Passenger tried to open plane door in-flight to the USA, May 2025

A passenger tried to open a plane exit door on an ALL NIPPON  flight from Tokyo, Japan, to Houston, Texas, USA.  

Numerous comments on the newspaper article pointed out that you cannot normally open a door in-flight, at height.  Air pressure stops the door opening.

On another occasion, another passenger had tried opening the door on or near ground level.

However, even though the recent attempt to open the plane door was not a risk, when at height, it is disturbing having a passenger doing dangerous things which could seem likely to injure others, either in his mind, or other passengers' minds. 

When he cannot open the door, what will he do next? Might he attack somebody else if thrarted by the plane, by a person, a calm person, an angry person, somebody trying to resttrain him, or even somebody trying to simple talk. He might be trying to kill himself or others. He might be having a panic attack. His mood might change. The other passengers themselves might be roused to action, panic stricken or angry.

Second Incident!

The flight was diverted to land earlier at Seattle, so the passenger could be removed. While the plane was an the runway, a second passenger caused disruption and was removed.

The plane was apparently four hours late at the original destination.

Would you fall asleep happily after witnessing that, or hearing about it on your flight?

The person who allegedly tried to open the door was not named nor shown in photos. Everybody risks stress, and financial loss. Maybe missed connecting flights. 

Flight Damage

A list of air rage incidents recorded in Wikipedia includes an incident in which the interior pane of a window was broken by a passenger.

Useful websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14746839/passenger-flight-Tokyo-Houston-exit-door-Nippon-Airways.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgmjzlj0g30o

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_air_rage_incidents

https://www.iata.org/en/programs/passenger/unruly-passengers/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/unruly-passenger-all-nippon-airways-flight-tokyo-houston-seattle-divert/

Goldfish sake from Japan and a brewery visit

 

What a wonderful bottle. With the goldfish design. It costs £110 in the UK. It is cheaper in Japan. However, still expensive, even in Japan.

A cheaper wine at about £30 -35 is export dry black.

Another is called Ima, meaning now, is a sweeter one. It goes with oysters, around 12% alcohol. This is the one which I preferred at the lower price.

In Japan you can visit the brewery, in Niigata, prefecture, region, nw of Tokyo.

Imayo Tsukasa Sake Brewery Co Ltd

Useful Websites

www.shop.sakecollective.uk

Places to go and things to try in Japan, or from Japan, from simple sushi to Dinosaur Robot Reception At Hotel Henn Na

Japanese flag

Let us start with what is widely available, worldwide. In Singapore the local supermarkets such as cold storage have a whole counter of sushi, whilst in the UK you might get just one or two choices.  

Sushi from Fairprice supermarket in Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Secrets of Sushi

When I first tried sushi, I used to opt for the ones with pink fish. I thought it was smoked salmon, which in England often comes from Scotland. I thought the Japanese sushi followed their principle of bland food, 'very subtle flavour', which means that the Japanese don't have bad breath and don't need deodorant. (Contrast bland Japanese food with delicious, flavoursome, spicy Indian food, which can be overwhelming to or from some diners.)

Only when a guest from Indonesia refused to eat what I thought was a treat, did I discover what my sushi was another fish, not smoked, but raw fish. My friend recoiled and said, 'I never eat raw fish!'

Varieties of sushi readily available from supermarkets in Singapore are those with egg topping. Or eel. Or shellfish. Or mock shellfish. Since I am allergic to shellfish, I stick to the fish which looks like smoked salmon. 

If you are okay with shellfish, and actually enjoy it, you can buy what looks like a cone  of snack food. We have found the secret of sticking to a diet whilst still eating rice. Choose sushi. We eat three pieces of sushi with salad. Portion control. Quite filling. You are less likely to overdo the rice, as you would if you cooked it yourself or went to an Indian restaurant where they generously dole out unlimited amounts. 

At lunch time you might want to go without alcohol, like the Americans, because it sends you to sleep. Spirits have a high alcoholic content. I used to think that those tiny bottles of Saki, with the tiny cups, were a bit mean. Then, later in my life, I discovered that sake is rice wine and highly alcoholic. You don't want to drink a lot because it would quickly make you drunk and send you to sleep.

Bargains

Sometimes, towards the end of the day, the prices of sushi in supermarkets are reduced. 

HENN Na HOTELS

Henn na means weird in Japanese. These hotels are highly automated with robots in the shape of dinosaurs operating the front desks and real staff hidden behind the scenes if the technology goes wrong. You can find them in Tokyo, Osaka in Japan, as well as other countries such as Turkey. Read the reviews on Tripadvisor and elsewhere.They are all automated budget hotels, and , to my mind best suited to families with children who like dinosaurs.

Toilets

If you are out and about in Tokyo look for transparent toilets. You can see if they are unoccupied, and clean. When you go inside, they stop being transparent. You hope!

In hotels and homes you will possibly find bidet toilets. I have seen these in Changi airport and some hotels and museums in Singapore.

Another idea is basins for hand washing agove toilets, or insdet in the toilet lid.

From Wikipedia

Funny Fridges

 Homes in Japan might have other gadgets, such as a walking fridge, from Panasonic.

Useful Websites

 https://za.investing.com/magazine/brilliant-inventions-that-only-exist-in-japan/

https://knaviation.net/henn-na-hotel-tokyo-haneda-review/

To arrange times of meetings around the world, and Get to Singapore meetings and other Zoom meetings on time

 

World time zones. Picture from Wikipedia.

When arranging meeting times you need to check the time zones in other areas. Fix meeting times to suit the majority.

Then add the times to your publicity. Let us take an example. I have arranged a meeting in Singapore and hope to attract visitors from other countries such as as the USA, UK, Australia, China, Japan, and Korea. I need to find their time zones. I must also take into account British summer time (clocks forward) and European time, and Australian end of summer since their seasons are reversed.

So here is my first draft:

About the Author

To practise your English, come to Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters on learncool.sg, first Wednesday evening of the month, Singapore time, 7-10pm.  Next meeting Wednesday March 7th 2021.

To add a clock to the time and date page and see when the meetings are your time go to this website.

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html

I checked my world clocks for a few cities this March (after the clocks changed in the UK to summertime in March) and found out:

Singapore flag.

Singapore is the same time zone as:

Flag of China - same time zones as Singapore in  China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan

Perth, Western Australia. Same time zone as Singapore. (And China.)

SINGAPORE, CHINA & PERTH are the same time

19 hours=7 pm - to 10 pm (22 hrs) in Singapore will be the same time in China, (Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong and Taiwan). Also Perth in W Australia.

Flag of South Korea. Capital city, Seoul.

Flag of Japan, capital Tokyo.

Korea and Tokyo

In Korea and Tokyo never mind if you log in to a Singapore meeting up to an hour late, because your time is one hour ahead. Being East of Singapore you reach dawn and noon and sunset earlier. 

So we in Singapore are an hour behind you if you are in Korea or Tokyo. 

Singapore meeting start time of 7 pm is already 8 pm in Korea and Tokyo.

Sydney - Sunrise and Sunset Earlier

On the other hand, in Sydney you got up earlier and reach bedtime earlier, so 7 pm in Singapore is 9 pm in Sydney.  

However, you will be yawning at midnight at the end of our meeting finishing at 10 pm Singapore time.

Flag of Australia.

Sydney opera house by night. Over on the east side of Australia. This area of the world reaches dawn first but also midnight.

 Singapore on Saturday Afternoon - Time

BHA toastmasters speakers' training club meets a second time each month, at 2pm to 5 pm on the third Saturday each month. In Singapore the Saturday meeting will be the same difference from other countries. (Except  I must watch out for the change in Australia.)

Singapore on Saturday Afternoon is the same times in China

So the 2 pm Saturday meeting start in Singapore is also 2 pm in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Over in Tokyo and Korea it will be an hour later, at 3 pm. 

The same goes for Perth. 

Those in Sydney must join the meeting before 5 pm their time.

The meeting ending in Singapore at 5pm, in time for tea, ends at 7 pm in Sydney, just in time for dinner.

However, going back in the west direction:

UK

If Singapore is GMT+7 in summer time, a meeting starting at 7 pm in Singapore is noon in the UK.

About The Author Angela

Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Cat Cafés Around The World To Visit - Starting in Singapore, more in the USA, Japan, everywhere

Problem
Cat Cafes hae proliferated all over the world. More than 50 in Japan. Others in the Far East and Asia are in India, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. Wiki lists cat cafes in Australia and New Zealand, Canda the USA and Mexico. Where is the nearest cat café? Here are a few of my favoutie destinations:

Answers
Alphabetically:

ENGLAND
Manchester

JAPAN
Kyoto
Tokyo

RUSSIA
Russia has only one but it's a good one.
Cats Republic, St Petersburg, Russia. Photo by Catsmuseum in Wikipedia.

RUSSIA
Cats' dinner time at Cats Republic. St Petersburg, Russia.

Cat perching in Cat Café, Singapore. Photo by Falonsonnen99 in Wikipedia.

SINGAPORE
Cat cafe
Clarke Quay
Charges per hour
...............

The Cat Café
241B Victoria Street
Level 3 above Burger King
Boat Quay
thecatcafe.sg
Email
Tel (Only during opening hours.)

On their website you can see the cats, with their names, and pick your favourite.
http://thecatcafe.sg/cat-cafes-cat/

The place opened in 2014 and is run by a husband and wife team.

I could not get directions from their website but I got directions from their Facebook page.
One minute from Bugis MRT station.
What you need to know before you go:
~The cafe serves tea of coffee or soft drinks and a pastry. `there's an entry charge of Singapore $15 which includes a soft drink.

I woke up at 7 am on a Monday morning and thought I'll go there for breakfast and a photo. Good thing I checked. No use rushing there for breakfast or elevenses (UK term for a  drink and snack at mid-morning, at 11 pm). Nor even lunch. On Mondays, it opens at 3 pm until 10 pm. You could have a one-course Indian meal at busy Boat Quay, then go here for your coffee and a pastry for dessert.

Other days, Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays, 10-10. Please check times for yourself. I read the Monday times and thought that was all week.

Cost? So that's $15 - plus the price of a pastry. You are paying for the novelty and entertainment and the cost of feeding the cats.

If you normally pay that price for a coffee at a Starbucks or a Sheraton, no problem.

USA
Many cat cafe establishments all over the USA. One in Lower East Side Manhattan is called Koneko which is Japanese for kitten.

Happy travelling, meouw!

Useful Websites
https://catcafe.co.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_café (List of cat cafes around the world.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koneko_(cat_cafe) Manhattan, New York, USA.
https://www.travelpirates.com/other/usa-cat-cafes_4291

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Happy Holidays and Happy Travelling - Tips

Better to travel in hope than to arrive? (To quote or misquote R L Stevenson.) Better to travel hopefully, arrive happily and stay happy. But travellers have lots of mishaps.

My Tokyo Train Setback and Success
I remember I could not get a seat on the last overnight train back from Hiroshima to Tokyo to meet a boyfriend. I sat disconsolately, looking at my list of youth hostels and hotels, contemplating the price of youth hostel and hotel. Then the ticket seller beckoned me over and offered me a couchette - whilst much pricer than a seat, it was a fifth the price of a hotel, or taxi, plus youth hostel plus taxi back. Much better than sitting in a seat all night.

UK Train Problem Solved
Once I was reading on the UK train and missed my stop, ending up at a deserted station with no train back. Devastation. Panic. I phoned my son. Luckily he was already in his car driving home and agreed to divert to collect me.

Then a taxi stopped to ask if I needed a taxi. The local company probably always drove to the station after the last trains in both directions, to see whether anybody incoming was tired and wanted a lift home nearby, or outgoing, needed a longer ride to another area.

So I had two solutions to my problem. Both drivers would have got me home, and probably reassured me that I wasn't the first person to have got stuck at a station.

Staying Happy
How do people stay happy? Today I read the key. This system reinforces what I had read earlier, about thinking positive, count your blessings, and gratitude, start as you mean to go on, but brings it into focus, with and makes it easy to manage.

Focus On Solutions
When you have a problem to solve, it helps to focus on the problem, rather than being 'in denial'. If you have missed the last bus home, you don't want to sit in a deserted ally, a target for who knows what. You are better off looking for alternative transport, or a safe place for the night.

But one way to find help not to focus on the problem but to focus on finding help. (Thinking positively as you run through positive solutions: wouldn't it be nice if I could - find a police station; find a list of hotels; find a hotel/restaurant/bar/pub/disco/coffee shop that's open late; find a phone box ... walk back towards the city; find a list showing the next train.)

Re-Telling Troubles With a Happy Spin
Imagine telling others this story later. "I didn't panic. I kept calm. I looked for / called for / phoned ...."

I am a survivor. What have I survived? Car crashes. (Two.) Being knocked down by a car. (Once.)
 Passport lost/stolen (once).

Helpful Positive Phrases
You tell yourself and tell others what you did:
Bounced back.
Help/ed along life's highway.
Support/ed.
Survivor/survived.

Useful Strategies - New Local Friends
Make friends with the local police. Make friends with the hotel receptionist. Make friends with other hotel guests. Then when you have a problem, you are not approaching as first impression is you have a problem, but as first impression you are a friend, second impression you are a friend who needs help.

Make friends with your neighbours. Make friends with your colleagues.

Make friends with fellow travellers. (Especially with those likely to be helpful, or knowledgeable, and unlikely to cause you trouble.)

Note exits of transport and public places when you arrive and you have light to see. Stay near exits or plan your route to exits.

Have backup plans for problems. Divide your valuables.

Appeals For Help
Phrases to potential helpers:
Could you help me?
You may know the answer.
Thank you so much.

If somebody can't help, ask them who could help.

Here's a book about being happy, reviewed in the Daily Mail online.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3116340/Have-finally-unlocked-secret-happiness-Scientists-reveal-four-simple-steps-banish-blues.html

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, English teacher and speech trainer, public speaker.
If you want to read more by me, look at my other blogs and follow me on this one, like me on Facebook. If you want to see me talking about English restaurant etiquette worldwide, go to YouTube and type in Angela Lansbury Author (the actress of the same name comes up first so you need to add author or poet). You can also see me speak about grammar and spelling, and performing comic poetry.

If you would like a speaker at a workshop or event, link to me on LinkedIn or through Toastmasters International.