$23,000 trip in F on A380 SIN-JFK

Old Oct 4, 2014, 2:10 pm
  #121  
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Originally Posted by Guy Betsy
Does anyone remember the days when people dressed up to fly - even in coach? And I think at one time BA would ban anyone from wearing t shirts or shorts whilst flying in the First cabin.
I still dress up whenever I fly internationally, even in coach, and more than half the time in the US.

That said, I don't think the standard I hold myself to applies to anyone else.
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 4:01 pm
  #122  
 
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Originally Posted by Aeran View Post
Thought I'd chime in on this since I know Derek personally (served NS together + alumni from his university).

He's a very nice guy and I don't think he thought the blog would get this much attention. Not that plagiarism is ever warranted, but he isn't a travel 'blogger' and doesn't make any money off of his site or Medium - its just for fun and sharing with friends.

If you look at his site & medium, he only has 8 and 4 posts (respectively) over 8 years, with 2 in the former being about random things like a home-made flamethrower or automating his dorm room. Besides this SQ one, all of his other travel-related posts are about travelling economically for very cheap (e.g. 1 month across Russia for $1,175).

Thus I don't think he is similar to - or trying to be - a luxury travel blogger like the ones most of us at FT keep up on. He blogs rarely, and about things that may interest his friends; plus he has no ads / credit card signups / etc for any form of revenue. It's just for fun.

Again, this isn't an excuse for plagiarism but I think we need to take perspective that he isn't another 'blogger' trying to gain fame and fortune by stealing others' work, nor did he anticipate it spreading so quickly beyond his group of friends and getting so viral.
What a load of crap. He had help spreading the word on this (why else would Casey Neistat and the like be tweeting about it hours after he posted it?) and fully intended for it to get as big as it did. He is currently listed as CEO of a company seeking angel investors. Sure he doesn't have any ads on his blog, but he's simply getting his name out there to generate buzz around whatever project he's working on.

I don't believe he's a nice guy just out to share stuff with his friends. If you truly are personal friends with Derek, call him up and ask him why he never responded to my email letting him know he stole my stuff, and then ask him why he deleted my comments on his Facebook post and blocked me as well as everyone else who said anything negative about his post?

He never apologized for what he tried to get away with and he STILL has two plagiarized sections of my work on his site that I've told him about that he pathetically tried to reword enough to avoid legal action. He also has a few stolen sections of my work that I haven't told him about, should he try to use this for his personal gain sometime in the future.

He knows how to get in touch with me, but I don't expect to hear from this "nice guy looking to share stuff with friends" any time soon with any sort of apology. But I'll bet you everything I have he never imagined a little-known blogger like me would make it this difficult for him.

Andy Luten
Andy's Travel Blog

EDIT: And if he truly stole my jokes and captions just to impress his friends, that's even sadder.

Last edited by bthotugigem05; Oct 4, 2014 at 4:18 pm
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 4:33 pm
  #123  
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Originally Posted by bthotugigem05
What a load of crap. He had help spreading the word on this (why else would Casey Neistat and the like be tweeting about it hours after he posted it?) and fully intended for it to get as big as it did. He is currently listed as CEO of a company seeking angel investors. Sure he doesn't have any ads on his blog, but he's simply getting his name out there to generate buzz around whatever project he's working on.

I don't believe he's a nice guy just out to share stuff with his friends. If you truly are personal friends with Derek, call him up and ask him why he never responded to my email letting him know he stole my stuff, and then ask him why he deleted my comments on his Facebook post and blocked me as well as everyone else who said anything negative about his post?

He never apologized for what he tried to get away with and he STILL has two plagiarized sections of my work on his site that I've told him about that he pathetically tried to reword enough to avoid legal action. He also has a few stolen sections of my work that I haven't told him about, should he try to use this for his personal gain sometime in the future.

He knows how to get in touch with me, but I don't expect to hear from this "nice guy looking to share stuff with friends" any time soon with any sort of apology. But I'll bet you everything I have he never imagined a little-known blogger like me would make it this difficult for him.

Andy Luten
Andy's Travel Blog

EDIT: And if he truly stole my jokes and captions just to impress his friends, that's even sadder.
Sounds like his friend doesnt know him as well as he thought. Realistically, at this point a "nice guy" would have removed the blog. That he hasn't is the ultimate indicator of negative attention seeking.
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 5:09 pm
  #124  
 
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Im trying suites this month. Was inspired with his post.
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Old Oct 5, 2014, 11:24 pm
  #125  
 
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SQ has a bit more class than to milk this, no? Well, kind of touching it with a ten-foot pole: their Facebook post links to an article that praised SQ and slammed Derek at one go https://www.facebook.com/singaporeai...52767139808679 I love SQ's b*tch face

Being an occasional reader of trip reports, I didn't find Derek's post special. Sure enough, quite a bit was lifted. Not special in that some tall bloggers have posted overhead shots before, only not wide angle. And I've been in with a gorillapod and 24mm... Oh well anyone feel sorry for the kid and just interwebs in general? He only flew OW on miles and quoted the RT cash fare, occupied two seats at most, etc.


Originally Posted by joecool1885
Sounds like his friend doesnt know him as well as he thought. Realistically, at this point a "nice guy" would have removed the blog. That he hasn't is the ultimate indicator of negative attention seeking.
+1

Sorry, mate [Andy]. Man if I were his father...

Last edited by orsetto; Oct 6, 2014 at 12:23 am
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Old Oct 7, 2014, 8:22 am
  #126  
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I too would like to criticise Derek for his plagiarism, especially given the fact he's college educated. And for not taking the plagiarised material off once it was pointed out to him.

But I don't take issue with his photos, or the unplagiaried bits. I had a LOL myself over "I’d slept for 6 hours, or $6,000 worth of the flight".

Recently I had the slightly less (but still immense) privilege of flying redeemed CX F from HKG to CDG - I don't intend to TR but you can see my last minute tarmac posts for help about second helping of caviar. I too wondered how I can make the most of my F experience - if I did nothing I'll sleep sitting upright all the way to Europe.

I ended up bottling three cans of Red Bull into eight shampoo bottles purchased from Sa Sa the night before departure. One leaked before I left the office (it was a Friday) so I was left with seven. HKG security cleared all of them after asking what they are, and I downed three on the way there. I still slept five of the twelve hours going there, which I thought was fair since I should road test how is sleeping in CX F like. I woke the missus up in time (yes, I redeemed two, this is a hell of a lot of manufactured AS Watsons spend) to order our snacks and gaze at the lights of Moscow under us.

On the way back CDG security confiscated the remaining four bottles whilst leaving the rest of my LAGs untouched (well, they bagged them). I didn't really need the Red Bull on the return flight anyway.

Derek's TR has been translated into Chinese, in the third person perspective http://www.teepr.com/46077/55%E8%90%...C%89%E7%9A%84/ - the Chinese version reads "hH wakes up 6 hours feeling disappointed, because he slept TWD182,000 worth of flying".

I read through his blog and felt maybe except for the service, SQ's suites beat CX F in every aspect. Especially the food. I asked the missus if we want to do Suites ourselves - with appropriate redemptions of our Amex and Citi points Suites is within our reach. But the missus wasn't terrifically keen (esp since we have to SIN detour) and really neither am I.

Last edited by percysmith; Oct 7, 2014 at 8:52 am
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Old Nov 11, 2014, 12:01 pm
  #127  
 
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Originally Posted by fimo
Well he's been found to have stolen pictures and plagiarised parts of the report. http://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/co...pore_airlines/
Originally Posted by AddictedTraveller
Yup seems as though some of the post is copied - http://mustsharenews.com/blogger-plagiarises-story/
Originally Posted by bthotugigem05
The guy lifted content from three of my posts and one other bloggers. He never acknowledged my emails or tweets and has deleted and blocked anyone who has posted something negative on his facebook posts about this.
.
Wow - First of all, I'm resurrecting this conversation because I just got wind of this TODAY. So more than 6 weeks have passed and this blog post is still up and is still getting attention. http://dereklow.co/what-its-like-to-...-suites-class/ Not a peep about any of the copy being plagiarized. In re-reading it, I now wonder if all those photos are his. He has definitely put a dent in his credibility and to be "DerekLowed" now means to be ripped off. Not a great way to fame and fortune.

Originally Posted by chubbuni13
Firstly, plagiarism is wrong and he should be publicly shamed for that... still, aside from that heinous breach of trust, the fact remains that there are a bunch of haters on this page.
I don't know what the definition of "haters" is - it's such a broad brush with no real meaning. As a writer and speaker, if someone rips off my content or my photos, I go after them. That's not "hating" - that's protection of my business assets and absolutely needs to be done. People with no imagination and no creativity who go around stealing NEED to be in the crosshairs of reddit, and they need to be stopped. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to create copy over and over and over. And when that's your bread and butter and someone like this Low character just sweeps in and rips it off, they deserve all the bad PR they get. Stealing copy from someone's blog is no different than walking into a store and walking off with crystal glassware or gold jewelry. Stealing is stealing.

Originally Posted by Aeran
Thought I'd chime in on this since I know Derek personally (served NS together + alumni from his university).

He's a very nice guy and I don't think he thought the blog would get this much attention. Not that plagiarism is ever warranted, but he isn't a travel 'blogger' and doesn't make any money off of his site or Medium - its just for fun and sharing with friends.

Again, this isn't an excuse for plagiarism but I think we need to take perspective that he isn't another 'blogger' trying to gain fame and fortune by stealing others' work, nor did he anticipate it spreading so quickly beyond his group of friends and getting so viral.
Arean - you sound like a nice guy. I think your buddy has let you down and may not deserve your loyalty. If he were everything you say his site would have a note at the top that says, "My apologies to Andy for lifting some of his words. I was so excited about the trip I guess I got ahead of myself." Or something like that. But there's nothing. Just his smiling face and the lurking questions about whether he actually took this trip or just bought the rights to go on a tour of the Suites and took a bunch of photos while no one was looking.

All I can say is good luck to him. I would hate to be in the crosshairs of the redditors. The internet can be a cruel mistress and those who cross this line can be taken down.

All that being said, cool photos. I'd still opt to use my miles for something better. Their Business class is just fine with me, and miles can be used to share trips with friends and family - which means more to me than temporary luxuries of a suite.

OK - enough of my 2.5˘... sorry for awakening the thread again.
And Andy - LOVE your blog ^
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Old Nov 11, 2014, 4:58 pm
  #128  
 
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Originally Posted by BSpeaker
I'd still opt to use my miles for something better. Their Business class is just fine with me, and miles can be used to share trips with friends and family - which means more to me than temporary luxuries of a suite.
The difference in miles between business class and suites redemption IMO is not much (about 30% more or so) but the experience is vastly different. You won't get that 2nd business class ticket until you skip potential redemption in Suites 3 times.

But agree that one can skip their First Class although personally i still do. I think that First Class is indeed 30% better than their business class and is fairly valued. The Suites, however, is 100% better. It's a completely different thing. And the amount required for 2 Suites tickets with your partner is not much more than 2 Business tickets. And the experience in Suites as a couple is priceless.

But good if more people think like you then we have more space in Suites for the rest of us.
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Old Nov 11, 2014, 8:23 pm
  #129  
 
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Yeah the redemption amount between Business and First/Suites isn't huge as compared to Economy to Business.

I want my mom to try Suites as least once in her lifetime. Unfortunately SQ doesn't fly to IAD so she'll probably have to fly to JFK to connect.

I'm assuming she'll have to go through immigration and check-in again right? She can't just go to the transfer desk to check-in?
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 3:16 am
  #130  
 
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You have to do immigration at port of entry. Not destination.
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 5:13 am
  #131  
 
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Originally Posted by elleana
You have to do immigration at port of entry. Not destination.
Sorry, I'm not sure how domestic flights work. She lives in IAD.

I wonder what happens to her check-in luggage when she flies from IAD-JFK. She goes to pickup her bags and then heads to check-in for the flight at JFK?
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 6:18 am
  #132  
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Originally Posted by lcpteck
Sorry, I'm not sure how domestic flights work. She lives in IAD.

I wonder what happens to her check-in luggage when she flies from IAD-JFK. She goes to pickup her bags and then heads to check-in for the flight at JFK?
Traveling IAD-JFK-SIN on one ticket/PNR, your checked bag(s) go through to the final destination. No need to collect and re-check at JFK. Likely just change terminal.
If traveling on separate PNRs, then it's a different story. Depending on the airline combination(s) and if the same alliance (Star, oneworld etc) or not, then you may well have to claim at JFK and re-check.
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 5:41 pm
  #133  
 
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Which spa in Senator lounge is the bloke in the blog bragging about ?

There are showers sure ...
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 8:30 pm
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Thanks for the info UAPremExecflyer.
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Old Nov 13, 2014, 9:37 pm
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Originally Posted by UAPremExecflyer
Traveling IAD-JFK-SIN on one ticket/PNR, your checked bag(s) go through to the final destination. No need to collect and re-check at JFK. Likely just change terminal.
If traveling on separate PNRs, then it's a different story. Depending on the airline combination(s) and if the same alliance (Star, oneworld etc) or not, then you may well have to claim at JFK and re-check.
Can through check even if travelling on different PNRs, and many times even if travelling with airlines on different Alliances.

At JFK, your mom will have to pick up the bags, clear customs, and then drop the bags off for the next airline.
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