There was a time when airport lounges were my social scene - it's where I'd bump into friends, or arrange to meet them, share meals and catch up. How very Dubai of us.
My friends and I used to fly a lot. Along the way, we were somehow sucked into a giant marketing ploy, where we'd choose flights based on miles earned, and keeping our status, or - joy of joys - going up the membership ladder.
My excuse was: why not clock up miles to use later in lieu of cash for the odd flight? Sticking with one or two rewards programmes was the way to go. The problem with that is that I'd always do a mental calculation of how much it'd cost to buy a flight versus the scarily ginormous number of miles I'd have to part with if I didn't want to pay - along with the downside of not getting any tier miles.
Inevitably I'd use cash and keep the miles (oh, the insanity of it).
More importantly though, I was in a category with the local carrier that assured me a seat on a requested flight. Not so much a perk as a necessity back in those days of last-minute scheduling and full flights.
That was years ago. I then went through a phase when I still did the travel, but life was ruled by timings of trips to be back home for my little one. So began the slide into airline-perk oblivion.
Now I only think of time. I stick with my local carrier on the way out whenever departures suit because I somehow managed to keep my gold status; less hassle and time checking in even if flying economy. The downside is that I subconsciously live under the cloud of it being taken away - I dare not look at my tier miles or when this could happen - for the risk of depression.
I wonder what life will be like when I can no longer march into a lounge, or swan through business check-in. I know I am extremely fortunate. These are luxuries. But they are my norm too. I have adapted to them and can't imagine life without them. This is the endowment effect for you: we hate to lose what we already have. Some go to great lengths to keep what they have. Like one friend who, come tier tally time, would scramble to get in the miles he needed within deadline by taking totally unnecessary flights. Oman was a favourite with him - or literally sticking a pin in the globe. He willingly parted with hard cash to keep his status.
Another spends more time away than he needs to because he will only fly with one carrier. He's in the stratosphere of Platinum membership with loads of tier miles to spare. It means he doesn't pay for any holiday flights - with three children and a wife he's definitely saving money but sees less of them during his working week as a result.
An elevated status can be worn as a badge of honour by some - as though it's somehow the measure of a person - and maintaining it can be addictive and reduce you to very questionable acts. Like the time I found myself comparing forking out many hundreds versus many thousands of dirhams in the way of annual fees for credit cards that gave me different levels of access to lounges across the world. Thankfully, I didn't do it.
Sane, smart people resort to these kinds of things because of our ability to adapt. The downside is that it means we come to expect luxury if it is part of our life and do silly things not to lose it. But it's also good because it means we can overcome bad things that happen to us.
This is called Hedonic adaption. It's our ability to get used to change. Or become used to a new norm.
This is how it works: for example, when you get a pay rise at work, you're initially happier. Then you get used to it and it doesn't have the same "happiness" effect. You become desensitised to your no longer new good fortune. The next thing that'll perk you up is getting a bonus, and so on.
The same principle also works when we lose things. We get used to it. I know this, but I still fear losing my airline status. The funny thing is that I don't actually get to enjoy the luxury side of the perks: you're more likely to find me racing along the obstacle course of meandering tourists to my gate than swanning around a coveted lounge. Please make way if you do.
Nima Abu Wardeh describes herself using three words: Person. Parent. Pupil. Each day she works out which one gets priority, sharing her journey on finding-nima.com. You can reach her at nima@finding-nima.com and on Twitter: @nimaabuwardeh.
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'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
The%20specs
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Company%20Profile
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
CONCRETE COWBOY
Directed by: Ricky Staub
Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
3.5/5 stars
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now