https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnvDQ7YTSTg

I know that Sam is considered a "homer" when it comes to the ME3 airlines (QR, EK & EY), but he does a pretty fair job discussing the current issues that these airlines are experiencing trying to feed enough connecting traffic thru their "mega hubs" in these pandemic recovery times. He also features TK as the fast-rising competitor that's just outside of the ME3 region in the "mega hub" business. All in all, its worth a watch...

Discuss as you wish...

Sorry, is this a clickbait?

If I am interested with his work, I would comment on the Youtube page. As a personal preference, I would rather discuss what is discussed in FlightGlobal than Sam Chui. No offense to the OP though.

He is right that TK has a different but relevant alternative business model to the ME3. I visited both the EK and TK old hubs. TK serves a larger local population. In another reality, Iran could also be a major hub similar to TK in some ways.

chonetsao wrote:

Sorry, is this a clickbait?

If I am interested with his work, I would comment on the Youtube page. As a personal preference, I would rather discuss what is discussed in FlightGlobal than Sam Chui. No offense to the OP though.

No, it is not "clickbait". The video is pretty well done and offers up good takes about the challenges facing the ME3 in this pandemic recovery period.

Even if it wins a Pulitzer for journalistic excellence I won’t give Sam Chui a view.

I Agree with the OP. The video is not complete trash, like a Simple Flying article or something else that Anet collectively hates. Some good points were brought up in the video. Not many countries in that region are open without quarantine and funneling through megahubs to connect to far flung international destinations simply is not viable right now. Airlines that rely heavily on international obviously are going to struggle during this period. Only thing is that there were no subtitles and his grammar was kind of hard to understand. Still better than seeing a Simple Flying article where they refer to the A340 as a 747 or something like that...

airlinepeanuts wrote:

Even if it wins a Pulitzer for journalistic excellence I won’t give Sam Chui a view.

Why is that?

LCDFlight wrote:

He is right that TK has a different but relevant alternative business model to the ME3. I visited both the EK and TK old hubs. TK serves a larger local population. In another reality, Iran could also be a major hub similar to TK in some ways.

Good point about TK's large domestic feed. They also do a good job with their Central Asian regional feed. For example, with Iranian airlines heavily restricted, TK has stepped in to provide Iran a quicker feed to Europe compared to the ME3, which have hubs located much further south than IST.

He used to be more of a journalist, but now has crossed over solely into influencer territory. Of course he couldn't make a video without endorsing that VPN company. Hard to trust anything he says anymore.

9w748capt wrote:

He used to be more of a journalist, but now has crossed over solely into influencer territory. Of course he couldn't make a video without endorsing that VPN company. Hard to trust anything he says anymore.

This got me to thinking: If you show up at a country with state-controlled Internet and media, wouldn't customs agents be taking you out of line for "special processing" if they saw you had a VPN app on your phone?

I agree with you that Sam has built up his media empire by doing all the things that YouTube "influencers" typically do and normally I wouldn't even post one of his videos. But in this case he took a bit of a risk with this one by questioning the current viability of the ME3 in this almost-post-pandemic world. I bet his VPN-equipped phone is being lit up by Ackbar and Sir Tim, both giving him an earful for posting anything even remotely critical of their airline empires. I imagine he won't be getting anymore gratis First Class suites on their A380's anytime in the foreseeable future.

Istanbul is more closer than ME3 means TK can serve more Europe city by narrowbodies with more frequency, but it is too far to reach Australia

airlinepeanuts wrote:

Even if it wins a Pulitzer for journalistic excellence I won’t give Sam Chui a view.

I'd rather read the industry press than rely on Sam Chui. Some of his videos are fine, I guess, but it's often fluff and pretty obvious a lot of it is staged.

-Half of TK's pax numbers come from Domestic flights.
-Besides the usual Europe, ME, Asia .... TK serves over 50 cities in Africa and 10 cities in USA ( to be 12 soon, adding DFW and DEN )

ContinentalEWR wrote:

airlinepeanuts wrote:

Even if it wins a Pulitzer for journalistic excellence I won’t give Sam Chui a view.

I'd rather read the industry press than rely on Sam Chui. Some of his videos are fine, I guess, but it's often fluff and pretty obvious a lot of it is staged.

Pretty obvious he’s paid to make videos since he’s always in 25k seats and he never says anything bad. The only videos of his I like is when he gets access to something like Antonov or orbis

I’ve worked with Sam and know him well and he doesn’t get paid by the airlines in his videos. Probably a mix of 50/50 purchased tickets and free tickets. YouTube pays generously when you’re getting a million views per video, he doesn’t need to get paid by airlines. It’s his commitment to the hobby that makes the magic happen. Last time we met up he was sitting in a hotel for six days waiting for an An-22 flight. Shame some people can’t unclench and just enjoy the content. No one else is doing what Sam does, you should be grateful he’s out there documenting it. Iran, North Korea, Sudan, weird freighters (incl An-22, -124), getting a PPL, first flights, last flights, something for everyone, unless you’re too jealous to enjoy

Sam's content neither interests nor offends me. I clicked on one of his videos, said to myself "meh" and don't feel the urge to watch another.

Simply Flying has started to appear on my u2b feed. My advice is to not click on any of their videos. I did so and now the u2b algorithm keeps pushing them at me. The video had some OK background video almost certainly 'aggregated' from other sources but IMO the content was their usual thing, mashups of stuff from other sources with nothing insightful added.

And theres something very corny and artificial about him too. Not a fan.

cedarjet wrote:

I’ve worked with Sam and know him well and he doesn’t get paid by the airlines in his videos. Probably a mix of 50/50 purchased tickets and free tickets. YouTube pays generously when you’re getting a million views per video, he doesn’t need to get paid by airlines. It’s his commitment to the hobby that makes the magic happen. Last time we met up he was sitting in a hotel for six days waiting for an An-22 flight. Shame some people can’t unclench and just enjoy the content. No one else is doing what Sam does, you should be grateful he’s out there documenting it. Iran, North Korea, Sudan, weird freighters (incl An-22, -124), getting a PPL, first flights, last flights, something for everyone, unless you’re too jealous to enjoy

Ive been liking Noel Phillips cus I can relate to him better and he goes on some unique commercial flights. But Sam def gets better access!

A fan early on as his reviews had a niche feel to it. Now as soon as I read he's part 'influencer' no longer interested in that 'gig' product.

If he dialed back the slappiness for ME3 airlines and moved to more hard reviews with the polish of new age music, better overlay of narrative, and no tuxedo's (there's another dude on YT that does this... no talking, just fine music, description of everything, etc.). Sam's been great for travel, but everytime his name comes up at a cocktail party or dinner party with fellow travelers, the name gets mentioned, then we move on to Etihad, Emirates and Qatar. So something works. But the current incarnation reeks of unnecessary and gratuitous slobbering.

And the commercialization of his logo on hats, tshirts, etc. Good one!

cedarjet wrote:

I’ve worked with Sam and know him well and he doesn’t get paid by the airlines in his videos. Probably a mix of 50/50 purchased tickets and free tickets. YouTube pays generously when you’re getting a million views per video, he doesn’t need to get paid by airlines. It’s his commitment to the hobby that makes the magic happen. Last time we met up he was sitting in a hotel for six days waiting for an An-22 flight. Shame some people can’t unclench and just enjoy the content. No one else is doing what Sam does, you should be grateful he’s out there documenting it. Iran, North Korea, Sudan, weird freighters (incl An-22, -124), getting a PPL, first flights, last flights, something for everyone, unless you’re too jealous to enjoy

Thank you. I find it amazing that people question his integrity as an airliners fan. This is Sam Chui. He puts his heart into it. So what if he receives a bit of free stuff or even money here or there (so did I, I made paychecks in the industry but I am still a fan). He would never have done all he has done for just money. My feeling is he is as sincere as anyone can be in this big bad world we live in. (Are our actions or words sometimes influenced by money… yes).

I value Sam's opinions far more than those of that so-called " aviation expert " Alex Macheras.
I have found Sam's vidoes on the various premium cabins very useful as a training and selling aid.

LCDFlight wrote:

My feeling is he is as sincere as anyone can be in this big bad world we live in. (Are our actions or words sometimes influenced by money… yes).

You owe me a new screen

What is a "homer"?

seat1a wrote:

A fan early on as his reviews had a niche feel to it. Now as soon as I read he's part 'influencer' no longer interested in that 'gig' product.

If he dialed back the slappiness for ME3 airlines and moved to more hard reviews with the polish of new age music, better overlay of narrative, and no tuxedo's (there's another dude on YT that does this... no talking, just fine music, description of everything, etc.). Sam's been great for travel, but everytime his name comes up at a cocktail party or dinner party with fellow travelers, the name gets mentioned, then we move on to Etihad, Emirates and Qatar. So something works. But the current incarnation reeks of unnecessary and gratuitous slobbering.

Not sure why folks on this forum have an issue with vloggers/bloggers/critics giving positive attention to the ME3. Not to add to the 70% of posts here that are solely a ME3 vs. US3 catfight, but there are reasons why certain companies (in any industry) receive more recognition and praise than others. Enthusiasts of any kind (aviation, cars, etc.) would naturally find more to talk about when discussing the best of the best. Sam also has released plenty of content on other great airline products (i.e. SQ, KE, CX, etc.)

That being said, there are certainly airline review vloggers out there that provide more insightful and informative content than Sam, but he has his own niche. View-counts don't lie.

32andBelow wrote:

ContinentalEWR wrote:

airlinepeanuts wrote:

Even if it wins a Pulitzer for journalistic excellence I won’t give Sam Chui a view.

I'd rather read the industry press than rely on Sam Chui. Some of his videos are fine, I guess, but it's often fluff and pretty obvious a lot of it is staged.

Pretty obvious he’s paid to make videos since he’s always in 25k seats and he never says anything bad. The only videos of his I like is when he gets access to something like Antonov or orbis

There are so many better aviation bloggers out there. I find him repetitive, often patronizing to crew members, and cheesy. Also don't find him particularly informed.

"View-counts don't lie."

Um - Yes they do - they can be and are manipulated. I am not saying his are - but it is certainly possible.

jpetekyxmd80 wrote:

LCDFlight wrote:

My feeling is he is as sincere as anyone can be in this big bad world we live in. (Are our actions or words sometimes influenced by money… yes).

You owe me a new screen

The guy uploaded nearly 5,000 accepted photos to this site. He did that for clout?! Nobody cares about weird guys who upload airliner photos. That’s the least influencer thing to do ever. He did it because it was his passion and obsession. YMMV. Life is short and Chui is spending his life as an obsessive. I do not begrudge him for trying to make a living. More power to him, that’s my take. We all have hobbies. Why are people so mad at him? Was he standing in front of the rest of you at a Concorde landing?

I would like to agree with those who have commented positively about Sam Chui's videos.
I am tired of the aviation press and regular media's negativity and pessimism about everything, and going out of their way to find fault.
Sam Chui's videos are highly enjoyable to watch, colourful, varied, and recreate the old time excitement of airline travel.
He is doing absolutely nothing wrong IMO by highlighting the positives and showing aviation in good light.
We need more optimism right now at a time when aviation is suffering worldwide.
Where he has to, he deals with any negative points in a favourable way without the doom and gloom typical of other media and doesn't make too much of an issue.
Watching his videos are meant to be partly entertaining as well as informative. IMO his reviews stand out from all the others.
I am also impressed how he has made inroads at high levels, ie. Akbar Al Bakr refers to him on first name terms!
Good on him that he has made a great career out of his hobby!

Another guy I would watch regularly for more of a USA angle on aviation happenings is Juan Browne's Blancolirio channel.

32andBelow wrote:

cedarjet wrote:

I’ve worked with Sam and know him well and he doesn’t get paid by the airlines in his videos. Probably a mix of 50/50 purchased tickets and free tickets. YouTube pays generously when you’re getting a million views per video, he doesn’t need to get paid by airlines. It’s his commitment to the hobby that makes the magic happen. Last time we met up he was sitting in a hotel for six days waiting for an An-22 flight. Shame some people can’t unclench and just enjoy the content. No one else is doing what Sam does, you should be grateful he’s out there documenting it. Iran, North Korea, Sudan, weird freighters (incl An-22, -124), getting a PPL, first flights, last flights, something for everyone, unless you’re too jealous to enjoy

Ive been liking Noel Phillips cus I can relate to him better and he goes on some unique commercial flights. But Sam def gets better access!

Lately I am finding Noel's work a bit condescending.Too bad, as he seems very likeable otherwise. I have never seen Sam Chui be condescending. To the contrary.

I am always taken aback by the sheer volume of sour grapes toward Sam. He makes the industry accessible and interesting to those with casual, non-professional interest. That's unlikely to be many people here, but it explains why his content is popular. If people are pissed off by how he makes his money, it's because they'd rather be doing it than him, moreso than any other reason.

LCDFlight wrote:

jpetekyxmd80 wrote:

LCDFlight wrote:

My feeling is he is as sincere as anyone can be in this big bad world we live in. (Are our actions or words sometimes influenced by money… yes).

You owe me a new screen

The guy uploaded nearly 5,000 accepted photos to this site. He did that for clout?! Nobody cares about weird guys who upload airliner photos. That’s the least influencer thing to do ever. He did it because it was his passion and obsession. YMMV. Life is short and Chui is spending his life as an obsessive. I do not begrudge him for trying to make a living. More power to him, that’s my take. We all have hobbies. Why are people so mad at him? Was he standing in front of the rest of you at a Concorde landing?

Agree about Sam. I don't get the hate. The cat figured out how to turn his passion for airlines into a good living. Nothing wrong with that.

Now if you want some truly bad, but strangely popular, "airline geek" YouTube channels, there are the uniformed ramblings of "Colby Ex-planes", or "DJ's Aviation", a melodramatic Australian teenager who apparently doesn't like Boeing. There also seems to be a host of middle-aged YouTubers who are making a living posting videos of every flight they have been taking, no matter how mundane. That said, one of Noel Phillips' episodes of getting stranded at MSL (Muscle Shoals, AL - reported to be the Alabama commercial airport with the least airline service) was pretty amusing.

Back to the reason that I posted all this in the first place: Sam made some good points about the difficulties that the ME3 are having attracting the pandemic-recovery traffic flows through their mega hubs. He mentioned the steady downsizing of EY, which will end up with the ME3 becoming the "ME2". He also talked about the rise of TK as a competitor in the mega international hub challenger.

FLALEFTY wrote:

LCDFlight wrote:

jpetekyxmd80 wrote:

You owe me a new screen

The guy uploaded nearly 5,000 accepted photos to this site. He did that for clout?! Nobody cares about weird guys who upload airliner photos. That’s the least influencer thing to do ever. He did it because it was his passion and obsession. YMMV. Life is short and Chui is spending his life as an obsessive. I do not begrudge him for trying to make a living. More power to him, that’s my take. We all have hobbies. Why are people so mad at him? Was he standing in front of the rest of you at a Concorde landing?

Agree about Sam. I don't get the hate. The cat figured out how to turn his passion for airlines into a good living. Nothing wrong with that.

Now if you want some truly bad, but strangely popular, "airline geek" YouTube channels, there are the uniformed ramblings of "Colby Ex-planes", or "DJ's Aviation", a melodramatic Australian teenager who apparently doesn't like Boeing. There also seems to be a host of middle-aged YouTubers who are making a living posting videos of every flight they have been taking, no matter how mundane. That said, one of Noel Phillips' episodes of getting stranded at MSL (Muscle Shoals, AL - reported to be the Alabama commercial airport with the least airline service) was pretty amusing.

Back to the reason that I posted all this in the first place: Sam made some good points about the difficulties that the ME3 are having attracting the pandemic-recovery traffic flows through their mega hubs. He mentioned the steady downsizing of EY, which will end up with the ME3 becoming the "ME2". He also talked about the rise of TK as a competitor in the mega international hub challenger.

I’m pretty sure DJ just makes videos based on airliners threads