Airline to charge $35 for customer service

by Aaron Hotfelder on

These days, airlines are finding more and more ways to charge passengers for things they’ve long received for free– headphones, food and drink, a second checked bag. Now you can add decent customer service to that list.

Air Canada began offering a service (ha!) yesterday called “On My Way,” in which passengers can pay an extra $25 on shorter flights and $35 on longer flights, and in exchange they will receive “‘speedy’ access to ‘specially-trained’ customer service agents who will help rebook flights on Air Canada or other airlines, as well as pay for hotel stays and meals, if necessary.”

As someone who occasionally writes about airlines, I am now required by law to mention that the rising cost of jet fuel is to blame for this ill-conceived insult to every passenger’s dignity.

[via Boing Boing]

What strange things have been found on planes?


Click the image to read the bizarre story…

Podpro Ski and Snowboard Guides

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Snow season might be winding down, but that’s no reason not to start thinking about next year’s fresh powder. While you’re waiting, why not check out the iPod and iPhone-compatible skiing and snowboarding guides by Podpro? The company offers free downloadable trail maps for a number of the most popular resorts in both the U.S. and Canada.

iPhone users will be pleased to find full maps for more than thirty resorts across the United States and Canada, including top spots like Whistler, Aspen, Snowbird, and Snowmass. What’s more, iPhone owners who visit the Podpro website will have access to live updates on current weather and ski conditions as well as a rundown of local lodging options. iPod users don’t have quite as many options as their iPhone friends, though they still have access to Podpro’s free guides to British Columbia’s Whistler resort. Glove fingers crossed that they’ll add a few more options in the near future.

Now all you need to figure out is how to avoid dropping your precious Apple device in a snowdrift when you wipe out.

Attitudes to the US improving

by Iva Skoch on

The world now apparently sees the US slightly more positively, according to the BBC World Service Survey. The average percentage of people saying that the US has a positive influence has risen to 35% from 31% a year ago. Those saying the US has a negative influence fell five percentage points to 47%.

The reason? Probably the upcoming presidential election. I would think the recession probably also helps. People generally like people better when they can pity them or express schadenfreude (taking pleasure in another person’s misfortune.) Or wait, maybe this is just how things work in Central Europe.

Don’t get too excited though. Views of US influence in the world are still mainly negative, though they improved in 11 out of the 23 countries also polled a year ago. Perceptions of the US worsened in three countries – Canada, Lebanon and Egypt.

Umm, Canada?

“Snow rage” erupts in Quebec

by Catherine Bodry on

Martha can probably comment on this as well, but I’m pretty sure I understand hitting the limits of snowy weather. Right now the berms lining my driveway are around 10 feet (we eventually gave up shoveling because we couldn’t throw the snow that high), and everyone is ready for spring. Apparently we Alaskans aren’t the only people hit with a heavy load this winter: Reuters reports that Quebec is dealing with all-time record amounts of snow this year (210 inches!).

Dealing, but not that well.

Quebec City police have been called to a dozen snow-related disputes, including one man who flashed a gun at a woman from a snow-removal service who was putting snow on his yard. Another man produced a toy gun in an argument over a parking space (that might not be directly snow-related, but I’m willing to bet tensions are high simply from the long winter). Most arguments have to do with snow from one property ending up on someone else’s land; understandable if the loads get too big. One berm in Montreal is so high it likely won’t melt before next winter.

Environment Canada suggests that the end of winter isn’t anywhere near, and snow just fell again today in the province.

Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report: Top 10 tourism industries

by Anna Brones on

If you’re curious as to what countries have the most conducive environments for tourism, you might want to check out the second annual World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008. Basically it’s a report full of a lot of economic figures used to measure how good tourism industries are in countries around the world. This year’s report put a special emphasis on economic development and environmental sustainability. Here are the top ten:

1. Switzerland
2. Austria
3. Germany
4. Australia
5. Spain
6. United Kingdom
7. United States
8. Sweden
9. Canada
10. France

I’ve been to 7 out of the top 10, meaning that the tourism boards are probably doing their job — or I’m just visiting popular destinations. Surprisingly, popular backpacker destinations like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Nepal are at the bottom of the list. For the complete PDF of rankings go here.