Andy Mcfarlane ✈

My #review of the stunning @etihad #A350 #BusinessClass between Dublin & Abu Dhabi - what absolute opulence, and almost definitely the nicest business cabin I've ever graced; windowseatpreferred.com/2023/08/etihad…

Expected lie-flat. Got a 737. Ended up in Sharjah 🫢 My Oman Air Business Class review, covering the Kuala Lumpur to Muscat flight that became a 12-hour saga, with recliner seats, patchy service, and a nighttime diversion... Read more; windowseatpreferred.com/2026/04/oman-a…

Back at the @ShangriLaHotels Kuala Lumpur for a week — this time as a remote working base in a Premier Selection Suite. Still one of KL’s most consistent luxury stays, plus one unexpected issue to put service to the test... Review: windowseatpreferred.com/2026/04/shangr…

Lounge Review: Plaza Premium First at KLIA: easy to find a seat, great airfield views, engaging staff and decent food. A clear step-up from the standard lounge next door — though pricier for walk-ins. Full review: windowseatpreferred.com/2026/03/plaza-… #KLIA #TravelWriting

The Oman Air Business Class Lounge in Muscat: a pleasant place to spend a few hours before departure — nap rooms, showers, two dining areas, and great runway views when it’s bright. Full review: windowseatpreferred.com/2026/03/oman-a… #OmanAir #AirportLounge #Muscat

The Lexington Hotel, NYC: prime Midtown location, but the world’s slowest lifts, seemingly consistent unhappy staff, paid luggage storage, and a very average room made it all a bit of a chore. Full review: windowseatpreferred.com/2026/02/review… #HotelReview #TravelWriting

Once every couple of years, I end up with a @bookingcom problem and inept customer service that puts me off for another few years... Charged resort fee/city tax at booking, then again at the property, we're now into the several week never-ending 'investigations'.

In today's blog, I review my own AirAsia X Premium Flatbed experience ahead of their summer return to London, which will surely offer one of the cheapest 'business class'-like experiences from Europe to Asia, best seats to pick, and whether it's worth it windowseatpreferred.com/2026/02/airasi…

Oman Air Business Class: beautiful cabin, spacious seat…but gentle service, and a wine list you could only read under supervision 👀 Full review; windowseatpreferred.com/2026/02/oman-a… #WindowSeatPreferred #FlightReview #Aviation

New Year, no travel plans and in need of exactly 1 AerClub tier credit - in the meantime, a review of our transatlantic jaunt on an @AerLingus A321 to Boston right before Christmas; windowseatpreferred.com/2026/01/aer-li… #A321lr #FlightReview #WindowSeatPreferred

@paultracey82 @DublinAirport @grok For what it's worth Paul, there was a 2-for-1 offer over Black Friday - which is what we did for this trip.

@windowseatprfrd @DublinAirport @grok how much would this cost ?

Last week we treated ourselves to @DublinAirport's Platinum VIP Terminal (long on my travel bucket list) — private check-in, our own suite, and a chauffeur straight to the aircraft. It was surreal in the best possible way. Full review 👇 windowseatpreferred.com/2025/12/dublin…

A recent stay at Damare Resort & Spa, Malta — great location and views, but overall not quite the experience I’d hoped for. Full review and breakdown now live: windowseatpreferred.com/2025/11/damare…

@Noahpinion Folks saying look for the purple signs are wrong, but so are you - there is a connection path that saves going landside. From Ireland flights at T2, there's a tiny single gate on the right, right before you arrived in the baggage hall. It's easy to miss, but it does exist.

Today, I made the mistake of flying from Dublin to Paris via London's Heathrow Airport. This was a remarkably stupid move on my part, given that London, and by extension Heathrow, is located in the failing formerly-developed country known as "the UK". I almost paid dearly for this oversight. My layover was 1 hour and 30 minutes. As soon as my flight from Dublin arrived at Terminal 2, I began looking around for my connecting flight to Paris, which was located in Terminal 5. A helpful immigration officer pointed me in the direction of a free train that I could take to Terminal 5. After walking for about 15 minutes through a labyrinthine maze of tunnels, I arrived at this train. The train required me to get a ticket for the free trip to Terminal 5. After standing in line at a machine, I pressed a button that dispensed this ticket. I then used the ticket to go through a turnstyle. Once on the platform (which was poorly labeled), I discovered -- by asking some locals -+ that the trains for Terminal 4 do not actually go to Terminal 5. (This had not been apparent from any signs or other information in the train station.) I would thus have to wait 17 minutes for the dedicated train to Terminal 5. And so wait I did. About 20 minutes later I arrived at Terminal 5, and discovered that I was in the Departures area. Despite the fact that I was transferring, I would have to go through airport security again. So I waited in line for security, watching other people struggle with the automated boarding pass scanners. Finally I reached the scanners, and when I scanned my boarding pass, it registered an error, and told me to see a British Airways employee. (Sadly, my Aer Lingus flight was operated by British Airways.) So I went to the British Airways departures counter, and after a while I found the line I was supposed to stand in. I waited 10 minutes in the line, and was finally allowed to see a British Airways employee. The British Airways employee informed me that I had already missed my flight, since boarding was at 12:15 and it was now 12:17. I argued that boarding would probably last more than two minutes, and that I might still have time to make the flight, whose departure was scheduled for 12:55. She seemed skeptical of this argument, but I finally persuaded her to help me give it a try. Returning me to the security line, the British Airways woman told me to wait in the line (which would have taken 15 minutes). I begged her to let me jump the queue, and she did, explaining my plight to a South Asian security employee who let me through the rope barrier to the front of the line. This South Asian man is actually the hero of our story. When I cut to the front of the security line, a security employee barked at me to get back. The lovely South Asian man then barked at her to let me through, and his confident air of command carried the day. I was let through, and the South Asian man even showed me how to use the security machine so that it would definitely not stop me from entering. He told me to tell his colleagues at the baggage scanner that I was allowed to jump to the front of the queue. I raced to the baggage scanning line, which looked like it would have taken an additional 20 minutes, and simply ducked under the barriers and cut to the front of the line. I apologized to the employee there and told him my flight was already boarding. He told me that in that case, I had already missed my flight, and it wasn't even worth continuing. But I told him that his colleague (the aforementioned South Asian man) had instructed me to go through security anyway, and he accepted this and let me through. I had to do an extra scan of my shoes, but made it through OK. I then ran to my gate, ducking and weaving around various travelers. When I made it to the gate, I found that the flight was still boarding, and they let me through. I then spent 20 minutes standing in line on the jetway. Naturally, my bag didn't arrive in Paris.

Review of a recent escape to @HayfieldManor — lush gardens, turndown service, and total luxury just 15 minutes’ walk from Cork city centre. The full review is live: windowseatpreferred.com/2025/11/an-esc… #IrelandTravel #Cork #LuxuryTravel #HotelReview

During a brief two-night stay in Dublin for work lately, I'd the chance to check in (and check out) The Davenport - overall, plush, peaceful and pretty luxurious for a quick work trip. Here's the full breakdown; windowseatpreferred.com/2025/10/a-wond…

I thought I'd seen packed-to-capacity lounges until a recent visit to the American Flagship Lounge, Chicago 😱 Overall, a lovely lounge, large, airy, well-stocked...but the crowding was something else. Full Review; windowseatpreferred.com/2025/10/americ…

@JRNYMentor Sure - I'll also be at WTM, so perhaps we'll see each other there!

@windowseatprfrd Hi @windowseatprfrd, I love the work you’re doing in the travel space! At Journey Mentor, we share tips, insights, and inspiration for both travelers and agencies. I’d love for you to check out our page and connect, we’re building a community of travel professionals and explorers

This year we've been successful a few times using airline 'bid to upgrade' auctions, when paying outright for business doesn't seem great value. Here's how it works and the strategies that seem to work for us more often than not; windowseatpreferred.com/2025/09/upgrad…

If anyone has been to Verona and has a few mins to spare - a friend conducting an academic tourism research project is looking for input / opinions in this survey; tinyurl.com/Verona-Research 😀

After my flight home, I found time to pop into the borderline-secret Aer Lingus Arrivals Lounge for a much-needed double espresso. Sure, I probably won't need to visit very often, but still a welcome amenity all the same. Who else has been? Review; windowseatpreferred.com/2025/09/a-brie…