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fintan.bsky.social
Fintan HS
@fintan.bsky.social
99 followers 37 following 45 posts
Freelance travel and aviation journalist. All views my own unless otherwise attributed
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Fintan HS
runwaygirl.com
LEVEL’s premium lie-flat gives space to rest, not much else

runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/11/leve...

A #nosetotail trip report by @fintan.bsky.social #paxex #avgeek
LEVEL A330 parked and ready to board Premium Economy cabin on the LEVEL A330 features business class-style lie-flat seats Overhead view of PE on LEVEL A330, as based on Collins Super Diamond Very basic pasta dish served as a vegetarian option on LEVEL A330 PE
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Fintan HS
thatjohn.bsky.social
Read THE AIRPORT, my children's book for ages 5-8, because little Melinda having two dads makes the US Supreme Court SUPER mad!

neonsquidbooks.com/books/the-ai...
Two pages of a children's book about the airport. One character's story begins "Melinda and her dads".
June 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Fintan HS
theupfront.media
For your weekend reading, some proper longform aviation journalism.

Over 15,000 words on the biggest topics, plus a roundup of the biggest things on our radar.

Only on The Up Front.
theupfront.media The Up Front @theupfront.media · May 30
Exclusively for our subscribers, it's The Up Front Update!

From Eurowings’ new business class to ANA‘s Safran reveal, American‘s Ascent and Lufthansa’s Munich first lounge — plus what’s on our radar across the industry, and what we're reading:

theupfront.media/the-up-front... #PaxEx #avgeek
Screenshot of article header image: The Up Front Update 1: what you need to know this week. On right, main image: Rendering: two grey recliner seats on a burgundy background with an aircraft window, and The Up Front's logo over the top. On left: [lock icon] Subscribers By John Walton / May 30, 2025 / 9 min read
May 31, 2025 at 7:37 AM
fintan.bsky.social
My first FlixBus trip was quite something.
A picture of a FlixBus coach with a caption explaining that it was faster and cheaper than the train, but the driver was using his phone while driving recklessly.
May 31, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Reposted by Fintan HS
thatjohn.bsky.social
I couldn't be more excited to bring you my newest exciting challenge: The Up Front.

Creating, designing and building the site — and over 15,000 words of content at launch — with @garius.bsky.social has been nothing short of incredible.

Join us for a fresh new approach to aviation journalism.
theupfront.media The Up Front @theupfront.media · May 26
Hello and welcome to The Up Front — in-depth, independent aviation journalism on the topics that matter for the people who live and breathe the passenger experience in aviation: airlines, passengers, designers, manufacturers, and the supply chain and ecosystem that surround it all.

theupfront.media
The Up Front
In-depth independent aviation journalism for the digital age
theupfront.media
May 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
fintan.bsky.social
Days like this remind me how lucky I am to be spending a year in Bruges. The Gothic Dreamland.
The Bruges Belfort obscured by mist.
January 17, 2025 at 8:32 AM
fintan.bsky.social
Happy end of 2024! May your festivities be warming and revivifying.
December 31, 2024 at 10:53 PM
fintan.bsky.social
Always odd getting a train from Stratford international. A station that has never seen a #eurostar stop but sees regular commuter trains that reach 140mph (225kph). A modernist wonder for #highspeed futures that never arrived.
December 27, 2024 at 6:38 PM
fintan.bsky.social
The Poseidon Adventure: the Christmas tree is not only front and centre, it is their only escape.
Scene from the Poseidon Adventure featuring an upturned room with Christmas tree hanging from ceiling.
December 24, 2024 at 5:21 PM
fintan.bsky.social
A truly remarkable experience, but what was also surprising was the train terminated in Lyon. A totally French service by the Italian state operator. Hopefully they can bring their trains to Brussels some day!
runwaygirl.com Runway Girl @runwaygirl.com · Dec 22
Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa Executive proves delightfully decadent

runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/12/tren...

A #nosetotail trip report by @fintan.bsky.social

#rail #paxex
Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa high-speed train in bright red livery at Paris' Gare de Lyon station. A steep step onto the train. Yellow lights around the entryway create a welcoming atmosphere. The 1-1 configured Executive cabin with large, wide recliners and lots of legroom. A fairly extensive menu of various Italian dishes for this a two-hour journey between Paris and Lyon.
December 22, 2024 at 8:36 PM
fintan.bsky.social
Thoroughly impressed by the station at Liege- inspiring and bold architecture for Belgian railways.
December 14, 2024 at 4:00 PM
fintan.bsky.social
The Utopia livery was the best airline livery ever, and that is coming from someone who wears pan am branded clothes on a daily basis.
thatjohn.bsky.social John Walton @thatjohn.bsky.social · Dec 8
If you look at the noses, you can tell that this is a photoshop removing the BA Utopia “world tails”, whose pattern names are listed under the first class windows.

I stand by the idea that the Utopia U-turn was when we entered the bad timeline.
December 9, 2024 at 7:38 AM
fintan.bsky.social
As much as I don’t love Iberia’s interiors, their XLR cabins are sleeker and more elegant; a welcome evolution.
runwaygirl.com Runway Girl @runwaygirl.com · Nov 13
Hands-on with Iberia’s A321XLR business class seat runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/11/hand... @fintan.bsky.social explores in Madrid #paxex #avgeek
Cabin-wide shot of business class with swooping shrouds around the suites. Multiple side tables plus a look at the footwell of the seat. Overhead view of the business class seat in grey, with a wood effect side table. Iberia A321XLR parked in front of the hangar with crew in front of it, smiling alongside block letters in red saying A321XLR.
November 13, 2024 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Fintan HS
runwaygirl.com
KLM digital customer service largely shines even as partner fumbles runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/11/klm-... Trip report by @fintan.bsky.social
KLM digital customer service largely shines even as partner fumbles
KLM has invested heavily in developing a digital, app-based customer service product that emphasizes consumer choice and rapid responses.
runwaygirlnetwork.com
November 8, 2024 at 11:35 PM
fintan.bsky.social
How I arrived at Bluesky
November 11, 2024 at 2:26 PM
fintan.bsky.social
As much as I love a nice first class meal, the TGV Duplex interior proves that the hard product is the essential element.
runwaygirl.com Runway Girl @runwaygirl.com · Nov 11
Trip Report: How TGV Duplex sets the pace for first class train travel runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/11/tgv-... by @fintan.bsky.social
Side view of first class seat onboard TGV Duplex. This window seat is covered in grey fabric with red stripes and features a headrest.
November 11, 2024 at 2:24 PM
fintan.bsky.social
I do hope Eurostar can get their design and hard product into a better place, it’s a brilliant brand that just seems to be languishing.
October 24, 2024 at 3:18 PM
fintan.bsky.social
Although the trains are not as luxe as their predecessors, LNER does raise the bar with their high quality service. Well worth £20 with seatfrog!
April 10, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Fintan HS
runwaygirl.com
Room for improvement in KLM economy class aboard the 787-10 runwaygirlnetwork.com/2024/03/room... @fintan.bsky.social explores
Room for improvement in KLM economy class aboard the 787-10
The transatlantic market is fiercely competitive, with many legacy carriers of different airline alliances plying key routes between Europe and North ...
runwaygirlnetwork.com
March 19, 2024 at 3:47 PM
fintan.bsky.social
Showing me up photo wise , but it has been a delight to travel with you @thatjohn.bsky.social
thatjohn.bsky.social John Walton @thatjohn.bsky.social · Dec 3
There’s something about watching Mt Fuji out the window of a Shinkansen as you return to Tokyo to fly off… the perfect bookend to a Japanese visit. #JohnDoesJapan
Mt Fuji with bridge and river in front
December 3, 2023 at 10:30 AM
Reposted by Fintan HS
thatjohn.bsky.social
There’s something about watching Mt Fuji out the window of a Shinkansen as you return to Tokyo to fly off… the perfect bookend to a Japanese visit. #JohnDoesJapan
Mt Fuji with bridge and river in front
December 3, 2023 at 7:09 AM
fintan.bsky.social
Gazing upon Mt Fuji as I speed by on a Shinkansen has been my favourite moment visiting Japan. Will admit to struggling to take good photos at 250km/h thought.
The view of Mt Fuji zoomed in from a Tokyo bound shinkansen A view of Mt Fuji from a Tokyo bound Shinkansen without zoom, showing urban sprawl in the foreground.
December 3, 2023 at 6:09 AM
fintan.bsky.social
It was very charming to be solo in the dining room, but was also like eating a feast in the office kitchenette
runwaygirl.com Runway Girl @runwaygirl.com · Nov 28
Come dine with me at BA’s Heathrow T3 First Class Lounge runwaygirlnetwork.com/2023/11/come... A review by @fintan.bsky.social
Inside the First Dining Room. The white table cloth experience looks out at a great view of the airport ramp and multiple BA tails. Glasses and cutlery await use on the table.
November 28, 2023 at 10:13 AM
fintan.bsky.social
Feeding seagulls? In this economy!?
thatjohn.bsky.social John Walton @thatjohn.bsky.social · Nov 28
The famous rock-viewing tour boat also has a “feed the seagulls” segment. @fintan.bsky.social, a Brighton native, and I were most bemused. #JohnDoesJapan
A seagull flying over the sea and some cliffs. The landscape is typical of Japan, with pine trees and grey rocks.
November 28, 2023 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Fintan HS
runwaygirl.com
How to elevate the Eurobiz concept beyond the cocktail table https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2023/11/elevating-the-eurobiz-concept/ by @fintan.bsky.social
A man’s hand holds up a glass of champers to the aircraft window on a Bluesky day
November 3, 2023 at 5:13 PM