What was your best or worst birthday while travelling?

[kiwitripper64]

Since we cant travel, more time to look back at the good old days.
I had a birthday in J on EK DXB-SYD. In the middle of the flight the crew came along with a photo card and small cupcakes with imitation candles to say Happy Birthday.
And in Delhi, the Oberoi sent up a birthday cake.
I am happy with these, but I am sure there are better ( and worse) stories out there

 

[Zamba]

I've spent quite a few birthdays while travelling, but probably the best remembered was in 1978 when I was on the flight up to Hong Kong from Singapore after spending nine months on the road backpacking during my Trans-Asia trip from London.

I had called in to Societe Generale in Singapore to get the details of where I was to stay in Hong Kong (with a friend from Trans-Africa days) and met up with the PA to the head honcho there. We hit it off (I was rather impressed to encounter a smartly turned out female exec after everyone I'd met on my travels) and she showed me the sights for the next couple of days before helping to fix up my flight, on Thai as I recall.

Sitting in my other pair of jeans and shirt (by this time I had rather a limited wardrobe) in, of course, economy, the cabin lights dimmed and a procession of silk-clad Thai staff holding a large, candle-bedecked cake and champagne came down the aisle. I was astonished when they stopped by me and proceeded to wish me happy birthday. Yes, I was born on April 1st and that was the day.

I was pretty impressed that someone had checked the date, and presumed that the airline had done it, although I was quite surprised with the scale of the celebration. The cake was actually so big that we shared it through the cabin!

It was only years later (really!) that I learnt from my wife Helen (the former PA I'd met in Singapore, now a senior treasury exec) that she had organised the cake and everything...

 

[LHT]

I had flights to Christchurch booked this year for my birthday in Nov but now instead I will meet my husband in Darwin (he is going on a fishing trip) and fly back with him to Bris in business on my birthday. Yes, I have booked my first flight since March for my birthday only.

 

[Bindibuys]

4 years ago, Nile River cruise, cake, staff singing happy birthday & dancing during the dinner service.
Another birthday spent wandering around Paris.

 

[Musongman]

I was traveling with CP from BKK to SIN on my birthday some years ago in Y, and when I checked in the staff said they would like to upgrade me to J! Wow, I was very surprised to enjoy a nice J lunch service.

 

[dajop]

Planned, but nevertheless an awesome experience. For a major milestone last year, I took a 3 day journey from Melbourne to New York, with 3 days of flights in F on SQ, all on the same ticket as through flight due to <24 hr layovers between each flight.

MEL-SIN then overnight at home in Singapore, then on my actual birthday, my partner joined me, and we spent the morning in the Private Room before taking a 13:30 departure to FRA, then overnighted in FRA and had Suites the next morning to JFK. The flight from SIN-FRA, although not suites was outstanding, as we were the only 2 pax in F, and it was a afternoon/evening flight so we had the change to fully enjoy the service (no need to sleep!). Half way through they brought out a birthday cake and hand written card for me. It was a special way to celebrate.

 

[Seat0B]

All these stories are making me think I must do better in the future, if we are ever allowed to travel again. I will be 60 very very soon and I have never yet had a birthday away! Something to aim for in the not too distant future, I hope.

 

[Pushka]

All these stories are making me think I must do better in the future, if we are ever allowed to travel again. I will be 60 very very soon and I have never yet had a birthday away! Something to aim for in the not too distant future, I hope.

Lift your game then! 60th was my original bucket list Alaska trip that was cancelled when I became ill. I had to wait another couple of years.

 

[DOUGSOD]

My 60th birthday was celebrated at Namche Bazaar on route to The Everest base Camp.
My 2 trekking mates gave me a cupcake with 1 candle in it. Very memorable

 

[AngieP]

Arrived at Aitutaki in the Cook Islands early evening on my birthday - quick check in at gorgeous Etu Moana and told to walk up the beach til you see a light - that’s where your dinner is! Amazing stroll walking by the moonlit lagoon with hermit crabs scuttering around - warm and fragrant air - perfect! Arrived at the Pacific Resort just in time for the island show and buffet dinner complete with singer on the keyboard belting out Elvis! One of the best nights ever!

 

[Beano]

Birthday is near Christmas so last flights of the season is usually mid Dec before the Christmas rush. On two occasions been given a bottle of champagne and plastic bag of Lindor chocs respectively.

 

[Seat0B]

Lift your game then! 60th was my original bucket list Alaska trip that was cancelled when I became ill. I had to wait another couple of years.

Oh I plan to!! I had big plans for 2020, but....

 

[prozac]

Not a birthday but something for celebration, or was it.
In the mid '80s my g'f and I traveled to HK and China, just planning something new each day. On day one we met a family from Canberra, parents and 2 daughters early 20's who were always joking and carrying on. Well every day we would bump into these 2 girls somewhere and we developed a traveling friendship. When we boarded the Qantas flight home there they were again! After take-off, the seatbelt sign went off, then 2 CA's arrive at our seat with a bottle of champagne and a plate of horses douvies congratulating us on our recent wedding! The 2 sisters meanwhile were in fits of laughter in the seats in front. We called for more champagne glasses and all lived it up. The CC went along with the gag for most of the flight home.

 

[djd]

A couple of years ago arrived in Bangkok and fronted up at my much used favourite hotel only to discover that I had neglected to make a booking. The hotel staff kindly made an arrangement for me at a nearby Holiday Inn. I fronted up there, handed over my passport and waited while the receptionist typed on her computer. She called another staff member and had some words with her. A couple of minutes later I was surrounded by 6 staff members loudly singing Happy Birthday to You to my acute embarrassment.

 

[QF_Flyer]

My 32nd birthday (on the day) I flew to NZ in EK F, flight was amazing (plus lounges at SYD) and they brought out a birthday cake, which I shared with the rest of F and the crew (since I was travelling +1 and try as we might couldn't imagine stuffing an entire birthday cake in). They took some Polaroid of me and my OH too to mark the occasion, and presented them to us in a EK sort of mini-album thing.

One of the shortest flights in F I've ever taken, but definitely the most memorable.

 

[Scarlett]

After nearly 900 flights I figured one had to be on my birthday... thank goodness for digital flight memory (OpenFlights). So this counts as my best and worst: a QFLink Dash8 BNE-NTL.
I think that might qualify as the least spectacular or memorable birthday flight in this thread.

I'm sure I would've had a celebratory party pie or two from amongst the scrum in the afternoon BNE QP!

 

[drron]

I noticed the thread is the best or worst birthday experience.
My worst was in Vanuatu about 40 years ago.I was delerious because of a case of pneumonia.Fortunately having a wonderful nurse in mrsdrron who was able to use her schoolgirl French to get a supply of antibiotics from the French pharmac_ I was soon back in the world of the living.

 

[bPeteb]

Worst - 16th.

Mum took brother and I to the UK to meet the grandparents and family in the north of England. Qantas had some crazy $450ish return fares to London (late 70s). Loved the fights! We were on a jumbo jet!! Loved the time the three of us did our little train trip down and up the country. Down to Penzance and up to Edinburgh.

Kind of went downhill from arriving into Heathrow. I just hated that dad hadn't been able to come with us. My mum's dad made it clear the whole time we were there we were an imposition (his wife was lovely beyond belief). Late snows had us trapped in their house in Colne for a few days.

Day of my birthday I was sick in bed with a cold but there was a silver lining - mum's mum had made me steak and kidney pie for birthday lunch. I hate s&k pretty much more than anything. So maybe it was not as bad as I thought

 

[Stealthflyer]

Best: Wellington to MEL last year. Couldn’t get into a lounge because of the weird SQ/ Velocity lounge rules, but we bought a glass of Prosecco to celebrate while looking lovingly at the 777-200 on the tarmac. I got a slightly longer birthday than usual thanks to the time difference.

Worst: an international JQ flight SGN - MEL. Never again.

I was meant to be celebrating this year‘s significant birthday in NYC, but obviously that didn’t happen. I reckon it’ll be a couple of years before I make that trip.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

2016: PVG-LHR on BA. The flight is delayed but that's ok. I get onboard looking forward to a Doctor Who marathon; only to be told that the IFE is not working in economy. Apparently the gate staff were supposed to make an announcement so we could prepare alternatives. However it was never made...