First Same-Sex Marriage in New Zealand Takes Place on a Flight

by Elizabeth Seward on


New Zealand recently legalized same-sex marriage and in celebration, Air New Zealand launched a contest that would grant a couple a sky-high wedding ceremony aboard one of their flights. This video documents the wedding of the two women who won the contest, making theirs the first same-sex marriage in New Zealand.

This isn’t the first mile-high marriage; it isn’t even the first in-flight same-sex marriage. In 2010, a captain diverted a flight into Canadian airspace so a same-sex couple on board could wed. Two same-sex marriage ceremonies took place on a SAS flight in 2010. And in 2008, a couple was married while on top of a plane.

But weddings aren’t the only out of place events that occur in air. A woman recently began to give birth on a plane. Coincidentally, something somewhat similar happened to a friend of mine who went into labor during her layover at LAX. I guess you never know when you’ll get a little extra in-flight entertainment.

Video Of The Day: Disneyland, A Whirlwind Tour

by Jake Thiewes on

If someone says “Disneyland” or “Disney World,” the words “quick trip” rarely come to mind as a follow-up. Yet two filmmakers have managed to provide a desktop Disneyland experience, showcasing Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney in about a minute and a half. So now, sit back, relax and enjoy a quick journey to Anaheim.

We’d love to feature your photos and videos on Gadling, so please add them to our Flickr Pool (with Creative Commons licensing!), tag @GadlingTravel on Instagram or email us at OfTheDay@gadling.com.

Millennial Business Travelers Are Rejecting Corporate Travel Policies

by Elizabeth Seward on

Millennial business travelers don’t care much for corporate travel policies, according to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek published today. Company-designed travel booking methods don’t seem to be clicking with the young professionals, who happen to make up the largest chunk of traveling employees for most companies. Since these workers are already spending so much time away from home and typically working in positions that are highly lucrative for companies, like sales, many companies seem hesitant to simply stop reimbursing employees for self-booked travel.

Part of the problem appears to be that internal booking systems aren’t “fun.” They don’t offer rewards or social interaction like many public booking sites or apps do. To address this growing problem while hopefully appeasing the millennial traveler, some companies are working toward developing more engaging and rewarding internal platforms for booking corporate reservations.

Top 10 Most Outrageous Hotel Fees

by Elizabeth Seward on

Airlines receive substantial criticism for their ever-increasing fees. While complaints about surprise fees associated with air travel are warranted and deserving of productive conversation, similarly unsuspected hotel fees are often overlooked. A recent New York Times piece highlighted the problem and stated that hotels in the United States are on track to earn $2.1 billion this year in fees and surcharges alone.

Some of the most outrageous hotel fees that are being reported:

  1. Charges for donations to local charities (without receiving consent) are being added to bills. This actually happened to me while in Grenada.
  2. Bellhop service charges, even when bellhop services aren’t used.
  3. Housekeeping charges.
  4. Charges for using the business center, fitness center or other areas of the hotel.
  5. Some hotels now charge extra for a new set of clean towels or sheets.
  6. Some hotels add fees for using the in-room coffeemaker.
  7. Sometimes guests are charged for the in-room safe, even if they don’t use it.
  8. Package delivery fees are applied for receiving mail and other items to your room in some hotels.
  9. Bills at some hotels now include an “energy surcharge.”
  10. Paying to use the internet often comes with a fee, and sometimes it’s ridiculously steep.

What’s Up With Celebrities Behaving Badly On Airplanes?

by Elizabeth Seward on


We all know that some celebrities don’t seem to know how to behave in public and that the list of celebrities removed from airplanes is continually growing. The most recent addition to this list is Soulja Boy, who was kicked off of an American Airlines flight on Friday when he wouldn’t return to his seat when asked to do so. Soulja Boy seemed apologetic about the incident when he spoke to TMZ saying, “It was a bad night and me and the flight staff didn’t see eye to eye. In hindsight, I’m extremely sorry for all inconvenience caused to the passengers and employees of the airline.”

Other celebrities who have been removed from airplanes:

  • Alex Baldwin for not turning off an electronic device
  • Naomi Campbell for losing her temper over lost luggage
  • Christian Slater for trying to board a plane with an unlicensed pistol
  • David Hasselhoff for being under the influence
  • Courtney Love for refusing to sit down and throwing a tantrum

And the list goes on.