In the Carry-On
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Editorial Rubric
What each score means, and how each category is weighted.
The approach
Every experience is scored on the same 1–5 scale so readers can compare across categories. Criteria are weighted to reflect what actually matters — food quality matters more than noise level, sleep quality matters more than breakfast. Nothing here is paid, gifted, or sponsored without disclosure. If I paid for it, it says so.
The scale
5
Excellent
Would go out of my way for this
4
Good
Would return without hesitation
3
Decent
Fine, nothing wrong or memorable
2
Weak
Notable problems, caveats apply
1
Avoid
Not worth your time or money
🍽 Food
| Criterion | Weight | What I'm assessing |
|---|---|---|
| Food quality | 35% | Flavour, execution, creativity, consistency across dishes |
| Service | 20% | Attentiveness, knowledge, pace — not sycophancy |
| Atmosphere | 15% | Lighting, music, energy, whether the room enhances the meal |
| Value | 15% | What you get relative to what you pay |
| Dietary options | 10% | Whether the menu works for various dietary needs |
| Noise level | 5% | Whether conversation is possible — high score = quiet |
🏨 Hotel
| Criterion | Weight | What I'm assessing |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep quality | 22% | Bed, blackout, noise insulation, temperature control |
| Location | 20% | Walkability, transport links, neighbourhood feel |
| Room quality | 18% | Size, condition, storage, shower pressure |
| Cleanliness | 15% | Room, bathroom, linen — visible and felt |
| Staff | 12% | Check-in efficiency, helpfulness, problem resolution |
| Value | 8% | Rate vs comparables in the same city and tier |
| Wi-Fi | 3% | Speed and reliability for working |
| Breakfast | 2% | Quality and variety — only if included |
✈️ Flight
| Criterion | Weight | What I'm assessing |
|---|---|---|
| Seat comfort | 28% | Legroom, recline, width, padding — relative to cabin class |
| Value | 20% | Cash price or points cost vs what was delivered |
| Crew | 18% | Warmth, efficiency, proactiveness |
| Food & drink | 14% | Quality, variety, how well-timed — relative to cabin class |
| Punctuality | 10% | On-time departure and arrival |
| Entertainment | 6% | Screen size, content library, Wi-Fi quality |
| Boarding | 4% | Lounge, gate experience, boarding process |
💻 Tech
| Criterion | Weight | What I'm assessing |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 25% | Speed, responsiveness, how it handles real-world workloads |
| Value | 22% | Price vs what you actually get — including long-term |
| Reliability | 20% | Bugs, crashes, dropped connections, firmware consistency |
| Ease of use | 12% | Setup, daily UX, learning curve |
| Build & design | 8% | Materials, finish, ergonomics, portability |
| Battery life | 8% | Real-world endurance, not spec-sheet |
| Ecosystem | 3% | Integrations, compatibility, lock-in implications |
| Support & updates | 2% | Firmware update cadence, customer service responsiveness |