Ten steps to turn the passenger next to you into a fling (or more)

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Want to get lucky on your next flight? The odds of initiating a perfect stranger into the mile-high club are pretty slim, even if you do know all the right things to say. Of course, you could have a conversation, make a connection and want to make it real on the ground. So, how can that happen? Plugging in and tuning out aren’t going to help you much. Instead, you have to roll the dice and be social, risking a long talk with a total dud. It’s still worth a shot: even a long flight is finite.

So, let’s look at 10 ways you can pursue love or lust in the friendliest of skies:

1. Stop working: focus on your career while you’re in your seat, and that’s all you’ll find waiting for you on the ground. Close your laptop. Put down those reports. Clear the tray table in front of you. Crack a smile.

2. Buy a drink: it works in a bar, right? Spring for a glass of wine or a mini-bottle of vodka. In addition to being nice, you’ll also have a great way to start a conversation, especially if the flight attendant does something nutty.

3. Start listening: and to something other than your iPod. A winning conversation starts with your ears (and this is the only way you’ll find out if your seatmate is your kind of crazy).

4. Do a little talking: everyone loves a great listener, but you have to put some skin in the game to (especially if that’s ultimately your goal … so to speak). Chat up your neighbor, and be both honest and realistic. For a long-term connection, this is a must; for a quick jaunt to the back of the plane, it’ll take more than some quick talking.5. Make plans: whether you’re looking for a 30,000 foot liaison or something more enduring, make plans. It’s great to take what happens on a plane into the real world, so trade business cards and personal cell phone numbers. If all you want to do is make it back to the lav, plan that mad dash shortly after the beverage service starts.

6. Take advantage of open seating: for flights on the Delta Shuttle and Southwest, for example, board in the middle of the pack (great advice from USA Today). You’ll get a good idea of your choices and will still have plenty of seats available. Just don’t do this on easyJet. You’ll never hear the end of meeting someone on easyJet.

7. Use business cards: you don’t need cards to swap information, but it is a lot easier. Jotting digits down on a napkin is risky, and handwriting becomes an issue. Don’t leave anything to chance!

8. Leave the airport together: if you’re going the same way as your new buddy, extend you trip a little. Offer to a share a cab or town car (or whatever ground transportation you choose). You’ll put a bit more time on your side.

9. Set it up: never leave sales call without scheduling your next one. Before you part ways, try to line up your next encounter. Then, all you’ll have to do next time is show up!

10. Hope for the best: who knows where it’s going? Cross your fingers, find a shooting star and carry your lucky penny.

[photo by hoyasmeg via Flickr]

Airlines getting scammed online, fighting back

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Airlines lose a boatload of cash – tens of millions of dollars a year – because of online fraud. Think about it: you pay for your pillow and to check a bag because some degenerate can’t bother to work for a living. The airlines are keeping their customers in mind (shockingly), though, and they’re fighting back. Better protection systems, increased staff and a higher priority for prevention are now on the agenda as carriers seek to protect their coffers.

The stakes are high, and airlines are exposed. A Deloitte UK survey conducted in 2009, with 50 U.S. and global airlines responding, report that 48 percent have seen increases in fraud year-over-year, with average losses of $2.4 million a year. Yet, it could be far, far worse. CyberSource and Airline Information conducted a poll and came to an estimated loss amount of $1.4 billion in 2008.

According to USA Today:

“The general feedback from everybody … is that they see it getting worse,” says Graham Pickett, partner in charge of aviation services for Deloitte UK, which conducted its survey for the International Association of Airline Internal Auditors. “The main driver has been … the Internet, and in particular credit card type bookings.”

Airlines have invested in protecting their profits over the past two years, especially the larger companies. Of course, they aren’t all that willing to talk about specific measures:

“Common sense on this issue limits a discussion of what we do to track, prevent and seek prosecution of such occurrences,” says Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines. “We’re just not interested in providing a ‘how to’ lesson on the subject.”

The cyber-attack on airlines comes after online travel agencies, such as Orbitz, steeled their systems. For a while, they were the primary targets, with Orbitz, for example, getting spanked for millions of dollars a month by fraudsters.

The anti-fraud measures appear to be working. AirTran‘s team has reduced fraud losses to less than 1 percent of revenue, and Southwest says it has cut fraud by 73 percent.

How much does this matter? Think about all the small cuts you’ve had to deal with as a passenger. Every dollar matters to the airlines. Cutting fraud losses is just putting cash back in your pocket.

[photo by jepoirrier via Flickr]

Affordable Art Fair: Putting the beautiful within reach

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Affordable Art Fair wrapped up in New York last weekend, crowed until the end. The event, which highlights originals and reproductions that don’t require obscene wealth to own, is the antithesis of a global art market in which the appreciation of beauty has been nudged aside by appreciation in value.

Galleries from around the world were represented at the event, which was home to more than 70 exhibitors for four days. I wandered the floor, often not knowing which way to look as my senses were assaulted by engaging pieces that could actually wind up adorning the walls of my apartment.

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Throughout my experiences on Sunday afternoon, in the waning hours of the art fair, I couldn’t shake a feeling of satisfaction: a thrill that anyone could begin to collect art as a result of the Affordable Art Fair. I remember being moved almost to anger through 2007 as the global art market bubble formed, making it nearly impossible for all but society’s wealthiest to participate. Even with the subsequent collapse in 2008, helped along by the financial crisis, it was still clear that art collecting was inherently exclusive.

These feelings fell away as I spoke with Laurance Lafforgue of ArtWeLove and artist Kamol Akhumov. I realized that art is actually inclusive, and it’s open to all to participate.

I stepped onto W. 34th Street after leaving the Affordable Art Fair with a fresh excitement for art and art collecting. Forget about the market; focus on the art.

Mapping Stereotypes, an internet sensation from graphic designer Yanko Tsvetkov

by Aaron Hotfelder on


Part of the fun of traveling is discovering how well (or not) national stereotypes hold up. I can’t help but laugh when I meet a German traveler who insists on always being on time, or an Australian who loves to party, or a Brit with a dry sense of a humor. For some people, the farther they venture from home, the more their native country becomes apparent.

Some stereotypes, of course, are malicious and lead to lazy thinking and prejudice. But others, the relatively benign stereotypes, can be the source of laughs. In a recent project called Mapping Stereotypes, the Bulgarian graphic designer Yanko Tsvetkov demonstrates that people of all countries are guilty of stereotypical thinking about one another. But different countries have different stereotypes for each other. In the U.S., as shown by Tsvetkov’s map Europe According to the United States of America (above), France is known for its “smelly people” and Italy is just like The Godfather. But Russians think of France as full of “fashion victims” and Italy as one large shopping center.

Tsvetkov’s project, according to this recent article in the Telegraph, has blossomed into an internet sensation, garnering over a half-a-billion hits on his personal website in the last year.

For more, check out Europe According to Britain, Europe According to France, and Europe According to Poland.

[image above from Yanko Tsvetkov]

Moab promises adventure and fun this fall

by Kraig Becker on

For many outdoor enthusiasts, Moab is the epicenter of adventure in the western United States. Located in eastern Utah, the city is home to 5000 residents and serves as a great home base for travelers who visit the region in search of an adventurous escape. The area boasts some of the best hiking, paddling, and mountain biking found anywhere in North America, and Moab’s proximity to the Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, makes it all the more appealing for a getaway. With a host of other great activities on the docket for the fall, now may be the perfect time to plan your visit.

Fans of mountain biking and endurance sports will find plenty to keep them busy throughout October and November for instance, the 24-Hours of Moab bike race takes place October 9th and 10th, pitting 550 individuals and teams against one another in an event that last for one full day, on a course designed to challenge their skills and break their spirits. If that event doesn’t quench your thirst for mountain biking however, you can return later in the month for the four-day Moab Ho-Down Bike Fest, which runs from October 28 – 31, and features multiple races, a crazy bike jumping contest, movies, and more.

Perhaps you prefer your bikes have a motor instead of pedals? In that case you’ll want to check out the KTM Adventure Rider Rally, which will be held on October 15-17. That event offers off road riding for the motorcycle crowd and includes technical training and riding seminars, guided rides through the surrounding wilderness, a BBQ, and much more. The rally has been held in Moab for seven years, and gives motorcycle enthusiasts an opportunity to ride some of the best trails in the west in a safe and fun fashion.

As if that wasn’t enough adventure to draw you to Moab, the city will also play host to the Checkpoint Tracker National Adventure Racing Championships. This event will pull in some of the best adventure and endurance athletes from around the country to run, ride, climb, and paddle their way through a hundred miles of the region’s amazing backcountry. The 24-hour long race takes place on October 29 and 30.

For those who simply enjoy taking in the scenery in a more relaxed manner, consider the Plein Air Festival which is going on now through the 9th of October. This more staid event features dozens of artists who descend on Moab, and the surrounding area, to compete for prize money in a variety of categories. There will also be a number of workshops with those same artists providing demonstrations and instructions on how to paint. Visitors can also enjoy an art walk, awards show, and two distinct auctions.

Finally, the beginning of November brings the Moab Folk Festival, which takes place November 5-7 and features plenty of live music and workshops as well. Tickets are available here and you can checkout the line-up of musicians and bands that will be on hand by clicking here.

Will all of these great events taking place this fall, Moab is sure to have something for everyone.

[Photo credit: Tom Johnson, Sedona Magazine, via WikiMedia]