Death of the Chinese tea house

Fascinating series of photos on BBC Online today, on traditional Chinese tea houses struggling to survive. Pictures and words by Matthew Pistono.

Oasis flies high

There's been a lot written in the media and online since the new airline Oasis launched, but I have to say I've been very impressed.

Although the flight time was changed to leave two hours earlier from Hong Kong (apparently because of the continued refusal by Russia to let them fly over their airspace), it then actually left 40 minutes later than that. This meant that I still missed my coach home from Gatwick. So with the next coach full and facing a four hour wait at the airport, I bought an extra £53 ticket and jumped on a train.

I e-mailed the CEO (as he was inviting feedback on their website) asking if they'd be good enough to refund me the extra ticket cost, as they'd assured me it would arrive in good time. They replied, not to refund the ticket cost but offering me another free economy return to Hong Kong with them! Very nice too, and I can even transfer it to someone else if I'm not planning on going back so soon.

And this is the impression I get from them overall: new, learning but always keen to help and to right wrongs, whether they are theirs or not. So I'd recommend them completely, even if their flights are currently two hours longer in the air, which they say they are in the process of sorting out by Nov 26. Incidentally, rumours fly whether the 'Russia' problem is down to Oasis, the Russian authorities or perhaps a rival airline greasing palms to ensure permission is not forthcoming...

Oasis takes off

Well, I'm in Hong Kong this week- thanks to the new airline Oasis which took off this week, after the Russians eventually let them fly over their airspace.

Or so media reports said. My flight three days later, and according to the website all others till further notice, will take up to 1 hour 10 minutes longer than scheduled due to "re-routing". Mine actually took a full 2 hours longer, but luckily I ended up with a row of three seats to myself and so I could sleep better than others.

Everything on board is all clean and new, with purple seats and bright orange uniforms the order of the day. The cabin crew are best described as young. All wide eyed and and very helpful, but a little 'green' when it comes even to reading the safety instructions or standard 'Welcome to Hong Kong' messages in English. Not great at putting nervous flyers at ease, I'd imagine.

But the food was better than you had a right to expect- I had a tasty chicken with rice, then a tomato and cheese ciabata before arriving- but no sign of the choice of Asain or Western food, nor the chance to pay extra and upgrade your meal. Entertainment was a good choice of recent Hollywood and Asian films, but they are the same ones as shown on the way back so I have to pace myself.

But overall, very good for the money and more than you really have a right to expect, with no RyanAir feeling of 'you'll shut up and put up' here.