Johanna Konta

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

RE: Johanna Konta

the addict · Tennis legend

You had me all curious there - until I went and found the tweet !

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

More important is that the 747's are being taken out of service! I had missed that was happening today. I used to work for BA many years ago, for around 6 years, and travelled on business all over the world (most of the US and down to Oz and across to Asia), and loved the 747-400. I was fortunate enough to fly first class most of the time, as a senior manager on business it was one of the perks we got, and sat next to or near many famous people - Hugh Grant, Joe ****er, Cybill Shepherd are 3 that come to mind.

Although I was in first most of the time at the front of the plane, the upstairs section was my favourite - although I got first class travel on personal trips, for my honeymoon, we got business class in the upper deck, and I just loved the space, 4 or 5 rows of seats, maybe 30 or so in total in the section and it felt like being in your own little oasis. In those days, BA was the real deal unlike the shambolic mess they are now!

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

the addict wrote:
You had me all curious there - until I went and found the tweet !

I did once get upgraded to fly on the top deck but found I was trapped in this somewhat confined space by the 1st class area below!

the addict · Tennis legend

I have only travelled long-haul twice - both times to the US with BA. Out on a 747-400, back on a 777, and out on an A380, back on a 777. At least I got one flight on each of these two giants !

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
More important is that the 747's are being taken out of service! I had missed that was happening today. I used to work for BA many years ago, for around 6 years, and travelled on business all over the world (most of the US and down to Oz and across to Asia), and loved the 747-400. I was fortunate enough to fly first class most of the time, as a senior manager on business it was one of the perks we got, and sat next to or near many famous people - Hugh Grant, Joe ****er, Cybill Shepherd are 3 that come to mind.

Although I was in first most of the time at the front of the plane, the upstairs section was my favourite - although I got first class travel on personal trips, for my honeymoon, we got business class in the upper deck, and I just loved the space, 4 or 5 rows of seats, maybe 30 or so in total in the section and it felt like being in your own little oasis. In those days, BA was the real deal unlike the shambolic mess they are now!

Travelled mostly in Europe but also to N America and Far East on business (747s). Mainly business class but occasionally popped back to tourist to sleep across empty seats!! Mainly travelled BA but recall Air Canada and Cathay Pacific looked after business passengers pretty well.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

TTMan wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
More important is that the 747's are being taken out of service! I had missed that was happening today. I used to work for BA many years ago, for around 6 years, and travelled on business all over the world (most of the US and down to Oz and across to Asia), and loved the 747-400. I was fortunate enough to fly first class most of the time, as a senior manager on business it was one of the perks we got, and sat next to or near many famous people - Hugh Grant, Joe ****er, Cybill Shepherd are 3 that come to mind.

Although I was in first most of the time at the front of the plane, the upstairs section was my favourite - although I got first class travel on personal trips, for my honeymoon, we got business class in the upper deck, and I just loved the space, 4 or 5 rows of seats, maybe 30 or so in total in the section and it felt like being in your own little oasis. In those days, BA was the real deal unlike the shambolic mess they are now!
Travelled mostly in Europe but also to N America and Far East on business (747s). Mainly business class but occasionally popped back to tourist to sleep across empty seats!! Mainly travelled BA but recall Air Canada and Cathay Pacific looked after business passengers pretty well.

Most of the quality providers are now the SE Asian airlines like Cathay, Singapore, Thai and the Middle East giants, Emirates and Etihad in particular. I worked on the 777 launch programme back in the early 90's and spent a lot of my time out in Seattle with Boeing, working at their facilities in Renton and Everett. Loved the airline world; my office back at Hatton Cross near LHR was above the paint bay - where the planes would be painted and freshened up; we took in a lot of third party work, largely for folks like the Sultan of Brunei - his plane was a stubby special 747, and inside it was, wow, Gold plated taps, shag pile carpets, luxurious beyond belief. Outrageous really.

I never flew Concorde sadly, although I went on it a few times on the ground - very underwhelming to be fair, the special bit there would have been the flying!

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Well I went a week without any Jo comments .However it was reported on the Daily Mail online that Jo pulled out of Ostrava because of Corona virus fears. She did not fancy travelling whilst corona virus cases were spiking. It should be noted that Marketa Vondrosova has tested positive for Corona virus and pulled out of Ostrava.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Saw a tweet earlier (can't find it now) that Jo had decided to end her season because of the risks of traveling at the moment.

Edit

Found it.

https://twitter.com/russellcfuller/status/1317100569622945792

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Friday 16th of October 2020 06:21:37 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Russell fuller confirms the reasons, cant say I see any issue with this. It's a one off event and theres only 1 more left in a months time, anyway!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/54571527

ROSAMUND · Futures level

In pulling out of Ostrava Jo might have been aware of one of the articles in the Telegraph today. "Czech health service buckles under strain of worst virus rate." Their health service is in danger of collapse.

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

ROSAMUND wrote:
In pulling out of Ostrava Jo might have been aware of one of the articles in the Telegraph today. "Czech health service buckles under strain of worst virus rate." Their health service is in danger of collapse.

According to:

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea

Czech Rep has, ironically, the worst case rate in Europe (twice UK's) and a death rate 3 times UK's. In tennis playing nation terms, Germany stands out as very low. Shame WTA could not have arranged events there.

I'm struggling to get recent (per 100k) case rates for Australia, they just seem to report raw case numbers or cumulative rates but Victoria stands out as the worst state by some margin. Lets hope it being their summer and that keeps covid down, making play possible in 2021.

I feel most of all, Jo just needs more competitive, injury free, matches.

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

ourworldindata.org shows Czech Rep has the worst case rate for countries with over 1m population. Australia is one of the best.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

TTMan wrote:
ROSAMUND wrote:
In pulling out of Ostrava Jo might have been aware of one of the articles in the Telegraph today. "Czech health service buckles under strain of worst virus rate." Their health service is in danger of collapse.
According to:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea
Czech Rep has, ironically, the worst case rate in Europe (twice UK's) and a death rate 3 times UK's. In tennis playing nation terms, Germany stands out as very low. Shame WTA could not have arranged events there.
I'm struggling to get recent (per 100k) case rates for Australia, they just seem to report raw case numbers or cumulative rates but Victoria stands out as the worst state by some margin. Lets hope it being their summer and that keeps covid down, making play possible in 2021.
I feel most of all, Jo just needs more competitive, injury free, matches.

Jo would struggle to find any tournaments to play in. Article in todays Daily Telegraph points out that of 18 WTA tournaments between October and December 14 have been cancelled and only 3 definitely going ahead. With the current 2 year ranking system Jo is currently ranked 13 compared with 12 a year ago. Problem will arise when 2019 Italian and French results drop off. For the rest of the year you'ii just have to read Jo's postings on her cooking or her dogs. She tends to do a press conference just before Christmas.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

ROSAMUND wrote:
TTMan wrote:
ROSAMUND wrote:
In pulling out of Ostrava Jo might have been aware of one of the articles in the Telegraph today. "Czech health service buckles under strain of worst virus rate." Their health service is in danger of collapse.
According to:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea
Czech Rep has, ironically, the worst case rate in Europe (twice UK's) and a death rate 3 times UK's. In tennis playing nation terms, Germany stands out as very low. Shame WTA could not have arranged events there.
I'm struggling to get recent (per 100k) case rates for Australia, they just seem to report raw case numbers or cumulative rates but Victoria stands out as the worst state by some margin. Lets hope it being their summer and that keeps covid down, making play possible in 2021.
I feel most of all, Jo just needs more competitive, injury free, matches.
Jo would struggle to find any tournaments to play in. Article in todays Daily Telegraph points out that of 18 WTA tournaments between October and December 14 have been cancelled and only 3 definitely going ahead. With the current 2 year ranking system Jo is currently ranked 13 compared with 12 a year ago. Problem will arise when 2019 Italian and French results drop off. For the rest of the year you'ii just have to read Jo's postings on her cooking or her dogs. She tends to do a press conference just before Christmas.

It's only 2 events now...limoges is off.