Ryanair drops Aer Lingus bid, again

by | Jan 23, 2009

After the Irish government again rejected the Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus, the low-cost carrier announced that it would drop its bid for the Irish flag carrier. The stock of Aer Lingus immediately dropped to beneath the Ryanair offer price. Ironically, the airline that...

Ryanair to fine passengers for more than one carry-on

by | Jan 23, 2009

Ryanair, the European budget carrier famous — or rather, infamous — for charging passengers for nearly everything, is at it again. Now passengers who violate their strict one carry-on bag limit will be fined on the spot. And one carry-on means one. Purses,...

Wannabe where Obama’s been

by | Jan 22, 2009

The tourism organizations of Kenya, Chicago, Hawaii and DC are taking notice of the rock-star popularity of the new President of the United States. They are beginning to milk the Obama connection for all the tourism it’s worth. On inauguration day morning I was...

Alitalia takes flight on shaky wings

by | Jan 21, 2009

Italy’s former flag carrier, once controlled by the government until financial realities, labor strife, mismanagement and the new EU political rules denying the airlines ever increasing tax money eventually strangled the airline, is flying again as a private...

Soccer rankings, travel planning and the South Pacific

by | Jan 21, 2009

Earlier, I wrote about my FIFA ranking method of travel planning, which ranks with that other highly scientific method — the throwing-the-dart-at-the-map method. This relatively random list and the random travel information I found is testament that unusual...