Black Eyed Peas singer and rapperwill.i.am (actual name, William Adams) showed up about 45 minutes before an international flight andcomplained to his 12.5 million followers on Twitterthat United Airlines bounced him from his seat on a New York to China flight.
I have my issues with the airlines, but the days are long gone when you could arrive 45 minutes before an international flight. Today, you need at least an hour and a half to check in, go through security (almost always involving delays) and walk forever to get to the airline gate. I once arrived an hour before a flight to Korea and almost didn’t make it.
I can only assume thatwill.i.amis not a seasoned international traveler.
Last month, I flew nonstop New York to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific Airlines, considered to be the #1 airline in the world. The flight was 16 hours, but the time went by quickly in business class that included flat beds, big TV, lots of choices in movies, music and games, as well as first-class food and beverages. It was expensive but worth every penny, having flown for the past 40 years.
Of course, I showed up two hours early and therefore wasn’t frantic about making the flight.
Bon voyage!
In case you missed it, I encourage you to read my e-letter column from last week aboutDerek Jeter, Steve Forbes and me gaining a valuable lesson. I also invite you to comment in the space provided below.
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