Superjumbos, ‘raw doggers’ and Alan Joyce: Travel’s winners and losers

China and its new missile train

What’s faster than a speeding bullet train? China’s prototype “floating train” that’s projected to reach speeds of nearly 1000 kilometres per hour, faster than even a commercial airliner. The shortest existing scheduled journey time between Beijing and Shanghai is four and a half hours, but China’s new missile train would reduce the trip to just one hour. The developers behind these new “hyperloop” trains, which are propelled by air as they pass through giant enclosed tubes, are believed to have advanced such technology further than anyone before them, and that includes Elon Musk and Sir Richard Branson.

Premium economy lovers

Airlines are set to become more class-riven than English society. An increasing number of airline passengers are willing to pay for more comfort in the form of premium economy seats with even so-called low-cost carriers seeking their slice of revenue from the in-between class of travel. In the US in August, The Washington Post reported that the “notoriously spartan” Spirit Airlines launched its own version of premium economy, dubbed “Go Comfy”, with extra legroom, a guaranteed empty middle seat, free bags, priority boarding and complimentary food and drink onboard. Despite it all, there’s still no indication that two Middle Eastern carriers, namely Qatar Airways and Etihad, intend to introduce premium economy to their cabins. That’s despite rival Emirates successfully launching its own “in-between” seats.

Cooler cruises

Summer in Europe this year was the warmest on record with the season’s traditional tourist playground, the Mediterranean, feeling the heat in more ways than one. Little wonder then “coolcations”, defined as a holiday in cooler climes and times, should emerge as one of 2024’s hottest emerging travel trends. “Coolcations”, which were showcased in a Traveller story earlier this year, have already been adopted by cruise lines such as Viking, which introduced its “Quiet Season Mediterranean” collection of voyages that operate from the northern winter right through to spring. Such initiatives aren’t going to reduce the effects of climate change, but they will help to spread the burden of tourism in the Mediterranean over a year rather than concentrating it in the summer months.

The cruisers who missed the boat

Losers can be winners, at least if a US magazine exposé on the already controversial cruise industry can be accepted as evidence. Australian and American passengers of a Norwegian cruise ship that left without them earlier this year (after they returned late to the pier after a day ashore) were the subject of a recent sympathetic story in New York magazine. (It’s a pertinent subject which Traveller’s Brian Johnston covered in his extensive cruising etiquette guide earlier this year). Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), and the cruise industry itself, emerged far less favourably than the hapless passengers. A Hollywood dramedy screenplay, with residuals for the stranded passengers who struggled for days to return to the ship during its African voyage, can’t be far away.

Airbus A380 adherents

Although Airbus scrapped production of its revolutionary and much-loved double-decker superjumbo in 2021 after airlines opted for smaller, more fuel-efficient twin-engine jets, the A380 was far from finished and, this year, has been enjoying a remarkable comeback. Despite being parked in airliner desert graveyards during the pandemic (and following a remarkable surge in post-COVID international travel), A380s have been enthusiastically returned to service. Aerosexuals around the globe were collectively aroused when Christian Scherer, head of Airbus’s civil aircraft division, hinted in a report in the German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt that the European aircraft manufacturer may even resume production of the aircraft. Scherer may have had his head in the clouds making such an assertion, but there’s no doubt the A380 is back in a big way.

Alan Joyce’s Qantas comeback

Don’t be surprised if you spot former Qantas boss Alan Joyce aboard his former carrier. Although even less widely appreciated than the measly crackers and dip Qantas passes off as a meal at the back of the bus, it was reported this year that Joyce can claim up to $2 million in free first-class flights under a generous scheme given to former executives. Ah, the pluck of the Irish.

Paris unmatched

Despite a wildly over-ambitious, if occasionally weird, opening ceremony (Papa Smurf, all is most certainly not forgiven) along with a rancid river Seine, Paris somehow delivered an unforgettable and joyous Olympic Games, following it up months later with a triumphant reopening of the city’s magnificently restored Notre Dame.

Santorini hangs out the “no vacancies” sign

Due to the effects of overtourism, the Greek island of Santorini, one of 6000 belonging to the Mediterranean country, announced a ban in 2024 on new constructions, including new hotels and resorts. It also limited tourism facilities to under five per cent of the island. A victory for commonsense (Bali, see below, please take note).

Norway says “go away”

Reverse influencers can’t be far away. In the Nordic equivalent of “don’t come and say g’day”, Norway’s tourism authorities effectively hung out their own “full” sign this year, when they decided to slash their expenditure on promoting the country in order to deter visitors and protect its environment. That’s not too hard when you’re a nation boasting a $US1.75 trillion sovereign wealth fund but more difficult for other, poorer countries that remain desperate for tourism.

Inaugural Traveller Awards recipients

Traveller this year launched its annual awards for travel excellence, as voted by our expert writers and editors from their own firsthand experience. Winners included everything from Tangier’s swish Villa Mabrouka to Singapore legendary hawker’s centres (one of the island’s few bargains).

LOSERS

Raw doggers

Traveller’s weekly columnist Ben Groundwater, like most other people, was completely baffled by a new trend on long-haul flights in 2024 known as “raw-dogging”. As Groundwater explained, raw-dogging, which can be traced to a Seinfeld episode three decades ago, means to go without any entertainment, and in some cases without any food or water for the entire journey. “No books, no phones, no music, no TV, no food, no water, no toilet breaks. All you’re allowed to do is sit there and watch the flight path.” Pointless.

Building-height-limit enthusiasts

What’s the last thing the world really needs right now? High, as it were, on Traveller’s list is yet another “world’s highest skyscraper”. It was reported earlier in 2024 that work was expected to recommence on the future world’s tallest building in Saudi Arabia (yes, those Saudis again). Seven years after work stopped, an agreement was signed to resume construction on the 1000-metre super-skyscraper, Jeddah Tower. We’ve included it in the losers section of this list since recipients of the dubious honour of the title of the world’s tallest skyscraper don’t retain it for long (although a cloud-piercing building one kilometre high may take some topping).

Over-zealous airport huggers

New Zealand’s Dunedin International is no JFK but for a day or two this year it was one of the world’s most noteworthy airports. The Kiwi airport, which services the second-biggest city in the South Island, this year introduced “a three-minute cap on cuddles” for departing passengers and their loved ones, to improve safety and keep traffic flowing at its drop-off zone. A sign further advises,“For fonder farewells please use the car park.”

A flighty charter of rights

Qantas’s prodigiously effective lobbying of the big end of Canberra town continued unchecked when it was revealed in a draft of a new government-backed, much-needed charter of rights for flyers that EU-style passenger compensation for late-departing flights would not be included. Such a measure would lead to an increase in airfares, Qantas successfully argued, with the federal government agreeing to remove any such clause.

Sleepers awake

Europe is fully awake to sleeper trains. So much so that they are booming on the Continent as Europeans eschew air travel. Meanwhile, back in a soporific Australia it was revealed that new train carriages on the Sydney to Melbourne route would not include sleeping compartments. That’s even though sleepers on the service between Australia’s two biggest cities this year have been invariably booked out (and, please, don’t start us on the need for high-speed rail travel Down Under). When will we wake up?

Would-be Qantas Wi-Fi users

Should the urge to check his still-bulbous bank account overcome Alan Joyce mid-flight, on one of those bonus Qantas first-class flights to which he’s entitled (see above), the former CEO may care to reflect on one of his poorer decisions in that role. Qantas, having failed to prioritise in-flight connectivity, already badly lags the rest of the aviation industry with the rollout of seamless Wi-Fi, as well as live TV and video calls. Now, in the dying days of 2024, it was reported Qantas international passengers will have to wait until well into 2025 for full Wi-Fi. Not that you would have read such breaking news on a Qantas overseas service.

Regional air travellers

When Ansett Airlines collapsed in 2002 Australia’s population was 19.5 million; when Rex Airlines failed this year the population was 27.2 million. Yet even with an increase of nearly eight million people this duopolistic wide brown and vacant land, which needs reliable and affordable aviation more than any other, is still unable to support a third airline. Go figure, as the Americans say.

Bris-vague-r-u

Despite being effectively gifted the 2032 Summer Olympics, since no other world city wanted it, and handed a head start of a decade on the planning and construction of facilities, a parsimonious Brisbane spent all of 2024 dithering over a main stadium for the event. The least populous city since Athens to be awarded the event, Brisbane has blown three years of that head start through its inability to commit to build a proper world-class venue that will spare itself and the nation the ignominy of a half-baked Games. Oh well, they’re only going to be following Paris and LA, so no pressure., right?

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto was saved from bombing in the Second World War due to its profound historical significance but tourists are doing their best, or worst, to slowly destroy the city with surging crowds in narrow streets, even in the winter months. Meanwhile, other stunning Japanese cities and regions around the country are eager for their share of the tourist dollar, but visitors are still determined to tick Kyoto off their list. Then again, Traveller’s Brian Johnston wrote a useful guide this year to one of the former capital’s less visited sites by tourists.

America the grate

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International tourists were already turned off the idea of a holiday stateside by the nation’s acceptance of mass shootings almost as a part of life, lax to non-existent gun laws and an increasingly fractious society and politico. Now, even before his presidential swearing-in Donald Trump has sworn to annex the Panama Canal, buy Greenland from the Danes, and make Canada the 51st state. All enough to make the Saudis seem sane. And with the Australian dollar at 62 cents to the greenback, with the potential to slide further, the case, like the falling Aussie itself, for a US holiday is weak at best.

Eat, pray, chop in Bali

In Ubud, Bali, a Russian-backed development, Hidden City, this year led to the destruction of the forest behind the compound that featured in the film Eat Pray Love. Once complete, the “city”, more conspicuous than concealed, will include 100 homes, shops, restaurants, a gym and nightclub. It coincides with warnings from experts that an over-developed Bali will experience a water deficit in 2025 in part due to the demands on the precious resource from hotels and resorts.

Pain for Spain

This country (see winners list) also makes it to the losers list, since being forecast to become the most-visited destination on the planet does have both positives and negatives. Just ask the French.