Travel Tonic

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 5th 2012

• Decoding Hotel Price Guarantees: Too Good to Be True? – posted this over on Frommer's : Are hotel price guarantees meant to protect — or fool — travelers? We help you decipher the fine print.
• Bombardier to deliver 10 CSeries per month in 2016 –
  flightglobal.com
  Having accumulated over 300 orders and commitments for CSeries CS100 and CS300 aircraft, Bombardier says it is now sold out of delivery slots in 2014…
• Underwater travel – HeidiS recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  You don’t have to be a scuba diver to enjoy the fun and adventure of underwater attractions – far from it. Maybe you’ve tried snorkeling on a tropical vacation and really liked what you saw: colorful fish, vibrant coral, and swirling sea creatures (nurse sharks and stingrays, perhaps?). Well, here at Bing Travel we thought we’d help you out with new ideas for experiencing what’s just below the water’s surface – and in some cases, what can be found much, much deeper than that.

• New United 747 Safety Video –
  youtube.com
• Archaeologists Reveal America’s Oldest City – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  Monks Mound in summer near Collinsville, Il. The concrete steps have replaced ancient wooden stairs (Courtesy Wikipedia Commons)
• http://flickr.com/photos/flightblogger/6638089683 –
  flickr.com
• Rome: Four-Night Vacations with Air from 1,099* – Smarter Travel has posted some info about rome vacations: Virgin Vacations is featuring four-night Rome vacations with air included from $1,099 per person.

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 3rd 2012 through January 4th 2012:

• Traveler’s Ski Report: Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana – posted this over on Frommer's : Big sky and big slopes draw skiers to Montana's Whitefish Mountain Resort, near Glacier National Park. Check out what's new at Whitefish, and learn why skiers keep coming back.
• Missing delivery forecast, Boeing faces "air pocket" on 787 output (Update2) – FlightBlogger – Aviation News, Commentary and Analysis –
  flightglobal.com
  Boeing failed to meet its 2011 delivery guidance of 15 to 20 747-8s and 787s, delivering just 12 of its newly certified aircraft, including nine 747-8 freighters and three of the long-range majority-composite twins to launch customer All Nippon…
• How to deal with bites and stings – travel tips and articles – Lonely Planet –
  lonelyplanet.com
  Read How to deal with bites and stings for travel tips, advice, news and articles from all around the world by Lonely Planet
• Disney Parks to Stay Open 24 Hours in a Row on February 29 – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  If you've ever dreamed of riding Space Mountain or Pirates of the Caribbean at 3 in the morning, here's your chance.

• Rome: Four-Night Vacations with Air from 1,099* – Smarter Travel has posted some info about rome vacations: Virgin Vacations is featuring four-night Rome vacations with air included from $1,099 per person.

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

• In-Flight Amenities That Make Us Hope for Tarmac Delays – Yahoo! Travel –
  travel.yahoo.com
  
• Travel Troubleshooter: The Additional Driver Fee That Won’t Get Lost – posted this over on Frommer's : A traveler is surprised to learn that he'll have to pay extra for his wife to drive the rental car. Should this sneaky fee be refunded?

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 2nd 2012 through January 3rd 2012:

• Six Airfare Sales That Started Today || Jaunted –
  jaunted.com
  
• BREAKING: Boeing Completed Delivery Paperwork on Third 787 Dreamliner to ANA in 2011 | Airline Reporter | Blogging on the airline business –
  airlinereporter.com
  - David Parker Brown
  

  Boeing 787 Dreamliner JA805A landing at Paine Field on December 23rd.
  I am just getting word directly from All Nippon Airways (ANA) that they did complete the paperwork on the 30th of December for the delivery of their third 787 Dreamliner. Although ANA will not take possession of the aircraft until January 4th, the airline considers [...]
• CFMU NOP Network Operations Portal –
  public.cfmu.eurocontrol.int
• #TTOT Topic for… | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.
• In-flight Wi-Fi: The continued unpopularity of in-flight Wi-Fi | The Economist –
  economist.com
  

  GOGO, which provides in-flight Wi-Fi to many American airlines, recently filed for an initial public offering.
• Welcome to Airplanista! – Aviation Blogs and posts by Dan Pimentel and other guest writers – presenting aviation news as aviation blogs for pilots about flying, aviation and the airlines. –
  av8rdan.com
  - Dan Pimentel
  By Dan Pimentel Airplanista Blog Editor It is quite easy during the first few minutes of a commercial airline flight to all but ignore the Flight Attendants (FAs) asking you – nicely – to take your seat and stow your stuff. We spend the next few moments avoiding the safety briefing, cocky as we are, thinking we already know how to fasten a seat belt, what more do they need to tell us anyway? Oh yeah, the exits, yada yada, flotation devices blah blah. But try as we do to ignore FAs, funny how …  show all text
• Five airlines (and an airport) that surprised passengers this Christmas with Wow campaigns | Leaders in airline & airport customer engagement :: SimpliFlying –
  simpliflying.com
  - Shashank Nigam
  Remember how KLM surprised passengers last holiday season? And how Spanair had presents coming out of the conveyer belt on Christmas eve last year? Such initiatives are now known in the airline world as “Wow campaigns”.
  Marketing managers all over the world are trying to do at least one or two of these to raise their airlines’ profiles these days. And lots of them took place over the Christmas weekend. Here’s our compilation of six heartwarming Wow campaigns.
  1. Santa flies past a Spanair flight  show all text

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 30th 2011 through December 31st 2011:

• Winter In Paris; International New Years Party – This week on the Travel with Rick Steves Podcast:
  Rick uncovers holiday traditions from such places as Sicily and Croatia, Scotland and Brazil and gets suggestions for enjoying winter in Paris from a couple of local guides.
  
  Podcast
• Facebook Timeline Is Basically Your Digital Resume –
  mashable.com
  - Gerrit Hall
  

  Gerrit Hall is CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes and grades resumes instantly to help job seekers write the best resume possible. Connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Facebook and Twitter.
  For those of you who don’t know (have you been living under a rock?), Facebook is slowly debuting the Timeline to its 800+ million users. Currently, this update is available for those who opt in, but it’s rolling out to replace the Facebook profile we’ve all come to kn…  show all text
• Top 11 marketing and social media innovations by airlines in 2011 | Leaders in airline & airport customer engagement :: SimpliFlying –
  simpliflying.com
  - Shashank Nigam
  

  What a year it has been for the airline industry when it comes to marketing. With healthier profits this year, we’ve seen many airlines push the envelop when it comes to marketing and social media innovation. So to sum up the year, we’re sharing the top 11 marketing innovations by airlines in 2011.

  While going through these, you’ll also realize that most of those that made the list aren’t one-off campaigns, but mature strategies made up of tactics that drive very specific business goals. So g…  show all text
• Six-Night Ireland Vacation, from $899 With Air – posted this over on Frommer's : Save up to about $200 by booking this six-night Ireland vacation, which airfare, a rental car, and even a night in a 17th-century castle.
• There Are Only 8 Pilots In The World That Are Qualified To Fly To This Airport –
  businessinsider.com
  - Travis Okulski
  

  When building an airport, it is always a good idea to place it in a wide, flat area that is free of obstructions and easy to access.
  Or in between two 18,000 foot mountains in the Himalayas. Whichever.
  Paro Airport in Bhutan might look beautiful, but is actually considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world, according to The Daily Mail.
  Pilots need to maneuver between mountains, fly within feet of houses, and land on a narrow, 6,500 foot runway. Planes are only allowed to take off …  show all text
• All-premium airline model eyes comeback | APEX Editor’s Blog –
  blog.apex.aero
  - Will Horton
  

  The wave of all-premium flights that dominated the North Atlantic mid last decade is back – but this time in Asia.
  From long-haul to short-haul, Asian carriers are looking to the premium end of market growth that has been neglected as low-cost carriers rapidly fill the skies.
  Like the rest of aviation markets, Asia is also experiencing a downturn, but by different metrics: single-digit growth instead of double-digit growth.
  Naysayers of the all-premium model point to the failed trans-Atlantic s…  show all text
• Comac ARJ21-700 ready for type inspection authorisation –
  flightglobal.com
  The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) ARJ21-700 regional jet is ready to enter the type inspection authorisation (TIA) stage, nine years…

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 29th 2011 through December 30th 2011:

• 6 Apps to Take Your Mind Off a Long Holiday Trip – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Try some new winter-themed apps. (Courtesy bonnie-brown/Flickr)
• GoAir A320 hit by bus at Mumbai airport –
  flightglobal.com
  A GoAir Airbus A320 aircraft parked at the Mumbai airport was badly damaged yesterday when a bus rammed into its nose.The incident happened at around…
• Tech Travel: Why All Gadgets Should Be Banned On Flights | Fox News –
  foxnews.com
  

  Plenty of people want to use their e-readers, tablets, and smartphones during take-off and landing and think the FAA should lift its ban. I disagree, and the reasons seem obvious.
• South Carolina airport to get $102 million facelift – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  South Carolina's Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) will embark on a $102 million makeover to its 49-year-old main terminal, …
• Two Iconic Cities Go Head-to-Tête – Valerie Rains recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  A handful of destinations in the world are so iconic as to be instantly identifiable by a single, simple image—say, the looming triangle of an Egyptian pyramid, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the Space Needle (or perhaps the Starbucks logo) of Seattle.

• Airlines: 4 Best Uses of Facebook and Twitter for Fliers in 2011 – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  When it comes to customer service, Twitter and Facebook are the new 800-hotlines. These social networking sites are increasingly the place where passengers turn to gripe about shoddy service—and to seek solutions from airline customer service departments.

• #TTOT Topic for… | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 27th 2011 through December 28th 2011:

• ANA announces new 787 livery, routes –
  flightglobal.com
  All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced the dates it will begin operating the Boeing 787 on three domestic routes, as well as a livery change for future…
• New Year’s: What’s your travel resolution for 2012? – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Please tell us: What's your travel resolution for 2012? Is it a new adventure or a return to a favorite place? Is it an urban exploration, or a journey to a remote destination? Are you planning to do something different in the way you travel?

• Airlines on Twitter Monthly Report for November 2011: increasing engagement but 30 airlines produce over 80% of tweets | Leaders in airline & airport customer engagement :: SimpliFlying –
  simpliflying.com
  - Shubhodeep Pal
  

  Our friends at Eezeer have analysed the Twitter habits of airlines as well as their fans/customers for the month of November and have produced the Monthly Twitter Report in continuation with their monthly coverage and analysis of the dynamic social media landscape for airlines.
  At the close of the year, it’s worth pausing to consider how quickly the social landscape has evolved over the past year or so. Airlines have not only embraced Twitter but have also realised that there’s great value in u…  show all text
• Readers’ vote: What’s the most momentous event of 2011? « Leeham News and Comment –
  leehamnews.wordpress.com
  What do you think was the most momentous event for the following companies in 2011? And what do you predict for 2012?
• Australia’s Weird Wildlife Warning Signs – Fran Golden recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Tasmanian Devil warning sign, Tasmania (Courtesy of David Molyneaux)

  A car trip in Australia has its challenges including the fact driving is on the left. Distractions include a large number of weird wildlife warning signs on roadways.

• People Who Didn’t Get What They Wanted For Christmas –
  buzzfeed.com
  

  This is so, so sad.

  View Entire List ›
• Wendy’s Goes Gourmet in Japan – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  Wendy's new foie gras burger in Tokyo (Courtesy Wendy's)

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 24th 2011 through December 27th 2011:

• Reach visitors anywhere with local radio stations streaming online | Sheila’s Guide To The Good Stuff –
  sheilasguide.com
  - Sheila
  

  First in a blog post series for the get-revved-up week between Christmas and New Year’s
  Here’s a way to reach fans of your destination who live far away, but still want to connect even when they can’t visit …. tell them how to find and listen to your hometown radio stations that stream online.
  People who enjoy familiar music, a long-time DJ’s voice or a particular show may not even know that they can now hear those sounds on the web, even when their regular radio is nowhere near the station’s t…  show all text
• Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Hey Federal Aviation Administration, the rules governing electronic devices on airplanes are not based on science, writes Nick Bilton on the Disruptions blog at the New York Times. Tests show an ebook reader like Amazon's Kindle won't bring a plane down.

• The Dark Side of Vacation Rentals – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Vacation rentals are often more memorable, and have way more character, than a cookie-cutter motel. That may or may not be a good thing.

• Tests Cast Doubt on F.A.A. Restrictions on Kindle and iPad – NYTimes.com –
  bits.blogs.nytimes.com
  - By NICK BILTON
  The Federal Aviation Administration doesn't allow Kindles and iPads to be on during takeoffs and landings over the issue of possible interference with aircraft navigation or communication systems. A visit to a testing lab shed light on whether a hazard really exists.
• International Christmas Party – This week on the Travel with Rick Steves Podcast:
  Rick celebrates Christmas with friends from near and far, hearing about holiday traditions from Holland and Hungary, Sicily and Scotland, learning about the unique ways people light up the season in Santa Fe, and discovering how scientists at a research station in Antarctica make merry, plus listeners share some of their favorite Christmas memories from holiday travels.
  
  Podcast
• I can only imagine how many probs this will cause at #TSAChec… on Twitpic –
  twitpic.com
  
• NORAD Santa –
  noradsanta.org

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 21st 2011 through December 23rd 2011:

• End of Mayan Calendar A Rebirth for Mexico Tourism? – Michelle Baran recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Durango, Mexico (Courtesy cruceros.julio/Flickr)
• Boeing scrambles to meet 787 delivery targets for 2011 –
  flightglobal.com
  Boeing is scrambling to hand over three more 787s to All Nippon Airways before the close of 2011, aiming to meet at least a portion of its delivery guidance…
• A Holiday Surprise From the Travel Industry – posted this over on Frommer's : In the spirit of the holidays, remember that even the smallest gesture of kindness can improve a fellow traveler's day.
• 5 Oddest Historical Replicas in the U.S. – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  America’s Stonehenge replica.(Courtesy cm195902/Flickr)
• Many fliers refuse to turn off electronic gadgets – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  Fliers aren't turning off devices during takeoff and landing, despite government warnings, a USA TODAY investigation shows.
• That’s Ridiculous! Airline Passengers Go to War Over Bin Space – posted this over on Frommer's : A traveler's desperate scramble to claim space in the overhead bin can be avoided — at least if the airline industry implemented one of these three solutions.
• 12 destinations for 2012 – HeidiS recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  Where are you going in 2012? If you’re like us at Bing Travel, you have a long bucket list of destinations that have caught your eye. But so many places, so little time! How do you prioritize where to go?

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 20th 2011 through December 21st 2011:

• How the Most-Hated Airline Fee Became a Huge Success – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  By charging passengers fees for carry-on bags, Spirit Airlines rakes in a whopping $50 million annually.

• Why You Should Consider an Arizona Vacation Now – Nicholas DeRenzo recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Welcome to Arizona (Courtesy Wing-Chi Poon/Wikipedia Commons)
• Travel Troubleshooter: Maybe I Won’t Be Home for Christmas – posted this over on Frommer's : A technical error and a declined credit card leaves this traveler with no confirmed plane tickets for holiday travel. Should the airline or the online travel agency have notified this traveler about the billing problem?
• Deal Strategy: Book an All-Inclusive Holiday Right After the Holidays – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Often, snagging a major discount is as simple as avoiding peak travel times. Case in point: Try an all-inclusive resort just after (rather than during) the Christmas-New Year's period.

• Flier charged with in-flight groping could be caned – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  A Ukrainian man faces potentially serious consequences after being charged for allegedly groping a Singapore Airlines flight attendant.
• Win a Trip to the Cayman Islands! – Smarter Travel has posted some info about night getaway: Like the Cayman Islands on Facebook and you could win a four-night getaway!

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

• #TTOT Topic for… | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for December 19th 2011 through December 20th 2011:

• Travel Talk on Twitter – Info | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  

  Travel Talk on Twitter – Description: #TTOT – The Event It occurs *twice* every Tuesday: 9:30 AM and 9:30 PM Greenwich Mean Time (Check timeanddate.com's World Clock and Meeting Planner to find where that time is in your part of the world.) meeting.html #TTOT – The Hashtag You can use #TTOT throughout the week to tag your travel-related tweets to get the attention of others in the #TTOT community. | Facebook
• Flight delays, road closures in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas – RobinD_travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  A powerful winter storm that dumped snow on the Southwest and Great Plains on Monday is causing flight delays and road closures for travelers in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.

  Albuquerque, still under a winter storm warning for heavy snow until 5 a.m. MST Tuesday, is experiencing delayed flight departures and arrivals at the Albuquerque International Sunport. Track your flight status on Bing travel. Major highways across New Mexico are experiencing closures, too. As of 5 p.m. MST, Interstate 25 northbound from mile marker 290 to 302 is closed. Interstate 40 westbound and eastbound is closed from mile marker 239 to mile marker 273 (Torrance County Line to Santa Rosa). Track road conditions in New Mexico on the New Mexico Department of Transportation site.

  Parts of southeast Colorado remain under a blizzard warning. Denver International Airport is experiencing delayed flight departures and arrivals. Track your flight status on Bing Travel. Portions of Interstate 25 (milemarker 1 to 11) are closed due to severe weather. Check road conditions on the Colorado Department of Transportation site.

  Due to weather, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is experiencing gate holds and taxi delays of 45 minutes to an hour. Arrivals are experiencing delays of 15 minutes or less. Track your flight status on Bing Travel.

• Euro Dips Under $1.30, Making Europe Affordable – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy maesejose/Flickr)
• Tips On Flying With Gifts – Michelle Baran recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Holiday gifts (Courtesy almostbunnies/Flickr)
• Etihad acquires 29% stake in Air Berlin –
  flightglobal.com
  Etihad Airways is to increase its stake in Air Berlin to 29%, making it the largest single shareholder in the German carrier.Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has…
• 5 Eco-friendly Packing Tips – recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  How green is your suitcase?(Courtesy jepoirrier/Flickr)
• Where it’s always New Year’s Eve – HeidiS recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  Some cities around the world don’t wait for New Year’s Eve to throw a great party – they keep the atmosphere festive all year round. Walk the streets of New Orleans any night and you’ll hear music streaming from the doorways. Summers in Ibiza, Spain, are all about the dance clubs (foam included). New York? It’s the “city that never sleeps” for a reason.

  Whether you visit these cities to ring in the New Year or another time of year, you’ll always find something to celebrate in the 13 destinations featured in the new Bing Travel slide show: Where It’s Always New Year’s Eve. Veteran traveler Pauline Frommer found some familiar places and some that may surprise you. Take a look, and tell us if we missed one of your favorite party cities by leaving a comment below.

  Happy New Year and happy travels!