Tagged With "passenger records"
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 14, 2015: YanGuan -- a scenic little town to watch Qiantang’s Tidal Bore （钱塘江潮）in China
I have heard of the Qiantang Tidal Bore, which is the biggest in the World. The largest in Europe is that on the River Severn in South West England, which is highest near the equinoxes - a website details times and height predictions. I attach some pictures from a few years ago taken near a pub, conveniently located near a good viewing site. The bore is particularly popular with surfers, and I believe the world record for longest wave ride was recorded there.
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
If this standard were adopted, it might be the single greatest improvement in quality of travel in economy class. 17 inches is alright if no one is beside you, a rarity today. On an Transocean flight, it make sleeping very difficult indeed. I'm glad to see Airbus take this proconsumer stand.
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
Airbus has taken a major step in passenger comfort with the introduction of the new Airbus 380, their new double-deck airliner. Just as a large cruise ship will sail choppy seas in much greater comfort due to its size and sophistication, the new 380 is so much more smooth, quiet and comfortable up in the skies. Sure seat sizes and configuration will vary between operators but certainly the overall 'environment experience' is so much nicer
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
Interesting point, Mac. Large planes with bright decor somehow seem to me roomier, even if the seat is the same size. I think there's a balance between physical comfort and "feel" that airlines may not always recognize. On the other hand, I've been on 777s that had so little division of space that my mental image was sitting in a huge concert hall...and felt a bit uncomfortable from that!
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
I've never flown an A380, Mac. They still haven't caught on in North America, where Boeing clearly dominates the market. One thing that I've wonder about is with all those people to board (somewhere over 500), is the process of getting on and off the plane very slow or have they figured out how to make this move along with reasonable efficiency?
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
It seems as if the terminals that they use have many more access ramps (fingers) to spread the loading and unloading, plus, of course, the terminal also needs to have sufficient immigration desks and baggage facilities. So far our experiences have been good but I can imagine just how it could foul up!
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Re: Half of Americans: What I DIDN'T do last summer...
I think the important numbers would be how this compares to last year or the last five years. And while I agree most Americans don't take enough or long vacations ,I do think the travel industry in the US is doing better. The airlines have record profits and I know some states like Florida are showing record visitors the last few years including domestic travelers. I haven't seen the summer numbers yet, but as of June Florida's on pace for another record year. ...
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Re: Finding Reiner #8: Trail's End?
I've travelled to Brisbane Australia looking for clues to my fathers war record. It was a hot summers day when I found Roe Street Barracks - still in use ! I was convinced it would have gone years ago to a development. I stood in the entrance and I felt a shiver run down my back. A feeling I've heard described as "someone walking on your grave"
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Re: Scotland's vote may help ax high flying tax
UK Air passenger duty for under 12's will be abolished from May 2015. Under 16's will have to wait until 2016.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 15th, 2015: Winter Flowers ?
It's a beautiful flower, Garry, and wish that they were blooming out there now. I'm looking at a foot of snow on the ground as I write this. Last year in Calgary was one of the longest and coldest winters on record. This winter is somewhat milder, but still with enough cold days. What does this mean when added to what you describe? I have no idea. My own view is that we've only been studying the planet's weather for about a century with some detail now. That, in the scope of the history of...
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding
Climate change "experts" are saying that: "Antarctica’s massive stores of ice are likely to melt as the planet warms and contribute ever greater amounts of water to the world’s oceans." But the facts are: "The winter ice around the southern continent has been growing relatively constantly since records began in 1979. The US National Snow and Ice Data Centre, which monitors sea ice using satellite data, say that the year’s maximum was 1.54m sq km (595,000 sq miles) above the 1981-2010...
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Re: Discounts top all in passenger perks survey
Everything has relative value -- a hungry person would pick the free meal, for instance -- but at some point people pay for comfort. Many already pay a little extra for legroom by sitting in the exit row (or use points to do so). There comes a point where, especially on longer flights, you want to be comfortable and are willing to pay a little more to achieve that. I definitely consider the pitch and width of airline seats when making purchases, especially overseas purchases. I'll pay a...
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Re: Discounts top all in passenger perks survey
I'd agree...in fact, the issue of space is what keeps me from considering some longer flights...and I have been known to change flights for the possibility of a 2-seat row rather than 3...better an aisle and a window without a middle!
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Re: Three tons of pumpkins take Europe prize
Here's what a one ton pumpkin looks like. We saw this one at the Alaska State Fair this year, where it set a state record at 2051 pounds. (photo courtesy of the Anchorage Daily News)
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Re: Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka
You mentioned Gal Vihara was commissioned by King Parakramabahu I (1153 - 1186 A.D), who also built Polonnaruwa's Great Palace Complex and the Vatadage (where the sacred Buddha Tooth Relic was kept). Is there a record of the names of the master stone carvers or the one who actually built / architect the Great Palace Complex?
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Re: Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka
Something I've also thought about, George. And no, the credit goes to the big boss and not the people who actually do the work. So far as I know none of these crafts men -- and there must have been dozens on this project -- are known anymore.
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Re: Most of China's Wall in danger: Can it be saved?
This is old news. Very old. Villages in proximity to the wall have been built from it's bricks for eons and the parts that people love to visit and pretend are historical are nothing of the kind, but completely newly built and Disney-fied versions for the tourists, foreign & domestic. The Chinese government, in its (lack of) wisdom has no more interest in cultural preservation than it does in playing fair in any area of endeavor. History and its artifacts are tools having no value beyond...
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Re: January 31, 2017: Ye Olde Chip Truck, Kenora, Ontario
It's great to see real chips and vinegar making a comeback ! I often get folks in the US teasing me over the way we used to say Ye old shop. Just to put the record straight - and I'm sorry to disappoint so many - we never did. When the Guttenberg Printing Press arrived in England from Germany in 1440 there was no Greek letter "THETA" pronounced "th", so the nearest Look-alike letter was a Gothic "Y". So that soon replaced Theta in the printed word. But always pronounced The.
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Re: Not Again!? British Air Tax Increase confirmed
Tourism isn't hurting from the Tax increases. Passengers through Heathrow have increased steadily: 2011 - 69 Million 2012 - 70 Million All 5 London airports have reached a joint record of 133 Million passengers in 2012 ! So our Government will continue to squeeze the Golden Goose !
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Re: Will JetBlue Change Its Colors?
I can't see why they would change if their stock is up already 49% this year. Airlines are making record profits in the US now and that's mainly been because of higher fares and fees for the consumer. There's not too many true budget airlines left in the US.
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Re: A Visit to Hank Aaron's Childhood Home
I still have a Time magazine somewhere from the week that Hank broke Babe Ruth's record. I collected things this and recall what a big deal it was at the time (justifiably so). A nice look at a piece of classic America. I've never been to Mobile, but I'm intrigued now.
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Re: Ryanair changes its tune: Plans for future growth tied to better customer service
He is a smart business man : "20 May 2013 - Ryanair , Europe's only ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC) today (May 20) announced (record) annual profits of €569m, up 13% on last year" Its only Americans who hate Ryanair because they take the bait every time Michael O'Leary throws a wild punch ! He's great ! Like Travel Rob, we've used the carrier many times and never been disappointed.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#48)
Yes I was saving my answer for later, only knew it as I just visited Budapest! PH one historical record I read called them freedom fighters, it just stuck. Good going Lynn!
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Re: Banff National Park: Hiking in the Subalpine Splendor of Sunshine Meadows
Travel Rob, You can read about the San Diego to Key West road trip on www.msnomadica.com . It's on the posts from last July & August. They weren't really meant as a travel blog so much as a record of my sister and I trying to decide where we were going to live once we leave New Orleans. In any case, I can tell you that we basically loved San Diego, Disney and Key West, while Austin and Fort Lauderdale were both a bit of a let down. We've loved living in New Orleans, but it's been just...
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Is your airline on time?
How does your favorite airline compare to the best there is? Here are some of the best. Of major international airlines, Iberia had the best on time performance, 90.05%. Of the budget carriers, AirBaltic had the best record,...
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Memphis, Tennessee: 1) Graceland
3764 Elvis Presley Blvd. It’s an address most Elvis fans know by heart because that’s where you’ll find Graceland . Graceland is THE place every Elvis must visit at least once in their lifetime. Not only was...
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U.S. on track to record for overseas visitors
With 50.3 million visitors in the first 2/3 of the year, and more to come, the U.S. is on track for a record tourism year. The numbers through August show an 8% increase over 2013. Travel industry site Skift analyzed figures from the Federal...
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Memphis, Tennessee 3) The rest of the city
There’s a lot more to Memphis than Graceland, although Graceland is by far the city’s most popular attraction (which I’ve previously discussed here ). A city of about 650,000, Memphis has a...
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Las Vegas tops its own record numbers
With a week and change to go for 2014, Las Vegas has clocked in its 40 millionth visitor for the year, breaking its previous record...and they keep on coming. At a time when halfo of Atlantic City casinos have closed and casino operators in other...
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Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
Airbus, the big European planebuilder has urged airlines to go with 18"-wide seats, up from the standard 17" in use now. Their studies indicate that the extra width makes a BIG difference in passengers' ability to sleep on long flights (which are...
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In wake of terror, EU considers airline security
Proposals in the EU Parliament calling for more information about airline passengers to be made available to national authorities are on the table; they would make the Passenger Name Record (PNR) of all passengers arriving and departing EU available....
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US-Int'l Air Traffic Sets New Records
International non-stop air traffic to/from the U.S. last hear hit 197.3 million comings and goings, up 7% over the year before. Of the total, about 56% was non-US citizens, and 44% citizens, with the tickets split almost evenly between U.S. airlines...
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Hats off to Judy! Alaska employee rescues stranded Delta passenger
If this customer service story had been made up by Alaska Airlines to embarrass West Coast rival and also codeshare partner Delta, it would have been unbelievable...but they didn't, and it happened. USA Today reports on a Delta business traveler who...
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Crowded Skies: U.S. sets air passenger record
Nearly 850 airline passengers for 2014! To be exact, 848.1 million passengers (obviously some repeaters!) flew on domestic airlines last year, or on foreign airline flights to and from the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The...
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Orlando Breaks 62 Million Visitor Mark
Wikimedia Commons: Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida/Author Visitor7 Visit Orlando, announced today that Orlando ,had more than 62 million visitors in 2014....
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How big is the hotel booking business? Now you know!
Sometimes numbers get so big they're hard to visualize or believe, and here's one of those numbers: During the first three months of 2015, booking.com handled 106,400,000 hotel room nights. That's right...over 100 million....
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United "right-sizes" its fleet; who's next?
United Airlines has just announced a whole bunch of swaps and changes in its fleet, based on changed priorities and preferences. Among the key changes: more wide-body domestic service, swapping some 787 orders for 777s, and phasing out the 50-seaters...
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Britain ends air passenger tax for under-12s
Today's the day Britain's Air Passenger Duty ends for under-12s in economy, reducing the cost of flying by £11-97 ($17-150) per ticket. The tax, hated by families and blamed by travel industry companies and airlines for shooing away...
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Update: Did complaints force out Frontier CEO?
Dave Siegel, CEO of Frontier Airlines is out; the airline says his resignation was for "personal reasons," but Frontier Barry Biffle told the Denver Post that the changes at the top are meant to help fix the carrier's operational issues. ...
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Holy Cannoli! Italian town builds 3-ton Tiramisu!
The northern Italian town of Gemona has gotten its just desserts: a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records, and over 3 tons (3015 kg) of tiramisu. The coffee-flavored treat beat a months-old record by over 1000 kilos. I know what you're...
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Int'l travelers spent $222.3 billion in U.S. last year
Last year set a new record for overseas visitor spending on travel to and in the U.S.—$222.3 billion. About $43 billion was spent on getting here, while the other $179 billion paid for hotels, in-U.S. travel, admissions, meals, etc. That's up...
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Nashville, Tennessee.....the Elvis tour continues!
Until I attended my first medical meeting in Nashville, I'd never thought much about visiting this mid-sized city, an oversight on my part. Nashville's a fun destination in many ways, especially if you're a fan of Country music. I...
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Las Vegas -- last stop of the Elvis tour
This post marks the end of our journey to see sites related to Elvis Presley's life. So far we've visited Elvis' birth home in Tupelo , his mansion, Graceland , its car museum , and we've toured Memphis ...
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Crowded planes a safety hazard? Witnesses say so...
Flight attendants, at a Federal hearing, pointed to "legroom wars" and increased air rage. A safety expert pointed out that the FAA's evacuation tests use planes with more legroom than you're likely to get, and Charlie Leocha of Consumer Traveler...
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Google's Street View takes on the Loch Ness Monster
Whether for fun, fantasy or serious purpose, Google recently mounted one of its Street View cameras on a boat and teamed with a diving team to explore he surface of Scotland's Loch Ness and its famously elusive (and unlikely) underwater resident....
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Toronto scales new heights in Tourism
Add Toronto to the list of cities, including New York and London, that have recently reported record new levels of tourism. In Toronto's case, it adds up to over 14 million overnight guests. While its sports teams, the CN Tower, markets and...
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NYC airports set records for busy...
The five airports operated by the Port Authority of NY and NJ (JFK, Laguardia, Newark, Stewart/Newburgh and Atlantic City) set a record for passenger traffic last year, with 117.1 million passengers, up 3 million from the year before. And,...
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Airlines, Airports split over new fees
You'd think the airlines had never heard of a fee they didn't like, but now they've found one. Maybe what they don't like about it is that the money goes to airports, not airlines. The charge, which the airlines call a "tax" is the Passenger Facility...
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Back to Oaxaca: Hoofing It, Zegache to Tilcajete
PortMoresby’s southern Mexico walk this week takes her from a wildly colorful church to an even wilder Carnival celebration.
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50s 'bubble car' returns as an electric
Urkel's ride from Family Matters is coming back as an electric city runabout.