Upgrades and Downgrades — October 22, 2007 — Hotel executives, flu shots, A380 voyeurism, and more
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Upgraded: Hotel executives’ waste of shareholder funds
Hotel corporation annual meetings rarely reach the level of sublime self-indulgence, but InterContinental has raised the bar:
[InterContinental Hotels Group] Americas’ President Steve Porter kicked off [IHG’s national meeting] with the gusto of a rock star, directing a choir singing Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” A band, including CEO Cosslett on guitar, provided the thunderous chords while drummers drilled the song into the rafters of the Dallas Convention Center.
“Today we are at a crossroads,” Porter said. “Our relevance is at risk.”
Clearly, true. For real relevance, Porter would have conducted the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and London Symphony Orchestra in a complete performance of the Who’s “Tommy,” while discussing the prospects for expansion of the Hotel Indigo brand.
Upgraded: Airport health care
Why visit a doctor — or heck, a supermarket — when you can get your flu shots at the airport? Now injecting at gate C17!
Downgraded: New England fall foliage
One year’s weather or global warming? Either way, fall foliage in the northeast U.S. isn’t looking so great.
Upgraded: Eos adds more all-business flights
Eos Airlines, which currently flies from JFK to London-Stansted is expanding. New routes will include Newark to Stansted in the spring, and JFK to Paris in the fall.
Upgraded: Skybus adds flights from Greensboro
Late last month, I posted about Skybus‘ plans to expand to a new hub — or “focus city,” if you must use the proper nomenclature. Signs were pointing toward Greensboro, NC or Portsmouth, NH. Greensboro it is. Up to 11 flights a day coming soon.
Upgraded: A380 cinema verité
Video of the interior of the new Singapore Airbus A380. It’s pure, unadulterated Singapore Airlines and Airbus PR video. But it’s actually often rather unflattering, if you ask me, at least in coach. (Legroom looks good, but those colors are drab!) For those seeking some first class airline porn, voila.
(Thanks to reader Chris!)


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October 23rd, 2007 at 9:26 am |
Nice video, I’d forgotten about the double-wide biz class seats. And those suites certainly look larger than the Emirates product. Will we have a new “best seat in the sky” coming out soon?
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:16 pm |
i agree with the author on the seat colors … heck, all 3 classes have really poor color choice. why can’t they adopt that smooth silky color of JAL’s first class or the funky purple of Virgin or the upbeat blue of ANA premium econ or the conservative grey of the old UA business class instead of those hideous tones of brown and beige…..