Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sep 25, 2009 in
Travel Each Friday I will be featuring the top travel stories that appeared on tripwolf.com’s blog this past week. If you are indeed hungry for travel, be sure to check out tripwolf.com.
A journey through Jamaica is just one of the featured articles this week at tripwolf.com!
- Yo mon! Be sure to check out part 2 of tripwolf member Colinstlouis’ trek through Jamaica. Missed part 1? No worries just click here.
- Confused on what the phrase “sustainable travel” really means? Want to be a true blue…er green eco-tourist? Adena from tripwolf sits down with Gregor from GlobalBasecamps.com about how you can travel often and leave a smaller carbon footprint in the process.
- All you Americans preparing for a trip to the Emerald Isle might want to click here for a fun Irish-English mini survival guide. As the luck of the Irish would have it, I have my grandmother handy to translate for me when I hit up Dublin, Galway, Belfast, and the rest of Ireland.
- Love yoga? Really love cruises? Want to win a free trip to Fiji? Please click here now and enter another great tripwolf contest!
- Plus much more, so check out tripwolf’s blog and stay hungry for travel.
Tags: belfast, dublin, eco-tourism, england, fiji, galway, ireland, jamaica, sustainable travel, tripwolf, tripwolf.com
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jul 21, 2009 in
Travel 
To say that the airline industry is going through some tough times would be one hell of an understatement. With various airlines reporting their second quarter earnings today, while others implemented new fees and cut service, I thought it would be helpful to get you up to date with what is going on with some of your favorite (or least favorite) airlines.
With fewer people flying these days due to the poor economy and analyst predicting an extremely weak fall travel season, airlines are preparing for the worst. When airlines do bad, three things usually happen – new fees, service cuts and layoffs.
- Continental Airlines: The fourth-largest U.S. carrier, reported a $213 million second-quarter loss and will wind up cutting 1,700 more jobs and increase some fees due to a decrease in customer demand.
- Southwest Airlines: The largest low-fare carrier, reported a $53 million second-quarter earning, which is way down from last year’s $321 million. Southwest had an 83 percent drop in second-quarter profit and stated that 1,400 workers have accepted a buyout to leave the company.
- United Airlines: The Chicago based airline announced earnings of $28 million. That was largely due to fuel hedge gains and various other smart moves made by the carrier. However, the airline will cut international travel by an extra 7 percent for the last four months of 2009.
- Delta: The Atlanta based airline announced it will start charging a $5 surcharge for bags checked at the airport. This will go into effect August 4 and applies to tickets purchased after July 15. Delta currently charges $15 for the first bag checked and $25 for the second bag. So starting August 4 you will now shell out $20 and $30 respectively. Fees for bags checked online will remain the same according to Delta.
- Republic Airways: The little that could has shocked many airline insiders with acquisition of Frontier Airlines for $108.8 million(pending a federal bankruptcy judge’s approval). It was just last month that Republic bought Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines. (Courtesy of USA Today)
- All of the bad airlines news is not just happening in the United States. Just a few days ago many numerous carriers raised fuel surcharges. Lufthansa, Thai Airways, India’s Jet Airways, and airlines in Taiwan cited higher costs, less than stellar revenue, and poor demand as the main reasons they needed to raise fees.
- RyanAir: The Dublin based low-cost carrier announced plans to cut back on 40 percent of its planes at Stansted airport in London. Of course the outspoken CEO of RyanAir Michael O’Leary is not blaming the recession on the drastic decision to chop 15 percent of its fleet this winter, but instead says it is the British Government and the take-off/landing fees that the BAA charges airlines. The cutbacks at Stansted come on the heels of the cheapo planes plans to freeze additional services at eight other UK airport bases. RyanAir even drastically slashed service at it’s home base of Dublin, as well as its other major Irish airport Shannon.
Tags: airline, atlanta, chicago, continental airlines, delta, dublin, frontier airlines, ireland, midwest airlines, republic airways, ryanair, united airlines
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 6, 2009 in
Travel
This popular Dublin locale is a great restaurant, top hotel, and most importantly a wild pub. Go here for a truly authentic Irish experience! Live music, pints O' plenty and just a really great atmosphere.
Dating back to 1198, The Brazen Head is Ireland's oldest pub. It is also one of the best pubs in all of Dublin. I enjoyed plenty of Guinness at this historic watering hole. You can even follow them on Twitter @TheBrazenHead.
Temple Bar, which shares the name with the neighborhood in which it is located in, has to be one of the top spots for both locals and tourists in Dublin. Always packed and always a good time.
Tags: dublin, ireland, oliver saint john gogarty, pub, temple bar, the brazen head
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 5, 2009 in
Travel 
A few months ago Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary announced that the low-cost airline was thinking of charging passengers a fee to use the on-board potty. It was quickly dismissed as nothing more than just another publicity stunt from the media loving Irishman.
Well it now looks like people flying with Ryanair will soon have to pay when they “gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now.” O’Leary will be installing credit card devices on the bathroom doors and charging a fee of 1 pound (or $1.65 US) within the next two years. This news comes as the European low-cost powerhouse reports its first loss in almost twenty years.
While many feel O’Leary is just doing this to garner more media attention for his airline, he has stated that he is dead serious about making the change. The “madman in the sky” added that Ryanair is even thinking of ripping out a few “loos” to make more room for extra seats. O’Leary said that since most of their fleet only fly about an hour or so, customers can learn to hold it in and that there is no need for three bathrooms.
As mentioned here a few weeks ago, O’Leary’s other plans include eliminating baggage handlers and having the paying customer drag his or her luggage to the plane instead. Plus “O’Looney” even wants to charge for sick bags! Ugh.
One idea that O’Leary seems to be against is the “obesity tax” that would charge overweight passengers if they took up more than one seat. Oh Michael, you are indeed an odd, odd lad.
Source: USA Today In The Sky
Tags: airline, dublin, europe, ireland, low-cost, ryanair, Travel
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 4, 2009 in
Travel 
This is definitely the biggest hotel sale I have ever seen on Expedia.com. Browse through their inventory of properties worldwide and save. You must book by June 30, 2009 and travel by July 30, 2009.
Plus when you use your MasterCard you will be eligible for up to $300 in coupons for future travel. Click here for more information.
Tags: asia, austin, australia, boston, dublin, europe, expedia, hotel, Las Vegas, London, Madrid, new york, orlando, san francisco, sydney, Travel, united states
