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Tags: Airport Art / Suvarnabhumi Airport / Bangkok Travel / Weird Travel / Airports / Airport News / → All Tags
Beware Of The Unlucky Demon Statues At Bangkok Airport
Checking in at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport is about to get a bit weirder, not mention more unlucky. How is this possible, you ask? Well, airport management has decided to move twelve "demon statues" from the arrivals area to the check-in area.
Officially, the airport says they are moving the statues so that passengers can "appreciate the statues' beauty". But the real reason behind the move—which will cost them around $50,000 and take three months—is that shopkeepers in the arrivals area blame the statues for the bad luck which has plagued them since the airport opened, including the protests which closed the airport for more than a week last year.
So if you end up unlucky at the check-in counter, like with no good seats left on the plane or an excess baggage charge, then at least you will know that you can blame those demon statues for it.
Related Stories:
· Bangkok Airport Moves 'Unlucky' Demon Statues [The Age]
· Thai Airport Standoff Proves World Is Indeed Flat [Jaunted]
· Bangkok Travel Guide [Jaunted]
[Photo: antwerpenR]
Tags: Russia Travel / Chechnya / Aeroflot / Pilgrimages / Mecca / Airports / AIrport News / → All Tags
First International Flight In 15 Years Leaves Chechen Airport
Is winter cabin fever setting in yet? Are you itching to travel before the holidays ground you with too much cranberry sauce? Well, all we can say is just be happy that you don't live in the region of Chechnya because they just had their first international flight in 15 years.
Okay, so there are other reasons why you should be thankful you don't live in Chechnya, like all that conflict and the human rights violations over the last 18-plus years. But since we've got the current state of Russian carrier Aeroflot on our minds, this bit of news made our ears perk up.
Tags: Airport Check-In / Airline News / Airport News / Airports / Qantas / Australia Travel / → All Tags
Frequent Flyers On Qantas Can Simply Swipe And Fly In 2010
With the rise of LCC (low cost carrier) airlines and their love affair with new technology, it seems like the airport check-in process is becoming the least time-consuming and easiest portion of catching a flight. There's the touchscreen kiosks, dedicated bag drop counters, and even the ability to check-in and print your boarding pass online.
In Australia however, Qantas is still the gold standard, and luckily they're just as into updating the check-in process as we are. Focusing on cutting check-in time for their domestic passengers in half, Qantas is rehauling their system with the "next generation of check-in."
What that means for you Qantas flyers out there.
Tags: Taxis / London Travel / Virgin Atlantic / Airport News / LHR / Airport Transportation / → All Tags
Virgin Atlantic Believes In The Airport Taxi Share, Introduces 'Taxi2'
It's one of the oldest airport debates: whether or not to suck it up and take a taxi into town, or risk public transportation. For us, it depends on how large our party is and how much baggage we're dragging, but taxis are just so darn tempting.
Thankfully, Virgin Atlantic knows this and echoes our sentiments when they say: "we think it's crazy that people often wait in line and then get one taxi each. Most people go from the airport in a similar direction, so it's a great waste." Hallelujah, go tell it on the mountain, Virgin Atlantic! And since they're a giant company and all, they've decided to do something about this shared taxi conundrum by creating Taxi2, a social networking way to link up with other from your flight and share a ride with them into the city, cutting down on ride cost and maybe even making you a new friend.
Tags: Airport WiFi / Free WiFi / WiFi / Holiday Travel / Airports / Airport News / Google / → All Tags
Google Gives The Greatest Gift Of All: Free Airport WiFi Over The Holidays
Flying for the holidays and intrigued by the possible availability of free In-Flight WiFI? How about free WiFi in airports as well?
You may be entitled to a Christmas, Hannukah or Kwanzaa gift, compliments of Google. The multi-billion dollar corporation is bucking up and plans to help soften the blow of flight delays this holiday season by offering free wifi at select airports all over the country. This promotion begins November 17 and will run through January 15, 2010 at 47 airports nationwide. Some of the airports that will offer free wifi with your delays include Miami, Las Vegas, Houston, Boston, Seattle, and even little terminals like Toledo and Central Wisconsin.
Unfortunately, this "B-list" of airports excludes "A-list" hubs like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas. Either way, we are thankful for any freebies this holiday season. For the complete list of airports, check out Google's cute little holiday WiFi website here.
Related Stories:
· Google Free Holiday Airport WiFi [Official SIte]
· Google and Microsoft Battling To See Who Can Provide More Free Holiday WiFi [Jaunted]
· Delta Gives Free In-Flight WiFi For The Holidays To Trick You Into Shopping eBay [Jaunted]
· In-Flight WiFi coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: jessamyn]
Tags: Free WiFi / Airports / Airport News / WiFi / Technology / Airport WiFi / In-Flight WiFi / Bing / Google / → All Tags
Google And Microsoft Battling To See Who Can Provide More Free Holiday WiFi
When the tech world's two major borgs square off for travelers' time and attention, that can only be good news for the rest of us. Google had already arranged for free WiFi on Virgin America flights and—as of this morning—they're also giving it away at more than 40 airports across the country. But that's small time compared to the deal Microsoft just struck to promote their search engine Bing.
Bing has worked out an arrangement with WiFi provider JiWire which will allow users to get free Internet in exchange for doing just one search on Bing. This is a campaign that will reach all of JiWire's hotspots which, more or less, amounts to just about everywhere:
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New Niagara Airport Has Free WiFi But No Flights
If Pam and Jim’s wedding on The Office got you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, then a new airport wants to help you experience Niagara Falls for all its worth. The Niagara Falls International Airport is almost ready to go as the finishing touches are being completed on the almost $32 million terminal. The place is more than ready for visitors to arrive as the runway and jet bridge are designed to easily accommodate a Boeing 747—too bad there’s none scheduled to land anytime soon.
The new airport has some of our favorite airport amenities, including free WiFi. However, the best thing going for it is totally free airport parking. You’re welcome to swing your vehicle right up to the front of the airport without the need for any parking ticket, but if you’ve got a big SUV, you will need to use the adjoining lot because you’re just too darn big for the prime parking spots. There’s one problem with the new airport: there won’t be too many daily flights once it officially opens on December 11.
Tags: Airport Restaurants / Airport Food / LAX / Pinkberry / Airport News / Airports / → All Tags
Load Up on Pinkberry Before Your Southwest Flight
It was only a matter of time before the faux fro-yo craze that is Pinkberry would hit the airports and we were oh so privileged to see it in action last night at LAX's Terminal 1, known to locals as The Southwest Terminal (although US Airways does have some presence here.)
Wedged in between a Starbucks, a California Pizza Kitchen ASAP and a Gordon Biesch brewery, the Pinkberry seemed to hold its own. We saw many a customer in our 45-minute wait in this airport fast food haven that solely came in to get some Pinkberry.
The bonus? You can also get Pinkberry as soon as you deplane as the location is right before the escalators down to the baggage claim.
Related Stories:
· Pinkberry Coverage [Jaunted]
· An Injection of Frozen Yogurt for Terminal 1 at LAX [Jaunted]
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Cops Nab Phoenix Airport Baggage Thief; Is Your Missing Luggage In His House?
There are baggage thieves, like these petty fellows, and then there are compulsive baggage thieves, like the couple who were just caught after having stolen 1,000+ checked bags from the carousels at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport.
Keith King and Stacy Legg-King lived in squalor amongst towers of stolen luggage strewn about their suburban home, the ill-gotten goods pinched by Keith straight from the baggage claims of arriving flights. He was spotted three weeks ago when an airport officer noticed King parking at the airport, taking a bag from the carousel, and then putting it in his car and leaving. After this incident, the police put surveillance on him and caught him in the act again this past Monday. And that's when the operation blew wide open...
Tags: Airport News / London Travel / London / British Travel / Airports / LGW / → All Tags
How Much Would You Pay For One Of London's Airports?
The UK's second busiest airport— and a perennial frustration for delayed London travelers having to fly in and out on its single runway—Gatwick Airport is about to come under new management. BAA, which owns six British airports and is in turn owned by the Spanish firm Ferrovial, has sold the facility to Global Infrastructure Partners. Final price: a lot:
BAA has agreed to sell its 100% interest in Gatwick Airport Limited to an entity controlled by Global Infrastructure Partners for £1.51 billion. Of the sale price, £55 million is conditional on future traffic performance and the buyer's future capital structure... Colin Matthews, BAA's Chief Executive, said... 'BAA is changing and today's announcement marks a new beginning for both Gatwick and BAA. We wish Gatwick well for the future and are confident that the airport will flourish under new ownership.'
Tags: SFO / Airport News / Virgin America / Airports / San Francisco Travel / → All Tags
Construction Under Way At Virgin America's Future Home: Terminal 2 At SFO
Late last year, work began on renovating Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport. The terminal used to be the gateway to foreign lands, but after all the new paint and fancy lighting it will be primarily used for domestic adventures. The airport is shelling out nearly $400 million to revamp things, and when complete, it will probably make all the other terminals jealous. Virgin America is especially excited over all this construction, because this will be their official home when all the dust settles.
There will be 14 gates at the new terminal, which should leave a little extra room if another carrier or two wants to sneak into Virgin America’s home turf. The gates will be designed for narrow body aircraft, but they will have the capability for some bigger jets—just in case. Some of the cool new stuff that travelers will experience while waiting for flights includes a wine bar, spa, and over ten restaurants. The airport is even looking to recruit some slow food vendors to ensure travelers are eating healthy, locally grown food—does this include Cinnabon? There will be lots of public art, and for fans of green, the facility expects to get silver LEED certification.
Tags: Airport Shops / Shopping Travel / ORD / Airports / Airport News / Chicago Travel / Chocolate Travel / → All Tags
Sweeten Up Your Layover In Chicago-O'Hare At Vosges Chocolate Shop
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport might be known as one of the country's most congested airports, but thanks to the arrival of a new shop in Terminal 1 (B Concourse), ORD is also on the map for something else: designer chocolate.
The terminal has a Vosges Haut-Chocolat (pronounced "voge") shop, and although it was installed before Christmas last year. it's better late than never to pass on any chocolate news, especially with another round of holiday travel looming. Vosges, a Chicago-based company started by a world traveling woman inspired by the flavors of the world, now has two shops in NYC and one in Vegas in addition to the Windy City, and the treats continue to evolve.
Bacon and chocolate, after the jump.
