Become an informed consumer while still on vacation! Check out Jaunted's newest series of the best factory tours the world over.
In this year's surprise horror comedy hit "Zombieland," a college student attempts to find out if his parents in Columbus, Ohio are alive. If you find yourself in the position of having to flee from a zombie invasion, you may want to hide in these Columbus-area factories—so take the tours now, just in case. ]]>
If time and tickets are too tight to make it around all of Ohio’s major league ballparks, then we recommend zeroing in on a trip to the new home of the Columbus Clippers. After teaming up with 360 Architecture and shelling out about $55 million, the new Huntington Park recently opened for all to enjoy in the Arena District of downtown Columbus.
The stadium is huge with three different levels to explore, plenty space for the 10,000 fans in attendance to spread out and order hot dogs without hitting someone in the face. Of course the most rowdy fans will likely be getting down to business in one of the park’s three bars. Our pick is the Roof Top Bar on the left field building; unfortunately for you may have to slightly sacrifice your view of the high-def scoreboard for some beers here. ]]>
You know we love Skybus, and even though it’s long gone, every once in a while a little tidbit trickles out from its former base in Columbus, Ohio. Nearly a year after its demise, it looks like the airline is finally settling things up with its former workers. They’ve agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit that was filed by employees who were less than thrilled when they found out that their jobs were abruptly terminated.
The lawsuit alleged that Skybus violated the Workers’ Adjustment and Retraining Notice Act by not giving employees advance notice of at least 60 days. If the employees are anything like us—we found out by watching the Today show and throwing the remote across the room—they didn't get any warning.
The details are still being worked out in bankruptcy court—sounds exciting—so no specific settlement figure has been announced yet. The Columbus Regional Airport is trying to get some $5 million in change as well, and it looks like when everything is finalized, Skybus will be able to pay about 76 cents on the dollar to those who it left high and dry—guess that’s better than getting nothing.
Related Stories: [Photo: msmail]
·Skybus To Settle Ex-Workers' Suit [Columbus Dispatch]
·2008's Most Missed Industry Casualty Is... [Jaunted]
·Airline Bankruptcy [Jaunted]
As hard hit as Kentucky was by yesterday's storms, we think we found a few people who had it worse: The 84 passengers on AirTran Flight 373 who were stuck on a Columbus runway for 12 hours yesterday.
The Boeing 717-600 was bound for Orlando, but ice overnight had frozen it to the runway, and gallons of de-icer were defeated when continuing rain refroze the bird. (Those aboard were reportedly none too pleased when informed of how much the de-icer was costing the airline.)
The passengers, who boarded at 7:20AM, were allowed to deplane in order to get lunch, but were stuck without water or air until 4:30, when AirTran gave up on that plane and the passengers reboarded one that came in from warmer Atlanta. (A spokesperson said the fact that the passengers weren't offered food at any time was "clearly a mistake.")
The airline has offered free round-trip tickets to 373 survivors. Since we do keep score, this is AirTran's second gaffe of 2009; on New Year's Day, they pulled a family off the plane whose safety chatter was making other passengers uncomfortable, and then refused to rebook them. As if De-Icegate wasn't bad enough, AirTran reported a $273 million loss for 2008 in a press conference yesterday, a margin largely due to fuel hedges which came back to bite them when oil prices dropped. Again -- too dumb to be evil?
Related Stories:
· Orlando-bound passengers trapped in frozen plane [WESH via Tripso]
· AirTran passengers' flight to Orlando delayed for 9 hours [Orlando Sentinel]
· TK [Jaunted]
· AirTran posts $273M loss for 2008 [Triangle Business Journal]
· AirTran: Too Dumb To Be Evil? [Jaunted]
[Photo: WESH]]]>
We won't rehash the old cliche about making money in the airline biz, but 2008's most spectacular flame out was surely a sign of things to come: After taking home the 2007 Jaunty for Best Travel Newcomer--and even writing us a letter of thanks for the honor!--the ultra-ambitious, ultra-low cost Skybus folded in April, a little more than a month shy of its first birthday.
Meant to mimic the success of European LCCs, Skybus had the aggressive on-board sales, in-your-face advertising and out-of-the-way airports that have made Ryanair, EasyJet and legions of imitators successful. But a home base in Columbus, ever-rising fuel prices, poor public relations--particularly during a Christmas '07 storm--and the general difficulty of starting an airline from scratch killed the carrier before many had a chance to try it.
But spirit of the bygone airline still lurks. Beyond the Skybus Flickr pool, there's the potential new airline from LCC champion John Weikle and a new gig for former Skybus COO Ken Gile at Flydubai, a low-cost airline set to take off in 2009.
Related Stories:
· Skybus Shuts Down [Jaunted]
· Nobody Wants Skybus [Jaunted]
· The Diff: Taking Notes from Gary Kelly [Jaunted]
[Photo: msmail]]]>
As we continue to explore the works of Eero Saarinen and his architectural adventures, we move to Indiana. Like his father, Eliel Saarinen, who created the First Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana, the younger Saarinen designed the North Christian Church there as well. Completed in 1964, the church was the last building he designed before his death.]]>
After its catastrophic implosion, it's hard to imagine Skybus actually returning to the skies. But industry watcher Nawal Taneja tells the Columbus Dispatch there's a chance it could happen:
I know there are people interested in the certificate. They just think the management team and the business model weren't right.
He's talking about the "air carrier operating certificate," a document issued by the FAA that lets airlines fly. That, among a bunch of other Skybus assets, are up for grabs now that the company has shut down.
Among those shopping is likely the carrier's founder, John Weikle. (He left the company shortly after it started flying.) Because of a bunch of federal rules, Weikle wouldn't be able to snatch up the certificate and launch Jet America with it, but he could try to revive Skybus, keeping its base of operations in Columbus.
It's too early to say whether any of this will actually happen, of course. But maybe those $10 tickets will be back sooner than we imagine.
Related Stories:
· New Airline Could Rise from the Ashes of Skybus [Columbus Dispatch]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]]]>