Ryanair's Calendar Girls cause Spanish outrage

Ryanair has outraged Spanish housewives who claim the airline's 2012 charity calendar, which features scantily-clad members of its cabin crew, is exploiting female workers.

The Provincial Association of Housewives and Consumers of Valencia (TYRIUS) has issued a formal complaint to the airline and reported it to the Non-Sexist Advertising Observatory of Valencia as it "uses the female body" in the form of advertising.

Even though the calendar will raise money to send 50 British families with children who suffer from a fragile skin condition on holiday to Spain, TYRIUS said had called for it to be taken off sale.

The housewives say that the airline is profiting by using the publicity whipped up by the calendar to sell its low-cost flights.

TRRIUS says the airline, which has published its Cabin Crew charity calendar every year since 2008, is preying on the dignity of women workers and its cabin crew.

Ryanair has already sold 9,000 of the 10,000 2012 calendars, raising €100,000 for the charity, DEBRA. It said men in other professions, including firemen, also posed semi-naked to raise money for good causes.

(Source: Travelmole.com)

Which is the World's Safest Airline?

Every other day we seem to hear reports of commercial airline failures — planes diverted to make emergency landings after in-flight dramas, aircraft grounded due to shonky equipment, near collisions and crew strikes over safety standards — and these are just to name a few from this week.

With all the uncertainty in the sky, which is the safest airline to trust with your travel arrangements?

AirSafe.com is an independent fact-gathering website run by a former airline safety analyst in the USA, and it gives consumers an idea of an airline's relative safety by analysing historical performance. But one can't exactly compile a top-ten list of the world's safest airlines — a number of factors come in to play when ranking a carrier's safety ranking.

What makes an airline safe anyway?

This particular safety register calculates an airline's 'fatal events' since 1970, based on the number of passengers who lose their lives relative to the total number of onboard passengers. This estimate is then weighted against the number of flights a particular airline operates — for example, if a carrier has only operated one flight since the 70s, and all aboard met their maker, that company would have a much higher score than an airline operating a hundred flights a day and has lost a handful of passengers over the last four decades.

So who's the safest down under?

Based on fatality rates alone (not including your in-flight bumps, bruises and busted doors), here is a list of popular carriers that fly in and out of Australasia. Remember — the lower an airline's ranking, the safer its track record:

· China Airlines — 7.16

· Air India — 4.89

· Thai Airways — 1.60

· Singapore Airlines — 1.50

· Cathay Pacific — 1.45

· Air New Zealand — 0.74

· United — 0.31
and, still the safest airline with a total of zero fatalities ...

· Qantas — 0.00

So despite the bad press of late, the kangaroo in the sky is your best bet on arriving alive. But according to the Australian and International Pilots Association's recent government address, carriers across the globe are 'forcing airlines to adopt less safe practices' due to financial pressures.

Are we better off grounded?

In short, no. According to Wikipedia, approximately 744 people were killed globally by commercial airline accidents in 2007. That is roughly equivalent to the number of people who died after being struck by lightning the very same year. So your chances of touching down in one piece are incredibly good, considering the fact that over ten million commercial flights took off last year alone. By comparison, roughly 3,000 people are killed globally every DAY in automobile accidents. So bear down, brave it, but be sure to buckle up.

(Source: travel.ninemsn.com.au)

New York draws more than 50 million visitors in 2011

New York City will welcome 50.2 million visitors by the end of 2011, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.

Bloomberg noted that five-and-a-half years ago, the city set a goal to reach 50 million visitors by 2015; in 2008, the goal was moved up to 2012. The city has now achieved that goal one year ahead of schedule. The announcement was made in Times Square as video screens flashed the words “50 million.”

NYC & Company, the city’s tourism-marketing organization, forecasts that New York will welcome 10.1 million international visitors by the end of 2011, a 4% increase over 2010.

The top international source market is the U.K., with more than 1 million visitors expected by the end of 2011, a 2% increase over 2010.

Some 40.1 million domestic visitors, a 2% increase over last year, are also expected by year’s end.

New York visitors are expected to spend $32 billion this year.

The city, home to more than 90,000 hotel rooms, is on track to sell 27 million hotel room nights in 2011, 4.5% more than in 2010.
(Source: Travelweekly.com)

Check out these great New York hotel accommodation deals - www.metrostar.com/newyork/

Travellers Spend on Flights, Save on Hotels: Study

Expenditure on first- and business-class air travel rose by 9.1 percent and 5.4 percent respectively in the third quarter of 2011, while spending on luxury hotel accommodation grew by only 2,2 percent, a study has revealed.

According to the American Express Business Insights study, spending on economy hotels grew by 10.5 percent in the same period.

Industry analysts and travelers have attributed this trend to frustration with flying and an improvement on the standards of economy lodging, USA Today reported.

"It really speaks to the fact that [consumers are] so concerned about the airline experience that they're willing to make the trade-off," Applied Predictive Technologies senior vice president of hospitality Maryam Wehe told the paper.

One (business and leisure) traveler admitted that hotels were for sleeping, while it was “miserable for me to spend five or 15 hours on an airplane in Economy”.

"The only time I spend in a hotel is when I'm sleeping," law attorney John Harding said.

"I don't need all the accoutrements."

According to American Express Business Insights senior vice president Ed Jay, the trend in accommodation spending is focusing on luxury or value options, “which also speaks to the barbell effect apparent in travel — and other sectors — wherein consumers selectively choose either high-end or low-cost options, squeezing out the midtier providers with flat or declining spending growth”.

Source = e-Travel Blackboard: G.A

Could London Hotels Suffer a Post-Olympics 'Hangover?'

2012 will be a huge year for London in more ways than one. With the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and a certain international sports event set to descend upon the city, Londontown will see a massive influx of tourists. Hotel rooms are rapidly being snapped up by intelligent travelers, and profit projections for city lodgings remain promisingly high.

But what will become of the city after the torch has been extinguished and tinsel and confetti from the Queen's celebration swept away? According to a recent report by local commuter publication of choice, the London Evening Standard, a dark cloud may descend over the city come 2013.

Per a representative from PricewaterhouseCoopers, "if visitor numbers to the capital do not pick up sharply once the Games have finished," a profit "hangover" may ensue owing to a sharp and sudden decline in visitors.

Unfortunately, this isn't the kind of morning-after buzz that swiftly quaffed pint or traditional fry up will remedy. Rather, it's suggested that businesses "implement plan B in preparation for a prolonged period of low, erratic demand." Bummer. Best to load up on the Vitamin B now, London hoteliers.

(Source: HotelChatter.com)

Need to book a room for the London Olympics? Log on to www.metrostar.com

How to Haggle Like a Pro

Scoring a bargain from shopkeepers who haggle for a living can be difficult. Most have a lifetime of bargaining experience behind them and they know how to read tourist shoppers well. If you're tired of being one-upped on your bargain hunting adventures, follow these simple tips and you'll be haggling like a pro in no time.

Don't haggle on day one Before heading out and using the force, it's important to curb your enthusiasm, Obi-Wan!

And by that I mean try to avoid buying anything on the first day of your holiday.
Instead, spend time familiarising yourself with local prices and comparing the shopping districts around town. Your research and newfound knowledge will pay dividends when you do start to bargain.

Look the Part

So you're ready to bargain? Great! Before you leave the hotel, dress down.
Gold rings and big watches scream 'Wealthy!', especially in poorer countries.
If you want to grab a bargain, dress as though you don't have a black Amex stashed inside your designer wallet.

Build Rapport

When you walk into a store, smile and say a warm "G'day" (NB: Australians are generally offered better prices than Yanks).
You'll get a better bargain if you're on friendly terms with the seller, so make sure you laugh, play nice, and enjoy the haggling process.
If you're feeling tired and cranky, avoid haggling altogether. Go and recharge over a nice meal instead.

Know Your Limits (and keep them to yourself)

Once you decide what you want, determine how much you're prepared to pay for it.
If you've done your research at other stores you should have a rough idea of the item's asking price.
Todd, an Australian businessman who bargains abroad for work, says "It's important to set a limit in your head before bargaining with the shopkeeper, otherwise you could walk out spending much more than you initially anticipated."

Let the Shopkeeper Open the Bargaining

"What's your best price?" isn't the greatest opener known to man.
In fact, as soon as you open a sale, the shopkeeper gains an idea of how badly you want an item.
If the vendor knows that you really, really want something s/he'll sense it, and it will be harder to bargain on its price.
Allow the shopkeeper open the bidding and avoid this amateur mistake.

Go low

It's always difficult to know where to start the bidding.
Personally I believe it depends heavily on which country you're in.
In India and Thailand I find it safe to start bargaining at around one quarter or one fifth the original asking price, whereas in Marrakech — where shopkeepers have an abundance of European tourists who happily pay higher prices — I'm laughed out of stores after offering that sort of rate.
Read each situation and act accordingly, but remember — the lower your starting offer the lower your final price will be.

Hold your Ground During the Haggle

The back-and-forth in haggling is crucial. Shopkeepers will often use a variety of tactics to goad you into buying for a higher price, so remember to stick to your guns and never pay more than the price you've set in your head.
Over time you'll develop your own idiosyncrasies and one-liners to handle even the most relentless of shopkeepers.
For now, these might help you hold your ground:
• "I've seen it cheaper somewhere else."
• "I'm not really sure…"
• "The thing is I just don't need it…"
• "It's not the greatest fit…"

Silence is Golden

Once you've openly stated how much you're willing to pay, try, try, try and keep your mouth closed.
Let the shop keeper come back to you with a counter offer before you jump in hastily with a higher price.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

Being prepared to walk away from an item is at the core of every good haggler's heart.
If you're adamant that you won't leave until you get a particular item, an experienced shopkeeper will pick up on it way before you realise you're no longer wearing your poker face.
This is where being prepared to walk away wields its mighty sword.
"If you know in your heart that you can easily walk away from the item and happily never see it again, then you will always have the power over the sale," says Todd.
"But if the seller knows that you need it, then they'll always have the power over you."
If you do walk away, never go back So you didn't get the price you wanted and you walked away. Good for you!

The next step is to never go back. Ever. In fact, don't even look over your shoulder.
The second you do, the shop keeper will know that you're still wanting that item, which means you'll ultimately pay premium price if you ever set foot in that store again.

It's Not Always About a Discount

While the shopkeeper may not budge on a lower price, they may be willing to throw in another item or two for free. That way they move more stock and you get what you want.
Never be afraid to ask if this is possible.
Live by the haggler's motto: "If you don't ask, you don't get."

Never, Ever…

As a customer, there are some things you should never do while bargaining:
• Never mention your total budget and never flash your cash before agreeing on a final price.
• Don't keep bargaining once the deal is agreed upon. It's just bad manners.
• You'd also do well to avoid haggling in busy shops. Haggling is an intimate exchange, and if the shop is full with other customers you could be perceived as a nuisance.
• To save yourself time and energy, always ensure that you're haggling with the right person. There's no point bargaining with a junior employee only to restart the entire process once they "check with the manager".
• Finally, and for obvious reasons, don't haggle in a shop that displays a "No haggling" sign. Those signs are there for a reason, and they're usually posted by cantankerous shopkeepers who are tired of dealing with penny-pinching tourists.
Happy haggling!

Do you have any tried and true tips for driving a bargain abroad? Tell us about them.

(Source: travel.ninemsn.com.au)

American Airlines Plane Boots Alec Baldwin Over 'Words With Friends'

Did you feel that? If the internet could have earthquakes, we'd have just experienced a minor one as Alec Baldwin went from tweeting like normal, to getting kicked off an American Airlines plane at LAX, to being in custody, to becoming a trending topic, to giving his side of the story via Twitter in just about the span of one hour.

The reason for the tarmac takedown? Apparently, according to Alec, he was playing the popular mobile Scrabble-like app Words With Friends when a flight attendant "reamed" him out. Of course he was probably still playing it beyond the point of being asked to turn off and stow all electronic devices for take-off, hence the flight attendant interference. We predict that the next few days will see news channels rehashing the old argument of whether or not cell signals interfere with airplanes. You know, that old chestnut.

What we've learned tonight:
· If you're playing against Alec Baldwin in Words With Friends, his dedication to it probably means you aren't waiting long for your turn.
· If you're playing against Alec Baldwin in Words With Friends, long delays in his play may indicate that he's arguing with flight crew for the right to make his next move.
· Alec Baldwin doesn't pay attention to the in-flight safety demonstration
· Alec Baldwin flies American Airlines
· Scrabble is missing golden opportunities with their crappy mobile game.

Yo, Alec, ping us! We want to play!

(Source: Jaunted.com)

Airline War Hots Up With Virgin Plans to Steal Market Share

TRAVELLERS will reap the rewards of an airline war with cheaper fares and more regional routes, Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti said.

The airline chief executive who used to work for rival Qantas has revealed ambitious plans to steal market share from his old employer and expan services to regional areas.

"A lot of these routes have not had competition. All you have to do is look at the airfares that are being charged,'' he said.

He also questioned why Qantas had dramatically dropped prices on certain flights after his airline launched business-class services on the same routes.

Mr Borghetti said Qantas reduced business-class fares between Sydney and Perth by nearly 25 per cent after Virgin introduced the same service.

After Virgin announced launch business class fares on the Sydney to Perth route for $1399, Qantas reduced their fares from $2,013 to $1,519.

"Why haven't they done that in the last ten years?''

As well as returning Australian aviation to the kind of competition not seen since the Ansett days, Mr Borghetti also wants to increase his frequent-flyer membership to three million.

Membership of Virgin's Velocity has increased 10 per cent to 2.75 million members in 3 1/2 months.

Pop star Dannii Minogue helped launch a frequent-flyer partnership with Westfield online last week.

Virgin was also given regulatory approval to form an alliance with Singapore Airlines, allowing passengers who book flights with the airline the chance to fly on Singapore Airlines flights, get lounge access and accumulate frequent flyer points.

In addition to previous alliances with Etihad, Delta and Air New Zealand, it will take the number of destinations it flies to to more than 400 worldwide.

Mr Borghetti said the move would open up emerging markets such as China and India and continue the airline's
expansion into regional Australia.

The airline also recently began flying between Brisbane and Port Macquarie and Brisbane and Gladstone and plans to announce new regional routes soon.

"We will now be able to promote regional Australia through those 400 odd destinations around the world, from Dallas to Port Macquarie,'' he said.

As well as reconfiguring the interiors of its domestic planes this year and will launch business class services across the network on January 18.

At the moment, Qantas boasts 41 per cent capacity share in the domestic market or 65 per cent including its low-cost subidiary Jetstar, while Virgin's is about 30 per cent.

But Mr Borghetti said he had no desire for Virgin to be the biggest airline in the country.

"Whatever market share gives the best return is the market share that I want,'' he said.

"What we do have the desire to do is be the airline of choice.''

Read more

Flight Attendants Reveal Their Worst Passengers

IF you've left the door open while peeing, if you listen to music while they try to talk to you or if you've tried to grab a seat in the crew rest area – then flight attendants hate you.

Flight attendants from around the world have broken their silence to reveal the things that passengers do that really gets under their skin.

While Kevin Rudd's alleged angry outburst at a flight attendant and Naomi Campbell's infamous cabin catfight have hit the headlines, it's these everyday annoyances that really get their goat.

YOUR SAY: Tell us about your worst experiences with crazy cabin crew below.

You leave the door wide open when you pee.

“One of the most annoying things passengers do is not closing the lavatory door,” celebrity flight attendant David Holmes from Southwest Airlines said.

You double order your drinks.

“Asking one flight attendant for a drink and before they get back with it, asking another flight attendant for the same drink, is bad news,” Bethany Burke, a flight attendant from Florida, US, said.

You tap flight attendants on the shoulder to get their attention.

“Passengers tap me to get my attention but then don’t give me eye contact when talking to me,” Mr Holmes said.

“Passengers wouldn’t take off their headsets when I asked them if they wanted food or drink,” ex-hostie Susan, who worked for Qantas for over 20 years, said.

“When I ask passengers if they’d like something to drink, three times out of five the response will be ‘Wha?’ And that's a ‘wha’ without the ‘T’,” Heather Poole, flight attendant for a major US carrier, said.

“‘Something to drink?’ I'll ask again, and while I ask this question I find myself wondering why you haven't taken off the iPod or those giant Bose noise cancellation headsets covering your ears when you see me standing at your row.”

You stuff your bag to breaking point and then ask for help to stow it away.

“The worst is when people bring a heavy bag onboard, then tell me that they can't lift it overhead because of a bad back,” Mrs Burke said.

“Lifting your bag into the overhead bin is not, nor has it ever been, part of my job description. Honestly, I don't know what bothers me more, the fact that a passenger will come on-board and expect me to lift their bag, or the fact that they actually get upset when I won't lift the bag,” Mrs Poole said.

You complain about the overhead bin being full and make a fuss about having to put your bag in the rows behind.

“Passengers who get annoyed about the overhead bins near their seats being full, and then say the word “ridiculous”, are so annoying,” Mrs Poole said.

You order a special meal and then change your mind at the last minute.

“I hate it when passengers order a vegetarian, kosher or fruit special meal and then want a regular meal instead," Mrs Burke said.

You’re messy and inconsiderate.

“There’d be so many people who’d just throw things on the floor right in the middle of the cabin, such as newspapers they’ve finished with or rubbish,” Susan said.

“Surprisingly, it’s no different in first class, they’re just as messy as the other passengers.”

You read up about getting free upgrades and pull all the tricks to try and get your way.

“Another annoying thing is the tricks people used to play to get upgraded," Susan said.

"You could see the pattern for a lot of people, but if they win it’s just rewarding them for bad behaviour.”

You expect to be told the moment you change time zones.

“Passengers often want to know exactly when they should change their watch when crossing time zones,” Mrs Burke said.

You try and take over the crew rest area.

“Trying to sit in our crew rest seats, which are sacred to us, is a very bad idea,” Mrs Burke warns.

You enter the galley without permission and loiter.

“Unless you've actually been invited into the galley (it does happen), you do not step onto the floor for any length of time," Mrs Poole said.


You spill water on the toilet floor and leave without cleaning it up.

“People would leave water on the floor after using the toilet, forgetting about all the other passengers who may slip and fall,” Susan said

You have unrealistic expectations of your air travel experience.

“I saw a first-class passenger chuck a hissy fit as we didn’t have the right flavour of yogurt onboard. A bit unrealistic,” Susan said.

Now we want to hear your side: Tell us about your worst experiences with crazy cabin crew below.

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