For a city that revels in superlatives, Dubai now has another one it can brag about. After months of anticipation, Dubai is officially home to the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, according to data from Airports Council International.
Every traveling parent has been there: pacing the aisle of an airplane, grasping a wailing baby or wiggling toddler, trying to avoid the accusing glares of fellow passengers.
Memories are still fresh of the angst and soul-searching set off this summer by the “Knee Defender,” a gadget for airline passengers that prevents the seat in front from reclining. Now another personal-space-defending contraption for beleaguered economy class passengers is in the works.
Lost luggage is a traveler’s worst nightmare. Whether your checked-in bag never made the plane, or is on its way to the wrong continent, it can spoil your entire trip. But what if there was a way to rate airlines ranked according to the likelihood of their losing your luggage?
The year 2014 could be called a successful one for air travel or a depressing one, depending on your vantage point. On the whole, business class travelers enjoyed more space and amenities, while coach travelers paid more money for less legroom—leading a handful of passengers to really lose their cool. Profits soared for US air carriers, despite fears of a public health crisis and the effects of amped-up competition from other transatlantic carriers.
Despite US travel restrictions, Cuba is a leading tourist destination in the Caribbean. Its favorable climate, cultural history, beautiful beaches, and colonial architecture makes tourism a main source of revenue for the island. (It’s rumored some people go for the music, rum, and cigars!)
A quick glance at JetSmarter’s website seems to set the tone for its customers. What appears to be an Armani-clad couple have left their pearly white Mercedes Benz GL class and are ascending into their private jet. But Sergey Petrossov, the 26-year-old creator of the marketplace app, says he want to give a taste of the (private) jet life to everyone.
By now, you’re probably sick of hearing about standing desks, with their promises of staving off obesity, diabetes, even death. (The craze is evident here at Quartz’s New York office, where a new standing desk pops up nearly every week.)
Until you’re actually airborne, air travel can be a real time waster—and an especially frustrating experience during the busy holiday travel season. If you’re not standing in long lines to strip down for security, you’re likely spending an hour or two, or more, wandering the airport terminal, browsing shops, and trying not to use up all the reading material you’ve brought for the plane ride. But some airports have unusual amenities you could use during a long layover or unexpected delay, or if you’ve somehow made it to the departure gate early and have some time to kill. Here’s a roundup of some of the most surprising.
Many stressful airport experiences revolve around luggage—dragging it around, weighing it, getting rid of extra items to avoid excess-baggage fees. You also worry about losing it, having it stolen, or routed to the wrong destination. Not to mention bumping into people’s shins or rolling over their toes.
As predicted last month, the latest data from the US Department of Transportation show that, on a rolling basis (year-over-year), monthly air passenger numbers on all airlines in the US have officially surpassed record levels last seen before the Great Recession.
Hawaiian Airlines. That’s according to the latest data release from the US department of transportation, which reported that the airline had a 92.54% on-time arrival rate for US flights.
It’s no secret that, at least on US air carriers, flying is about as painful an experience as it’s ever been. More passengers, smaller seats, less leg room (more profits). It’s appropriate, then, that travel search engine Expedia has taken to surveying American passengers about just how bad the experience can get. Those feelings are compiled and crunched in its second annual airline etiquette study out today.
Billionaire Richard Branson is officially inserting himself into another sector of the travel industry. Virgin Group, Branson’s investment arm, announced its entry into the cruise business, extending the brand’s travel empire beyond planes, trains, and spaceships.
As any traveller who has passed through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport knows, it is pretty much always packed.
Despite geopolitical tensions in Crimea, volcanos in Iceland, and a shaky economic recovery in the eurozone, international tourism to Europe is thriving; it grew by 4% in the first three quarters of this year, according to the European Travel Commission’s 2014 trends report released this month. All countries but one reported growth in arrivals from the beginning of 2014.
For hotel guests, Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury like infinity pools, designer toiletries, or complimentary dry cleaning. Business travelers increasingly consider it a necessity, just as important as bottled water. A Hotels.com survey found that hotel guests would overwhelmingly choose free Wi-Fi over any other in-room amenity.
It’s Southwest. As of today, JetBlue Airways has ended its practice of free checked bags, announcing at an investor event in New York that it will add a bag-check fee for fliers buying the cheapest tickets—and cut legroom on select aircraft.
If you thought irate passengers, extra fees, n and crammed seating would keep air travelers from flying America’s brutally thrifty airlines, you were wrong. The latest data from the US Department of Transportation show that, on a rolling basis (year-over-year), monthly air passenger numbers on US airlines have been steadily ticking up, nearing record levels last seen before the Great Recession.
News flash: houses in Silicon Valley are expensive. Really expensive.
You’ve mastered the morning workout, conquered your favorite running track, and nailed the healthy packed lunch for work. But what about when your boss sends you off to a conference, or it’s finally time for a well-deserved vacation? Packing on the pounds isn’t uncommon on the road, what with jetlag, the lack of a familiar gym, long hours sitting in conference rooms, and the lure of room service, the hotel bar, and local cuisine. And then, of course, there’s the “vacation calories don’t count” attitude.
Officials in Saudi Arabia are holding “urgent meetings” to prevent the arrival of a drug. In Lebanon, authorities are taking legal measures against the same product. But these officials aren’t freaking out over hard drugs, because they’ve already done a good job scaring residents with harsh drug laws and keeping contraband substances out. Now, they’re tackling spooky-sounding MP3s, hoping to combat the growing use of “digital drugs,” or binaural beats.
Virgin America, a US airline known for its mood lighting, fancy cocktails, and extensive in-flight entertainment options—as well its ties to British billionaire Richard Branson—plans to raise $320 million in an initial public offering that potentially would value the company at $1 billion.
Muggles lamenting the end of the Harry Potter era have something to keep their spirits up: Harry Potter hotel rooms. You probably won’t find Emma Watson roaming the halls of this themed boutique hotel in London, but there are replica Hogwarts rooms equipped with potion bottles, cauldrons and spell books for die-hard fans. The hotel is one of many trying to capitalize on the desire of cult movie followers to escape their reality. Boutique hotels—characterized by a unique, often theatrical experience— have been a bright spot for the hotel industry in the US and globally. These aim for the extreme escape:
