Onboard Shopping at 39,000 Feet

On May 2, 2025, we boarded a "Swiss" operated well-known airline, Austrian Airlines. This airline and others are under Star Alliance Network, including the big German airline, Lufthansa.

I had previously mentioned that travel since 2021 has changed drastically. In today's changing airline markets, the most efficient way for three to fly to Florence, Italy, from Dulles International Airport (outside of DC) without multiple connections, was to fly Austrian there and Lufthansa back for our two weeks in Italy. Both outgoing and incoming flights had one layover each - for us - Vienna and Munich). Snacks and meals are sometimes meager, well, maybe a lot of times. The best thing to do is to pack snacks (we did) and buy extra waters/drinks at the airport upon arrival (we did that, too).

One thing I did not expect was to buy any souvenirs until at least a few days in Tuscany or its capital, Florence. But, as I looked into the seat info pamphlets for the drinks offered (there was no pamphlet for that), but instead found a Inflight Shopping Magazine from Austrian Airlines, I took a looksy inside. I was under the impression their shopping magazine was something akin to SkyMall or Hammacher Schlemmer (like a 7-person tricycle for $20,000). Back in the day they were fun to peruse and make the flight time go by in a breeze. I never in a million flights would think to buy something traveling at 500 mph at 39,000 ft., until I did!

The Inflight magazine has small items to purchase and the price points were more than manageable. They offered sunglasses for men and women, reading glasses, phone straps, travel adapters, watches, perfumes, "high end"nail polishes, scarves, some small toys, and jewelry. I zoned in on the jewelry to "just look," never thinking I would buy.

At the first pass of the drink carts, I noticed a necklace on our flight attendant that I saw in the magazine. I didn't say anything or ask her about it until she passed through again a couple hours later. By this time, Bill and Ryan were crashed out on their tiny pillows, hopefully dreaming of a great adventure ahead. While they dreamed on, I asked about the necklace and bracelet set (sold separately), and how our attendant liked hers. She was gushing about it and let me take a closer look at her necklace. Right then and there I said I'll buy one of each. You see, all the items in the Inflight Magazine are on board and easy to store and sell on each of their planes. It took our attendant a few mintues to retrieve my order, except I decided to buy two world necklaces instead of one. Since every transaction is by credit card, the sale was done in less than two minutes. Yep, I just bought my first souvenir and a birthday present for my friend, Jodie, whose Birthday was a few days away and we were celebrating it with a big dinner at the Villa Vada with the whole gang.

Ryan had one-eyed open and "tattled" on me and my purchase to Hubby Bill. "Seriously," he said playfully to me. "Yep," I replied and sheepishly smiled back. Three souvenirs purchased and in the books.

Giggles all around when I shared the story once everyone was at the Villa. Either no on had similar Inflight Magazines on their flights (we all flew different airlines), or they just didn't look to see what was behind the Safety Information on every airplane around the world! Ha!

bSoleille!

Terri