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Fri 9 Jan: 10 things you need to know today

Read on for the top ten 10 travel news stories you need to know today. Click here and enter for your chance to WIN movie tickets.

Read on for the top ten 10 travel news stories you need to know today. Click here and enter for your chance to WIN movie tickets.

1. Qantas fined $200,000 – you won’t believe what for

Image: e X p o s e/Shutterstock

Image: e X p o s e/Shutterstock

The ‘Flying Kangaroo’ aka Qantas has been slapped with a $200,000 fine for selling dangerous toys to passengers.

The airline, which was not only named the world’s safest but also one of the most punctual, sold hundreds of  toy magnets, which have been illegal in Australia since 2012, The Herald Sun reported.

The Nano Magnetics Nanodots were banned after being identified as a choking hazard for children. Experts say they also have the potential to lead to serious medical issues if swallowed.

Read on

 

2. First Air – the only airline to stream black box data

Image: PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek/Shutterstock

Image: PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek/Shutterstock

If you’re up-to-date with Malaysia Airlines’ MH370 search then you know that aside from locating passengers, finding the black box is one of the most important parts of air crash investigations.

For anyone who doesn’t know – the black box records any sound in the cockpit, including pilot conversations.

The information is stored in the box and when recovered is reviewed by investigators as a testimony in times of conflict or in this case to determine what may have gone wrong in the minutes before a plane went down.

Read on

 

3. City of Angels lands new record

Los Angeles

Image: f11photo/Shutterstock

Los Angeles has experienced its fourth consecutive year of record-breaking tourism, with 43.3 million travellers visiting the city in 2014 – 1.2 million over 2013.

International arrivals grew to the highest level of 6.5 million and an estimated 70.7 million passengers travelled through LAX Airport last year.

Hotel occupancy is estimated to have reached a record-breaking rate of 79 percent and most room nights sold at 28.04 million, an increase of 3.2 percent compared to 2013.

Los Angeles city council president Herb Wesson said efforts to modernise tourism infrastructure and establish the city as a world-class destination are paying off.

“Tourism is essential to Southern California’s economy and the increased growth of these record-breaking numbers continue to welcome the world to the City of Angels.”

Tom LaBonge. Los Angeles trade, commerce and tourism committee

 

4. New highs in New Zealand occupancy

Image: Jiri Foltyn/Shutterstock

Image: Jiri Foltyn/Shutterstock

New Zealand’s hotel sector reached record high occupancy rates last year of 76 percent.

The figure was up three points on 2013 and is the highest annual rate in the last decade.

The Average Daily Rate (ADR) was $144 (excluding GST), up almost $5. This brought Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) to $109 (excl. GST), an $8 improvement on 2013.

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA)’s Sally Attfield said the drive in hotel bookings is a reflection of both improvement in New Zealand’s economy and an increase in international visitors.

“Almost every region is seeing record results, with the exception of Christchurch where a significant recovery in the supply of available rooms due to hotel openings and re-openings has affected the statistics.”

Sally Attfield, TIA hotel sector manager

 

5. Aussie airports operating on-time

Airport

The OAG report that yesterday named Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar among 2014’s most punctual airlines also revealed Australian airports are operating efficiently as some of the world’s most on-time gateways.

Adelaide was ranked seventh most on-time small airport, with an average of 90.5 percent punctual arrivals, while Perth was fifteenth for an average of 88.1 percent on-time arrivals.

Brisbane was the fourteenth in the medium category, with 84.4 percent of arrivals landing on-time.

Meanwhile both Sydney and Melbourne were placed in the top 20 most punctual large airport list. Sydney was eighth for 84.4 percent of on-time arrivals and Melbourne followed in the eleventh spot with 82.9 percent.

 

6. Spend Australia Day in the Sunshine

Australia Day 3

The Sunshine Coast will celebrate Australia Day with a ‘weird and wonderful’ line-up of special events later this month.

Events and activities will include the Ginger Flower and Food Festival, the Sunshine Coast Cup horse-racing carnival and two of the more bizarre events on the Australian events calendar – the Haviana Australia Day Thong Challenge and the renowned Dunny Races.

Local tourism bureau chief executive, Simon Ambrose said there will be something for everybody.

“Thongs, of course, are a national Australian dress code during summer, so their value will be recognised as contestants try and break a world thong-throwing record. And for laughs, few events can top the Dunny Races, which also displays Australia’s unique talent in designing and racing portable toilets – a rare skill that seems to have found a home on the Sunshine Coast.”

Simon Ambrose, Sunshine Coast Destination chief executive

Sunshine Coast Australia Day and weekend events include the 2015 Ginger Flower and Food Festival (Friday 23 – Sunday 25 January) with the largest and most exquisite showcase of ornamental gingers and heliconias; Off and racing at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club (Monday 26 January) the state’s only metropolitan race day; Haviana Australia Day Thong Challenge (Monday 26 January) an attempt to set a new world record for the longest line of giant inflatable Havaianas joined in the water; True Blue Dunny races (Monday 26 January) for family fun and frivolity including the famous dunny races, tug of war, thong throwing and mullet tossing; and Community Celebrations (Monday 26 January) a big Aussie breakfast, celebrating the true spirit of Australia.

 

7. Fun travel news Friday

Image: Stefano Tinti / Shutterstock.com

Image: Stefano Tinti / Shutterstock.com

They made us laugh, cringe and some even made us roll our eyes. Wrap up your work week with fun travel news Friday #FTNF – a collection of weird stories that made headlines.

This week, we read about prosthetic hands, storm trooper outfits and other strange items left behind at Travelodge Hotels; an epic proposal at Changi Airport; a ‘potty’ situation aboard Virgin Trains; and how an airline angered a monk.

Read on

 

8. Qatar hotel gets snap-py

W Dohs

W Doha Hotel & Residences has become the first property to start using SnapChat on a global basis.

While other hotels have already started communicating with followers via the app, Qatar’s hotel is using it to reach global travellers through instant communication.

Set up under the screen name ‘w.doha’, the hotel says it will use the social media app to send behind the scene pictures, competitions and more.

“It’s a welcome addition to our already existing communication channels as we continue to offer guests and social media followers the opportunity to ‘Stay Connected’ 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Safak Guvenc, W Doha Hotel & Residences general manager

 

9. Airport launches onboard picnic service

Gordan Ramsay

Well now, this is handy.

Heathrow Airport is catering to travellers that may not like plane food with new ‘onboard picnic’ packs.

The ‘hamper’ is packed into a collapsible bag designed to be stowed away. It is also insulated to ensure food retains its taste and freshness.

Packs vary but include food from a range of chain cafes including Pret a Manger and EAT. There’s also food from restaurants and popular chefs like Gordon Ramsay.

The ‘hamper’ is available at all of Heathrow’s 118 restaurants across its five terminals.

Love the idea of an ‘onboard picnic’? Let us know below.

 

10. WOW! This is the most commonly misspelled destination amongst travellers

Image: New Photo/Shutterstock

Image: New Photo/Shutterstock

No judgement, but apparently there are a lot of people that don’t know how to spell London.

HotelsCombined.com has revealed the most common spelling mistakes travellers from English-speaking countries made when searching for English-speaking destinations – and there are a number of surprises!

Perhaps the most shocking is that one of the world’s biggest travel destinations, London is often spelt ‘Londin’, ‘Londn’ or ‘Londyn.

Another shocker was Honolulu. Although it is spelt exactly as it sounds apparently there are a number of people commonly typing it up as ‘Honalulu’ or ‘Honololu’.

Understandable errors were made when searching for Sydney, which can easily trick outsiders into thinking its spelt as ‘Sidney’.

Check out the top ten commonly misspelled English destinations of 2014 below:

  1. London (England): “Londin”, “Londn” or “Londyn”
  2. Sydney (Australia): Sydeny”, “Sydny” or “Sidney”
  3. Waikiki (Hawaii): “Wakiki”, “Waikki” or “Wikiki”
  4. Auckland (New Zealand): “Aukland” or “Akland”
  5. Canberra (Australia): “Canbera” or “Camberra”
  6. Anaheim (USA): “Anahiem”, “Aneheim”
  7. Brighton (England): “Brigton” or “Brightin”
  8. Adelaide (Australia): “Adeliade”, “Adelade” or “Adealide”
  9. Boracay (Philippines): “Borocay”
  10. Honolulu (USA): “Honalulu” or “Honololu”

Which destination do you find yourself misspelling?

What’s your reaction to today’s news? Share your comments below and start the conversation.