Free Travel Tips

The U.S. Department of Transportation aims to collect from major U.S. airlines revenue data in 16 new ancillary fee categories, according to a rulemaking proposal filed in the Federal Register Friday. The disclosures would bring about new levels of fee transparency and could open the door to new taxation.

In addition to baggage fee and change fee revenue, which airlines already report, DOT would require carriers to disclose revenues generated from booking fees, various inflight services, seat assignments, travel insurance and other offerings.

DOT also is considering changing how carriers report mishandled checked baggage rates, currently reported as the rate per 1,000 passengers. The new proposal would change that to the percentage of mishandled bags for all bags checked. DOT suggested the proposal would better account for true baggage handling performance, especially as the total number of checked bags has decreased by up to 50 percent since fees for checking became widespread, according to U.S. Government Accountability Office data cited by DOT.

Though DOT is not explicitly proposing that ancillary revenue disclosures be subject to new taxes, the transparency of those revenue streams could open the door for such efforts, which already have been floated in Washington.

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The carrier is preparing to operate an all-business class service between London and Hong Kong, according to reports by the South China Morning Post, and the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

CAPA – “the leading provider of independent aviation market intelligence, analysis and data services” – reports that Hong Kong Airlines will use new A330-200 aircraft configured for 116 lie-flat business class seats, to operate flights to London from next year.

The report says that the carrier “does not expect to secure slots at Heathrow”, and is “analysing London’s three other airports – Gatwick, Luton and Stansted”.

There are currently five airlines offering direct nonstop services between London and Hong Kong – BA, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic.

The all-business class service would be in contrast to the no-frills flights operated by the now defunct Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, which offered flights to London Gatwick using B747-400 aircraft.

Last week, we took a look at a video that’s aimed solely at stuffing as much as you possibly can into hand luggage . It seems that young entrepreneurs were also interested in the ever-increasing ways that budget airlines find to charge extra, with ‘Rufus Roo’ coming up with a jacket that’s intended solely to get 10kgs of extra luggage onto the plane without paying any extra fees. The jacket is stuffed full of pockets, and providing you don’t mind looking like a complete fashion victim, it’s a potentially lucrative investment.

Roo’s claim that the jacket could save a traveller thousands relies on you taking a whole lot of flights, but with the jackets priced at £29.95 for adults and £24.95 for children, you’ll only need to use the jacket for a couple of budget flights to have made your money back and more. If you pre-order now, you’ll even get an extra £5 off, for getting in early. You may have to wait, though, as the newly-created product has yet to be fully produced in most of the colours that will be on offer.

Rufus Roo jackets themselves only weigh just over 300grams, so they won’t weigh you down too much once you get off the other side . They have been tested on budget airlines – and through security – without any difficulties by numerous customers. We

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DENVER Frontier Airlines is canceling more flights at Denver International Airport because of hail damage to its airplanes.

Spokesman Peter Kowalchuk says 39 flights are canceled Monday. He says another 18 flights will be canceled on Tuesday.

The airline says it is helping passengers find travel on other airlines and it’s using aircraft from other subsidiaries. Frontier has also rented planes from other carriers.

United Airlines canceled 13 more departures from Denver International Airport on Sunday while it inspected airplanes for damage from last week’s hailstorm. No information was available on Monday cancellations.

Tenerife is and always has been a haven for tourists looking for sun, sea and sand. But rather than just being somewhere where sun-burnt tourists laze around sipping cheap beer during the day before hitting one of the lively nightspots at night, the island is establishing itself as a cultural heartland in its own right, complete with a long list of annual celebrations which attract people from all over the world.

If music, culture and experiencing the hustle and bustle of carnivals are favourite pastimes, Tenerife is a must place to visit. Try one of these three festivals to experience the magic of Tenerife first hand.

1. Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Trying to book Tenerife hotels during February is always a struggle, particularly in Santa Cruz de Tenerife – the islands capital – as every year one of the world’s most spectacular carnivals arrives in town. In fact only the Rio carnival attracts more people and international attention. Over a million visitors descend onto this small city to experience it first hand, which is why Tenerife hotels, inns, and B&B’s often struggle to provide the accommodation needed – but this still does not put people off coming!

But by booking early you can expect to see outrageous costumes, trained dancers and fusions of culture that will impress even the most hardened critic. The festi

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Just chillin in Berlins coolest hostel, Wombats City Hostel.

Hi,

So here I am. In Berlin. If you read the random update from a few days ago, you must know by now that I was starting to look for a way to live in Belrin. And you know what? Im mostly there! In fact, the reason I wrote that last post is because I was feeling kind of low. Id just ended a too-short visit with my parents and a lot of things have been going through my mind for the past few months.

So, after being left alone in Berlin with this idea of moving here for a month, I naturally panicked. Ive been abroad a long time, and Ive definitely been anxious to find a place to call homeat least for a little while. So I spent two days frantically looking at apartments, all the time switching hostels in search of the cheapest deal, and it all started to add up. I started doubting myself.

The thing is, Ive done this before. When I visited Israel last July, I basically fell for the place as well and decided to stay longer. (Read Slow Travel: Two Months+ in Tel Aviv) And maybe because that was near the beginning of my trip, it was a bit easier. I was excited, but less anxious. This time, in Berlin, Ive also been incredibly excited since deciding to stay longer, but much much more anxious.

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No traveler should leave Barcelona without first visiting Park Guell, one of the most famous legacies Antonio Gaudi left to this world. One good reason to do so is because this place is awesome and stimulates your imagination; another one because it’s free of charge!
One of my birthday presents this year was a six days trip to Barcelona. Despite the fact that is was my first rainy B-day ever and had to wear a scarf and a jacket (and that was in June), I had a fabulous time visiting Gaudi’s masterpieces which I totally love and appreciate for their ingenuity. This was my third time in Barcelona (I got married here six years ago) and my second visit to Park Guell .

Park Guell  was commissioned by Gaudi’s patron, Eusebi Güell, and was designed and built between 1900 and 1914. Nowadays Park Guell is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Works of Antoni Gaudí’. I always thought Barcelona was more than anything else a ‘one man show’. I simply can’t imagine Barcelona being the tourist hub it is today without the works of its probably most famous son, architect Antonio Gaudi.

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