Who are you?
 

I am incredibly excited about the November/December issue of InsideFlyer International. Our proposed cover story will be Frequent Flyer Profiles. I'm eager to get to know you, the international traveller, and learn a bit about who you are, why do you travel, where do you travel and do you have any particular superstitions or know of any followed by other frequent flyers or carriers. Feel free to email me ([email protected]) and fill me in. I'm tired of boring demographics that don't capture the individual.

Perhaps, I should clear this up a bit. By superstitions I mean cultural beliefs . . . a certain Italian carrier does have a row 13, Singaporeans feel safe taking flights with costs summing up to figures with 8s in them. (eg. $1288)

Goodness, let's not get nasty.

[This message has been edited by Melissa at WebFlyer (edited 08-19-1999).]

Just a quick, goofy, suggestion as to how you might get some data quickly. Set up a small cheap (free 30 MG) website with the specific questions you'd like answered and put the link here on FT! This idea wasn't inspired by the recent "best/favorite 3 of" threads, was it?!

The only superstition I follow is to lock my apartment when I leave.

It seem like it would be stupidstition not to!

You should have a question in there that asks, "Do you travel just for the sake of travel?" or "Do you consider the flight as exciting a part of your trip as what happens when you get to your destination?"

I'm curious to see how many people answer "yes," like I would...

Even if it's for business?

I'd answer Jet's question with a YES! In fact, I find the flight more exciting than the destination, particularly on business. I'd often listen and tape air traffic communications on domestic flights since United provides that on one of their sound channels, and I like to follow the progress on the GPS moving map on international flights. Now, don't laugh, but after the trip I try to duplicate the flights on Flight Simulator...

When I first started flying, the flight was part of the adventure. Now the novelty has worn off a little but seeing as I drive a lot as part of my job, it's still nice to be able to get somewhere with someone else in the driving seat and have a drink or two.

Singaporeans do not feel 'safe' travelling on flights with the number 8....this has all got to do with Feng Shui and the belief of luck. This superstition also did not originate in Singapore but rather in Hong Kong.

The number 8 sounds like the word "wealth" in Cantonese. Hence airlines flying to HKG tend to place as many 8's (and no 4's because th number sounds like the word "death"). Cathay Pacific started the trend for taking new immigrants to new lands of opportunities by placing as many 8's in the flight numbers. Check out CX's flights from HKG to YVR,SFO, LAX and NYC. Other airlines followed suit like CP, AC, UA and SQ to name a few.

The Chinese are a superstitious lot. How many pages do I have?

Does the travel have to be international?
There are probably some interesting if not completely weird stories from the domestic crowd out here in the either.

Not exactly a superstition so much as an addiction... When smoking was banned on all domestic flights, a guy I knew would book all his flights through an international destination (Mexico city, most often) so he could light up. Amazing amount of money to spend to satisfy the urge.

It would therefore come as no shock to discover he died of lung cancer at 44.

(Actually, I should say he CLAIMED to do this. I have no actual first-hand knowledge of him doing this, but I will say it wouldn't surprise me!)

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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."


[This message has been edited by Jon Toner (edited 08-19-1999).]

Okay, we'll go international and domestic on superstitions and cultural taboos. As a southerner, I am sure we have some quirks when it comes to flying.

Let's not forget I'm also interested in the personalities and lives of individual frequent flyers for our Frequent Flyer Profiles story. This is a great way to let the airlines know who you are and what you want.

A huge thank you to Celestar340 as he has truly captured the spirit of my inquiry.

[This message has been edited by Melissa at WebFlyer (edited 08-20-1999).]

Did Celestar340 get the first sentence wrong? Singapore folks LIKE flights with 8, no 4, right?? I can vouch for that having sold a house in Silicon Valley where the Chinese are snapping up houses like crazy. I had 2 eights in my address, no 4's. Priced it with 8's. Got lucky myself! Sold to Chinese....

Melissa, are you looking for travelers who travel internationally or travelers who live outside the US? I confess I am confused...

Travellers who live internationally, as they would be familiar with their cultural superstitions. I'm also interested in those that live domestically and travel internationally.