Of all the things that can disable a $300 million plane – a broken catering truck has to be one of the more embarrassing.
Sadly, this is the fate of Emirates A6-EDE, the seventeenth Airbus A380, delivered to the airline in April of 2009.
During a routine catering delivery at Toronto airport, the scissor lift on the truck broke, smashing the truck body onto the wing of the jet.
The plane has been taken out of service while repairs are made to the damaged wing. No passengers were on the aircraft at the time and the exact extent of the damage has not yet been determined, but repairs are estimated to take several weeks. For more photos of the incident, head on over to Cargolaw.com.
Well – that was quick. Just a couple of days after we reported on its excessive $11 million Christmas tree, the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi has confirmed that it may have gone a little overboard in decorating the (fake) evergreen.
The $11,000 tree had been filled with almost every piece of valuable jewelry the in-house jeweler could find – including diamond earrings, necklaces and pearls. After all the attention the tree got, the hotel manager admitted he “regretted overloading the tradition”.
Of course, one thing not really pointed out in all the attention was that the “decorations” would all be recovered after the holiday season, so despite their insane price tag, the tree itself was not going to cost $11 million.
Still, while the world is in the middle of its first signs of economic recovery, a tree with this kind of excess sends a rather disturbing message. Then again, this is the same hotel where you can buy gold bars from a vending machine and waste $1 million on a week-long stay.
These are simple, easy to follow and almost guaranteed to increase the odds that you will have a great cruise experience regardless of the cruise line, itinerary, bumps in the road along the way or many other factors that can swing a vacation up or down the satisfaction scale:
Use a travel agent. Internet-booking fares may seem like the way to go when surfing for prices. They’re not. After the sale that web site is done with you, never to be heard from again. A good personal Travel Agent has your best interests in mind and might have the opportunity to pass along future savings that commonly come along later. On price alone, you can be far better off using a good agent than going it on your own. Oddly, that is where a good agent’s job begins and many more benefits can be realized along the way. Even booking directly with the cruise line you don’t get that. Memorize: The Internet is for looking, Travel Agents are for booking.
Tip your cabin steward up front. $20 should do it. When you first see your cabin steward, the crew member that will be in and out of your cabin throughout every day of your sailing, stop him/her, make eye contact, and shake hands with a folded $20 bill saying the following magic words “Take good care of us and we’ll take good care of you”. It’s easy, it’s simple and will almost guarantee you a better cruise experience, especially compared to Mr. NastyPants next door who demands stuff and treats the crew like dirt. Sure, its a bribe.
Assume the best. As far as the crew is concerned, you are one of the few variables in their on-board lives. The ship, the cabins, the menu, even the ports of call, are basically the same from week to week to them. You are going to stand out one way or another. (see photo) Approaching them with a positive point of view can put you way ahead of the game. Yes, they make good money compared to their family back in LetMeOuttaHere Land but are drawn to guests that are nice people. Remember: They live there, you don’t. They know what’s up around the ship and can offer valuable ultra-insider information just as easily as the standard fare they dish out to everyone.
Flickr photo by divemasterking2000 (who appears to have the correct attitude)
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Here are the hottest daily gear deals for today, Sunday December 19, 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.
Today’s first deal is for the Altec Lansing IMT320 iPod/iPhone portable speaker. This docking base features a leather cover, AUX inputs and runs off batteries. Down from $80 to $42.95. Click here for this deal.
Next up is one of the best Holiday bargains on the 8GB Apple iPod Touch. The player dropped to $210 – and comes with a free $25 gift card, bringing the final price down to $185. Click here for this deal.
Today’s third deal is for the Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth headsets. This is one of the best looking Bluetooth headsets on the market, and its included leather charger case only helps make it even better. On sale for $59.99. Click here for this deal.
And finally in today’s lineup, if you don’t mind non-HD video quality, then this $35 refurbished Flip Mino Video camera may be perfect for you. Comes with a carrying bag, wrist strap and video cable. Click here for this deal.
The US Army Corps of Engineers says old Navy munitions found under Seattle’s cruise ship terminal are not a major threat and cleanup is underway. Still, that the old shells and weapons were initially uncovered by cruise ship thrusters and that has experts talking.
“Wherever munitions have been handled in the past, they have rolled off the pier, they’ve been dropped out of cargo net. It’s perfectly normal, it’s expected. What is unexpected is that there is a cruise ship terminal built directly above where some of these munitions are.” Jim Barton, an expert in underwater munitions, told Seattle’s King5.com back in October.
Divers started spotting the munitions in April as part of routine security sweeps required by the Coast Guard. Apparently the bombs were dropped in the water between the 1930s and 1970 when the U.S. Navy used the the facility. Initially it was empty shell casings found by divers but later searches revealed live ammunition capable of being exploded under where cruise ships travel.
“These are munitions, designed to kill people. Barton said adding “They’re pretty safe to be around unless you disturb them”
When the munitions were first discovered, Seattle’s cruise ship season was still in operation. Records indicate that at least two times in September, live ammunition was brought to the surface with cruise ships nearby.
This week the Corps of Engineers announced that it is leading a $10 million cleanup project with the Port of Seattle, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency. Check this initial report about it all below: