Everyone wants to be on the edge of a comeback these days. The city of Beirut isn't releasing a new single or belatedly confiding in Diane Sawyer, but that hasn't stopped the Guardian from proclaiming that Lebanon's capital is "back... and it's beautiful." We'd feel guilty reading this objectifying headline in a different context, but we guess it's okay to do to a city.

Writer Carole Cadwalladr has a bit of history with the old lady, having written a guidebook to the country with her friend back in 1995. Now she declares it "the Elizabeth Taylor of the Mediterranean... if you replaced the words 'alcohol' with 'Israel' and 'a string of unsuitable marriages' with '15 years of civil war.'" That's a comeback? Oh wait, and it has two new hotels and the seal of approval of the New York Times, which is where the metaphor begins to fall apart. ]]> egw 2009-11-09T14:04:25-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/3/84522/72663

While we're not really so sure that fading Dubai needs another airline flying in, LCC FlyDubai has gone ahead and launched itself anyway. A few months back the new government-owned airline was promising a June 1 start, and they've surprisingly delivered right on time with flights to Beirut and Amman.

Special offers on the FlyDubai website at the moment include Dubai to Alexandria flights for 350 AED ($95) and Dubai to Damascus for a bit less than that even. And while the website is pleasant enough, we're not sure about the company slogan we found there: "How will you flydubai?" Yes, how will we? Isn't the answer to that an anticlimactic "on flydubai?"

FlyDubai is just two planes-strong at the moment, but they've got grand plans. With 52 more planes on order, it'll be interesting to see which additional destinations they pick up along the way—assuming they actually create a market for themselves. They're talking about "India and beyond", which apparently includes eastern Europe and northern Africa, and boy, what we'd give to see these materialize. Our next trip around Eastern Europe could include a weekend in Dubai; what a nice dream.

Related Stories:
· FlyDubai [Official Site]
· Dubai's First Low Cost Carrier Lands in Amman [Zawya]
· FlyDubai Is Finally Ready To Go Starting June 1 [Jaunted]

[Photo: Drewski2112] ]]> amandak 2009-06-03T09:15:09-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/18/31517/6457

There's something enticing about the Arabian Air Pass that Emirates has just launched. We've always considered Dubai little more than a convenient hub for long-haul flights, but the exotic-sounding Arabian Air Pass is giving us some new ideas.

Obviously not pleased with Dubai's stepping-stone status, Emirates wants everyone to vacation in the Middle East and not continue on to Europe or Asia. The air pass deal means you can get cheap flights from Dubai to a dozen different cities in the region, including Cairo, Doha, Muscat and Damascus. Some flights are just $50 one-way (Doha or Muscat, for example) and longer flights are $150 each way (think Cairo or Damascus).

There are few strings attached, of course: you have to return to Dubai after your Middle Eastern jaunt and you can only get your air pass fares this cheap if you've paid more than $500 for a return ticket to Dubai from wherever you're starting. You need to buy all your tickets at once and there's a limit of six one-ways per person.

Related Stories:
· Arabian Air Pass [Official Site]
· Emirates Offers Low-Cost Air Pass [NY Times]
· Emirates Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: cgsheldon] ]]> amandak 2009-05-19T08:46:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/3/71621/24990

We all know the drill: no smoking on the aircraft, there are smoke detectors in the toilets, blah, blah, blah. What we didn't know is the kind of punishment you might get for lighting up a cigarette if you happen to be flying Saudi Arabian Airlines at the time.

A guy flying from Qurayyat in northern Saudi Arabia up to Jeddah last week got caught smoking--police arrested him when they landed and he ended up in court. And he was sentenced to receive 30 lashes.

The passenger apologized and told the court he was going to a clinic to get help with quitting, but that didn't dissuade them from the 30-lash thing. So in case you needed it, that's one more reason to pack your cigarettes in your checked baggage.

Related Stories:
· Man Gets 30 Lashes for Smoking on Plane [The Age]
· Saudi Arabia Travel Guide [Jaunted]
· Smokin' Szele Plans to Cop a Plea [Jaunted]

[Photo: RoyChung1993] ]]> amandak 2009-02-03T09:15:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/28/35835/3470

Think you deserve a bit of pampering? The Evason Ma’In Hot Springs have just opened an hour out of Amman in Jordan and look like a pretty decadent place to hang out next time you're passing through the Middle East.

These hot springs are pretty special--for one, they're found nearly 900 feet below sea level in a dramatic-looking ravine. The set-up includes natural hot waterfalls that Herod the Great bathed in, or so they say.

While the whole therapeutic spring water stuff should be the focus here, we’ve been distracted by a few of the side benefits. For example, they’ve got a fine dining Arabic restaurant looking over the waterfalls, a herbal tea bar, and (our favorite part) a snack bar serving 40 different kinds of homemade ice cream. Spa treatment or ice cream? We might just take the latter.

Related Stories:
· Evason Ma’In Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa [Official Site]
· Jordan Travel Guide [Jaunted] ]]> amandak 2009-01-28T09:15:56-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/11/17/201911/92

Economic meltdown? What economic meltdown? asks Air Arabia, the low cost carrier that thinks it can expand in times when everyone else is doing the opposite.

The carrier just ordered ten new planes and is about to open another hub in Morocco. Experts say the Middle East budget airline market is still "under-penetrated" and that Air Arabia's plans are smart.

And they must be doing something right because they just won "Best Low Cost Carrier in the Middle East and North Africa" at an awards night in Dubai. Whether it's their South Park character advertising or the chocolate candy marketing we don't know, but they must be clutching their new award with glee.

Related Stories:
· Air Arabia [Official Site]
· Air Arabia Best LCC in Middle East [Peanuts]
· Air Arabia to Buy 10 More Airbus A320s [IHT]
· Air Arabia coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: vm2827] ]]> amandak 2008-11-21T09:30:17-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/