We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel stories you need to know today.
1. Major restructure: see what has changed at APT
The APT Group has undergone a major restructure of its Australian- based businesses including APT, Travelmarvel, Captain’s Choice and Botanica World Discoveries.
Changes were announced late last week and are designed to increase operational efficiencies Down Under and ensure brands are able to perform at the highest level.
The company’s Managing Director, Chris Hall said the restructure also prepares the business for future growth, which will be achieved through rapid acceleration of the Travelmarvel brand.
2. Will Australians boycott their favourite travel destination?
It’s one of our favourite travel destinations, but the imminent execution of two Australians may impact tourism to Indonesia, according to Julie Bishop.
Bishop, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, said Australians may reconsider travel plans to Indonesia, particularly Bali, if two convicted drug couriers currently on death row are executed.
The statement was made as Indonesian authorities finalise plans to move Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Bali to a prison island off Java where they will face the firing squad, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
3. Incentive: Win a share of Qantas flights
Qantas is celebrating the release of its latest ‘Feels Like Home’ video by giving travel agents the chance to win a share of $30,000 worth of flights.
Launching today, the trade incentive will run for four weeks until 16 March.
To enter, agents have to fill out an online entry form and answer in 100 words or less: ‘Who you would like to bring home and why?’
4. A new hotel opens in Adelaide
Visitors to the ‘City of Churches’ have a new 5-star boutique hotel to choose from as the Mayfair Hotel opens its doors.
The property officially commenced operations in Adelaide on 29 January in the Colonial Mutual Life building.
Located at the prime intersection of King William and Hindley Streets, the hotel has revived the heritage-listed building and is set to become an iconic gateway between both Rundle Mall and the Adelaide’s exciting Riverbank Entertainment Precinct.
5. Sydney on its way to becoming Australia’s events capital
Prepare for more sports, more plays, more festivals and move Vivid as the NSW Government invests millions to make Sydney Australia’s event capital.
The Baird Government announced it will commit an additional $123.35 million to secure more major events and boost visitor expenditure in the city by an estimated $481 million.
The additional $123.35 million represents a 25 percent budget boost and brings the total tourism and major events spend to over $643 million over four years.
6. Norwegian gratuities go up
Tell your clients to save a little extra on their next Norwegian cruise, as the line increases gratuities.
Commencing 1 March this year, Norwegian Cruise Line will increase its daily service charge from $12 per person, per day to $12.95 per person, per day in all cabins up to and including a mini suite.
This means for a seven-day cruise, couples will pay around $90.65 in gratuities per person or $181.30 for the pair.
Suite guests will be charged $14.95 per person, per day.
Passengers that have already booked and prepaid the service charges will not be affected by the change.
Meanwhile, the cruise line is preparing for the launch of its first Breakaway-Plus- class cruise ship, with Norwegian Escape setting sail in October this year.
Click here to read more about the ship.
7. ‘Nutty’ rage exec gets jail time
The Korean Air executive that had delayed a plane over the way a flight attendant served her nuts has reportedly been jailed for one year over the ‘nutty incident’.
According to News.com.au, Cho Hyun-Ah was convicted of violating aviation safety laws by demanding the plane return to its departure gate shortly after taxiing away from the New York gate.
Cho was the airline’s executive vice president at the time of the outrage, which saw her lash out at a flight attendant for serving her macadamia nuts in a bag and not a dish.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday last week after a Seoul district court deemed her behaviour as ‘damaging’ to Korea’s dignity.
8. The perfect way to stay entertained when you’re stuck at the airport
Travel delays are to say the least – the worst.
So when this group of students found themselves stuck at San Francisco International Airport they decided to fill their time with a little Beyonce.
They choreographed a dance routine to her track ‘Flawless’.
While the dance is pretty awesome, the coolest part is that the dance was done on the travelator – moving walkway.
Check out the video above. What do you do to fill in time during delays?
9. Flight delay stings
An air passenger received a surprising wound while onboard an aircraft over the weekend, when a scorpion stung her just before takeoff.
Flight 567 was taxiing on the Los Angeles runway on Saturday night when the passenger felt the arachnid break into her skin.
An Alaska Airlines spokesperson told NewsToday that instead of taking off for Portland, the plane returned to the gate and the woman was checked by medics.
Although she refused additional treatment, the woman didn’t get back on the plane.
Following the incident, flight attendants killed the scorpion that had snuck onboard and checked overhead compartments for any additional creatures.
The flight took off an hour later.
Earlier this month, Jetstar staff found a 183 centimetre Tiger Snake while off loading an aircraft.
Click here to find out what happened.
10. Why flight crew don’t want you using your phone
Image: Mila Supinskaya/Shutterstock
Airlines and officials may be on board with mobile phones being used during take off and touch down, but flight attendants certainly are not.
A flight attendants union in the US says it wants passengers to put away their mobile phones during the two key parts of a flight because it distracts them from important announcements.
The ban on mobile devices during take off and touch down was removed by the Federal Aviation Administration last year. Under the new guidance, passengers can use devices at any time on the aircraft so long as it is in flight mode.