You know those flight memory maps that people often include in their signatures? You know, the ones that people brag about where they have flown in the world. So, I've been clicking on some of these links randomly and I noticed a weird trend.
There are a lot of maps I've seen lately that have hundreds of routes/links (expected for a flyertalker) between US and Europe, but that's it. Okay, maybe there's the occasional trips to down under, but no trips at all whatsoever to Asia or Africa.
So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
sbm12
Jun 18, 09, 12:07 pm
The flights are generally much shorter so it is easier to get to Europe on a quick trip. And there are lots of folks who don't like leaving their comfort zone.
And the assumption that FTers are of the means to travel anywhere is an interesting one.
brendog
Jun 18, 09, 12:38 pm
Another point to cosdier is that many, more than likely a vast majority of FTers are either North American or European. Considering the amount of business between North American and European companies, many FTers cross the smaller pond quite frequently.
In my situation, my company mainly does business in N. America, Europe, and Australia, so nearly 100% of my international flights are to LHR, BNE, or SYD. 99% of my flying is for business (Maybe 10 or 15 personal flights per year, and I've never paid for one...), as I have very little interest in boarding a plane otherwise.
sipes23
Jun 18, 09, 1:03 pm
So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
Actually, no I don't have the resources to travel all over the world. For the most part, the company pays for where I fly. That means the United States.
Now, as for leisure travel. My wife has a comfort zone, and that zone doesn't include even "tame" places. Since my time away from work is limited and the wife doesn't like me leaving her alone little girl for long periods, that puts a big limit on where I go.
May this change in the future? I suspect so, but for now that's how it is.
I am working on My Flight Memory. Being 49 it's hard to remember much of my earlier flights, but I'm hoping to get it up soon.
Once up it will show flights to RIA, JNB (x2) and MTS. (All work related)
CMK10
Jun 18, 09, 4:40 pm
I've done three trips to Africa in my life but they were between 1999 and 2001 so I don't have records for them. I only entered information on my Flight Memory for travel taken after 2002 as those are the flights I have exact details for. It's a shame too because my map is missing:
Another point to cosdier is that many, more than likely a vast majority of FTers are either North American or European. Considering the amount of business between North American and European companies, many FTers cross the smaller pond quite frequently.
In my situation, my company mainly does business in N. America, Europe, and Australia, so nearly 100% of my international flights are to LHR, BNE, or SYD. 99% of my flying is for business (Maybe 10 or 15 personal flights per year, and I've never paid for one...), as I have very little interest in boarding a plane otherwise.
I've always enjoyed travel, but I feel sorry for someone who flies over 1000 flights per year or roughly the equivalent of 3 times per day. ;)
Kiwi Flyer
Jun 18, 09, 5:53 pm
I've done three trips to Africa in my life but they were between 1999 and 2001 so I don't have records for them. I only entered information on my Flight Memory for travel taken after 2002 as those are the flights I have exact details for. It's a shame too because my map is missing:
You can input with just the year if you don't have exact dates.
brendog
Jun 18, 09, 6:50 pm
I've always enjoyed travel, but I feel sorry for someone who flies over 1000 flights per year or roughly the equivalent of 3 times per day. ;)
Meh, I count every DL flight out of JFK to be 4x due to the trauma of the Van Wyck and the air train... :rolleyes:
Upon further calculations, let's make that 93% biz...
B747-437B
Jun 18, 09, 7:11 pm
Okay, maybe there's the occasional trips to down under, but no trips at all whatsoever to Asia or Africa. So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
I think I've got decent coverage to, from and within West Africa including a handful of rather unique routes (Lome to London, Keflavik to Accra, Freetown to Bridgetown, etc...) that only a handful of folks can claim to have flown!
Above map is only from 2000 onwards. Pre-2000 is too much work to dig up but maybe I'll sit down with old passports one of these years...
Renard
Jun 18, 09, 8:28 pm
You know those flight memory maps that people often include in their signatures? You know, the ones that people brag about where they have flown in the world. So, I've been clicking on some of these links randomly and I noticed a weird trend.
There are a lot of maps I've seen lately that have hundreds of routes/links (expected for a flyertalker) between US and Europe, but that's it. Okay, maybe there's the occasional trips to down under, but no trips at all whatsoever to Asia or Africa.
So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
Wow...this one looks familiar :eek:
Schutzee
Jun 18, 09, 10:02 pm
I wanted to post my map but I can't figure out how. http://my.flightmemory.com/SCHUTZEE It sure takes a lot of time to enter all the data. I didn't bother with multiple trips on the same routes.
cStyle
Jun 18, 09, 10:10 pm
I have had three trips to Asia and one to South America, but no Africa yet. I guess I only meet 1/2 the OP's stereotype :)
Kiwi Flyer
Jun 18, 09, 10:28 pm
I wanted to post my map but I can't figure out how. http://my.flightmemory.com/SCHUTZEE It sure takes a lot of time to enter all the data. I didn't bother with multiple trips on the same routes.
Not nearly as impressive as some, but respectable for a kid my age I think (21).
http://maps.flightmemory.com/welt/welt600801245383482.png
http://maps.flightmemory.com/inland/us600801245383482.png
Thanks, but that creates a link. How did the OP get the actual map to appear in his post?
CMK10
Jun 19, 09, 5:57 pm
This thread strikes me as a microcosm of Flyertalk as a whole. A person starts out asking "why aren't there more flights into Africa?" and it turns into a nice stick measuring competition of "here's my Flight Memory...not bad eh?" I guess I'm guilty too though.
jackal
Jun 19, 09, 9:12 pm
Thanks, but that creates a link. How did the OP get the actual map to appear in his post?
FlyerTalk now has an "insert image" function. In the editor, there's a little button at the top, four from the left in the main editor and two from the left in the mini editor, that has a picture of two mountains against a yellow sky. Click that and then paste the image URL in the box. Your image will be bracketed by IMG tags, like so (without the spaces before and after the brackets, which I had to insert to prevent it from actually displaying the image):
This has nothing to do with the flight memory website but I thought I'd toss it up anyways since folks might be interested. This is a animation showing extrapolated (great circle) flight paths for scheduled flights during a typical night in July 2008. Indeed, there are *many* different routes!
Folks, I've deleted the animated image above, and a post quoting it. Flyertalk rules permit embedding only non-animated images.
Regards,
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz moderator
gengar
Jun 21, 09, 9:47 am
So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
I probably all into the category you're describing. I've traveled extensively within the US and North America and East Asia, and have taken a few trips to Europe and Australia. I've never traveled to South America, Africa, or even Southeast Asia. In fact, I've never flown in the area of the world east of FRA and west of HKG.
I'd say it comes down to interest. I don't have a compelling reason (yet) to go to Southeast Asia or to South America or to Africa. To illustrate this, Africa might change next summer if I decide to go to the World Cup. I guess I'm just not the random traveler type like some of my friends are (a friend took advantage of DEQM to go to South America and Russia this year); I suppose I need a more compelling reason.
I've done three trips to Africa in my life but they were between 1999 and 2001 so I don't have records for them. I only entered information on my Flight Memory for travel taken after 2002 as those are the flights I have exact details for. It's a shame too because my map is missing:
Yeah, I'm the same way - I only put flights on there that I have the exact information for. I used to put up everything I could remember, but I took everything I don't have exact details for - ironically, the reason is that I received my M+ Purge and found many of my recollections were totally faulty. :)
I kinda feel sorry for those folks who travel halfway across the world just to attend a meeting and never get out past their hotel restaurant.
jackal
Jun 21, 09, 7:05 pm
This has nothing to do with the flight memory website but I thought I'd toss it up anyways since folks might be interested. This is a animation showing extrapolated (great circle) flight paths for scheduled flights during a typical night in July 2008. Indeed, there are *many* different routes!
That was a cool image--can you post a link to it so we can access it again? Or gleff, if you have access to the edit history, can you re-edit his post to change it from an embedded image to a hyperlink?
decibel08
Jun 21, 09, 11:13 pm
i used flightmemory for a while until i found out about openflights.org
what is the draw to stay with flightmemory? just wondering
josmon10
Jun 30, 09, 10:23 am
So, that begs the question, why? Obvisouly, flyertalkers have the resources to travel all over the world. Okay, I understand that flights to Africa can be expensive at times, but Asia? Hmmmmm.
In my case, apart from a few leasure trips to both continents, most of my intercontinental flights have been for work. My previous job was very focused on the Far East, and my current one takes me to other places, such as South America, Northern Africa or the Middle East.
Personally, I much prefer Asia to Africa. And before last year, I had only been to Tunisia once, although I live less that 2 hours away from several African airports. I should be visiting Algeria and Senegal in the coming months, hopefully that'll make me appreciate the continent more.
Dilemma
Jun 30, 09, 10:36 am
Take a peek at mine... No trips to Europe. Yet.
roadtripman
Jul 2, 09, 10:16 pm
Here's my flights so far, inspired by this thread. Not bad for 26 (at least I'd like to think so?). Been to more of Africa, the Arctic, & Brazil - but by road/ferry, so they didn't make the map.
I dont really post the dates of my trips nor do I post multiple flights on the same sector...it makes it easier to create a route map if you just enter the city pairs. But, it just depends what kind of record you want to keep. I wish there were a way to have intra-Europe, intra-US, and world appear all at once. Anyone know how?
http://maps.flightmemory.com/welt/welt375571246727772.png