A Very Aviation Christmas: Movies, Soap Heists & Court Victories

0:00 [SPEAKER_00]: It's that time of the year. [SPEAKER_00]: We are officially at Christmas where we're going to watch those movies with our favorite aviation and airport scenes in them [SPEAKER_00]: are running towards the gate and boarding this amazing great big American muscle of an aircraft. [SPEAKER_00]: That's in home alone one.

0:37 [SPEAKER_00]: Home alone two of course also super a her travel focus with him getting on the wrong plane and ended up in New York. [SPEAKER_00]: There's something so satisfying about. [SPEAKER_00]: trying to unwind at this time of the year, but still being able to observe aviation stuff in a Christmas setting.

0:54 [SPEAKER_02]: And you know, actually, what is every movie, every Christmas movie, have an airport part. [SPEAKER_02]: Love actually also has a huge airport component. [SPEAKER_02]: Yep. [SPEAKER_02]: The one, okay, wait, wait, wait, can we just talk about this? [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: As Avgeek.

1:08 [SPEAKER_00]: By the way, by the way, how do we hold on? [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome guys to the episode. [SPEAKER_00]: That's Dan. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm Alex. [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, let's continue. [SPEAKER_02]: you said like it was a series have I seen the movie love actually of course yet iconic Christmas film definitely a stage so you know it's always put it on yeah I know very well yeah yeah good because there is one thing I love that movie but actually there's two things the first thing is when Colin Firth lands in allegedly Portugal or something you find his what's her name [SPEAKER_02]: Well, the thing is, it says Marseille Airport, but then when he shows us in France, we know it's not necessarily, but when he shows up at our earlier family's door,

1:58 [SPEAKER_02]: They speak Portuguese, and everyone in the city speaks Portuguese. [SPEAKER_02]: So that's one thing that's confusing. [SPEAKER_02]: Why is Marseille airport in there? [SPEAKER_02]: And what's the story there? [SPEAKER_02]: The second thing that's even more agitating is after the wonderful Christmas performance at the end of the movie, which warms all our hearts.

2:18 [SPEAKER_02]: Then what's in him, Joanna, is going to the airport to move to New York. [SPEAKER_02]: and the little boy and Liam Neeson think okay we're gonna go to the airport and get her. [SPEAKER_02]: What is the time? [SPEAKER_02]: What time could it possibly be that the performance is in the evening?

2:36 [SPEAKER_02]: And then they're driving to Heathrow, terminal three, to then fly virgin to New York. [SPEAKER_02]: I think the departure time on the gate display, [SPEAKER_02]: Just, it's completely unrealistic, the whole thing frustrates me to know and that they're flying to New York way later than it's actually possible to fly to New York.

2:56 [SPEAKER_00]: See, I don't get frustrated when it's a Christmas film. [SPEAKER_00]: I get frustrated when, you know, all these HBO investing mega in these great dramas and they're showing an A320 on the outside and a 767 on the inside and the flight deck of a [SPEAKER_00]: It is amazing, and it is definitely something to be studied, not by us, but maybe someone else.

3:21 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's do why, what is it about airports and this theme of their travel that pulls on the heart strings? [SPEAKER_00]: It is that emotional thing of isn't it of either coming together or flying away? [SPEAKER_00]: That is a key core element of all these Christmas movies that are iconic. [SPEAKER_00]: home alone to and love actually home alone to of course the key scene where Kevin boards the wrong aircraft home alone one is home to home to his home is home alone one is is babe is what made that famous dash through Chicago her Apple you know the down that corridor where the flags are that always pops up it's some 30 years later now [SPEAKER_00]: You have the holiday, very, very iconic, yeah, yeah, also during Christmas time, and has loads of airport scenes and a travel, very much based on travel where they swap homes, one goes to Surrey in England, to a cottage, and the other one is in...

4:27 [SPEAKER_02]: It's to your favorite place, goes to HLA, yeah, where I'm from. [SPEAKER_00]: And so, it's in, you have airport scenes and all these kind of themes, [SPEAKER_00]: Duh, die hard too, which is set on Christmas Eve, takes place almost completely at the airport. [SPEAKER_00]: It's funny how they really, I'm sure you haven't seen that, have you?

4:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, [SPEAKER_00]: And we like Christmas, and we like air travel.

5:02 [SPEAKER_00]: So it's a nice little sweet spot. [SPEAKER_02]: It is, it's just, and I love that in love, actually. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, that's my favorite Christmas movie. [SPEAKER_02]: If you haven't watched it guys, please do, because the fact that aviation is also the very core of the movie, it's how it starts, and it's how it ends with the arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport, whenever I'm here.

5:22 [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, actually, inspire. [SPEAKER_00]: And do you remember the team's date of the world? [SPEAKER_00]: No, oh, sorry, my fans ringing. [SPEAKER_00]: Sorry about that. [SPEAKER_00]: I thought my team were playing the ad. [SPEAKER_00]: No, no. [SPEAKER_00]: Do you remember the T-Mobile advertisement of welcome home, where they did a flash mob of a choir, and people singing in the arrivals hall at terminal 5?

5:46 [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, it was beautiful. [SPEAKER_00]: It was emotional, and it was very much love actually inspired. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, the arrivals hall is an amazing place. [SPEAKER_02]: it is. [SPEAKER_02]: Don't you wish that I wish that like there would really be training to get airport staff into the holiday mood because can you imagine how nice it would be if everyone just could like try to spread a bit of Christmas to your I mean this should go for passengers to but that would just be right.

6:14 [SPEAKER_00]: It would be a nice vibe but I also feel that you are quite an animated American European right and so you're very much [SPEAKER_00]: like me we would enjoy that. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I feel that that memo was sent a British showers last year. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I'm not sure about this year.

6:32 [SPEAKER_00]: And they ended every announcement when you landed. [SPEAKER_00]: So I remember we flew down December third and on a short flight. [SPEAKER_00]: And when we landed, they said, blah, blah, please take care with your overhead. [SPEAKER_00]: Blonds, we were taxing to the gate to arrive. [SPEAKER_00]: And they said, in on behalf of everyone across [SPEAKER_00]: and all the play reacted the same way.

6:55 [SPEAKER_00]: They were like, Christmas, if they sent the fed, what I need to go, oh, how American it was also. [SPEAKER_00]: And I was like, can't we just enjoy for the first time ever, B.A. [SPEAKER_00]: have told their passengers, Merry Christmas, and the all the women around me, and the guys wanted to talk about out ridiculous, you know, goodness me, and God, was that necessary?

7:17 [SPEAKER_00]: No, there's nothing, oh my God, this is why it doesn't, they're their own worst enemy, you know, this is why it doesn't work. [SPEAKER_02]: This is why we can't have nice things. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: Just love this song. [SPEAKER_00]: I liked it. [SPEAKER_00]: I liked it. [SPEAKER_00]: Even if it was December 3rd which is quite early, it's still December and December is the month for it.

7:31 [SPEAKER_00]: So, I'm not going to say any other time of the year. [SPEAKER_00]: I think it works for me. [SPEAKER_02]: I think I also said this on the podcast before, but because of all the movies set, or I don't know, just something about Heathrow makes it feel like the Christmas airport for me. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the Christmas, but historically, but now it's terrible.

7:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Like you're saying that because you don't go to Heathrow at Christmas. [SPEAKER_00]: It's so bad. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, well, you can update us, but seriously, I mean, that's so lazy. [SPEAKER_00]: It will be January 15th and the Christmas trees, it will still up. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my god, did you see the viral video on social media coming out?

8:05 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: The Christmas tree lighting is an London. [SPEAKER_00]: How pathetic was London's trip to the Christmas tree? [SPEAKER_00]: No, it was a real, that has gone viral. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure it was on TikTok a week ago, because then I'm about, you know, we're behind the screen, aren't we?

8:19 [SPEAKER_00]: It was a real that went viral and it started off in Rockefeller Plaza. [SPEAKER_00]: Is that right? [SPEAKER_00]: You're Rockefeller Center. [SPEAKER_00]: Rockefeller Center. [SPEAKER_00]: And then after that, it moved to, it was like, even rain? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it was something that we were so back to.

8:35 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: And then after Warsaw, it showed like this ridiculous cherry. [SPEAKER_00]: Your father got in London and just, [SPEAKER_00]: embarrassing because why are they unable to just, you know, do something decent, I don't know, I don't know, end up in a vicious cycle of complaints for it, but he, he, he are used to also look, I remember being a kid and traveling around Christmas time and it used to look amazing and even now the evidence of just the cost cutting and the basic and the, you know, and also nothing says, you know, Christmas like one tree that they've put outside the town, which is not even a tree, it's just like a plastic thing lit up.

9:11 [SPEAKER_00]: like plastic spiral lit up of which there are about 15 staff members hadled around its smoking. [SPEAKER_00]: Merry Christmas for me, Therubo. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you know, I also get a lot of Christmas vibes from a Helsinki airport. [SPEAKER_02]: I must say, I guess I'm going to buy from Helsinki airport when we land in August.

9:30 [SPEAKER_02]: It's always Christmas there. [SPEAKER_02]: It really is because they have the whole Lapland theme. [SPEAKER_00]: And the official well on a center, they know? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, they are. [SPEAKER_02]: In partnership with Santa. [SPEAKER_02]: Santa also speaking of him. [SPEAKER_02]: He came early this year with [SPEAKER_02]: a very satisfying story where Lufthansa finally got a little taste of, you know, a little less in a don't, just don't, don't try to be as annoying as you can, because, you know, Lufthansa does something's great, we don't just want to hate on them, but this is a story from, let me see, it's, it's over a week old now, but I'm sure some of you guys read this about

10:14 [SPEAKER_02]: A liftoff's a passenger was flying from Greece to Saudi Arabia via via Germany. [SPEAKER_02]: He was a haunt circle member, which is the highest status. [SPEAKER_02]: You can possibly earn on lifetimes and requires an extraordinary amount of spend and flying. [SPEAKER_02]: It's not a normal status.

10:33 [SPEAKER_02]: It is something that very, very few people have that is extremely difficult to earn and makes him one of the most valuable passengers of this airline. [SPEAKER_02]: So he's flying to him from Saudi Arabia from Greece. [SPEAKER_02]: A family member will come sick in Germany, so he needs to fly from Ried to Düsseldorf instead of returning to Athens, but he's still taking the flight from Ried to Frankfurt.

11:01 [SPEAKER_02]: So on the flight of flight attendant is trying to be nice, ask him about his trip and he mentions what has happened. [SPEAKER_02]: So instead of saying oh, I'm so sorry. [SPEAKER_02]: You have a sick family member. [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you get there safe with no problems. [SPEAKER_02]: This flight attendant, which I will say is not too surprising on this airline things.

11:23 [SPEAKER_02]: Actually, I'm going to report this to the airline because this passenger is breaking our fair rules. [SPEAKER_02]: This is not allowed. [SPEAKER_02]: and we should get him in trouble, even though he's one of our most valuable passengers. [SPEAKER_02]: This is this is messed up. [SPEAKER_02]: Go on.

11:38 [SPEAKER_02]: It is messed up. [SPEAKER_02]: So just to round off the story a week later, the past year receives a letter, official letter from Lufthansa, demanding that he pay the fair difference for the ticket he bought from Athens versus ending the trip in Düsseldorf, which was 414 euros. [SPEAKER_02]: So his ticket was 551 [SPEAKER_02]: But in the end, the ticket that he and the itinerary ended up taking cost 965 euros.

12:06 [SPEAKER_02]: Keep in mind, he still had to pay for the fly from Frankfurt to Düsseldorf, which is separate. [SPEAKER_02]: He was given two weeks to make the payment by Lufthansa. [SPEAKER_02]: So, the passenger in his role as Santa went to court instead to challenge Lufthansa on this. [SPEAKER_02]: And what happened, Alex?

12:25 [SPEAKER_02]: Go on. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, okay, you want me to continue. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_02]: So basically, let me see here, just four days before this court hearing. [SPEAKER_02]: Lifetons suddenly chose to withdraw. [SPEAKER_02]: I wonder what information they uncovered that they made them not want to, you know, meet this case in court.

12:46 [SPEAKER_02]: But still, thankfully, German's federal court of justice ruled on the case and decided that Lufthansa is not allowed to charge people or put them in any trouble for skipping flights ever again, if their flights originate in. [SPEAKER_02]: Let me see, it's Germany and Austria. [SPEAKER_02]: So, it's those countries specifically, but we could argue that this is- I know, because of that's because of the- [SPEAKER_00]: the kind of legislative power that's why it's been able to not because it's only passengers from there.

13:21 [SPEAKER_00]: That's a court thing, not a consumer thing, but this sets a fantastic precedent. [SPEAKER_00]: How is that? [SPEAKER_00]: How is that? [SPEAKER_00]: That is crew members. [SPEAKER_00]: What I couldn't believe when I read this, but here when you say it out loud now, this is why I want you to have the full story.

13:36 [SPEAKER_02]: is just insane how could that have been a priority to me first of all a loyal passenger not only a loyal passenger the most loyal passenger you can imagine if I were the CEO of that airline I would say thank you cabin crew for bringing this to my attention you are fired because you are [SPEAKER_02]: Riding out one of our most valuable customers when I should actually be trying to make that customer happy.

14:01 [SPEAKER_02]: So that's number one. [SPEAKER_02]: Then the fact that over 414 euros for an that's one ticket on an airline that operates thousands of flights a year with you know hundreds of thousands of seats, [SPEAKER_02]: for all lifetimes of flights going forward, and this will also have had Condor and other airlines in Germany and Austria.

14:29 [SPEAKER_02]: Passengers, according to a court ruling, are allowed to skip any flight they want. [SPEAKER_02]: So you can now fully legally in Germany and Austria do what we call hidden city ticketing. [SPEAKER_02]: quote, your circumstances have to change between when you book the ticket and when you're traveling, which no one's going to challenge that, no one's going to be able to prove that, but let's say.

15:00 [SPEAKER_00]: So he starts to change every day. [SPEAKER_00]: I was expecting my friend to come over at one. [SPEAKER_00]: He came at two. [SPEAKER_00]: So he's such a changed. [SPEAKER_02]: And let's say, you know, Lufthansa famously is one of the most greedy airlines in Europe. [SPEAKER_02]: They're fairs to or from Germany, specifically their friends with in Germany are astronomical, so unnecessarily expensive because they control the market.

15:22 [SPEAKER_02]: So now let's say you find a much cheaper business class to get from Oslo, for example, where Lufthansa is very cheap, but you live in Frankfurt. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, okay. [SPEAKER_02]: I'll fly up to Oslo. [SPEAKER_02]: I'll save 2,000 euros on my business class ticket. [SPEAKER_02]: I'll fly down to Frankfurt.

15:36 [SPEAKER_02]: Then I'll fly to Hong Kong. [SPEAKER_02]: Then I'll fly back to Frankfurt. [SPEAKER_02]: But oh, wait. [SPEAKER_02]: My circumstances changed. [SPEAKER_02]: So I'll just stay in Frankfurt and I'll fly to Oslo. [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you very much. [SPEAKER_02]: I just saved 2,000 euros and lifetons that now, because of their pettingness, cannot do anything about it.

15:51 [SPEAKER_00]: To think that this would all have started, because of the petty actions of a few individuals on board. [SPEAKER_00]: is staggering. [SPEAKER_00]: What, I mean, this, if there were ever a tables have turned moment, it was this. [SPEAKER_00]: And the fact that this now sets a precedent for passengers going forward as well, to be able to use this with the knowledge that it is now fine to do something that airlines lot sleep about is hilarious.

16:17 [SPEAKER_00]: This is, I would say, a win for the consumer, but not least, not that we would [SPEAKER_00]: You know, we champion airlines, we want them to be profitable, we want them to have decent revenue and we recognize that the investments benefit passengers in the long run. [SPEAKER_00]: At the same time, lifters a group, you don't need, you know, we've spoken extensively throughout the seasons of how profitable they are, but also the [SPEAKER_00]: basically the fact that they don't do much with it and that benefits the consumer, but other than raise fees, you know, raise the price of fairs on routes that are absolutely not worthy of those kind of figures and to treat [SPEAKER_00]: anyone regardless to that loyalty in this way.

17:00 [SPEAKER_00]: And remember as well, this also took me to another area, which is that you know this idea that everyone is traveling for a holiday and some people begrudge that. [SPEAKER_00]: And it's just the most stupidly simple, pathetic kind of mentality to have that if you're in an airport or you're on board it's because you're going on holiday and it's okay because it means you're going on holiday.

17:21 [SPEAKER_00]: That is simply not the case. [SPEAKER_00]: There were [SPEAKER_00]: two passengers sat in front of me on a roam flight recently and they bought it and they were absolutely no fuss silent. [SPEAKER_00]: They put their bag in the locker above and sat. [SPEAKER_00]: They didn't speak to each other.

17:39 [SPEAKER_00]: They didn't speak to crew. [SPEAKER_00]: One of them was leaning against the window. [SPEAKER_00]: The other one was against the head rest. [SPEAKER_00]: Just really, really, I don't know you picked up a quiet sort of [SPEAKER_00]: when the aircraft landed in Rome, almost taxing, they were both very quietly sobbing.

18:03 [SPEAKER_00]: And it was just, again, that is so sad because, you know, who got only knows the reason for that travel on why they were both in that way and so on. [SPEAKER_00]: But it is an important reminder, I think, a worthy reminder [SPEAKER_00]: air travel is way beyond holidays as you know I'm constantly going on about that people to remember we were of because uh look at look at this individual I mean you know he's travelling with purpose and for a reason and yet the crew are trying to play a game to ffim over for no obvious reason other than it was something that they wanted to do themselves it's just really really really bad remember Dan one time it's security at Heathrow this was just when the pandemic started um she uh

18:51 [SPEAKER_00]: I was going through with the family and the liquids bag was not fully sealed but was like three quarters of the way sealed. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean something's tiny and ridiculous, okay? [SPEAKER_00]: It was closed and I think it popped open slightly to allow air into it as it had rested into the tray to go through security and [SPEAKER_00]: this aggressive security agent shouted.

19:17 [SPEAKER_00]: You need to close the bag that your leg quits her in. [SPEAKER_00]: So I walked back over literally, you know, the sandwich bags with the, yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: Literally just, you know, fastened it with one little motion between mine, two fingers. [SPEAKER_00]: And I said to her, you don't need to shout.

19:36 [SPEAKER_00]: And she said, [SPEAKER_00]: Now, I can do what I want. [SPEAKER_00]: You're right. [SPEAKER_00]: You're going on holiday now. [SPEAKER_00]: One, two, three. [SPEAKER_00]: Excuse me. [SPEAKER_00]: That's it. [SPEAKER_00]: We were not going on holiday. [SPEAKER_00]: I had dish. [SPEAKER_00]: Secondly, the fact that that is on your mind at four o'clock in the morning in a busy harbour port.

19:53 [SPEAKER_00]: I would understand if it was a two-y chart to holiday flight and she was, [SPEAKER_00]: you know, hating the world, but eventually that then, what it has, just ridiculous ridiculous thing. [SPEAKER_00]: So I don't want to dwell too much because they won't have a positive episode, but yeah, it's a worthy reminder.

20:09 [SPEAKER_02]: Exactly. [SPEAKER_02]: So we did get a little Christmas gift here, at least people traveling to or from Germany and Austria got a bit of a Christmas gift. [SPEAKER_02]: So we have a few little fun things. [SPEAKER_02]: We want to spice up this episode, but don't worry. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know, do we?

20:24 [SPEAKER_00]: You tell me you don't want to say this by me and now I'm thinking I'm going to call HR. [SPEAKER_02]: Go on. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, we want to do, you know, a few years back. [SPEAKER_02]: I think in 2023 we did a fun little session of what you rather airline edition, but it was [SPEAKER_02]: Definitely an emphasis on, let's say, lower quality airlines, so you had to choose between two airlines that you wouldn't necessarily want to fly from the start, but this year in an effort to focus on the bright side, we want to do a would you rather good airlines addition or even specific products, so for example, let let me start out here, Alex, would you rather fly, let we need to have like, um,

21:10 [SPEAKER_02]: a route in mind here to help people out. [SPEAKER_02]: So, let's see, you're going from London to Sydney. [SPEAKER_02]: Let's start with this because there are so many airlines we can compare. [SPEAKER_02]: So, okay, would you rather fly Singapore Airlines or Singapore Airlines? [SPEAKER_02]: Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways?

21:35 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll just put, [SPEAKER_00]: I would go for Qatar because although I prefer the chicken sate, Singapore Airlines, I feel that I wrote that long requires Wi-Fi, and therefore Starling would make me net, isn't that interesting? [SPEAKER_00]: Because I see those both airlines at the top of that game, both with incredible [SPEAKER_00]: products.

22:07 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, the diamond demand on Qatar could sway me a bit more there as well, but actually these days it would come down to the fact that I couldn't go to Australia with no Wi-Fi and Singapore Airlines as Wi-Fi's patchy or whatever, you know, it's just not. [SPEAKER_00]: I refuse anything that except Starlink in terms of to acknowledge the existence of one board Wi-Fi.

22:24 [SPEAKER_00]: You either got Starlink or you don't have it. [SPEAKER_00]: Even if you claim to have it, it's not going to work. [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, I think that would be that would be the choice. [SPEAKER_00]: Let me ask you, [SPEAKER_00]: Would you rather spend, and I guess this is just a little more about your personality, really?

22:38 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, this is all these years later, would you rather spend Christmas, okay, in a snowy winter Wonderlandy style huskies outside, house sinkies, style lock cabin with the fire on and your family around you, or would you rather spend Christmas in the more devs having flown, [SPEAKER_00]: something super beautiful first in business class, then a sea plane on transmo devion and over water villa which I know you you spend half the year in anyway and yes I do what would you rather for this this this is an this was aviation but I'll enter travel as well and widening it okay go all right I mean of course for Christmas you have to choose the wintery one [SPEAKER_02]: I can't get into the Christmas spirit if it's sunny and hot.

23:26 [SPEAKER_02]: I don't understand. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, if you grow up in Australia or the southern hemisphere, fine. [SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_00]: That. [SPEAKER_02]: There you go. [SPEAKER_02]: No, I would choose Finland or even Sweden 100% of the time for Christmas specifically. [SPEAKER_02]: What about you?

23:42 [SPEAKER_00]: I think. [SPEAKER_00]: Christmas in the lock coming up in on Christmas day and then boxing down out of there. [SPEAKER_00]: Right to the moldy. [SPEAKER_00]: Would you rather have unlimited lounge access for a year? [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: Or unlimited. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm just thinking unlimited lounge access for a year.

24:09 [SPEAKER_02]: Or instead. [SPEAKER_00]: to any lounge you want, except the airline first class ones. [SPEAKER_00]: There we go. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, God sucks. [SPEAKER_00]: OK. Or would you rather have unlimited everything out? [SPEAKER_00]: And that's why I took a big pause. [SPEAKER_00]: There's everything else perc, meaning unlimited limitations, priority, unlimited luggage allowance, unlimited seat reservations, unlimited all those and delivery extra bits.

24:35 [SPEAKER_02]: So we're thinking like when you're booking a business class ticket and it says you're ticket includes this and this and this and this, you would basically be, and are we saying that [SPEAKER_02]: If I chose Lounge Access, I would not get any of the other things, and if I chose it. [SPEAKER_00]: So you have to put Lounge to this economy.

24:54 [SPEAKER_00]: So you have to go. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, you know that even to start with, I'm becoming more and more anti-Lounge. [SPEAKER_02]: I rarely care about the lounge. [SPEAKER_02]: So 100% I would choose more luggage, free seat selection. [SPEAKER_02]: I really, there's very few lounges I care about.

25:11 [SPEAKER_02]: One, wait, one little rant I want to have. [SPEAKER_02]: Can we talk about the fact that there's this like narrative in the frequent fire community about how getting like a free massage or facial like a 15 minute free massage is something that makes an airline lounge amazing because of course I appreciate it but when you think about the people who are flying for a class the people I know who pay for first class.

25:36 [SPEAKER_02]: They couldn't care less if they get a free, you know, at back massage worth 20 dollars. [SPEAKER_02]: They're paying like $10,000 for their ticket. [SPEAKER_02]: You think that's going to sway that? [SPEAKER_00]: It's insane that so many airline teams still think, forget the massage things for a minute.

25:54 [SPEAKER_00]: But you know, these like tacky little extras that they think are going to sway the premium travel. [SPEAKER_00]: If that passenger has just paid X amount, they are not interested. [SPEAKER_00]: The main thing, [SPEAKER_00]: People forgot the most valuable thing is truly time in that scenario.

26:11 [SPEAKER_00]: No one voluntarily wants to be at the airport two or three hours before. [SPEAKER_02]: And so to get us three, 15 minute massage that you can get if you wait four hours on the wait list. [SPEAKER_00]: Who cares? [SPEAKER_00]: Or instead, you know, that passenger will arrive to that destination.

26:24 [SPEAKER_00]: Check into the Wardle for Storier. [SPEAKER_00]: and get a 90-minute massage that will be a problem on in the spot on the hotel and not in the lounge where two B was just in there as well and it was like a 15-minute quick thing tapping that face that's it, you know? [SPEAKER_00]: So I do remember being 15 years old and being in the six senses co-branded Etihad lounge that he threw a terminal for where?

26:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Do you remember that time? [SPEAKER_00]: I never flew at Etihad in the last school. [SPEAKER_00]: They, uh, a lady was coming around and it was before the morning fly and she was begging passengers. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, but it would be really good. [SPEAKER_00]: I would just do it back in my surgery or a face mess.

27:06 [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, you're slidding there. [SPEAKER_00]: Just 15 minutes. [SPEAKER_00]: So she was, while you're sitting there and everyone's saying no, no, no. [SPEAKER_00]: It was like, no, I don't want that. [SPEAKER_00]: I, I, I, I will. [SPEAKER_00]: I'll do that when I feel like it or when I want it and blah, blah, blah, or I'll go, I'll make it known to walk around and try to upsell it despite it being free.

27:23 [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, you know, [SPEAKER_02]: Fair enough, she wants to something to do because I drop, but yeah, that's really one thing, but like the air-frenciler premier lounge, which everyone raves about to know end, and a lot of people will say it's the best first house lounge in the world.

27:38 [SPEAKER_02]: When I flew the premiere, my most moan, the flight I moan the most about last year, I get to the lounge and I tell them, yeah, I'm interested in the facial, because you got a 30-minute facial, and they go, oh, you didn't pre-book? [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my god, no, I did him pre-book. [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, let's see if we can get it for you.

27:55 [SPEAKER_02]: Keep in mind, I had a five hour layover and he's like probably might not be possible. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm like, are you kidding? [SPEAKER_02]: I scheduled this long layover, specifically to try everything and the world's most expensive first cost and you're telling me I need to pre-book this random face to home.

28:12 [SPEAKER_00]: It's insane. [SPEAKER_00]: That always makes me laugh when you got your iPods and they ask you, is it for takeaway? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, yes, yes, of course it's for takers. [SPEAKER_02]: You don't even have tables at this right now. [SPEAKER_00]: My definition, all of us here are takers away.

28:26 [SPEAKER_00]: Even if I'm going to sit briefly, there's only so long I can sit, because we are all leaving all of us. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: It's funny. [SPEAKER_00]: It's like the quarks of a travel and an apple. [SPEAKER_00]: Would we ask you this? [SPEAKER_02]: Go on. [SPEAKER_02]: I think we've done something similar, but would you rather [SPEAKER_02]: Take, oh, we've definitely done this.

28:49 [SPEAKER_02]: Take a overnight flight in the best seat. [SPEAKER_02]: And Airlines best business class seat. [SPEAKER_02]: Let's say or a daytime flight in their worst business class seat. [SPEAKER_02]: Let's say it's like a really short, like a six hour overnight flight or a six hour daytime flight.

29:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, overnight flight in the best seat, of course, so that then I could sleep well. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to find it in your six hour flight and then you're a bit messed up the next day. [SPEAKER_00]: No, because you are messed up when you arrive first thing in the morning and then for me, I don't know about you, but for me, it gets me.

29:25 [SPEAKER_00]: It creeps up on me really suddenly in the afternoon. [SPEAKER_00]: So you know those overnights where you leave, let's say like you leave New York at 11, let's say. [SPEAKER_00]: And then you land it Heathrow in seven in the morning. [SPEAKER_00]: The, at 7.30 a.m. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm fine.

29:40 [SPEAKER_00]: I feel well, rest-dead. [SPEAKER_00]: My whoop says I slept very well. [SPEAKER_00]: You've got the oral ring ring. [SPEAKER_00]: I've got the whoop, but I've had the whoop for quite a few years. [SPEAKER_00]: You've had the oral ring for five minutes. [SPEAKER_00]: And there's also a fire that risks there.

29:51 [SPEAKER_00]: Dan, I just heard that he's mad on the last two seconds. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't tell you anyway. [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, there is this one whoop. [SPEAKER_02]: What? [SPEAKER_02]: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, [SPEAKER_00]: So let's say so 7am, land 7.30m fine, ATM, I'm like, I slept really well.

30:15 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, you know, who's up for some morning emails and breakfast, right? [SPEAKER_00]: And then like, you know, 9, 10, at 11, I'm like, the first yorn happens at 11, right? [SPEAKER_00]: Then like 1102, I'm like, [SPEAKER_00]: Oh god, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good,

30:55 [SPEAKER_00]: that I will gently lean to one side, my eyes will close and then I'll wake up, confused, I'll think I'm, to over again and in school, I'm like, you know, that ultimate delirious state. [SPEAKER_00]: I just have to push through. [SPEAKER_00]: The days are short as it is. [SPEAKER_00]: I never want the days, you know, I never, I always want more hours in the day.

31:16 [SPEAKER_00]: And yet on those days, the landing days after the overnights, including when you have the best seat that the airline has on offer. [SPEAKER_00]: it's 5 p.m. and I'm like, please be 7. [SPEAKER_00]: So that's how I go to bed. [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, I'll just take that overnight. [SPEAKER_02]: You would still take it.

31:33 [SPEAKER_00]: I would still take the overnight. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, it's okay. [SPEAKER_02]: That's the only thing that can make me choose the overnight. [SPEAKER_02]: If it is, if it was, let's say, [SPEAKER_02]: a flight where you had the option of flying a narrow body without lifeline seats or an aircraft with lifeline seats.

31:50 [SPEAKER_02]: That would make me choose the overnight but otherwise no way. [SPEAKER_02]: I would always choose the worst seat. [SPEAKER_00]: This ties in with what your plans are, well being well for the new year and of course we wish you the best with that and I realize me saying this now sounds [SPEAKER_00]: and Oscar are going to move, and you're going to announce where you're moving to soon, but this is not the longest.

32:21 [SPEAKER_00]: No, not just drawn out saga, ever, but nobody, even remotely, you know, some people do care. [SPEAKER_00]: But still, God, you guys have milk this, but anyway, I mean, it's hard to decide it really is hard. [SPEAKER_02]: We still go back and forth, although we're a nearing a decision. [SPEAKER_02]: So, [SPEAKER_00]: so indecisive and you've made indecisive a brand and you do reels about it and TikToks and anyway anyway I can't skewer you because we have to be nice in this episode but would you rather for the rest of your life live in the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere answer that and then I have the follow-up question [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my god, are you trying to get a hint as to where we're moving?

33:04 [SPEAKER_02]: I was about to answer that, but if I if I disregard where we're moving, I would have to say the Northern Hemisphere, although the Southern Hemisphere has some of my favorite places in the world, there's just more places in the Northern Hemisphere. [SPEAKER_00]: It's just more places. [SPEAKER_00]: That's how funny.

33:22 [SPEAKER_00]: I can't ask me recently, like a family member. [SPEAKER_00]: Just don't family member. [SPEAKER_00]: She said to me, um, if everything's on this side of the earth, what's on the other side? [SPEAKER_00]: Like what do you mean the other side? [SPEAKER_00]: And I go for example from America to Australia.

33:37 [SPEAKER_00]: What's on that side? [SPEAKER_00]: I was like He's went so big [SPEAKER_00]: What I said, yeah, there's just all on this side. [SPEAKER_00]: Everything's on this side and love the curiosity. [SPEAKER_00]: She's curious about the way that's so cool also also for a kid to be able to comprehend the other way.

34:01 [SPEAKER_00]: So for example, America to Australia knowing that [SPEAKER_00]: Typically, a Western kid like her is going to think from left to right and a 2D map that, you know, they've got in that geography class, I admired the, you know, respect for the fact that the earth is as fear. [SPEAKER_00]: God, that comes up a lot on this podcast, doesn't it?

34:20 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, being where the fact that the earth is in fact round. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's true. [SPEAKER_00]: That's true. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, my quick story about my little nephew, not quite enough you, but he's like my nephew. [SPEAKER_02]: He was we face time to him and he was he was asking us, have you he's two and a half and he also said, have you ever been to Australia?

34:41 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: He said, yes, how, first of all, however, how do you know about Australia, we're thinking, he lives in Sweden. [SPEAKER_02]: He goes, so I've you seen Koala bears, yes, we have. [SPEAKER_02]: And then we go, you know, your mom has lived in Australia and he looks over at his mom, my cousin.

34:58 [SPEAKER_02]: And he just shakes his head and he goes, he continues the conversation with us. [SPEAKER_02]: He's like, no, no, she hasn't, that's not possible. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, kids don't think that. [SPEAKER_02]: the adult's lived before they were born, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Exactly, here's a bit of a tough one in my opinion.

35:17 [SPEAKER_02]: Would you rather assuming that every flight was operated by the A380 and the A380 is gonna be around forever? [SPEAKER_02]: Would you rather, would you rather only ever fly the A380 again? [SPEAKER_02]: Or never fly the A380 again, but be able to fly every other aircraft type. [SPEAKER_00]: Mm-hmm.

35:42 [SPEAKER_00]: You have to choose. [SPEAKER_00]: I think I'd rather fly only the a-throw ticket, forever. [SPEAKER_02]: I love the horse falling sun glad you said that. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah, it's special. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on. [SPEAKER_00]: It's like the other's a great but that's special. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I would do that.

35:55 [SPEAKER_02]: Especially if you say. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean the same, especially if airlines keep refreshing cabins and stuff, then there's no reason not to fly it. [SPEAKER_00]: It's just exactly so lovely. [SPEAKER_00]: I was thinking back to this year and some of the highlights, specifically not just with the podcast, but also things that we've done, definitely one of the highlights of the year for me was our Asia trip.

36:19 [SPEAKER_00]: I mean the trip where we went to Seoul for the big unveiling of the rebrand of Korean air, the first in several decades, [SPEAKER_00]: and the fun that we had running around South Korea and then North Korea, but we weren't talking about that on the podcast. [SPEAKER_00]: And then after kidding, kidding.

36:35 [SPEAKER_00]: And then after that, we flew on Singapore's 787-10 to Singapore. [SPEAKER_00]: and that was also fun and we watched that movie of Trump when he was a kid. [SPEAKER_00]: We had good food and we had the crew warning us about how that was going to be in our mail service and it was the smoothest flight of our life.

36:57 [SPEAKER_00]: But that trip was hilarious. [SPEAKER_00]: We had great company. [SPEAKER_00]: We had Nikki Kelvin was there in Seoul, Sam Chewy. [SPEAKER_00]: We had [SPEAKER_00]: friends who are local there, Jensen, Jansu, which you guys might know from YouTube as well. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he's great, he's great, really fun and also did a lot of introductions for us and also just the fun of running around.

37:25 [SPEAKER_00]: that, and the buckets, the mountains of caviar, that was, that was a funny trick. [SPEAKER_02]: There was so much caviar, didn't know what to do. [SPEAKER_00]: We like it, yeah, but it was, you know, that was comical itself, how much caviar there was, is ridiculous. [SPEAKER_00]: But also the crazy taxi drivers, is what made me think of this the other day, because that, I mean, you know, [SPEAKER_00]: some of those journeys were just, you know, thank God we're okay, but also the comedy of us taking a dream of what we were doing with his phone.

38:07 [SPEAKER_00]: With the driver. [SPEAKER_00]: With the driver's phone, we were making photos from behind of what he was typing because he was a grossly typing while driving and we were like telling him [SPEAKER_00]: can you get off of your phone please can you stop being on your phone on this eight-lay motorway can you stop texting please and we are playing it and Google translate but that wasn't the funny part of the funny part was when we started taking photos of his screen and translating what he was saying who he was texting and he was texting a passenger who was like [SPEAKER_00]: I've been waiting 50 minutes where are you and he's like I'm almost there.

38:43 [SPEAKER_00]: He was in the mirror. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and we were 40 minutes away from the airport and he's promising the guy that he's just coming up the ramp now. [SPEAKER_00]: What's a nightmare? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that was crazy. [SPEAKER_02]: So here's a just inspired by that. [SPEAKER_02]: Another would you rather, would you rather live?

39:01 [SPEAKER_02]: Like, live in a city where the airport is an hour out of the city, but it's like the best airport in the world or a city where the airport is very close to the center. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm trying to think, where that's the case in a massive, [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's kind of squeezed in between everything and Dubai, for example, for now.

39:22 [SPEAKER_02]: Would you rather live where you're 15 minutes from an airport that sucks, but you're close, or an hour drive from an airport that's amazing? [SPEAKER_00]: An hour, because I don't think an hour is unreasonable. [SPEAKER_00]: Do you not believe that I feel like the globe was standard is that when you get in a car from the airport and you're heading to your hotel, [SPEAKER_00]: The global standard is when you open Google Maps is between 40 to 60 minutes.

39:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Anything more than 60 minutes, I'm always like, hello, what? [SPEAKER_02]: We need to talk to Paris. [SPEAKER_02]: There's like two hours at some time. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, but that's because of traffic. [SPEAKER_00]: That's not really good distance. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm talking about distance.

40:00 [SPEAKER_00]: I know that if we're going to arrive into Paris, [SPEAKER_00]: After 430 p.m., it's going to be good luck and it's just have to embrace that and make sure you go to the bathroom before. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, then you should honestly take the train. [SPEAKER_02]: I, in situations like that, you have to lean toward taking the train.

40:15 [SPEAKER_02]: In my opinion, even if you have a lot of luggage and whatever, but I, I think for me, you know, this is something that goes into and where else can I consider it to live because [SPEAKER_02]: living close to an airport not having to worry about it taking two hours if there's an accident on the road and traffic is super bad.

40:35 [SPEAKER_02]: You know, I like in theory thinking I could get if there's something happens and I need to get out on the road right here and walk, I can do that and still somehow get to the airport. [SPEAKER_02]: That's true. [SPEAKER_02]: I love that. [SPEAKER_02]: Versus knowing that you're so far away if anything happens, you're screwed.

40:53 [SPEAKER_02]: It's just, I'd rather be in a, you know, older, less comfortable glamorous airport. [SPEAKER_02]: As long as, you know, it's not like you were saying about Lisbon, that the lines are two hours long. [SPEAKER_02]: That's a deal breaker, but just design-wise and feature-wise. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'll go for old and ugly over new but far away.

41:15 [SPEAKER_00]: Just a quick thought as you were talking. [SPEAKER_00]: Have you ever flown on Christmas Day? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, because in Sweden, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve. [SPEAKER_02]: Christmas Eve, so often, celebrate flew on Christmas Day as a kid. [SPEAKER_00]: And there are so many that do and I always wonder that people have asked me for if, you know, for example, a, let's say a holiday airline.

41:37 [SPEAKER_00]: So a leisure airline like, like, I don't know, jet two, let's say, or two. [SPEAKER_00]: should they wear their staff members all based in the UK and they're all, you know, they're flying on holiday routes that you can fly on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. [SPEAKER_00]: Should they wind down the operation on December 25th for their staff members to be able to be with their loved ones or spend Christmas to however they want to spend it?

42:01 [SPEAKER_00]: Or do you think that air travel just owes it to the world to keep going? [SPEAKER_00]: And because, for example, I sometimes think that, you know, I feel sorry for the crew that are [SPEAKER_00]: roster to fly from London to, let's say, for example, to Paris, okay, on one of the many sectors on Christmas Day where the flights are really, really empty, okay, especially 11 AM, London's price, and it's, and although airlines do reduce their schedules to reflect that we can [SPEAKER_00]: Should there be a more conscious effort to say, maybe you don't need flight until 5 p.m. on Christmas Day, on routes like, for example, London and Paris, where it's so well served.

42:43 [SPEAKER_00]: It's so easy. [SPEAKER_00]: You can even do the drive if you want. [SPEAKER_00]: What do you think? [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I mean, both Lufthansa and SES, as he has very largely cuts back their schedule on the 24th and 25th. [SPEAKER_02]: So it's still very common up where my family is from, and maybe not so much another part of Europe, but I think it's tough because if there is demand, I think ultimately the airlines will fly.

43:09 [SPEAKER_02]: I guess the thing is that there's just not that much demand, so they decide to cut down. [SPEAKER_02]: Don't you think? [SPEAKER_00]: in the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of not cutting down, but in the spirit of giving, okay. [SPEAKER_00]: I would like to know if I can expect a much-awaited Christmas present from your side this year.

43:31 [SPEAKER_00]: It is something that you asked me about a few weeks ago and I did say to you to do your best and there is context here, which is one of the highlights of the year, which is the Asia trip, and so I'm just wondering, [SPEAKER_00]: if you'd be so kind as to give me an update on the status of second.

43:46 [SPEAKER_02]: It is the said gift, the item that one of us was frantically pumping into a water bottle before we were checking out. [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, that sounds shocking. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen to what you just said. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen to how you just said that. [SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah, one of us was a way to a clock in the morning, [SPEAKER_00]: My room was next to your room, but one of us were standing at 2am.

44:18 [SPEAKER_00]: with an empty water bottle, and a by-redued designer soap, aggressively pumping the soap into the water. [SPEAKER_02]: The soap was mounted on the wall. [SPEAKER_00]: The soap was mounted on the wall. [SPEAKER_00]: Yep, so you can take it. [SPEAKER_00]: So you're aggressively... One of us was aggressively emptying it into the water bottle to take to one of our...

44:43 [SPEAKER_00]: respective homes and one of us, one of us homes. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: because this hotel had the beautiful Barri-do soap, which is a freak. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Bouder freak. [SPEAKER_00]: What a scent. [SPEAKER_00]: One of my favorite ones is you. [SPEAKER_00]: Why do you pronounce it like, stuff freak?

45:06 [SPEAKER_02]: It is D-A, it's D-A, it's D-A, it's D-A space F-R-E-A-K, that's. [SPEAKER_02]: No, no, no, it's D-A-R-E-K, okay. [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, that one. [SPEAKER_00]: Right? [SPEAKER_00]: So that soap is delicious. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't mean to consume it, you know, the smell. [SPEAKER_00]: Right?

45:24 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: It might taste good as well. [SPEAKER_00]: And so the hotel has it in the shower as a body wash and the bathroom problem line as the hands soap. [SPEAKER_00]: And you set this awful precedent where you told me that this soap [SPEAKER_02]: somehow available for purchase in New York for a tenor of a ten dollars to all right well that's you told me twelve so you tell me this based on and did you buy at that time so the hotel sold it we I think we bought like maybe five bottles because my mom was with us she wanted some sea we got five bottles for like sixty dollars of okay soap that should be a hundred dollars per [SPEAKER_02]: It probably is, probably is, but the context here is that every intercont, oh god, now I'm really out of here.

46:19 [SPEAKER_02]: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no [SPEAKER_02]: We want to buy soap, you know, it's a good gift, for example.

46:39 [SPEAKER_02]: But no other hotels sell it. [SPEAKER_02]: So it's always a no. [SPEAKER_02]: And that included this hotel that we were staying at on our Egypt trip. [SPEAKER_02]: We asked them do you sell this? [SPEAKER_02]: And they said no. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I didn't ask you said it. [SPEAKER_00]: I picked up the phone when they did that.

46:53 [SPEAKER_00]: Nice call because what was it? [SPEAKER_00]: What was I associated with because of your status? [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah, because I booked you the room and I'm diamond. [SPEAKER_02]: So they called you to think. [SPEAKER_00]: So they said I would do so diamond on that trip. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and they were saying hello Mr. Macherous as you'll have had it blow to you for time and remember and I was like, mm-hmm.

47:08 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, they said we're just wondering how your stay is going. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, it must stay is going great. [SPEAKER_00]: It's really nice, blah, blah, blah. [SPEAKER_00]: But one thing that would be great is I would like to just get a few bottles of that soap please for purchase. [SPEAKER_00]: I understand it's re-telling at 12 US dollars despite it being in the stores for $150.

47:24 [SPEAKER_00]: So she was like, let me see and come back to you because she said it's really important as a diamond member, you know, we take your request. [SPEAKER_00]: No, it really was like that she was really going above and beyond. [SPEAKER_00]: She said, you know, and the fact that you've had this request I'm going to [SPEAKER_00]: I would really appreciate that.

47:43 [SPEAKER_00]: You know, that's why I stay at this brand of hotels to be honest. [SPEAKER_00]: It's all because of this wonderful service I said. [SPEAKER_00]: And I wouldn't stand you for us. [SPEAKER_00]: And this is no way to be like, this is how the call went. [SPEAKER_00]: No, I was cracking up. [SPEAKER_00]: So then she was like, I'm gonna come back to you, blah, blah, blah.

47:55 [SPEAKER_00]: She said, do you want me to call 501 or 502? [SPEAKER_00]: No, I was 501, here's 501, here's 501. [SPEAKER_00]: I was like, no, no. [SPEAKER_00]: Cool 501. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm handling it. [SPEAKER_00]: I'll be here. [SPEAKER_00]: You just let me know because I thought the last thing I want is them telling me that they've got three bottles left and he swiped it, right?

48:09 [SPEAKER_00]: I made the call. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm having it. [SPEAKER_00]: So so they said, um, okay, we'll come back to you. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: Go on. [SPEAKER_00]: You continue the rest. [SPEAKER_02]: So low and behold, they get back to you and you tell me that this hotel doesn't sell the soap.

48:23 [SPEAKER_02]: What do you mean? [SPEAKER_00]: You told me I could buy it, but I can't get it. [SPEAKER_00]: if they have an official store online where you can order things like the bath mat which is a hundred dollars on the official store and and it's not on there. [SPEAKER_02]: So little did Sharon know.

48:44 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, my name was not Sharon. [SPEAKER_00]: I know it. [SPEAKER_00]: Don't make her now someone from you know from the west. [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, go on. [SPEAKER_02]: Just Sharon is actually a [SPEAKER_02]: Um, so lo and behold, Alex can, oh, the person who wanted the soap could not get me soap.

49:06 [SPEAKER_02]: So, so first, I needed to resort to acquiring your other youths. [SPEAKER_00]: You did your own cool. [SPEAKER_00]: Right. [SPEAKER_00]: Cool. [SPEAKER_00]: They told me the same thing. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, because you desperately wanted it, right? [SPEAKER_00]: So because you desperately wanted it, then basically the lovely team, and they were so nice going above and beyond, had told us, [SPEAKER_00]: the night that we were checking out, no, there's nothing they can do in public blood.

49:30 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, now we're standing there staring at the soap in the bathroom. [SPEAKER_00]: Right? [SPEAKER_00]: It's let it just looking at us, right? [SPEAKER_00]: It's massive. [SPEAKER_02]: Many full bottles of it. [SPEAKER_00]: Full bottles. [SPEAKER_00]: And that is, it's hoisted up to the wall that you can't get it out.

49:45 [SPEAKER_00]: Not that we would because then it would be charged. [SPEAKER_00]: Dan's credit card so it wasn't the worst thing for me because he did the booking anyway. [SPEAKER_00]: So I was thinking, do I put his diamond membership on the threat? [SPEAKER_00]: No, I don't want to do that. [SPEAKER_00]: I need him for the podcast.

49:57 [SPEAKER_00]: He does add value to it and blah blah blah. [SPEAKER_00]: So, we come back from Universal Studios, which is where I think we spent that day. [SPEAKER_00]: Or maybe that was the day out, maybe it was the last day where we saw your friends April later. [SPEAKER_02]: You are really narrowing down the options everywhere that's what I'm talking about.

50:16 [SPEAKER_00]: Oh my God, anyway, so, so then it's really late at night and we're leaving really early in the morning. [SPEAKER_00]: One of us knocks on one of our doors and he's on the second or third bottle pumping and pumping and pumping this This is why we do so into an empty water bottle, remember the third one and continuing to do it and then move things to the shower and doing it It's I think I've ever seen before on the shot when I walked I mean [SPEAKER_02]: We enter the bathroom and it's like a crime scene.

50:54 [SPEAKER_02]: And we go Mary Alice. [SPEAKER_02]: So what did you do? [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, the fact that the the long story we show in the end is that The beautiful baridubo to freak soap did make it out of that hotel Without anyone being hurt with the containers still their hoisted up on the wall [SPEAKER_00]: just in other means we did transport several bottles of gross continents because Dan had said I wouldn't have cared if you didn't mentally get me ready for for a much great beautiful soap I'll be buying and then giving us gifts and blah blah blah he ruined it so I said get pumping [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I mean.

51:36 [SPEAKER_00]: Or you. [SPEAKER_00]: That was so. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: So anyway. [SPEAKER_00]: So now. [SPEAKER_02]: Your Christmas gift question. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: So. [SPEAKER_02]: As someone who is just in New York. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes. [SPEAKER_02]: Did I manage to acquire soap on some black market?

51:58 [SPEAKER_02]: to give you an official manner. [SPEAKER_02]: And the answer is, you'll find out next time you see me in person. [SPEAKER_00]: I'll come on, it's Christmas, come on. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'll come on Christmas with a photo. [SPEAKER_02]: Either it will be an empty photo of a table, or it will be a table with soap on it.

52:20 [SPEAKER_02]: But I'll give you a hint. [SPEAKER_02]: When I told the dear diamond ambassador, [SPEAKER_02]: check in lady who is my favorite person in New York that I wanted to buy 20 bottles of by Rita. [SPEAKER_02]: She looked at me and in a very New York way said, yeah, I don't think that's going to happen.

52:43 [SPEAKER_02]: God bless you. [SPEAKER_02]: We had to reduce our consumption a little bit, but there might be something for you. [SPEAKER_00]: what message I receive from Dan from Christmas Day and then we'll regroup all being one of the new year and I'll either be furious with him or I'll all my hands will be just smelling amazing one of the other so let's see Dan have a very merry christmas merry christmas [SPEAKER_02]: to all the listeners have a great festive period, and wishing you all the best.