Trains block signals to prevent cell calls

by Mike Barish on

Being trapped in a confined space with a person who is talking loudly on his cellphone is most certainly one of the circles of Hell. Perhaps no place is worse for such a scenario than a train. Be it a on commuter line like New York’s Long Island Rail Road or a travel rail like Amtrak, the last thing you want while stuck in that metal tube is to be near anyone who is blabbing away on the phone. But now one British railway company is taking measures to completely block cell reception in their railway cars.

According to the Daily Mail, British rail company C2C has begun coating some windows on their trains in a film that blocks cell signals. They designate one car per train as a quiet zone where phones, music devices and other electronics are not permitted and conversations must be conducted “quietly and with consideration for others.”

The film prevents train personnel from having to struggle to enforce the quiet zone rules. And passengers have been very supportive of the initiative thus far. Having once snapped at a person on the train for being too loud on their phone (and receiving a round of applause from my fellow passengers after my tirade was completed), I am not surprised by the rave reviews from C2C customers. And since the general public has proven itself incapable of considering the greater good when choosing its behavior, I am thrilled to see that technology is filling in the gaps left by thoughtless ne’er-do-wells.

C2C runs train service between Essex and London, so if you find yourself in that neck of the woods, drop us a line and let us know if you enjoyed your time in the quiet zone. As for the rest of you, keep it down to a whisper, put your phones on vibrate and maybe try reading a book on the train. Just turn the pages quietly, will ya?

Palin or Obama as a perfect traveling companion, and where do Democrats and Republicans want to vacation?

by Jamie Rhein on

Whether or not the following statistics are true, they’re interesting to ponder. With the election fast approaching, here are findings from a phone survey that blends travel and politics. The survey conducted for Travelzoo ended on October 7, so perhaps the numbers would have shifted a bit by now.

  • Percentage of people who think Sarah Palin would be a perfect traveling companion–33%
  • Percentage who think Barack Obama would be–35%

Destination dreams of Republicans, Democrats and Independents:

Who would take a cruise to Alaska?

  • Republicans–51%
  • Democrats–37%
  • Independents –43%

Democrats would rather take a cruise to the Caribbean–51% of them said this is where they would like to head for the vacation of their dreams.

According the survey, the bickering and pandering during this election are giving Independents the idea that they would like to take a vacation elsewhere–47% of them are looking towards Spain, France, the U.K. or Germany for some R&R.

The survey conducted between September 15 and October 7 included a representative sample of 1,000 people, ages 18 and over.

Travelzoo normally doesn’t delve into politics, but is a Website to head to if you’re looking for travel deals. No matter your political leanings, you might find something to suit your tastes and budget. One thing I noticed is how easy it is to find deal information. Here’s the link for Alaskan cruises. And here’s the link for cruises to the Caribbean.

Is Gadling against Qantas airlines?

by Jeffrey White on

If you’ve been reading Gadling for a while — and we trust you have! — you might have the impression that we’re somewhat down on Qantas, Australia’s major carrier. For a sampling:

  • In March, we covered new, serious safety concerns at the airline
  • In June, we wrote about the airline making its second emergency landing in three days
  • Two days ago, we covered Qantas’ confession to price fixing

I don’t think we’re predisposed against Qantas (personally, I’ve flown the airline a few times and love it). It’s just that the carrier has had a rough year, and things keep happening to its flights.

Take reports yesterday that a Qantas flight from LA to Sydney lost its weather radar capabilities shortly after taking off and was forced to tail an Air New Zealand flight (funny enough, the airline’s chief rival) all the way to Auckland. The ANZ flight led the way and sent back weather reports and headings to the Qantas crew, who were transporting 284 passengers on the 12-hour flight.

That’s just the latest in a series of malfunctions at Qantas that has led to some serious questions about the carrier’s safety standards and the condition of its fleet.

But lest you think that we’re only reporting negative news about Qantas here at Gadling, here’s some news the carrier wants you to know about: It began service on its ultra-luxurious A380 aircraft this week.

The plane’s main claim to fame is a first class section that boasts 14 private suites, each complete with LCD screen TV, a dining table (where you’ll eat an eight-course tasting menu), guest chair and a swivel chair that converts into a bed. Plus, you get your own Akira Isogawa pajamas. Cost per ticket: $25,000.

What does the Delta and Northwest merger mean for me, the one with the frequent flier miles?

by Jamie Rhein on

As Grant reported, today the Justice Department has cleared the way for the merger between Northwest Airlines and Delta. Here’s a brief blurb from the Wall Street Journal that my friend at WalletPop, Tom Barlow E-mailed me.

Back in April, Grant wrote a post about why to be happy about the merger. Hmmm. I’m not sure about that given my future plans. Grant wasn’t too sure either.

I’m wondering if this merger will affect my trip to Denmark in a month. I have a Northwest flight to Copenhagen through Memphis and Amsterdam on December 2nd. My ticket (actually two of them) is thanks to 100,000 frequent flier miles (50,000 each). If my trip is messed up–the one I am taking with my daughter, I’m going to be sad. I actually have a stronger word in mind, but I’m being polite. From what I’ve read, we may not be affected. We’ll see.

As for the other Northwest frequent flier miles I have, I’ve a strong urge to book tickets now just in case. On the other hand, there are places that Delta flies that Northwest doesn’t, so perhaps I’ll hedge my bets. Frequent flier programs seem more and more like gambling ventures–or the stock market.

The time that it has taken for the Justice Department to decide if the merger is kosher or not has probably cut down the number of decisions the airlines might have to make. For example, perhaps with fewer amenities, Delta and Northwest won’t have to figure out which snacks to merge –or which type of pillows to use.

So long, Northwest. Department of Justice approves merger

by Grant Martin on

For those of you who were holding onto one last shred of hope that Delta and Northwest might not merge, you can go ahead and flush that down the toilet — the Department of Justice just approved the merger, saying:

“After a thorough, six-month investigation, during which the Division obtained extensive information from a wide range of market participants–including the companies, other airlines, corporate customers and travel agents–the Division has determined that the proposed merger between Delta and Northwest is likely to produce substantial and credible efficiencies that will benefit U.S. consumers and is not likely to substantially lessen competition.”

Not that we weren’t already heading full tilt into the merger. Just this week the two airlines integrated upgrade policies (now one can be upgraded on the other based on elite status), and the buzz about NW flight attendants getting fitted for Delta uniforms has already popped up in a few places in the underground.

So to speak, this message from the DOJ just puts the final nail in the coffin. Over the next twelve months you’ll slowly start seeing red tails disappear from the tarmac to become red white and blue, you schedules out of Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis and Cincinnati will get rejiggered and your boarding passes will suddenly carry the wrong name.

So long, Northwest Airlines. It was a fun ride while it lasted.