Jaunted - at

Is This The Worst Flight Ever? Passengers Forced To Pay $36k To Finish The Journey

juliab — 2011-11-18T16:05:01-05:00

We’re sadly used to paying extra for our flights now – baggage, drinks, extra legroom seats, priority boarding… But one thing we never expected to have to shell out for is the actually taking off.

So it’s gobsmacking to hear of Comtel Air, an Austrian-based airline that, in October, launched a twice-weekly service from Birmingham (UK) to Amritsar (India). On Tuesday, a plane which should have taken off on Saturday, stopped in Vienna for a scheduled refueling; only, according to passengers, the pilot refused to take off until they clubbed together to pay �23,000 ($36,000) to get the plane in the air again.

For real.

After a six hour standoff (let’s not forget they were already three days late in their arrival), the passengers agreed to pay �130 each to get the ordeal over. If they didn’t have cash on them, they were escorted to ATMs in the airport before being let back onboard.

Taking Photos from Precarious Places in Australia Could Land You a Fine

Jennifer Kester — 2011-01-14T08:44:47-05:00

Snapping killer vacations photos is a must and the most postcard-perfect shot can often be the best free souvenir from a trip. But you daredevil shutterbugs will have to watch out if you decide to pull a risky Peter Parker/Spider-Man type photo shoot near Australia's beautiful Twelve Apostles area.

The Twelve Apostles, a set of tall red rock formations off of the scenic Great Ocean Road, are a popular Victoria attraction where tourists dangle dangerously from cliffs to snap such postcard-worthy images, but if you get caught taking photos from precarious cliffs, you can face a fine of up to $240.

The Orient Express Train Loses Steam, Finally Calls It Quits

JetSetCD — 2009-12-07T13:25:05-05:00

One evening a few years ago, our measly little Trenitalia train limped into Venice's Santa Lucia station. At the track opposite ours sat a slick black train, with the words "Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits" written on the side. "Oh my god," we thought; it's the frickin' Orient Express! So we proceeded to mentally freak out, even though we shouldn't have been so surprised since the train did call the watery city home as a terminus.

Anyway, that Venice train we saw is only one of several trains bearing the "Orient Express" name, and one of them is coming to an end. The original Orient Express, which once ran the exotic route from Paris to Varna and on to Istanbul by steamer, will cease operation on December 12 of this year.

But don't be sad...

Three Wine Bars To Try in Vienna

carolynb — 2009-03-19T14:21:04-05:00

All this week, Carolyn Banfalvi will be taking us on a eat-and-drink tour of Vienna, Austria. If you have any questions or suggestions for Vienna Travel, let us know and we'll have Carolyn get back to you. Enjoy.

Everyone knows the Viennese have a thing for coffee. But Vienna is also one of Austria’s big wine-making regions. The world’s only capital city which encompasses a significant amount of wine growing areas within its limits, Vienna also offers loads of places to drink wine.

On the weekends, the Viennese head to the vineyards in the wine district on the edge of town to sample wine, have meals at the traditional wine taverns, and hike in the vineyards.

Five Places You Must Visit in Vienna

carolynb — 2009-03-18T14:31:12-05:00

If it were up to me, I’d spend my days checking out the coffee houses, and my nights exploring the wine bars. But Vienna is so full of art museums, grand palaces, well-kept parks, galleries, and theaters, that you have to check out at least the biggies.

You could occupy days just wandering the winding streets of the inner city, where all roads seem to lead to the spectacular Stephansdom--the cathedral which is essentially the city’s focal point. And there’s always that other form of culture for which Vienna is so famous: music.

Here are Five of Vienna's Top Attractions, each of which could easily occupy an entire day, (or more).

Three Not-So-Traditional Coffee Houses To Try in Vienna

carolynb — 2009-03-17T12:54:44-05:00

If there’s anywhere in the world to avoid the coffee chains, it’s Vienna. Think Vienna, and its gilded coffee houses come to mind. These are places where waiters dressed in black and white serve coffee in porcelain cups on silver trays, and the delicate cakes are made as they have been for hundreds of years.

Such iconic Viennese coffee houses have long been places where locals spend significant chunks of their lives, but the city also offers a more modern take on the traditional coffee house, where the younger generations take their coffee and check their email in surroundings ranging from hip Bohemian to sleek revamped versions of landmark cafes.

Where to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth and More in Vienna

carolynb — 2009-03-16T12:51:27-05:00

Vienna might be the world’s only capital city to have a cuisine named after it. Viennese cuisine tends to be a bit more refined that food elsewhere in Austria. It’s also a little more international, with influences from the other countries that once were part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Most notably, the Hungarians contributed goulash (and you will find so many more variations on that dish here, than in more traditional Hungary). Vienna’s most famous dish, Wiener Schnitzel (a huge slab of breaded veal served with a lemon and potatoes), is a riff on Veal Milanese. Vienna’s other signature dish is tafelspitz, a big hunk of beef that has been boiled with vegetables in its own broth, and is usually served with roasted potatoes, minced apples, horseradish, and sour cream. The dish was said to be the favorite of Emperor Franz Josef.

And, of course there are the desserts.