30
Jun
2009
Upgrades and Downgrades — blood tests, airline uniforms, pirate cruises, sand wars, and more
Posted by: Mark Ashley

Downgraded: Bali’s public health strategy
While a vigorous attempt to contain the spread of the H1N1 flu virus is understandable and sensible, Bali is taking the notion to a new level:

Upon landing at Bali’s airport planes will be taken to a remote aircraft parking area where the plane and its passengers will be sprayed with disinfectant. Passengers will then be disembarked and subjected to thermal scanners.

However, the Jakarta Globe is reporting that Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport is now requiring all arriving international air passengers to undergo a blood test. Nyoman Murtiyasa, the head of the airport’s health office, quoted in the Jakarta Globe said that all passengers arriving from overseas would be required to take a blood test at the airport.

Thermal scanners? Sure. Blood tests for everyone? Extreme. They make United States passport control seem downright lovable.

Downgraded: Airline uniforms
The airport administrators at Nepal’s Kathmandu Airport are taking an unusual step in an effort to reduce bribery: They are banning pockets in airline personnel uniforms. In a few months, expect reports of secret back-room sewing operations and black market tailoring.

Upgraded: Onboard duty-free, online check-in
Remember when airlines gave you extra miles for online check-in? It’s not coming back, alas. But Virgin Atlantic will give you a coupon for £6 off onboard duty free shopping when spending £30 or more. Whoo?

Downgraded: Jamaican sand wars
500 truckloads of white sand were stolen from a Jamaican resort development site in July 2008. Now, it’s going to trial, and other resort owners are among the accused. (hat tip to Veronica Stoddart)

Upgraded: Overview of disparate carry-on luggage rules
Steven Frischling at Flying with Fish has compiled a great list of 65 airlines’ carry-on baggage restrictions. Be sure to check the rules before your next flight.

Upgraded: Cruises with a theme
Downgraded: Pirates; Conscience
Finally, a cruise concept for the bloodthirsty: A Russian company is sponsoring pirate-hunting cruises. $5000 gets you on board, and you can rent AK-47s and buy ammo. The money quote: “They are worse than the pirates. At least the pirates have the decency to take hostages; these people are just paying to commit murder.”

Upgraded: Eclipse travel
THIS is a concept trip I could do: Special flights to view the upcoming solar eclipse. (Thanks, Kim!)

eclipse flight Upgrades and Downgrades blood tests, airline uniforms, pirate cruises, sand wars, and more

Categorized in: airlines, bizarre, cruises, duty free, luggage
10 Comments

10 Responses to “Upgrades and Downgrades — blood tests, airline uniforms, pirate cruises, sand wars, and more”

  1. Kim Says:
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:09 pm

    Is the pirate cruise thing for real? I guess if you kill someone on the open seas there’s no country that can indict you.

  2. StayBankdotCom (toddmeadows) Says:
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

    Twitter Comment


    #Travel – Downgraded: Bali’s public health strategy While a vigorous attempt to contain the spread of t.. [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  3. flyingwithfish (flyingwithfish) Says:
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:48 pm

    Twitter Comment


    RT @upgradetravel: New post: Upgrades and Downgrades — blood tests, airline uniforms, pirate cruises, sand wars & more [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  4. flyingwithfish (flyingwithfish) Says:
    June 30th, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    Twitter Comment


    @upgradetravel Thanks for the mention on the blog! – Fish

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  5. Odin Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 4:24 am

    The Bali spraying is not for the H1N1 but rather for a nasty case of severe influenza known as Singapore Flu or as it’s sometimes referred to a hand, foot and mouth disease (HMFD).

    Now still it seams to be an overreaction, given that only one person seams to have died from it.

  6. Mark Ashley Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am

    Odin, the spraying may be for HMFD, but all reports I’ve seen refer to H1N1. The blood tests were absolutely aimed at H1N1.

    Also the government has subsequently backtracked on the blood tests:

    Despite the new cases, health officials backtracked on plans announced last week to give all international travelers flying into Bali a mandatory blood test for the swine flu virus upon landing, saying it would be “impossible” to carry out testing at the airport.

    That said, travelers to Indonesia, including Bali, will be asked to wear masks for three days after arrival:

    The presence of the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed in Indonesia only last week and so far four of the eight known cases have been foreigners.

    ‘Visitors from infected countries should wear masks. It’s a precautionary measure we’re taking to avoid human-to-human transmission of the virus,’ Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari told AFP.

    ‘We’ll give them the masks when they arrive at the airports and tell them to wear them for three days.’ But the minister said the government had no intention of enforcing the precaution, which could do serious damage to the country’s stuttering tourism industry.

    ‘There’ll be no penalty if people don’t wear them. You can’t expect people to wear masks when they’re swimming,’ Ms Supari said, adding the masks would be handed out to visitors as soon as possible depending on funding.

  7. Anil Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 10:44 am

    Blood tests??? You’ve got to be kidding, what an overreaction.

  8. Odin Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 3:04 pm

    Thanks Mark for that additional information, that was not what my hotel told me when I asked them.

  9. Ryan Walean Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Regarding on Bali’s public health strategy, seems like unusual to perform a blood test upon arrival. Especially after my favorite Japanese pop singer, Ayumi Hamasaki, just recently went to Bali for some kind of activities related to her upcoming new single in August. (I’m just wondering if Ayu was done blood testing there…)

    That blood testing strategy seems to be ridiculous and offbeat to me…

  10. Andy Says:
    July 2nd, 2009 at 9:20 am

    The pirate cruise is unfortunately satire.

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