Tourism, Travel & Holidays
QE2 to become floating hotel
The Queen Elizabeth 2 has left its home port of Southampton for its last journey ever, heading for a new life as a floating hotel in Dubai.
Multiple bird strike causes midair Ryanair terror
One hundred and sixty six passengers were evacuated via escape chutes this morning from a Ryanair plane which made an emergency landing at Rome's Ciampino airport after it was apparently struck by birds during its approach.
New Zealand Warns of Extreme Travel Risks in Parts of Indonesia
New Zealand's government has warned its citizens against any travel in Indonesia's Maluku and Central Sulawesi provinces, citing the heightened risks around the pending execution of three men for the 2002 Bali bombings.
Toronto places 10th in global cities rankings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The influential international relations magazine Foreign Policy has ranked Toronto as the world's 10th most global city, as well as fourth best for cultural experiences.
Qantas plunge: spotlight firms on autopilot
The transport safety watchdog has confirmed it is analysing the autopilot system of QF72 as part of its investigation into why the Qantas airliner dropped nearly 1000 feet in two terrifying plunges earlier this week.
Qantas to compensate for problem flight
(CNN) -- The Australian airline Qantas plans to offer refunds and other compensation to passengers who were on a jet that suddenly changed altitude this week, injuring 74 people, the airline said Thursday.
Qantas Jet Experienced Computer Glitch Before Plunge
Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A Qantas Airways Ltd. aircraft forced to make an emergency landing yesterday experienced ``computer problems'' moments before it plunged mid-flight, injuring more than 30 passengers, investigators said.
LONDON (AFP) — Thousands of air passengers in Britain faced travel chaos Thursday after a computer fault at the main air traffic control centre caused delays and cancellations.
United scraps plan for meal charges
United Airlines dropped a plan to charge as much as $9 for meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights, citing "candid feedback" from customers.
MUMBAI (AFP) — An Iran Air flight heading to Tehran returned to the Indian city of Mumbai soon after take-off and made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire, an airport official said Wednesday.
Jetstar's Thailand rescue mission costs $600k
SYDNEY - Jetstar has been left with a A$500,000 ($618,352) bill from its rescue of Australian holidaymakers caught up in Thailand's political unrest. A chartered Jetstar flight landed at Sydney's International Airport just before 9am (AEST) today,...
Qantas flight suffers engine trouble
A Qantas flight has landed without incident in the German city of Frankfurt after its crew shut down an engine because of a vibration. Qantas Flight 31 from Singapore to London diverted to Frankfurt Airport for repairs to the engine, landing about...
Oxygen bottle blamed for Qantas plane explosion
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian air safety investigators on Friday blamed an oxygen bottle for a mid-air explosion which blew a minivan-size hole in the side of Qantas 747, but said they don't know why the bottle blew up.
A raft made of junk crosses Pacific in 3 months
HONOLULU (AP) — Tanned, dirty and hungry, two men who spent three months crossing the Pacific on a raft made of plastic bottles to raise awareness of ocean debris finally stepped onto dry land.
SilkAir Winning Asia's Low-Cost Carrier Wars
Despite the rise of regional airlines aimed at budget-minded travelers, SilkAir, one of Southeast Asia's original low-cost carriers, remains at the top of the game. Even with competition coming from the likes of Bangkok Airways and AirAsia and wit...
Kyrgyzstan air crash leaves 68 dead, 22 survivors
BISHKEK, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - A Kyrgyz passenger plane bound for Tehran crashed near the capital, Bishkek, killing 68 people, while another 22 survived, the country's health ministry said on Monday.
World's Decadent Hotel Amenities
The hotel industry started more than a century ago when stagecoach outposts gave overland travelers a refuge from the elements--and little else. Nowadays, however, five-star properties offer well-heeled guests spa treatments, personal butlers and ...
Spanish plane that crashed had overheated gauge
MADRID, Spain: A gauge indicating that overheated air was entering a Spanair jetliner forced pilots to abandon a takeoff about an hour before the plane crashed into flames, but airline officials refused to speculate Thursday on the cause of the cr...
American Airlines in-flight Wi-Fi premieres
One of the country's last Internet-free zones was plugged in Wednesday as a fleet of American Airlines jets became flying Wi-Fi spots, offering passengers full, in-flight Web access - except for phone calls. E-mailing and messaging from 30,000 fee...
United Airlines to end free meals on many trans-Atlantic flights
In a move that appears to have fired up many of the airline's frequent fliers, United will "become the first U.S. carrier to stop serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights," Bloomberg News writes. Now, starting Oct. 1, coach-c...