The Truth is Out: Airline Mergers Do Indeed Result in Higher Prices
Posted on 08/14/2013, 11:45 AM
If you weren't sure where to come down on the airline merger debate, a position is becoming clearer. Yesterday the Department of Justice put its own foot down on the union of American Airlines and U.S. Airways. The DOJ hasn't blocked an airline merger since 2001, but something broke. It has had enough. This may be why: The AP's Scott Mayerowitz reports that airfares have gone up, even when ad...
Time to See Africa? Wildlife Experts Warn Elephants Will Be Gone in 15 Years
Posted on 08/12/2013, 6:30 PM
A disturbing report today in Britain's Metro newspaper: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has calculated that an elephant is poached every 15 minutes in Africa. With 36,000 dead in the past year alone, at the current kill rate, they'll all be dead in 15 years. The article quotes Dame Daphne Sheldrick, a charity head: "A world without elephants is hard to comprehend but it is a real possibi...
Carriers Large and Small Going Slower to Save on Fuel Costs
Posted on 08/12/2013, 6:15 PM
It'll take you longer to get there now. Ryanair has instructed its pilots to stick to a 600mph speed limit, which will save the carrier on fuel costs but also make trips take longer. It's not just exploitative airlines like Ryanair—although it gets the bad press for it. JetBlue did the same thing in 2008 and saved $13.6 million. In 2011, Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 quietly increased most o...
Universal Orlando Announces Harry Potter Festival Event for January: Tickets on Sale Aug. 22
Posted on 08/12/2013, 5:45 PM
Universal Orlando has announced a three-day "Celebration of Harry Potter" fan event for January 24 to 26. Details are sketchy, but ticketholders are promised a few perks, including a "private evening reception held in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," Q&A sessions featuring "Harry Potter talent," and a wand masterclass imported from the Harry Potter Studio Tour outside London (it's cute...
Everything's Coming Up Rosen in Orlando: Now There's a Fifth Rosen Hotel on International Drive
Posted on 08/12/2013, 5:30 PM
The Quality Inn International has long been one of the most reliable budget properties off International Drive in Orlando. Harris Rosen bought it back in 1974, and using it as a foundation, built an Orlando hotel empire that now numbers more than 6,300 guest rooms, from dead cheap to business-class luxury. In a bid to solidify his personal brand name, he has finally gotten around to attachin...
The Meanest Roads in America: More Public Highways Bleeding Tourists with Cashless Tolls
Posted on 08/12/2013, 4:15 PM
They're the meanest roads in America.If you haven't taken a road trip vacation in the last few years, you're in for a rude shock. More states are implementing what's called "cashless tolls," which require vehicles to carry transponders that roadside sensors debit with the price of tolls. While cashless tolls have sped up traffic on many commuter routes, some states have unwisely and uncharitably ad...
JFK to LAX for $83? It's Happening This Week as JetBlue Sells Unsold Seats for Dirt Cheap
Posted on 07/18/2013, 6:00 AM
Clever JetBlue! It's using this week's oppressive heat dome to move some of its unsold inventory — and we love it! The airline says that as long as the heat wave lasts and temperatutes spike above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it will offer strictly limited, last-minute "HotSeats" deals for up to 90% off. For the past few days, the heavlily discounte fares have been appearing on the airline's websit...
JFK to LAX for $83? It's Happening This Week as JetBlue Sells Unsold Seats for Dirt Cheap
Posted on 07/18/2013, 6:00 AM
Clever JetBlue! It's using this week's oppressive heat dome to move some of its unsold inventory — and we love it! The airline says that as long as the heat wave lasts and temperatutes spike above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it will offer strictly limited, last-minute "HotSeats" deals for up to 90% off. For the past few days, the heavlily discounte fares have been appearing on the airline's websit...
What is a Transatlantic Crossing on the Queen Mary 2 Like? Our Readers' Questions Answered
Posted on 07/17/2013, 7:00 AM
Last week, I took what many consider the voyage of a lifetime: a transatlantic crossing on an ocean liner. There's only one ship left on the seas that was specifically designed to slice through ocean waves the way a French waiter slices through foie gras, and that's Cunard's Queen Mary 2. She's no longer the largest ship in the world (it's currently eighth), but she's plenty big, and she's th...
What is a Transatlantic Crossing on the Queen Mary 2 Like? Our Readers' Questions Answered
Posted on 07/17/2013, 7:00 AM
Last week, I took what many consider the voyage of a lifetime: a transatlantic crossing on an ocean liner. There's only one ship left on the seas that was specifically designed to slice through ocean waves the way a French waiter slices through foie gras, and that's Cunard's Queen Mary 2. She's no longer the largest ship in the world (it's currently eighth), but she's plenty big, and she's th...
