercial air travel. It’s no wonder that many travelers have become nostalgic for the so-called “golden age” of air travel in the United States. During the 1950s, airlines promoted commercial air travel as glamorous: stewardesses served full meals on real china, airline seats were large (and frequently empty) with ample leg-room, and passengers always dressed well. After jets were introduced in the late 1950s, passengers could travel to even the most distant locations at speeds unimaginable a mere decade before. An airline trip from New York to London that could take up to 15 hours in the early 1950s could be made in less than seven hours by the early 1960s. But airline nostalgia can be tricky, and “golden ages” are seldom as idyllic as they seem. Until the introduction of jets in 1958, most of the nation’s commercial planes were propeller-driven aircraft, like the DC-4. Most of these planes were unpressurized, and with a maximum cruising altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, they were unable to fly over bad weather. Delays were frequent, turbulence common, and air sickness bags often needed. Some planes were spacious and pressurized: the <a href="http://everythingnice.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PanAm-cutawayS.jpg">Boeing Stratocruiser</a>, for example, could seat 50 first class passengers or 81 coach passengers compared to the DC-3’s 21 passengers. It could cruise at 32,000 feet, which allowed Stratocruiser to fly above most bad weather it encountered. But only 56 of these planes were ever in service. While the later DC-6 and DC-7 were pressurized, they still flew much lower than the soon-to-appear jets – 20,000 feet compared to 30,000 feet – and often encountered turbulence. The piston engines were bulky, complex and difficult to maintain, which contributed to frequent delays. For much of this period, the old saying “Time to spare, go by air” still rang true. Through the 1930s and into the 1940s, almost everyone flew first class. Airlines did encourage more people to fly in the 1950s and 1960s by introducing coach or tourist fares, but the savings were relative: less expensive than first class, but still pricey. In 1955, for example, so-called “bargain fares” from New York to Paris were the equivalent of just over $2,600 in 2014 dollars. Although the advent of jets did result in lower fares, the cost was still out of reach of most Americans. The most likely frequent flier was a white, male businessman traveling on his company’s expense account, and in the 1960s, airlines – with young attractive stewardesses in short skirts – clearly catered to their most frequent flyers. The demographics of travelers did begin to shift during this period. More women, more young people, and retirees began to fly; still, airline travel remained financially out-of-reach for most. If it was a golden age, it only was for the very few. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bKqQgNZylLw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jet planes were introduced in the late 1950s, resulting in shorter flight times. But their ticket prices out of reach for the average traveler.</figcaption></figure> People also forget that well into the 1960s, air travel was far more dangerous than it is today. In the 1950s and 1960s US airlines experienced at least a half dozen crashes per year – most leading to fatalities of all on board. People today may bemoan the crowded airplanes and lack of on-board amenities, but the number of fatalities per million miles flown has dropped dramatically since since the late 1970s, especially compared to the 1960s. Through at least the 1970s, airports even prominently featured kiosks selling flight insurance. And we can’t forget hijackings. By the mid-1960s so many airplanes had been hijacked that <a href="http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/hijackers/flying-high.htm">“Take me to Cuba”</a> became a punch line for stand-up comics. In 1971 <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/39593/index2.html">D.B. Cooper</a> – a hijacker who parachuted from a Boeing 727 after extorting $200,000 – might have been able to achieve folk hero status. But one reason US airline passengers today (generally) tolerate security checkpoints is that they want some kind of assurance that their aircraft will remain safe. And if the previous examples don’t dull the sheen of air travel’s “golden age,” remember: in-flight smoking was both permitted and encouraged.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34177/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, Professor of History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/longing-for-the-golden-age-of-air-travel-be-careful-what-you-wish-for-34177">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Air travel is in a rut – is there any hope of recapturing the romance of flying?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Amelia Earhart broke a transcontinental speed record 90 years ago, in July 1933, by flying <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/web11183-2009640jpg">her signature red Lockheed Vega</a> from Los Angeles to New Jersey in just 17 hours, seven and a half minutes. Earlier that year, Earhart had flown as an observer on a Northwest Airways winter flight across the U.S., testing the possibilities of a “Northern Transcontinental” route. Because those early airplanes couldn’t reach high altitudes, they weaved through dangerous peaks and the erratic weather patterns that mountain ranges helped create. One co-pilot <a href="https://www.deltamuseum.org/about-us/blog/from-the-hangars/2019/07/24/delta-stories-amelia-earhart">remembers the journey</a> as “seat-of-the-pants flying across the Dakota and Montana plains and through, over and around the Western mountain ranges.” How does air travel today compare? I’ve studied <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/02/engine-failure/552959/">airplane technology</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/a-forgettable-passage-to-flight/279346/">airport design</a> and <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/grounded">cultural attitudes</a> toward air travel, and I’ve noticed how aspects of flying seem to have calcified over time. Long-distance flight <a href="https://theconversation.com/longing-for-the-golden-age-of-air-travel-be-careful-what-you-wish-for-34177">advanced rapidly between the 1930s and the early 1960s</a>, shaving off the number of hours in the sky by half. But over the past 60 years, the duration of such flights has remained roughly the same. Meanwhile, the ecosystem of air travel has grown more elaborate, often leaving passengers squirming in their seats on the tarmac before or after flight. Coast-to-coast air travel is in a rut – but there are still efforts to improve this mode of transit. <h2>Just another ordinary miracle</h2> Transcontinental air journeys are clearly different 90 years after Earhart’s record-breaking exploratory flights: Travelers now take such trips for granted, and often find them to be pure drudgery. In 2018, <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/united-757-200-first-class-ewr-sea/">travel blogger Ravi Ghelani reviewed in minute detail</a> a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Seattle – roughly the same northern route that Earhart explored in 1933. But for Ghelani, seated in first class, it wasn’t the terrain or frigid temperatures that were the most cumbersome part of his adventure. It was a cheap complimentary blanket, which “barely qualified as one – it was very thin, very scratchy.” The dreaded blanket reappears in Ghelani’s summary of his trip: “My main qualm with this flight was the lack of a decent blanket – the tiny, scratchy blanket that was provided wasn’t cutting it for the six-hour flight.” I can imagine Earhart rolling in <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/legend-amelia-earharts-disappearance">her watery grave</a>: “You zip across the continent in six hours and you complain about a scratchy blanket?” Yet Ghelani’s account of a mundane cross-country flight reveals a truth: Commercial air travel just isn’t the adventure it was back in Earhart’s time. As one captain of a major U.S. airline who regularly flies long routes told me, “Today jetliners fly across the country from Los Angeles to New York, or Boston to Seattle, full of passengers oblivious to the commonplace practice it has become.” This pilot compared coast-to-coast flights to “iPhones, microwaves or automobiles” – just one more ordinary miracle of modern life. <h2>Little indignities multiply</h2> The high-risk adventure of air travel has been subdued, yet long flights today can paradoxically feel torturous. As philosopher Michael Marder puts it in his 2022 book “<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543712/philosophy-for-passengers/">Philosophy for Passengers</a>”: “When crew members wish passengers a ‘pleasant journey,’ I hear a dash of cruel irony in their words. How pleasant can the passenger experience be when you are crammed in your seat, with little fresh air, too hot or miserably cold, and sleep deprived?” I asked my colleague and <a href="http://airplanereading.org/story/55/frequent-flight">frequent flier</a> Ian Bogost about his experience of coast-to-coast trips, and his reply was illuminating: “The same trip seems to get longer every year, and less comfortable. There are reasons – consolidation, reduced routes, pilot and air-traffic labor shortages, decaying technical infrastructure – but it still feels like moving backwards.” In spite of widespread attempts to update aircraft and modernize terminals, the vast system of air travel can seem cumbersome and outdated. Recently at The Atlantic, reporter <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/07/clear-airport-security-lines-tsa-infrastructure/674809/">Amanda Mull wrote about</a> the biometric screening company Clear, describing this firm’s high-tech service to skip the ubiquitous toil of identity checks before flight, at the cost of surrendering some privacy and personal information. Mull concludes the reason more travelers will likely enroll in this service is that “traversing American airport security is simply that grim.” For Mull, the adventure of contemporary air travel isn’t the destination, or even the journey itself – it’s what you must do to get through the airport. Still, it’s worth noting that the majority of the human population has never boarded an airplane; flying cross-country remains <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/how-much-worlds-population-has-flown-airplane-180957719/">a relatively exclusive experience</a>. For most people, the closest they’ll get to a coast-to-coast flight is seeing a small white scratch across the sky, as another airliner makes its arc at 35,000 feet. <h2>2 futures of cross-country flight</h2> Coast-to-coast travel is no longer about breakneck speed or defying elemental odds, and Earhart’s quests to push the limits of aviation couldn’t be further from the bland routines of contemporary air travel. Nor does it involve people dressing to the hilt to step aboard a jetliner for the first time, with passengers stowing their fancy hats in spacious overhead bins. Where are the new frontiers for transcontinental flight today? One area of innovation is in a greener form of flight. Solar Impulse, a completely solar-powered plane, took two months to fly coast-to-coast in 2013. It averages a plodding 45 mph at cruising altitude. As <a href="https://apnews.com/ded34ccc19f24aeea67ba3da130a2be0">The Associated Press reported</a>: “Solar Impulse’s creators view themselves as green pioneers – promoting lighter materials, solar-powered batteries, and conservation as sexy and adventurous. Theirs is the high-flying equivalent of the Tesla electric sports car.” Solar Impulse was more recently <a href="https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/aircraft-propulsion/solar-powered-skydweller-completes-first-autonomous-flights?check_logged_in=1">reconfigured as a remotely piloted aircraft</a>, with new experiments in long-distance solar flight underway. The comparison of Solar Impulse to a Tesla is handy because a different extreme can be found in Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. As part of the relentless development of its biggest vehicle, “Starship,” SpaceX has advertised the possibility of “<a href="https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/earth/">point-to-point</a>” travel on Earth: for example, flying on a commercial rocket from Los Angeles to New York in 25 minutes. Never mind the physical tolls of a normal <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-would-anyone-want-to-sit-on-a-plane-for-over-18-hours-an-economist-takes-the-worlds-longest-flight-122433">19-hour flight</a>; it’s hard to imagine what such a brief yet fast trip would feel like, not to mention what sort of class divisions and bleak industrial launch sites such jaunts would rely on. Get there as fast as possible, using as much fuel as necessary; or glide lazily along, powered by the sun, saving the planet. These are two starkly different visions of coast-to-coast flight, one a dystopian nightmare and the other a utopian dream. In the middle, there’s what most flying mortals do: wait in lines, board unceremoniously and be relieved if you get to your destination without too much discomfort or delay.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210778/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, Director of Public Scholarship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-travel-is-in-a-rut-is-there-any-hope-of-recapturing-the-romance-of-flying-210778">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Doctor debunks air fryer myth

Air fryers have become somewhat of a commodity in many kitchens worldwide, with them rising in popularity over the past few years, so news that they could be damaging to our health may cause quite a stir. However, similar to how uncredited information seems to circle the internet, a doctor has told viewers not to take the latest warnings over “toxic” air fryers too seriously. One online user posted a TikTok claiming they had found out "air fryers were toxic because of the material used”, so UK doctor Karan Raj decided to weigh in on the matter. "The biggest worry from fear mongers centres around the non-stick materials used, also known as forever chemicals,” he said in a clip that’s since raked in over a million views. "Forever chemicals” earned the name because they don’t break down in the environment or in our bodies. Also known as PFAS, they are resistant to water, grease, and heat and are found in a number of everyday products such as food packaging, cosmetics, clothing and toilet paper. "Fun fact, every time you sit down to eat microplastics fall from the air and land in your food, or are already part of your food," he explained. The issue of “toxic” chemicals leeching into your food from cooking in an air fryer "is only really an issue if the air fryer is damaged,” Dr Raj added. It is recommended to minimise how much damage and scratching there is to the non-stick coating of the fryer so the chemicals don’t get into your food. "Clean it safely, avoid using abrasive scrubbing tools, use wood or silicone utensils and use liners," he said. "And if you're really worried about the non-stick coating, you can use a ceramic or stainless steel air fryer.” People in the comments thanked him for the explanation. " Some people will trust anyone EXCEPT actual Doctors,” one user teased. Dr Raj went on to ask his followers what their favourite meal to cook in an air fryer was, adding, "Air fried chips just taste special". Image credit: TikTok

Body

World’s Best Airline crowned for 2023

Air New Zealand has received the top honour from the <a href="https://www.airlineratings.com/news/passenger-news/air-nz-named-airline-of-the-year-for-2023/">AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards</a>, taking home the coveted title of World’s Best Airline. It’s the seventh time the airline has been commended since 2013, for the likes of its innovative and multi-award-winning SkyNest economy beds, its operational safety, environmental leadership, and staff motivation. Competition was tough for the top five, with five editors looking at everything from major safety and government audits to 12 key factors including “fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.” And while Air NZ had taken out second place to two-time-consecutive champ Qatar Airways in 2022, the situation flipped in 2023, with the airline beating out Qatar, Etihad, Korean Airlines, and Singapore for the prestigious win. As AirlineRatings’ Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said, “in our objective analysis Air New Zealand came out number one in many key areas although it was a very close scoring for the top five. “Air New Zealand’s commitment to excellence in all facets of its business starts at the top with outstanding governance and one of the best executive teams in aviation through to a workforce that is delivering consistently to the airline’s strategy and customer promise. “Like all airlines across the globe Air New Zealand has faced severe disruptions during and after the pandemic and this year huge challenges from storms and cyclones. The airline has responded well. “Our editorial team was impressed by the airline’s commitment to the economy passenger and on long haul offers more comfort options than any other airline.” In response to the win, Air NZ’s CEO Greg Foran shared that the airline owed its success to the 12,000 members of staff “who wake up each morning to connect Kiwis with each other and the world.” He remarked that “it is a sign that we have got our swing back”, and like with many other airlines around the world, “we understand that our fantastic team faces difficulties in providing the service we strive for and that our customers expect. We’re working hard to address these challenges. “There is no doubt that we have more work to do to tackle customer concerns like wait times, on-time departures and arrivals, lost baggage, and refunds. We want to thank our customers for their patience and support as we work towards delivering the greatest flying experience on Earth.” Just missing out on the top five were Australia’s own Qantas and Virgin - coming in at sixth and seventh place respectively - although both airlines snagged number one positions in other categories. Qantas took out Best Lounges with its network of over 51 lounges across Australia and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia/VirginAtlantic took home the title of Best Cabin Crew - in what marked their fifth victory in the category. And for anyone wondering how the rest of world’s top 25 premium airlines stacked up, here’s the complete list: Air New Zealand, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa / Swiss, SAS, TAP Portugal, All Nippon Airways, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, British Airways, Jet Blue, JAL, Vietnam Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Hawaiian, KLM, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines. Images: Getty

International Travel

Why Air NZ is asking passengers to hop on the scales

Until July 2, passengers departing on international Air New Zealand flights from Auckland International Airport are being asked to step on the scales before their trip. New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority are making the request as part of a “weight survey” program - one required to take place every five years - and hoping to gather more information on the weight loads and distributions for aircrafts. “We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft - from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold,” Air NZ’s load control improvement specialist Alastair James explained. “For customers, crew and cabin bags, we use average weights, which we get from doing this survey.” James went on to note that they are aware “stepping on the scales can be daunting”, as weight is a personal issue that many do not want to make public knowledge. And for any passengers with such concerns, the airline has promised to protect their privacy, with the data being kept anonymous. “We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere," he said. “No one can see your weight - not even us! It’s completely anonymous.” Two scales are to be set up in Auckland International Airport’s gate lounges - one that travellers will be asked to stand on, with their weight submitted for the survey, and another for their luggage in a separate weighing process. In order for the survey to be effective, 10,000 passengers must participate over the course of five weeks. “It’s simple, it’s voluntary,” James added, “and by weighing in, you’ll be helping us to fly you safely and efficiently, every time.” Air NZ’s project also means that passengers experiencing one of the world’s longest flights - the 17-hour flagship trip from Auckland to New York City’s JFK Airport - for the first time may find themselves asked to participate. It isn’t the first time the airline has requested its passengers hop on the scales before their trips either, with a similar survey taking place in 2021. And while the international research was meant to be conducted at an earlier date as well, the pandemic brought those plans to a temporary halt. And similar surveys are undertaken all across the globe, with Flight Global revealing that a survey by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in 2022 discovered that the average weight of passengers has remained “relatively unchanged” for the past 15 years. Images: Getty

International Travel

Chilling new Cleo Smith abduction details to be aired for first time

New details have emerged about the abduction of Cleo Smith, including her frantic mother’s call to triple-0 when she realised her little girl was missing. Cleo, then four, made international headlines when she was snatched from a tent on October 16 2021 as she slept with her mother, stepfather and baby sister at the Blowholes campsite, near Carnarvon, about 960km north of Perth. The little girl was held captive by Terence Darrell Kelly and locked alone in a bedroom at his home for 18 days before WA police rescued her in a late night raid. Grim new details about Cleo’s kidnapping will soon be aired after Kelly was recently sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in jail. Ellie Smith’s distraught call to triple-0 and police bodycam footage of the tearful mum, after officers arrived at the remote campsite, will be aired for the first time on 60 Minutes on May 14. Ms Smith and her partner Jake Giddon also revealed how Cleo is coping 18 months after the scarring ordeal, including new footage of the little girl. “Her nightmare nights are the worst. It's heartbreaking,” Ms Smith said in a preview. “Sad, hurt, scared, terrified. It is hard talking about him (Kelly) and what happened.” The program will also air the heartbreaking audio of Ms Smith’s triple-0 call when she discovered Cleo was missing from their tent on the day she was abducted. "My daughter's gone missing,” the distraught mum said. “How old is your daughter,” the operator asked. “She's four,” Ms Smith tearfully responded. Bodycam footage from the first officers on the scene being shown around the campsite by the terrified mum has also emerged. “We woke up this morning, and she was missing,” Ms Smith said. Cleo’s disappearance led to one of the biggest police searches in WA history and made headlines worldwide. Investigators who were involved in the case will also share more details about the extensive lengths detectives went to track down Kelly. “It really set the investigation alight,” one officer said. “They narrowed and narrowed it. They made the right call.” Ms Smith added, “That was the second we realised she didn't walk away. She was taken.” Ms Smith and her partner appeared at Kelly’s sentencing in the District Court of WA in April. It was the first time the pair had been seen in public since their <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/cleo-smith-s-parents-share-disturbing-new-details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first interview</a> with 60 Minutes a year ago. They reportedly received $2 million for the world exclusive TV interview. Sentencing judge Julie Wager described the fear, distress and trauma Cleo and her parents have been left with as “immeasurable”. “Eighteen days without contact or explanation, and with hours totally on her own and no access to the outside world, would have been very traumatic,” the judge said. Kelly’s legal team have confirmed their client has lodged an appeal over the lengthy sentence handed down to him after he <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/terence-kelly-confesses-to-abducting-cleo-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> to forcibly detaining a child under the age of 16 in January 2022. Court documents have revealed Kelly’s lawyers are appealing on multiple grounds including disputing the extent to which his methamphetamine use contributed to the crime. “The learned sentencing judge erred in finding that the applicant's use of methamphetamine had a significant and casual role in the offending,” the appeal documents read. “The learned sentencing judge failed to give appropriate weight to the applicant's childhood disadvantage and trauma.” Image credit: 60 Minutes/Instagram

8 air fryer cooking tips you need to know

Check your air fryer's temperature Just like with ovens, temperatures may vary between air fryer models. Test your air fryer to see if it runs above or below the selected temperature setting. You’ll want your fryer nice and hot. Know your air fryer's cooking times Since air fryer temperatures vary, so do cook times. That’s why air fryer recipes have wider time ranges. So, to find your air fryer cooking times you’ll need to experiment. Start checking the food at the shortest time, and check back a little later if it’s not done. Give it a shake (or a flip) To help food crisp, always turn, rotate, or shake contents in air fryer basket (just like flipping French fries, fish fillets, or homemade chicken strips halfway through cooking in a traditional oven). Cook food in a single layer for best results Allow plenty of air circulation to get even cooking and crispy results. One exception where you can stack and pack foods is if you’re roasting veggie side dishes in the air fryer. For instance, you can load the basket with a 400 grams of Brussels sprouts and roast them at 180° for 12-15 minutes, stirring once. Bake up a little treat Yes, you can bake homemade cookies in the air fryer! All it takes is a few minutes and chilled dough on stand-by. Models differ in their “baking” functions, so test just one or two cookies at first. You may need to adjust the temperature or cooking time. Seeing smoke? Here's what to do First off, don’t panic. Simply unplug the air fryer and remove the food basket. Make sure no food is lodged in the heating coil. Return food to the air fryer and continue cooking. If smoke persists, there may be oil or residue on the heating element. Unplug the machine, cool, and then wipe the coil clean with a damp cloth, just like the heating coil on an electric stove. From now on, make sure to clean your air fryer regularly. Use a thermometer when cooking meat Because the food can brown nicely on the outside before reaching an appropriate temperature on the inside, checking the temp with a meat thermometer is an important step for safety. That goes for previously frozen foods and fresh ones. It's a quick option when cooking for one or two Any more than that, and you may have to cook in batches – so be sure to account for that in your timing. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/8-air-fryer-cooking-tips-you-need-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Food & Wine

Couple die in hot air balloon tragedy

A hot air balloon disaster above Mexico City has claimed the lives of one couple, and put their seriously injured daughter in hospital, after the basket they were travelling in caught fire. According to The Daily Mail, 50-year-old Jose Nolasco and his 38-year-old wife Viridiana Becerril - who called the nearby city of Cuajimalpa de Morelos home - were confirmed by Mexican authorities as the fatalities of the accident. The tragic incident was caught on camera by people who had been nearby, and clips have since surfaced online of the moments the basket burst into flame, and the plunge of desperate passengers falling - or trying to escape - from the balloon. It is believed that the couple’s daughter - Regina Itzani - was one of such occupants, and she is expected to survive despite suffering a broken arm and second-degree burns. Authorities have been unable to confirm whether or not a pilot was also onboard at the time of the tragedy - though some believe them to have been a second figure plummeting from the balloon - which occurred while the craft was flying over the pre-Hispanic site of Teotihuacan, north of the city. The location is considered to be a popular one for tourists and hot air balloon rides. The footage also shows the balloon deflating as the flames threaten to overtake everything, with one onlooker declaring in Spanish that people are falling, while the craft itself appears to still be tethered to the ground. Authorities have not yet confirmed that it was - and if so, why. As for why the family were taking the trip, social media posts have suggested that Regina and Jose had actually organised the whole experience for Viridiana’s birthday. “It was the birthday of my daughter Viridiana, Regina’s mum,” Regina’s mother, Reyna Gloria Sarmiento, explained to local reporters, “and they had prepared this ride as a surprise for her.” She also noted that her granddaughter was in a stable condition in hospital, and that she was conscious, before sharing that Regina had been able to share one final hug with her parents before making her escape from the balloon’s basket. Authorities are investigating the fatal incident, and although initial reports suggest the fire could be connected to a fault with the fuel storage system on the balloon, nothing has been confirmed. Meanwhile, officials in the family’s hometown, have shared their condolences for the loss, releasing a statement that reads “we send our condolences to the family, friends and acquaintances of Jose Nolasco and Viridiana Becerril who died in the hot air balloon tragedy in Teotihuacan,' they shared Sunday. “Our solidarity and prayers are with Regina and we wish her a speedy recovery.” Images: Twitter

Travel Trouble

What is air turbulence?

You probably know the feeling: you’re sitting on a plane, happily cruising through the sky, when suddenly the seat-belt light comes on and things get a little bumpy. Most of the time, turbulence leads to nothing worse than momentary jitters or perhaps a spilled cup of coffee. In rare cases, passengers or flight attendants might end up with some injuries. What’s going on here? Why are flights usually so stable, but sometimes get so unsteady? As a meteorologist and atmospheric scientist who studies air turbulence, let me explain. <h2>What is air turbulence?</h2> Air turbulence is when the air starts to flow in a chaotic or random way. At high altitudes the wind usually moves in a smooth, horizontal current called “laminar flow”. This provides ideal conditions for steady flight. Turbulence occurs when something disrupts this smooth flow, and the air starts to move up and down as well as horizontally. When this happens, conditions can change from moment to moment and place to place. You can think of normal flying conditions as the glassy surface of the ocean on a still day. But when a wind comes up, things get choppy, or waves form and break – that’s turbulence. <h2>What causes air turbulence?</h2> The kind of turbulence that affects commercial passenger flights has three main causes. The first is thunderstorms. Inside a thunderstorm, there is strong up-and-down air movement, which makes a lot of turbulence that can spread out to the surrounding region. Thunderstorms can also create “atmospheric waves”, which travel through the surrounding air and eventually break, causing turbulence. Fortunately, pilots can usually see thunderstorms ahead (either with the naked eye or on radar) and will make efforts to go around them. The other common causes of turbulence create what’s typically called “clear-air turbulence”. It comes out of air that looks perfectly clear, with no clouds, so it’s harder to dodge. The second cause of turbulence is jet streams. These are high-speed winds in the upper atmosphere, at the kind of altitudes where passenger jets fly. While air inside the jet stream moves quite smoothly, there is often turbulence near the top and bottom of the stream. That’s because there is a big difference in air speed (called “wind shear”) between the jet stream and the air outside it. High levels of wind shear create turbulence. The third thing that makes turbulence is mountains. As air flows over a mountain range, it creates another kind of wave – called, of course, a “mountain wave” – that disrupts air flow and can create turbulence. <h2>Can air turbulence be avoided?</h2> Pilots do their best to avoid air turbulence – and they’re pretty good at it! As mentioned, thunderstorms are the easiest to fly around. For clear-air turbulence, things are a little trickier. When pilots encounter turbulence, they will change altitude to try to avoid it. They also report the turbulence to air traffic controllers, who pass the information on to other flights in the area so they can try to avoid it. Weather forecasting centres also provide turbulence forecasts. Based on their models of what’s happening in the atmosphere, they can predict where and when clear-air turbulence is likely to occur. <h2>Will climate change make turbulence worse?</h2> As the globe warms and the climate changes in coming decades, we think air turbulence will also be affected. One reason is that the jet streams which can cause turbulence are shifting and may become more intense. As Earth’s tropical climate zones spread away from the equator, the jet streams are moving with them. This is likely to increase turbulence on at least some flight routes. Some studies also <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1465-z">suggest</a> the wind shear around jet streams has become more intense. Another reason is that the most severe thunderstorms are also likely to become more intense, partly because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour. This too is likely to generate more intense turbulence. These predictions are largely based on climate models, because it is difficult to collect the data needed to identify trends in air turbulence. These data largely come from reports by aircraft, the quality and extent of which are changing over time. These measurements are quite different from the long-term, methodically gathered data usually used to detect trends in the weather and climate. <h2>How dangerous is air turbulence?</h2> Around the globe, air turbulence causes hundreds of injuries each year among passengers and flight attendants on commercial aircraft. But, given the hundreds of millions of people who fly each year, those are pretty good odds. Turbulence is usually short-lived. What’s more, modern aircraft are engineered to comfortably withstand all but the most extreme air turbulence. And among people who are injured, the great majority are those who aren’t strapped in. So if you’re concerned, the easiest way to protect yourself is to wear your seat belt. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-air-turbulence-196872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

TV host humiliated live on air by 9-year-old daughter

A TV host has been left mortified after her 9-year-old daughter embarrassed her live on air. Jenna Hager Bush, one of the hosts of the US morning show Today with Hoda & Jenna, had her daughter Mila on the show to chat about fashion. The 9-year-old then shocked her mum by telling viewers that Hager “never wears underwear.” She continued, “She is not wearing it right now! I saw her change!” The little one’s confession came one month after the journalist first confessed that she often skips underwear for a “more pretty silhouette” after co-host Hoda Kotb called her out. Hager, who also shares daughter Poppy, 7, and son Hal, 3, with husband Henry Hager, explained that her controversial wardrobe choice makes her life “easier.” “You don’t have to pack as much,” she pointed out last month. “There [are] a lot of pros to it.” While Mila wasn’t the first to out her mother’s lack of underwear, she did continue to embarrass Hager with another story on Tuesday. “One time she was laughing in our living room and she peed her pants!” Mila said, noting that Hager had to “change [her] pyjamas” at the time. Hager was a good sport, sarcastically thanking Mila before saying, “I think Hoda is trying to get the truth bombs out [of you] but no more.” <div id="ad-hybrid-banner-1" data-type="unruly" data-ad-size="4x4" data-device-type="web"> <div> </div> </div> When Mila showed no signs of keeping quiet, Hager abruptly concluded, “OK, goodbye! Goodbye, I love you!” As Mila exited the stage, Kotb gushed, “What a great kid. … You and her are very similar because you’re both just exactly who you are.” Image credits: Today with Hoda & Jenna

Air travel spreads infections globally, but health advice from inflight magazines can limit that

“Travel safe, travel far, travel wide, and travel often,” <a href="https://thoughtcatalog.com/matthew-kepnes/2014/01/53-travel-quotes-to-inspire-you-to-see-the-world/">says</a> <a href="https://www.nomadicmatt.com/">Nomadic Matt</a>, the American who quit his job to travel the world, write about it and coach others to do the same. But there’s a downside to all this travel, with its unprecedented volume of passengers moving from one side of the world to the other, largely by plane. There’s the risk of those passengers spreading infectious diseases and microorganisms resistant to multiple drugs (superbugs) around the world. Yet, our recently published <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893919301218">research</a> into health advice provided by inflight magazines shows plane passengers are given practically no advice on how to limit the spread of infectious diseases. Should we be worried about the part air travel plays in spreading infectious diseases? And what can we do about it? How big is the risk? Low airfares and a series of social and economic factors have made global air travel more common than ever. According to the Australian government department of infrastructure, transport, cities and regional development the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/files/International_airline_activity_CY2018.pdf">number of passengers taking international scheduled flights in 2018 was 41.575 million</a>. But the International Air Transport Association projects passenger demand will <a href="https://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2019-02-27-02.aspx">reach 8.2 billion by 2037</a>. There are many examples of infectious diseases spread via international flying. The World Health Organization documented <a href="https://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/tcd_aircraft/en/">transmission of tuberculosis</a> (TB) on board commercial aircraft during long-haul flights during the 1980s. Research published in 2011 documents the <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/7/10-1135_article">transmission of influenza</a> on two transcontinental international flights in May 2009. More recently, the current <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-people-born-between-1966-and-1994-are-at-greater-risk-of-measles-and-what-to-do-about-it-110167">global outbreak of measles</a> in many countries, including the Philippines and the United States, gave rise to the risk of transmission during international travel. In a recent case a <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/measles-alert-january.aspx">baby</a> too young to be vaccinated who had <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/measles-alert-after-infectious-baby-flew-from-manila-went-to-central-coast-20190603-p51tzs.html">measles</a> returned from Manilla in the Philippines to Sydney, exposing travellers on that flight to infection. Then there is the risk of transmitting antimicrobial-resistant organisms that cause disease, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-tb-and-am-i-at-risk-of-getting-it-in-australia-75290">multi-drug resistant TB</a>. Recently, patients in Victoria and New South Wales were identified as carrying the drug-resistant fungus <a href="https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/news-and-events/healthalerts/candida-auris-case-detected-in-victoria">Candida auris</a>, which they acquired overseas. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27890665">One study</a> estimates that over 300 million travellers visit high-risk areas, such as the western Pacific, Southeast Asia and Eastern Mediterranean, each year worldwide, and more than 20% return as new carriers of resistant organisms. These popular destinations, as well as the Middle East, have high rates of drug resistant organisms. How is this happening? Aircraft move large volumes of people around the world swiftly. But what sets them apart from buses and trains is that passengers are close together, in confined spaces, for a long time. This increases the risk of transmitting infections. Passengers interact with high-touch surfaces, such as tray tables, headsets, seats and handles. We cough, sneeze and touch multiple surfaces multiple times during a flight, with limited opportunities to clean our hands with soap and water. Many infections, such as gastroenteritis and diarrhoea, are spread and contracted by touch and contact. What can we do about it? Providing plane travellers with relevant health advice is one way to limit the spread of infectious diseases via air travel. This would include information and advice on routine hand washing with soap and water, or using alcohol-based hand rubs, and other basic measures including cough etiquette, such as coughing into your elbow and covering your nose and face. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article/4/2/102/1847252">Researchers</a> have looked at the role commercial websites and travel agencies might play in providing that advice. And since the 1990s, airline magazines have been <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article/4/2/102/1847252">highlighted</a> as an underused source of traveller health advice. More than 20 years on, we discovered little has changed. In our recent study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893919301218">Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease</a>, we looked at the content of inflight magazines from 103 airlines issued during January 2019. Of the 47 available online, only a quarter (11) included an official section on passengers’ general health and well-being, of which only two contained information related to infection control and the preventing infectious diseases. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284424/original/file-20190717-173366-w48bmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Inflight magazines have a potential audience of billions. So why not include advice on hand hygiene and coughing etiquette? <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/1424594042?src=vUDfEziJwFDV7GZr5OYMRA-1-2&studio=1&size=medium_jpg">from www.shutterstock.com</a></figcaption></figure> The first magazine, from a UAE-based airline, had an official section on passenger health and well-being that included very limited relevant content. It advised passengers “with blood diseases or ear, nose and sinus infections should seek medical advice before flying”. There was no further explanation or information, nor were there any strategies to prevent these or other infections. The second magazine, from a USA-based airline, contained general travel health advice, but none specifically about infectious diseases. However there was a full-page, colour advertisement next to the health section. This contained images of many disease causing microorganisms on passengers’ tray tables and advocated the use of a disinfectant wipe for hands and other inflight surfaces. The slogan “because germs are frequent fliers” was displayed across the tray table. This was accompanied by information about the use and effectiveness of disinfectant wipes for hand hygiene and disinfecting surfaces during air travel, public transport use, and in hotels and restaurants. Inflight magazines are valuable assets for airlines and are the source of considerable advertising revenue. They are read by potentially billions of passengers every year. The results of this study show that they are a greatly underused source of information about infection control and measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Airlines should also provide health advice to passengers in other media, in particular video screens, about infection prevention and basic control measures such as hand hygiene, cough etiquette and personal hygiene. Such advice should be provided before, during and after the flight. It could also include destination-related advice for particularly risky travel routes and destinations. More information for passengers Airlines providing health advice to passengers is just one way to limit the spread of infectious diseases and antimicrobial-resistant organisms around the world via air travel. This would need to sit alongside other measures, such as <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-industry-information-center">information and guidelines</a> provided to those who travel via the sea. The simple, low-cost measures highlighted in our research could go a long way to help passengers stay healthy and avoid illness from infectious diseases. At the same time, these measures could reduce the impact of outbreaks of infectious diseases for airlines and society as a whole.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120283/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Ramon Zenel Shaban and Cristina Sotomayor-Castillo. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-travel-spreads-infections-globally-but-health-advice-from-inflight-magazines-can-limit-that-120283" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

International Travel

TV presenter pulled off air after receiving heartbreaking news

A TV presenter reporting at the World Cup has been forced off air after receiving horrific news that her mother was killed. Nadia Nadim is currently in Qatar working for UK broadcaster ITV, covering the World Cup. The 34-year-old was part of a panel discussing Denmark’s game with Tunisia on November 22 when she suddenly had to leave the studio. In a statement, Nadia revealed that her mother was on her way from the gym when she was hit by a truck. “Words cannot describe what I’m feeling,” her statement read. “I have lost the most important person in my life, and it happened so sudden and unexpected. She was only 57. “She was a warrior who had fought for every inch of her life. She didn’t give me life once, but twice, and everything I/ we are is because of her. “I have lost my home and I know nothing is gonna ever feel the same. Life is unfair and I don’t understand why her and why this way. I love you and I will see you again. “Her funeral is (going to) be soon... please come and show her the love, respect and prayers she deserves.” It remains unclear where her mother was killed. Image: ITV

Family & Pets

When’s the best time to use frequent flyer miles to book flights? Two economists crunched the numbers on maximizing their dollar value

Traveling during major holidays like Thanksgiving can be expensive, since so many people want to see their friends and families, wherever they might be. It’s especially hard this year with <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL">inflation soaring</a> at the fastest pace since the early 1980s. Airline fares <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SETG01#0">were up 43% in October</a> from a year earlier – only a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm">handful of categories increased by more</a>. One way to ease the blow to your wallet or purse is by using frequent flyer miles. While there’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/2733384">quite a bit</a> of research on when is the <a href="https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/215872">best time to use cash</a> to buy flights, <a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/profile/huseyin-karaca/">we wondered</a> – as travel lovers – if there’s an optimal time to use miles. So with the help of <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HikpvLqt_M8OfXrCXta4rm76Z_JreLJt/view">our research assistant</a>, we investigated this question, with a focus on flights over the Thanksgiving holiday. <h2>Americans return to the skies</h2> The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days to travel in the U.S. Before the COVID-19 pandemic upended travel, the Transportation Security Administration <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">screened 2.6 million people</a> on Thanksgiving eve of 2019, just shy of the 2.9 million record. While the number plunged in 2020 as demand dropped, it picked up to 2.3 million last year and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-thanksgiving-is-expected-to-be-one-of-the-busiest-for-travel-in-decades-11668532148">is expected to return</a> to pre-COVID-19 levels this year. The surge in demand, along with significantly higher jet fuel costs, are key factors in leading to more expensive air fares. To offset these higher costs, <a href="https://newsroom.wf.com/English/news-releases/news-release-details/2022/New-Study-Americans-Lean-Into-Credit-Card-Rewards-to-Offset-Rising-Costs--Including-Travel/default.aspx">many consumers</a> may turn to frequent flyer miles – whether accumulated from other travel or from credit cards – to avoid forking over so much cash. <h2>Frequent flying 101</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10253866.2015.1096095">Frequent flyer mile programs started</a> in the late 1970s after the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/about/history/brief_history">federal government stopped regulating</a> airfares. Before the change, fares, routes and schedules for all domestic flights were set by the federal Civil Aeronautics Board. Besides slashing fares, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/airline-frequent-flyer-miles-30-years/story?id=13616082">airlines reacted by creating frequent flyer programs</a>. Texas International Airlines, which ultimately merged with United, and Western Airlines, which later joined Delta, were among the first to institute frequent flyer programs. In a particular airline’s frequent flyer program, you earn miles when you fly with that airline. Many people get miles by using their credit cards as well. These accumulated miles can then be redeemed for free air travel. Frequent flyer programs were designed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/02634509810199535">build customer loyalty</a>, as they provide a rebate to regular passengers. They are also <a href="https://hbr.org/1995/05/do-rewards-really-create-loyalty">meant to lock travelers</a> into a particular airline – since they have a strong incentive to only fly with that carrier. One downside is that many business flyers go out of their way to use their preferred airline, <a href="https://www.informs.org/About-INFORMS/News-Room/Press-Releases/Study-Finds-that-Frequent-Flyer-Programs-Increase-Cost-of-Business-Travel">which boosts their company’s travel costs</a>. And although airlines use frequent flyer programs to increase customer goodwill, they frequently <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/united-airlines-loyalty-program-status-update">change the rules and rewards</a>, which often <a href="https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/delta-just-announced-a-change-that-will-make-people-very-mad-its-actually-a-brilliant-move.html">frustrates customers</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/2733384">Researchers have looked</a> at the <a href="https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/215872">optimal time to buy</a> airplane <a href="https://doi.org/10.1057/s41272-019-00193-7">tickets</a> with cash. In general, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2022/08/31/best-time-to-book-a-cheap-flight/?sh=23fdd1e72ebc">they have found prices</a> tend to dip anywhere from two months to three weeks before the travel dates. Prices are highest for those who want to book their flights very early, to lock it in, and last-minute travelers booking just before their departure dates. <h2>How frequent flyer miles compare</h2> To see when’s the best time to book with miles, we looked at <a href="https://www.oag.com/busiest-routes-right-now">one of the busiest routes in the U.S.</a> – New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX). Each month, airlines have over a quarter of a million seats flying direct on that route. There are about 30 nonstop flights a day, run by <a href="https://www.aa.com/en-us/flights-from-new-york-to-los-angeles">three</a> <a href="https://www.delta.com/us/en/flight-deals/united-states-flights/flights-to-los-angeles">different</a> <a href="https://www.jetblue.com/destinations/los-angeles-california-flights">airlines</a>. Starting about three months before Thanksgiving, we collected weekly data from the online booking sites of these three airlines. We tracked the frequent flyer miles needed as well as the price for every coach flight scheduled to take place within one week of Thanksgiving. As miles are not interchangeable between airlines in general, we needed an alternative measure for more direct comparison between different airlines. So we calculated how much a frequent flyer mile is worth by dividing the number of frequent flyer miles needed by the ticket price. We then compared the dollar worth of 1,000 miles, depending on the airline, when the booking was made and the flight date. <a href="http://businessmacroeconomics.com/">Economic theory</a> tells us that when there is lots of competition and the product is almost identical, competition should result in all businesses charging roughly the same price. That wasn’t what we found. In mid-October, Delta was asking 69,000 miles to fly the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. American Airlines was only asking 33,000 miles for roughly the same flight. This means if you have a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/best-travel-credit-cards/">general travel rewards credit card</a> that lets you use miles on different airlines, it pays to shop around. Just because an airline has a high price in miles doesn’t mean the price will not come down. At the start of November, Delta wanted 69,000 miles to fly at dinnertime on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. A week later the airline cut the price to 53,000 miles. A week after that, it was down to 36,500 miles, a price drop of almost 50% in two weeks. While in general the earlier you book, the better, booking too early can cost you. We found the best time to spend your frequent flyer miles for Thanksgiving travel was to book during the first week of October, which was about eight weeks out. In early October, 1,000 frequent flyer miles were worth over $14 in airfare. The last week of October, about four weeks before Thanksgiving, those same miles were only worth shy of $12. <h2>The best day to fly</h2> As for what is the best day on which to travel to get the most from your miles, there are two answers. On the Monday before Thanksgiving, your miles are typically worth the most, on average $15 per 1,000 miles. This is in sharp contrast to $11 for the day before Thanksgiving. However, flying Thanksgiving Day itself had required the lowest average number of miles, about 27,000 miles. If you haven’t booked flights yet, you may be too late to find the best value in frequent flyer miles. However, while we are still gathering and analyzing data, these tips look like they will hold up for future holidays. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/whens-the-best-time-to-use-frequent-flyer-miles-to-book-flights-two-economists-crunched-the-numbers-on-maximizing-their-dollar-value-194893" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Climate change: the fairest way to tax carbon is to make air travel more expensive

Despite the fact that poorer people generally <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2020.12">have lower emissions</a>, taxes on the carbon dioxide (CO₂) our activities emit tend to affect people on low incomes <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2cb1">more</a> than richer people. Having less money means you can ill afford a switch to an untaxed alternative, like an electric car, or pay for carbon-saving measures like home insulation. You are also more likely to struggle to use less of an essential good like petrol or gas for heating, even if the price goes up. Carbon taxes on energy that people use in their homes – for heating, cooking or watching TV – charge consumers for the emissions per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity, gas or oil used. Economists would say that these kinds of carbon taxes are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2cb1">regressive</a>, because using energy to heat and power your home is a necessity and poorer people will use a much higher share of their income to pay for these things – and the taxes – than richer people. While total emissions have been <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0419-7">falling</a> in several rich countries over the last few years, emissions from cars and other means of transport are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abee4e">growing</a>. The rise in air travel emissions has been especially rapid: a roughly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117834">sevenfold increase</a> between 1960 and 2018 globally. What’s more, the fuels for heating and powering homes or driving cars are taxed, but the fuel airlines use is exempt due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-1940s-treaty-set-airlines-on-a-path-to-high-emissions-and-low-regulation-148818">an international agreement</a> from 1944. And although Europeans generally <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095937801831238X?via%3Dihub">disapprove</a> of carbon taxes, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2022.2115050">our study</a> has revealed one type which could prove popular. In the first analysis of its kind to consider the effect on different income bands, we found that carbon taxes on air travel – what we describe as luxury emissions – nearly always affect the rich more. <h2>Tax burdens from air travel</h2> Our research examined how the burden from four different taxes on air travel would fall across income groups in the UK. It shows that all of these taxes are progressive: they burden richer people more than poorer people as a proportion of income. This is because people on higher incomes are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2021.05.008">much more likely to fly</a>, and fly more often. Air travel taxes that apply to passengers could be levied on the emissions of each passenger per flight. People could also be taxed according to the distance they travel, or their seat class. An aeroplane’s economy class occupies the least space per person, while business- and first-class passengers take up more room and so are responsible for more emissions than the average passenger. A person could also be taxed for the number of flights they take. A <a href="https://afreeride.org/">frequent flyer levy</a> would exempt the first return flight a person takes in a year, but would tax subsequent flights at an increasing rate. We found that taxes that take both flight emissions and the number of flights per passenger into account distribute the tax burden fairest. The reason for this is that frequent air travel (all flights after the first return flight) is even more unequally distributed in society: the top 10% of emitters are responsible for 60.8% of flight emissions but for 83.7% of emissions from frequent flights. Who else except the wealthy is likely to be affected by taxes on air travel? We found that, in the UK, university graduates, employed people, young and middle-aged adults, residents of London, as well as first- and second-generation migrants are also more likely to fly than their counterparts, regardless of income. Our results showed that recent migrants with friends and family abroad are relatively likely to fly often, even when on a low income. So allowances or extra support for recent migrants could make the design of such taxes fairer. Overall, taxes on air travel are far more socially just than taxes on necessities such as home energy use and could curb luxury emissions in a way that nurtures broad support for more sweeping decarbonisation measures such as those designed to limit car travel, like <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-022-01057-y">expanding bus and cycling lanes</a>. So why do politicians and others claim, as former UK treasury minister Robert Jenrick did in 2019, that air travel taxes <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8128492/labour-holiday-tax-family-break/">disproportionately hit the poor</a>? It’s possible that they underestimate how little people in low-income groups actually fly, perhaps due to their typically middle- and upper-class backgrounds. A less charitable interpretation is that they have ulterior motives for opposing such taxes. Social scientists claim that exaggerating or misrepresenting the social justice consequences of environmental policy is one of the most common <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-denial-hasnt-gone-away-heres-how-to-spot-arguments-for-delaying-climate-action-141991">arguments </a>used to stall vital action on climate change. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-the-fairest-way-to-tax-carbon-is-to-make-air-travel-more-expensive-191632" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Airline responds to "fat-shaming" onboard comments

Dr Sydney Watson – a US-based Australian journalist and political commentator – took to Twitter on October 11 to complain about being sat between two obese people on an American Airlines flight. Her mid-flight comments caused an immediate furore as she posted that “I am currently - literally - WEDGED between two OBESE people on my flight,” along with a photo of her personal space being invaded. “This is absolutely NOT acceptable or okay. If fat people want to be fat, fine. But it is something else entirely when I'm stuck between you, with your arm rolls on my body, for 3 hours. “I don't care if this is mean. My entire body is currently being touched against my wishes. I can't even put the arm rests down on either side because there's no f***ing room. “I'm sick of acting like fatness to this extent is normal. Let me assure you, it is not. “If you need a seat belt extender, you are TOO FAT TO BE ON A PLANE. “Buy two seats or don't fly.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I am currently - literally - WEDGED between two OBESE people on my flight. This is absolutely NOT acceptable or okay. If fat people want to be fat, fine. But it is something else entirely when I'm stuck between you, with your arm rolls on my body, for 3 hours. <a href="https://t.co/9uIqcpJO8I">pic.twitter.com/9uIqcpJO8I</a> — Dr. Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyLWatson/status/1579609743244800006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2022</a></blockquote> Dr Watson said she asked the passenger on her right if he wanted to move to sit next to his sister to which he declined. She continued the rest of her flight sitting uncomfortably with no air hostess offering to switch her seat. Her complaint went viral with the official American Airlines Twitter account responding to Dr Watson saying: “Our passengers come in all different sizes and shapes. We're sorry you were uncomfortable on your flight.” This however was not enough for Dr Watson who eventually found out that “what happened to me went against American Airlines own policies regarding overweight passengers.” A few days later after her initial flight, an American Airlines worker got in contact with Dr Watson apologising for the inconvenience and offered her a $150 Trip Credit. “I'd rather take the $150 American Airlines offered me as a refund and give it to someone who needs a PT or a gym membership,” she tweeted in response. Still furious at what occurred on the flight, Dr Watson said she has no regrets over being in the news for fat shaming. “I'm not sorry. I meant everything I said. Justifying obesity is NOT OKAY,” she said. “And, rock on to anyone trying to lose weight and change their lives. I believe in you.” Images: Twitter/Instagram

Travel Trouble

Six tricks to combat air travel sickness

If there’s one thing that's guaranteed to ruin a travel experience, it’s unexpected motion sickness, as there's nothing worse than feeling ill and not being able to escape until you land. Experts at Travel Lens have shared their holy grail tips for people to do before and during their flights to help reduce air sickness travel symptoms. Airsickness, otherwise known as motion sickness, is caused when the body receives conflicting information from the eyes, ears and muscles in regards to movement. This confuses the brain, which can cause nausea, fatigue and dizziness. "Air sickness is very common and with plenty of holidays still to come this year, it's important that people can enjoy them fully without the added stress of feeling ill on the plane," a spokesperson told <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/travel-advice-tricks-to-combat-airsickness-on-flights-expert/91e42ab8-ae9b-4b5a-a0f2-88525ee38886#1">9Honey</a>. "For some people, sickness may be a persistent problem when travelling, but there are certain things that can be implemented to help ease any symptoms.” "Whilst on the plane it's important to stay as calm as possible and by making small adjustments you can reduce the effects of airsickness." Select your seat mindfully Your position on a plane has a drastic effect on how much movement you can expect throughout your journey. Typically the middle, the wing and closer to the front of the plane are the best places to sit as this is where the journey feels most stable. Try to avoid the back of the plane as seats further back can be subject to more turbulence. Put the book and screens down While reading or watching is a great way to pass the time on a flight, focusing on these forms of entertainment can only exacerbate the feeling of motion sickness. The best thing to do instead of reading or watching something is to try to relax and focus on breathing. Avoid alcohol Many people are inclined to indulge in an alcoholic drink on a plane, however the effects of drinking while travelling are often less than desirable. Alcohol can dehydrate the body quickly and this can exacerbate symptoms, so it may be best to opt for a soda. Wait until symptoms have completely subsided before you consider having a drink or until you land. Use mint and ginger Some studies have suggested consuming ginger before heading off on a flight can help to stop feelings of nausea. Whether it's taken as a supplement, in raw form or even as a can of ginger beer, it's definitely worth a try. The same can be said for peppermint, so taking a packet of breath mints in your carry-on is a must. Choose your food wisely While plane food is always a bit of a gamble, it's a good idea to eat before boarding. Steer clear of greasy and spicy foods as these can unsettle an already nervous stomach. And make sure you stay hydrated! Get comfortable Instead of staying upright for your whole flight, take advantage of a slight recline in your seats (just don’t forget to talk to the person sitting behind you first!) Consider taking a travel pillow to ease the strain on the neck throughout the flight and put any unnecessary items in the overhead storage to ensure the most comfortable environment for dealing with any sickness symptoms. Use the blankets provided and tune out any noise, and focus on deep breathing until you arrive safely at your destination. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

“Insensitive idiots”: Channel 7 slammed for airing unauthorised Newton-John biopic

Channel Seven has come under fire from fans for airing Hopelessly Devoted To You, an unauthorised Olivia Newton-John biopic the same day the iconic actress and singer passed away. The 2018 miniseries, starring Delta Goodrem as a young Olivia, hit a sour note for fans grieving on Tuesday night, with many taking to social media to share their thoughts. “We should be honouring Olivia, not have this horrible wood duck imitation on,” one fan tweeted. “Why am I watching Delta Goodrem play Olivia Newton-John on TV and not... I don't know, Olivia Newton-John? 😭” wrote another. “Australia doesn’t want to see Delta Goodrem as Olivia, you insensitive idiots,” one quipped, before adding, “We want to see original music featuring Olivia.” “In the haste to put something on tonight Olivia Newton-John related, Channel 7 miss the mark with Olivia biopic starring Delta Goodrem,” a third <a href="https://twitter.com/Ancray/status/1556972888728928256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>. “I’d rather watch something ACTUALLY starring Olivia, not someone pretending to be her!” To make matters worse, some savvy users pointed out that one media outlet used a photo of Goodrem as Olivia in their post breaking the news of Newton-John’s death. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> not popcrave using a pic of delta goodrem 😭 <a href="https://t.co/FwfKCaFlPN">pic.twitter.com/FwfKCaFlPN</a> — David Mack (@davidmackau) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidmackau/status/1556726103246602240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></blockquote> The post has since been deleted and the outlet reshared the news with two photos of Newton-John. It comes after Goodrem paid tribute to Newton-John, describing her as a mentor, friend, and inspiration in a heartfelt Instagram post. “The whole world will feel this heartbreak today because the entire world felt Olivia’s unmatched light,” she wrote, sharing two black-and-white photos of the pair. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Delta Goodrem AM (@deltagoodrem)</a> </div> </blockquote> “A force for good. A force for nature. Strong and kind, my mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me… she was always there for me. Family to me.” “I don’t have all the words I would like to say today but I hope everyone will join in celebrating our beloved Olivia, her heart, soul, talent, courage, grace… I love you forever.” Image: Lifetime

Controversial Diana interview to air in new documentary

A new documentary about Princess Diana will air snippets of her 1995 Panorama interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir once again, despite Prince William insisting it “should never be shown again”. The HBO documentary, titled The Princess, uses archival audio and video footage as part of its exploration of Diana’s complex relationship with the media, including how she often used the press to her advantage with dire consequences. Its release in select Australian and New Zealand cinemas in August comes a year after William made a forceful statement condemning the 1995 interview and describing it as a “major contribution to making my parent’s relationship worse”. Snippets from the interview show the late Princess of Wales speaking about her marriage to Prince Charles, her extramarital affair, and her belief that a campaign was being “waged against” her for her refusal to “go quietly”. “It is my firm view that this Panorama program holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again,” William said in May 2021. “It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.” Prince Harry later echoed William’s statements, saying that “our mother lost her life because of this and nothing has changed”. The BBC has distanced itself from the documentary, saying licences allowing for “any or all” of the interview to be aired had not been granted, per <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/07/28/dianas-disgraced-panorama-interview-aired-sky-against-prince/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph UK</a>. It has since emerged that Bahir lied to Diana to gain her trust prior to the interview, showing her forged bank statements and other documents as proof that her most-trusted advisors and staff were spying on her in order to get her to agree to the interview. Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, vowed last week to never show the interview in its entirety or in parts ever again, saying there would only be “few and far between” reasons to use extracts for journalistic purposes and urging other broadcasters to “exercise similar restraint”. He also apologised to Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry for “the way in which Princess Diana was deceived and the subsequent impact on all their lives”. The Princess isn’t expected to provide context for the BBC interview, as segments from it will be shown alongside other news bulletins and footage of some members of the public - out of an estimated 23 million people who watched it at the time - watching it in a pub and reacting to it. In a statement, HBO described the film as “intensely emotional” and a “visceral submersion” into Diana’s life under the spotlight of the media. “The film unfolds as if it were in the present, allowing viewers to experience the overwhelming adoration, but also intense scrutiny of Diana's every move and the constant judgement of her character,” the statement reads. "Through archival material, the film is also a reflection of society at the time, revealing the public's own preoccupations, fears, aspirations and desires." Image: Getty Images

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