Photo of the Day (11/06/08)

by Kent Wien on

Fiznatty does it again with today’s Photo of the Day. This shot, taken in northern Sweden, just screams winter, doesn’t it? He used a 25 second exposure and ‘painted’ the bath house with a flashlight while the shutter was open.

I like how the northern lights shoot upward above the house, almost as if the heat from the bath house generated the glow. Having grown up in Alaska, I’ve seen this kind of view a number of times, but I can’t think of a better place than Sweden to really experience the aurora borealis.

Nice job, Fiznatty!

Are you a Flickr user who’d like to share a travel related picture or two for our consideration? Submit it to Gadling’s Flickr group right now! We just might use it for our Photo of the Day!

OpenSkies Announces Post Election Fare Deals

by Josh Lew on

British Airways-backed upscale carrier currently flies two trans-Atlantic routes, JFK to Amsterdam and JFK to Paris Orly. A one-way BIZ class ticket on the Amsterdam route will cost $1050 if it is booked by November 21st. Fares to Orly will start at $1100 if booked by the same date. PREM+ (premium economy class) tickets start at $550 one-way.

Is this a good deal? It depends on how much you value your comfort. The PREM+ class seats are akin to business class seats on other carriers. They recline 140 degrees and offer 52 inches of leg room. Seats in the BIZ class recline a full 180 degrees. OpenSkies also offers full service including a concierge, food and drink, and in-flight entertainment.

Fliers who put more of a premium on price than comfort should be happy with the recent announcement that low-cost carrier Ryanair will be charging as little as 8£ once its trans-Atlantic service gets off the ground. Still, for what you get, you have to admit the the OpenSkies deal is a good value.

Nobody is safe from the flight delay monster – even billionaires!

by Scott Carmichael on

Formula One racing is not very popular in the United States, so I’ll forgive you if you don’t have a clue who the gentleman on the right is. Bernie Ecclestone is the current president and CEO of the companies behind Formula One racing.

Mr.Ecclestone has amassed a net worth of almost $4 Billion thanks to a combination of his slick management skills and some very lucrative TV deals. On average, over 55 million people watch each F1 race, making it the most popular sport in the world.

So, with that much cash and power, I was surprised to read that he flies regular airlines, just like the rest of us. And just like us, he too gets delayed when things go bad. After the final race of the season this Sunday (Go Lewis!), Bernie was stranded on the tarmac of Sao Paulo airport for 7 hours.

Once the plane finally made its way back to the UK, the flight crew went “illegal” (a term meaning they had reached their maximum shift duration) and the plane had to divert to Madrid to load a new crew.

The ground delay and diversion meant the BA flight didn’t land at Heathrow till 9:20PM, almost 9 hours later than scheduled. I’ve been in much worse delays, and my experiences never made the news – I guess it pays to be super rich!

Of course, the smart people took their private jet to Brazil, including the team boss of the world champion, Ron Dennis.

(Via: F1Complete)

Who else has been causing trouble in the skies?


Research toilets before nature calls

by Mike Barish on

Gadling is nothing if not a clearinghouse for great information in the name of public service. To that end, and in the spirit of our Catching the Travel Bug series, I am pleased to share with you the wealth of knowledge that is SitOrSquat. This delightful website has carved its own niche on the internet as the preeminent place for user-reviews of public restrooms.

Simply plug in a city name and using the power of Google maps and the assistance of user-generated and uploaded content, you’ll be able to check out reviews and photos of restrooms in parks, restaurants and bars. The only limitation is how often users actually upload content to the site.

For example, from time to time I like to grab a Jameson on the rocks at Welcome to the Johnsons, a dive bar on the Lower East Side of NYC that is themed like an old 1970s living room. It’s dirty, cheap and loud. Just the way I like my bars (and my women). But, it may not be the best place to get into a fight with that afternoon’s burrito. Not sure if you can handle it? Well, check out their toilet ahead of time.

So the next time you’re hitting the ground in an unfamiliar city or neighborhood, be sure to grab a guidebook, a Zagat guide and peruse SitOrSquat. You and your underpants will be glad that you did.

Dubai Metro to feature the worlds first corporate branded station names

by Scott Carmichael on

Nowhere in the world is anyone working harder on their infrastructure than in Dubai. Mall after mall is being erected, new office buildings are breaking world records, and when they run out of land, they simply build out into the ocean.

One thing missing so far, was a large public transit system. That is set to change in 2009 when the first portion of the new Dubai Metro opens.

Of course, nothing in Dubai is done partially, so they are working on not one, but two separate lines. The Metro Red line is 50 kilometers with 35 stations and the Metro Green line is 20 kilometers with 22 stations.

The Metro will run using driverless automated trains and links most major locations in Dubai, including the airport, the American university and the city center.

Dubai would not be Dubai if they missed another opportunity to be first with something, so the Metro has sold the naming rights of 23 stations to anyone willing to pay enough.

A 10 year contract for naming your own station will cost about $35 Million. Of course, this includes a full corporate branding of the station itself. One of the first contenders said to have struck a deal is Emirates, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates.

In a nation where status means everything, I have no doubt that the Dubai Metro will find enough companies willing to have their own station. The program is planned to generate $200 Million a year for the Metro operators.

Something tells me US public transit operators will be watching this development closely, and before you know it you’ll be taking the Coca-Cola line to Gadling Central station.