What is it really like to travel and fly out of Dubai during this moment? Join me on a 16-hour transpolar journey ...from Dubai to San Francisco in Emirates First Class on the Airbus A380.
I begin my trip inside the Emirates First Class Lounge at Dubai Airport, where the food selection is incredible. Taking the airside train to Concourse A, I was surprised to see more travelers returning than expected, although the airport was still quieter than usual.
Today’s Emirates flight to San Francisco was operated by the A380, with Economy Class around 50% full, while Business and First Class were nearly full. Emirates First Class has been featured many times, yet somehow, it never gets old. The original suite debuted over 20 years ago on the Airbus A340-500, and the product has continued to evolve with larger screens, updated interiors, and refined finishes.
Because of current regional airspace restrictions, our route to San Francisco took a major detour, adding nearly an extra hour of flying time. Instead of flying through the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian airspace, we headed east over the Gulf of Oman, Pakistan, and Central Asia before entering Russian airspace and crossing over the North Pole.
The scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking — endless snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, and untouched wilderness. The entire 16-hour flight is during the daytime. The sun didn’t go down for one second.
And of course, the Emirates First Class experience itself was exceptional: unlimited caviar, smoked trout, sea bass, vintage 2011 Château Lafite, and the famous onboard shower spa before landing in San Francisco.
During the flight, I also shared the latest scenes from Dubai, including the atmosphere in hotels, malls, and tourist areas, along with my thoughts on when tourism may recover and a different perception of the conflict.
This report is based on my personal travel experience on April 27. The UAE has since announced the full resumption of air traffic operations.
Aviation has always been about bringing people together — and hopefully, the skies ahead will remain peaceful and open. Thanks for watching!Show More
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Inside Lufthansa Technik: The Last A340-600 Heavy Maintenance Check
The era is coming to a close. Lufthansa will retire Airbus A340-600 ...
The era is coming to a close. Lufthansa will retire Airbus A340-600 after the summer schedule — marking the end of a remarkable chapter in long-haul aviation.
In this exclusive behind-the-scenes ...documentary, I take you inside the final base maintenance check of Lufthansa’s A340-600 at Lufthansa Technik in Manila, Philippines — where over 3,200 engineers and technicians work across 8 massive maintenance bays capable of handling aircraft up to the A380.
This is a rare look at what it takes to keep a long-haul aircraft flying — and how it is prepared for its final return to service.
What you’ll see in this video:
* Full cabin walk during C1 maintenance check, including crew rest & lower deck toilet areas
* Inside the E/E bay beneath the cockpit — the aircraft’s electronic nerve center
* Hydraulic system testing (Green, Blue & Yellow systems) from the cockpit
* Up-close access inside the Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engine nacelle
* Landing gear inspection, fault discovery, and structural repair
* Landing gear swing test before the aircraft comes off the jacks
* Engine run procedure with all four engines operating
After 44 days in base maintenance, the aircraft is finally cleared to return to the skies.
But this video is more than just about the aircraft. It is a tribute —not only to the A340-600…but to the people who kept it flying. To the engineers, technicians, and teams behind the scenes — thank you for your skill, your dedication, and your commitment to safety.
Footage: Lufthansa Technik Philippines 18:44-22:16Show More
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Step inside Africa’s largest airline. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes access with Ethiopian Airlines, I go beyond the passenger experience to uncover what ...really happens inside an Airbus A350-1000 operation.
The journey begins at the Ethiopian Airlines crew terminal, where pilots and cabin crew prepare for the flight ahead — from briefings and planning to the coordination that keeps everything running smoothly. I then joined the crew onboard A350-1000 operating a flight to Lagos, Nigeria.
From ground operations to cockpit and cabin preparation, this is a rare look behind one of Africa’s most advanced long-haul operations. This is not just a flight — it’s the story behind it.Show More
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What really happens between flights? Follow an aircraft turnaround coordinator in Hong Kong and step into the time-critical operation.
Starting from the ground ...handler (SATS HK) office, coordinator Vinkie picks up her next assignment. A Hong Kong Airlines A330 is arriving shortly from Bali — and within 90 minutes, it must be ready to depart again for the Maldives.
I follow her to the gate and onto the jet bridge, preparing for the aircraft’s arrival. The moment the A330 comes to a stop on chocks, the clock starts ticking. Ground teams move in instantly — communication cables connected, ground power and water hooked up, and the passenger boarding bridge aligned. As passengers begin to disembark, engineers are already at work, carrying out critical walk-around inspections of the engines, tyres, and wings.
I met Ben, a line maintenance engineer, and followed his routine as he checked the aircraft’s technical log, inspected the cabin and cockpit, and resolved any defects to ensure the aircraft was safe for its next journey.
Ground service duties can generally be separated into 2 categories: Above the wing: teams manage passengers, boarding, cockpit, and cabin preparation. Below the wing: baggage is unloaded and reloaded, cargo is handled, the aircraft is serviced, and refueling is performed.
Behind every on-time departure is a carefully orchestrated effort involving engineers, ramp agents, cleaners, caterers, and operations staff — all working seamlessly under pressure. It’s a fast-paced environment where precision, teamwork, and timing are everything.Show More
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Inside Hong Kong’s Smart Airport: The $18 Billion Upgrade
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Join me for this rare behind-the-scenes look at how technology, automation, and world-class operations keep one of the world’s busiest airports running 24/7.
In 2025, Hong Kong International Airport handled 61 ...million passengers, nearly 395,000 aircraft movements across three runways, and more than 5 million tonnes of cargo, making it the world’s busiest cargo airport. But the real story isn’t just in the numbers.
Behind the scenes, an extraordinary operation keeps everything moving with precision. In this video, I was given rare access inside the Integrated Airport Centre (IAC) — the command center where every aircraft movement is monitored and critical decisions are made in real time.
My host, Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations, takes us deep inside the operations center to explain how the airport functions on a daily basis. From how gates are assigned to arriving flights, to how the airport manages severe weather during typhoons, and how automation and smart systems are transforming airport monitoring.
Steven also shares an overview of the airport’s Three-Runway System, which is now fully operational, and discusses future developments, including the new Terminal 2 and the upcoming T2 Concourse. The entire three-runway system, Terminal 2, and T2 concourse cost more than $18 Billion.
Next, I head to the Midfield Concourse. Here, over 100 autonomous tractors and buses are moving people, luggage and cargo inside the airport.
Another interesting area is biometric travel. At many checkpoints in HKIA — including security, immigration, and boarding gates — passengers no longer need to present a passport, ID, or boarding pass. Your face becomes your passport and your boarding pass.
Image and footage: Wikimedia Commons, HKIA, SuperflankerShow More
New vlog is out! In this behind-the-scenes documentary, I take you inside the final base maintenance check of Lufthansa’s A340-600 at Lufthansa Technik in the Philippines. Lufthansa will retire the A340-600 after this summer.