Cathay Pacific’s 2008 All Asia Pass

by Jamie Rhein on

If you have 21 days between now and May 15 and August 20 through December 1, Cathay Pacific Airways has the All Asia Pass that gives travelers a chance to visit Hong Kong and up to four more cities in Asia. Prices range from $1,099 with two additional cities; $1,399 for three cities, plus Hong Kong; to $1,699 for the four cities and Hong Kong. With San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York as departure cities, you could probably snag an inexpensive flight to any of them if you plan early enough.

If I were going to take advantage of this ticket, I’d head to Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Cambodia. The first three, because I’ve been to each of them and have people I’d like to visit. Cambodia is a place I’d love to go. None of them are far from each other which would help maximize my time in the countries and not going from place to place. In Vietnam, I’d head north to Sapa, a place I haven’t been and see friends in Hanoi. In Thailand, I’d spend a day or two in Bangkok and then head to a beach somewhere. Taiwan would mean revisiting places I liked when I lived there, particularly Beipu and eating all the food I’ve missed since I left. Cambodia would mean new discoveries.

But, since as with most great travel deals, the summer is excluded and that’s when I would have the 21 days to spare, I can’t take advantage. Hopefully, others can. Except for Taiwan, it’s possible to travel in the other three on a shoestring. Hong Kong is good for a day or two, but I’d head to cheaper locations ASAP.

The Vice Guide to North Korea

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Vice Magazine’s relatively new video site VBS.tv has just finished up its 14-part series on North Korea, called The Vice Guide to North Korea. Host Shane Smith uses some stealth “guerrilla video” tactics to cover all the usual North Korea attractions, from the “world’s greatest eyefuck” known as the Arirang Mass Games to the “most lavish two-stop subway money can buy,” the Pyongyang Metro.

Along the way, Shane frightens some North Koreans with his karaoke rendition of a punk rock song, receives a guilt trip free of charge with a tour of the captured US ship called the Pueblo, and attends a talent show displaying North Korea’s “creepily overtalented future generation.”

The series gives an in-depth, and often hilarious, “tourist’s-eye-view” of what it’s like to visit North Korea. Head on over there and check ’em out.

If you prefer the written word to moving pictures, read about the time Gadling’s own Neil Woodburn infiltrated North Korea.

Use a cell phone to secure your Southwest Airlines boarding pass

by Justin Glow on

Over a year ago, I wrote about how you can print your Southwest Airlines boarding pass without a printer, but since then I got a Blackberry and have adapted the same concept to a cell phone.

Two weekends ago, I was in Chicago for St. Patrick’s Day, and instead of leaving the party mid-day Saturday to find a computer to check in and get my “A” boarding pass for our Sunday flight back home, I used my cell phone’s Internet browser to login to Southwest Airline’s website. Once I entered in my information, it took me to the screen where I could select the passengers to check in and hit “print boarding pass.”

Obviously I didn’t have a printer attached to my cell phone, but with Southwest’s system it doesn’t matter. I was able to see on-screen that I had secured an “A” boarding pass, so I closed out of it and continued on my marry way. Come Sunday, hungover and ready for the flight back home, we arrived at Midway and found a SWA check-in kiosk. There I swiped my credit card, and instead of selecting “print boarding pass,” I selected “re-print boarding pass.”

Southwest does this in case you lose your boarding pass or run out of printer ink mid-print, but it’s perfect for checking in using your cell phone or printing your boarding pass if you don’t have a printer at home, but still want that coveted “A” position. Give it a try.

Ryanair freezes executive salaries in response to high oil prices

by Anna Brones on

The popular European budget airline is preparing for tough times. High oil prices and a weak UK economy are threatening Ryanair’s overall income; Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary says that in the next year, net-profit could in fact fall by 50%.

But O’Leary doesn’t want to see high oil prices translated into increases of airline fares. “I think our fares will be flat and that will be a good result I think,” O’Leary said. To keep those fares flat, he plans on freezing the salaries of 36 senior managers of Ryanair for a period of a year. This, along with an increase in baggage and credit card fees, is expected to save the airline 400 million euros over the next 12 months.

All of this is mostly because up until now, Ryanair has enjoyed hedging contracts of oil at around $68 a barrel. Those contracts run out April 1, 2008 meaning that Ryanair’s fuel costs will only go up; every $1 increase in oil above $65 accounts for 14 million euros in annual costs.

Yet even in a dreary looking economy, Ryanair is still managing to add a few more flights. In May 2008, passengers will be able to enjoy the first domestic routes in France (Paris to Marseille) and Germany (Frankfurt to Berlin).

Skybus gets a new CEO. Does this mean the $10 tickets stay or go?

by Jamie Rhein on

In yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch, an article outlined just why it was a good thing that Skybus’s former CEO, Bill Diffenderffer stepped down so Michael Hodge, the old CFO could take over. Diffenderffer wasn’t particularly sad to relinquish the position since this move frees up some time for him to return to writing novels and plays. Helping to start up Skybus was what he liked. Hanging around to make sure that what he started works over the long haul? Not so much.

Hodge is ready to tackle this fledgling airline’s woes. The first flight was in May. Since then, being on time has been a bit of an issue and fuel prices haven’t helped. Lately, the pilots are fussing about not making enough money. They could make more elsewhere and are pondering what to do about that.

I’m wondering if the $10 seats will last with this change. Some say they shouldn’t because, economically, they don’t make sense. Others say, keep them. I second that. Another question is the airline’s non-existent customer call line. Of course the Skybus folks have phones. Customers just can’t call them. I’ve had frustrations over that one myself. I’m rooting for Skybus. I have an urge to fly to upstate New York this year. Skybus’s rates right now are cheaper than driving– if you plan ahead.