He has captained the ship through the most tumultuous, sustained and severe storm in our industry’s history. He has done it with a trademark determination and a remarkable calm. Al Mal Tiempo, Buena Cara – when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Travel
Around the world in 80 (or so) days
Over dinner Lal told me how he would watch the wealthy residents and citizens of Dubai turn up to his workplace in their swanky cars. “I would look at the cars and decide which one I would buy one day,” he said. Not dream about. Decide. And that is precisely what he did.
Read More
Travel
A flying Kiwi once more
This is the closest I’ve got to Hainan since before the pandemic. Where’s my parachute when I need it?
Read More
Travel
Feeling the buzz – and appplying the Max factor
“We were comfortable before as an industry, surfing a good wave… now we aim to be the best at what we know and become great at what we might not yet know.”
Read More
Travel
Baby steps in Hong Kong as Dr. Duty Free’s clinic opens
Don’t punish the airlines for circumstances beyond their control. As long as appropriate documentation was provided and properly checked at the departure airport how can the airline be held to account?
Read More
Travel
The Year of the Caged Tiger
Two legends in their own fields. But not even Novak Djokovic nor Colm McLoughlin could have had any idea of how the next two years would pan out.
Read More
Travel
Ham-fisted UK politicians, high-risk Hong Kong hamsters and (almost) a flying Kiwi
Like a couple of Hong Kong hamsters desperately clutching onto their exercise wheel as the men in hamstermat, sorry hazmat, suits come to take them away, Boris is hanging on like grim death.
Read More
Travel
Only three more sleeps until Christmas
Who would have possibly believed back then that most of the photos of people working in the travel retail community less than two years later would show them in masks?
Read More
Travel
Up the Creek but not without a paddle
Guess who was cast as Captain? Yep. I must have been all of four years old. Man the laugh boats as the movie’s tagline ran.
Read More
Travel
If dogs run free, why not me?
Just like Uncle Chu, this workload sometimes causes me to paws for thought and look up with a sad face for sympathy. That’s what comes from being an old newshound, I suppose.
Read More
Travel
Flying with butterfly wings towards better times
Qatar Duty Free and Hainan have been the two shining lights of our channel during this prolonged period of deep gloom. Both are set to glow even brighter in 2022.
Read More
Lifestyle
In training for the (very modern) Quarantine Pentathlon
The triple jump – What we used to call the hop, step and jump at school is a natural for a finely tuned quarantine athlete such as me. Hop? Why that’s so easy, I could do it on one leg.
Read More
Travel
Passing the time in ‘Kowloon Kuarantine’ with a travel retail exclusive SQAP and A Room with a View
It might not feel like it when you’re sat down bleary-eyed and cold inside a giant repurposed air terminal hoping like heck you haven’t caught COVID but the whole system is hugely impressive.