Sunday, August 10, 2008
Off to the land of Tuborg
The flight to Copenhagen today was interesting. I learnt many things, such as airport control towers have fire detection systems and when a fire alarm goes off the occupants of the building evacuate. Which obviously gets you to thinking "what happens to the planes on the tarmac queuing to take off?" The answer is they stop where they are and switch off their engines to preserve fuel. Boy, does that get tedious. The next question that drifts through your mind as you stare out of the window at the rain-swept airfield is "what happens to the planes in the air that would relish the luxury of waiting on the tarmac?" Maybe I'll be (un)fortunate to find out another day.
The next thing I learnt is that some planes have cameras mounted in the nose so you can see what's ahead on the drop-down mini-screens. This is a pretty handy addition to the service as you can watch the planes in front during the nose-to-tail procession to the runway. Then you see the tarmac whizzing before you as the plane speeds along and takes off - at which point the camera rotates to show you the ground underneath getting further and further away. Marvellous stuff.
Thirdly, I found that if you approach an information desk and ask for a particular store, it will be the store directly next to the information desk. I remember having the same result years ago in Dublin when asking in a newsagents where the nearest post office was. Of course, it was the massive building containing the central post office just on the other side of the road.
Who would have thought that you could exploit the safety movie on the plane for product placement? Whoever did should be able to retire on their bonus. After the flight attendent in the film asked a (well dressed and pretty) passenger to switch off her PDA, you are presented with a shut-down screen showing Sony Ericsson. At first I was thinking "intrusive bastards" and then "why doesn't that say 'Microsoft Windows Mobile'"? Inspired marketing.
At the hotel, I found that if your bill says "Communication Package DKK175.00" then it probably means you have spent a while observing the adult movie channels. Obviously there are so many frequent travellers out there who need to get their expense claims through their claims department without too much embarrasment that the hotel colludes with them.
And finally, when you travel you know you will forget something. This time it was the camera USB cable (so no photos uploaded before I get home) and underarm (three cheers for free hotel soap). And talking of soap, the supplier in this Danish hotel is "Guest Supply UK" from ... Reading. Well, Aldermaston to be more accurate but that's close enough.
The next thing I learnt is that some planes have cameras mounted in the nose so you can see what's ahead on the drop-down mini-screens. This is a pretty handy addition to the service as you can watch the planes in front during the nose-to-tail procession to the runway. Then you see the tarmac whizzing before you as the plane speeds along and takes off - at which point the camera rotates to show you the ground underneath getting further and further away. Marvellous stuff.
Thirdly, I found that if you approach an information desk and ask for a particular store, it will be the store directly next to the information desk. I remember having the same result years ago in Dublin when asking in a newsagents where the nearest post office was. Of course, it was the massive building containing the central post office just on the other side of the road.
Who would have thought that you could exploit the safety movie on the plane for product placement? Whoever did should be able to retire on their bonus. After the flight attendent in the film asked a (well dressed and pretty) passenger to switch off her PDA, you are presented with a shut-down screen showing Sony Ericsson. At first I was thinking "intrusive bastards" and then "why doesn't that say 'Microsoft Windows Mobile'"? Inspired marketing.
At the hotel, I found that if your bill says "Communication Package DKK175.00" then it probably means you have spent a while observing the adult movie channels. Obviously there are so many frequent travellers out there who need to get their expense claims through their claims department without too much embarrasment that the hotel colludes with them.
And finally, when you travel you know you will forget something. This time it was the camera USB cable (so no photos uploaded before I get home) and underarm (three cheers for free hotel soap). And talking of soap, the supplier in this Danish hotel is "Guest Supply UK" from ... Reading. Well, Aldermaston to be more accurate but that's close enough.
Labels: Copenhagen, Denmark
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