I have no clue what size luggage fits on a plane now. As we know the discount airlines are like vultures looking for ways to charge fees. Basically on Ryanair, anything bigger than a toothbrush case will cost an extra 30 euros. This should be interesting.
More images from the Baltic Hansa City Straslund and the its old city.
I have not visited an aquarium in years. Stralsund has a marvellous sea museum dedicated to sea life over three floors. The curved building opened in July 2008 on the city’s waterfront.
The Ozeoneum is opened from 9 to 8. Expect long lines dues to Social Distancing rules.
A local staycation delayed over the past few months finally happened. A travel to North Germany in June, not exactly the warmest summer destination, but well worth it. I was not familiar with Stralsund. A medieval Hansa League Baltic port city in Mecklenberg Vorpommern 280 km from Berlin.
Having no expectations on my first visit, the surprise was genuine. A UNESCO World Heritage City, Stralsund, founded in 1234, offers a lot. Large churches, architecture, expressive color palette facades and cobblestone streets worthy of a few days of exploration.
Stay Tuned for Part 2. I have a lot of pictures to share.
Bauhaus Building Dessau
Stay tuned for the story on my visit to Dessau Germany to see this iconic building.
My second feature on the “NEW NORMAL” in Berlin. Normally bustling plazas and streets, now eerie silence. At Easter the city is usually teeming with tourists. This season all resembles a set from the television series “Black Mirror”. While riding around on my bike taking pictures, I could only shake my head.
In part 2 of our interview with Alitalia Customer Care Head we learned the airline’s definitions of hospitality and customer care.
Do you think people are tiring of being treated like non-customers on airlines?
Alitalia is transforming its guest travel experience embodying a concept of Italian hospitality, thanks to a combination of new service enhancements and an accelerated programme of cultural and operational change at every level within the airline. To date, over 8,000 Alitalia cabin crew and front line airport teams have completed Customer Excellence training workshops dedicated to service excellence, image, style, and in-flight dining service inspired by the world’s best restaurants. On the ground and in the air, Alitalia is empowering its customer-facing staff, placing them at the heart of this transformation process and the response from our guests is extremely positive
What is the definition of hospitable to you?
Hospitality for us is a warm welcome with attention to details which makes our guests from all over the world feel as they were in a typical Italian home. We aim to become the best airline in Europe, and to achieve this we must ensure excellent hospitality and service for our passengers before, during and after their flights. Our new airport lounges “Casa Alitalia” perfectly reflect our idea of hospitality: an environment that combines emotion with efficiency.
In the age of discount airlines why choose Alitalia to fly to Rome or Milan?
Alitalia represents the best Italy has to offer. Our guests will feel a sense of Italy upon boarding the airline’s newly designed planes, equipped with exclusive ‘Made in Italy’ amenities, products and services for customers. Business Class passengers can relax in luxurious Italian-brand Poltrona Frau Leather seats that recline fully to a comfortable flatbed position and enjoy award-winning onboard dining featuring the best of Italian regional food and wine. Alitalia’s new ‘dine anytime’ meal service allows customers to decide when they prefer to eat on board. All classes of travel – business, premium economy and economy – feature newly renovated cabins. We are showing our customers that Alitalia stands for great service and our product and punctuality have changed to best-in-class.
As for the connection opportunities, from Alitalia’s hub at Rome Alitalia passengers can connect to 24 cities in Italy and 53 cities in the rest of the world, including Europe, Middle East, the Americas, Cuba, Far East and North Africa.
Furthermore, the flights departing from Rome and from Milan allow our passengers to reach not only the United Arab Emirates, but continue, thanks to our partner Etihad Airways’ extensive global connections, to many destinations in the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Asia and Australia
Is it true you sent a newlywed couple a bottle of Champagne because of lost luggage?
Yes, it is. Recently we’ve made a surprise to two guests in honeymoon by delivering them a gift at their arrival in Naples, as a special care to improve their experience. Their response was extremely positive.
Where do you like to travel to relax?
New York is my favorite city in the world as there is just so much choice and you can never get bored from great hotels, culinary delights, theatre, shopping but most of all just walking around exploring. Living in Italy now for 18 months, my second favorite is “Italy”: it has everything to offer and choice from great locations in the South on the Mediterranean but especially the mountains of Tuscany and Umbria whereby the silence is just perfect, the fresh air, the calming surroundings and its lake getting back to basics by experiencing the olive harvest, the truffle hunting, the exquisite vineyards. The peace and quiet for me is a luxury.
For Alitalia Destinations go to:www.alitalia.com
I traveled to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways for the Formula 1 Auto race. From the moment I got the plane I knew this was going to be an experience of a lifetime.
Getting was half the fun. Exceptional Service is an integral part of the Etihad precinct. I was greeted by a friendly smile boarding the plane that directed to my Business Class Seat. The smile was special but for all travelers. Business Class on Etihad’s A330’s use subtle colors with upholstered and leather fabrics. The interior is based on relaxing complete with a starry ceiling.
I was situated in the middle aisle with plenty of leg room. The stewardess offered a glass of Champagne up my seating, PERFECT! After a smooth take off towards Abu Dhabi I was served a complete 3 course meal. My remaining time on the flight was spent watching a feature film from the inflight selection, then a brief nap before breakfast.
Landing at the bustling Abu Dhabi International Airport I was impressed by the construction cranes for the new terminal. After going through passport control I enjoyed a fresh orange juice in the premium class lounge quipped with a shower, barber and other services.
Formula 1 Abu Dhabi is a world famous event with the top racing teams competing for the trophy. Thrilling, exciting, adrenaline pumping are words I would use to describe the race. There is no better place to have watch Formula 1 than the YAS Marina, a playground for the well to do viewing the race from their Yachts with endless streams of music flowing and Champagne refills. It was all on the over the top fun side whether it was dancing girls or DJ battles competing to see who would out do the other.
Congratulations to Nico Rosberg from Team Mercedes for winning the Formula 1 Cup.
For more information on traveling with Etihad go to:www.etihad.com
Black and Paper covers Formula 1 from Abu Dhabi for 2016. We are using the Hasselblad X1D camera to capture all the images.
A top of the line camera with so many features. It is an amazing device so I cannot wait to use it.
Part 1 of the Black and Paper Feature
The Glamorous spirit of Italy is being recaptured by Alitalia. The flagship carriers renaissance begins with the style and chic looks of new crew uniforms.
Why the new uniforms after so many years?
Renovating a company must include the renewal of its image. And what is more distinctive for an airline than its uniform? This is especially true for Alitalia, which globally represents Italy, something that throughout the world is synonymous with style and timeless elegance.
Our aim was to create a new look of our people which would capture the spirit of Alitalia today as it continues on its journey of renewal and growth. Our new stylish collection of uniforms emulates the beauty of Italy and represents Italian excellence around the world. We want our customers to experience the best of Italy in everything that we do, and there is no better way of highlighting our desire than with new uniforms.
Who is the designer of the new looks?
The new Alitalia Collection was created by Italian haute couturier designer Ettore Bilotta. All of his creation matches the best of Italian tailoring tradition and the luxury textiles highlighting the purely formal linearity characterizing its design. He studied at IED in Rome. He started his career in high-fashion with Radiosa, a bridal fashion house then moved to fashion house Lella Curiel. In the mid-1990s he collaborated with the iconic Italian label Lancetti. After this he worked he designed Etihad Airways in 2003.
Alitalia’s brief to the designer was to create a new style which would be timeless and enduring, by using classic Italian elements combined with everyday practicality for both male and female Alitalia team. Bilotta used red to symbolize Italian passion, and green to represent the best of Italy, its countryside, and the richness of its culture and history. The female cabin crew uniforms are a burgundy that slowly changes to a lighter red. This effect was achieved by using a chevron print design. For the female ground crew, a charcoal grey gradually changing to green was also realized using the same print design. This design process is utilized on each garment, including a white blouse featuring tapering chevron print columns in red for cabin crew and green for ground crew.
All female crew members receive three options: a one piece dress, a two piece jacket and skirt and a trouser option, including shirt and cardigan. As for the accessories, they receive high or low heel shoes, overcoat, foulard, winter scarf, belt, stockings, handbag, hat, gloves, make up kits and bag with buttons.
All male crew members receive a collection composed by jacket, shirt, tie, waistcoat (for male cabin crew and male airport lounges team) or pullover (for male ground team), pochette, trousers, belt, gloves, handbag, shoes, overcoat, winter scarf, bags with buttons and make up kits for male.
Why the La Dolce Vita references of Chic?
The collection takes inspiration from the glamorous Golden Days of Italian fashion in the 1950s and 1960s – when women always were very elegant, wearing beautiful hats and gloves – and Italy’s rich heritage, culture and national identity. To represent the essence of Italy in the new collection, the designer studied Italian architecture, monuments, and everyday lifestyles but elected to draw inspiration from the country’s landscapes, eventually focusing on the terraces of Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. These terraces were the inspiration for the hat design.
The new uniform also celebrates the people of Alitalia, their professionalism, style and passion for the airline.
Even the accessories are unusual and distinctive. The bags of the female uniforms are elegant and refined. For cabin crew are in wood green, and for ground staff are in burgundy such as all the leather accessories. The shoes worn by the personnel are handmade in the historic workshops of the Marche. The gloves that accompany the new Alitalia uniforms come from the heart of Naples, famous throughout the world for its tradition of leather craftsmanship.
For accessory lovers, tell us about the new crew bags and other details.
The bags for the male uniform and other accessories are more formal, from the shoes to the waistcoats, cardigans, scarves and overcoat that showcase the typical Italian male elegance. The design on the pouchette and on the ties are perfectly balance the uniform using modern Italian contemporary and classic design elements to create items which are in vogue.
Both the foulards of the female uniform and the ties for male are made from the finest silk selected from the best supplier in Como.
Part 2 of this article will be on line soon.
By Breck Graham