WAV Travel News - Thursday Edition
Bill Vervaeke, CDME
West Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 795-5912 (Office & Facsimile)
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Miami land sale approved for nation’s largest shopping mall
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet unanimously approved a deal Tuesday to sell state land near Hialeah for American Dream Miami, planned as the nation’s largest shopping mall, despite objections that the land should have been put up for bids and that the state got too low a price.
Under the deal, the state will sell about 82 acres at the corner of Interstate 75 and the Florida Turnpike for $12.3 million. The Miami-Dade County school system will get $8.25 million for a lease on part of the land.
The $4 billion project is proposed by developer Triple Five, owner of the Mall of America in Minnesota, now the nation’s largest. Triple Five is buying adjoining land from developer Graham Cos. for the 200-acre project at a per-acre price critics said is higher than the state’s.
“We don’t think the appraisal is adequate to assure you that you’re going to get full market value for the property,” said Bill Williams, a lawyer hired by South Florida opponents of the project. “It doesn’t seem fair to the taxpayers of Florida.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had heard rumors of a much higher price for the adjoining land. Bob Gorlow, representing Triple Five, said the price for the private land is confidential.
Williams said that under state law the land should have been put up for bids, and other South Florida mall developers said they would have been interested in bidding.
But Cabinet members including Bondi said the law wasn’t clear, and the state’s land isn’t valuable for any other project. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said the state has made other, similar deals.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, school Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and economic development advocates supported the deal. The developers have guaranteed 5,000 jobs within 10 years but say the number will likely be 25,000 or more.
CheapAir Launching First Direct Flights Between US and Cuba
CheapAir.com is launching direct flights from the U.S. to Cuba this week, becoming the first travel agency to offer such service in the wake of the Obama administration's recent reform of restrictions on travel to the Caribbean island.
According to a blog post on the agency's website, it will offer authorized travelers flights from New York and Tampa to the Cuban capital of Havana and from Miami to Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Holguin.
CheapAir.com began offering service to Cuba in late February, however the agency originally had to book travel via a third country.
"Once we starting doing that, we were approached by Cuba Travel Services, which has done charters to Cuba for many years" said CheapAir.com CEO Jeff Klee via Benet Wilson of USA Today. "We were intrigued with the idea of integrating their inventory."
Now, direct flights between Miami and Cuban cities will operate on a daily basis.
Flights between New York and Havana will fly once a week on Tuesdays, while flights between Tampa and Havana will be offered twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays.
Although the new service allows travelers to conveniently book their flight online and travelers no longer need a special license in order to visit Cuba, qualified passengers must still acquire a general license from the U.S. government.
"It's still not legal for just anyone to fly to Cuba, so we have to have those booking flights check one of the 12 categories for travelers," said Klee via Wilson. "Other than that, it's no different from booking a flight to Las Vegas."
The dozen categories include family visits, journalistic activity and humanitarian projects, among others.
Highlighting the growing interest in Cuba, Klee believes that "within a year, anyone will be able to book a flight to Cuba as easy as anywhere else."
Ecuador Tourism Ministry Tricks Tourists, Pretends to Be Costa Rica
Ecuador recently found itself in hot water following a controversial tourism operation involving nearby Costa Rica.
According to Zach Dyer of the Tico Times, in an effort to encourage travel and tourism within its own borders, the South American country of 15-plus million tricked a group of 40 tourists into thinking they were visiting Costa Rica when they were really in Ecuador all along.
Ecuadorean airline Tame teamed up with the country's Tourism Ministry and Ministry of Transport and Public Works to execute the ruse. Organizers went all out in their efforts as well, simulating customs and putting up banners and souvenirs around the airport to trick the tourists into thinking they had arrived in another country.
Afterward, the deceived travelers participated in a number of activities, including hiking and swimming.
A video documenting the stunt was published to YouTube over the weekend.
See it here:
Although Costa Rica accepted Ecuador's apology earlier this week, the regional tourism king was not without criticism.
"We’re unhappy about their use of our country to trick their people into getting to know their own country," Costa Rica Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann told the Tico Times, adding that he doesn't believe it would "harm Costa Rica's image."
"It wasn’t well executed, but it wasn’t offensive either."
However, von Breymann did discover a silver lining amid the botched effort.
"The advantage is that they used Costa Rica as one of the most beautiful countries to visit," he told the Tico Times. "We’re very proud they used Costa Rica as an example where everyone wants to visit. It’s a sign that we’re doing things right."
Although Ecuador's Tourism Ministry may have crossed the line in this instance, the stunt is another example of the country's relentless efforts to boost tourism. Earlier this year, Ecuador spent $3.8 million on the first-ever tourism ad to air during the Super Bowl.
Delta plans international capacity cuts amid currency challenges
Delta Air Lines later this year will trim international capacity 3% in response to the strengthening U.S. dollar and decreased demand in certain markets that owes to lower oil prices, executives said Wednesday during a first-quarter earnings call.
Delta’s biggest capacity cuts, set to begin in the fourth quarter, will include a 15-20% decrease in service to Japan, Africa, India and the Middle East and a 15% decrease in service to Brazil. Delta in the winter also will suspend service to Moscow.
“Like all U.S. global companies, we’re working with volatile currencies around the world,” Delta CEO Richard Anderson said. “Unlike other U.S. global companies, our margins and profitability will expand in 2015.”
Delta President Ed Bastian, who earlier this week noted that currency volatility is contributing to a billion-dollar revenue shortfall this year, said service cuts should continue through the winter into the spring of 2016, at which point Delta would be in a better position to assess fuel prices and currencies. “We’re keeping all options open,” he said.
Even with international service challenges, the past three months were the best first quarter “both operationally and financially in Delta’s history,” Anderson said. Its domestic business is “performing very well, and demand is solid,” he added. Corporate revenue was up 3%, boosted by increased business from the financial services sector and through Delta’s joint venture with Virgin Atlantic, according to Delta executives.
Delta’s net income for the quarter was $746 million, compared with $213 million in the first quarter of 2014.
Consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile declined 2% year over year during the quarter, and cost per available seat mile declined 8%. The average fuel price per gallon declined 3%, and Delta should see a “significant tailwind from fuel prices” beginning in July, Anderson said.
Consolidated capacity increased 5% year over year during the quarter, and traffic increased 4%. As a result, passenger load factor declined a percentage point to 81.7%. Delta’s yield for the quarter was flat year over year.
Oil Rises to 2015 High as Data Signals End of US Supply Surge
Oil surged to the highest level of the year as a break in the U.S. shale boom signaled a potential easing of the biggest supply glut since 1930.
Crude supplies increased last week at the slowest pace since January, the Energy Information Administration said. Output from shale formations such as North Dakota’s Bakken will fall in May, the EIA said Monday.
A near 50 percent plunge in prices since the middle of last year has forced half the country’s drilling rigs offline and wiped out thousands of jobs. U.S. refineries have boosted operations, processing a record amount of crude for this time of year.
“We’re at the cusp of a major change,” Matt Sallee, who helps manage $17.7 billion in oil-related assets at Tortoise Capital Advisors in Leawood, Kansas, said by phone. “Production is stabilizing and set to move into decline faster than people expected.”
West Texas Intermediate for May delivery increased $3.10, or 5.8 percent, to close at $56.39 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It’s the highest settlement since Dec. 23. Volume was 77 percent above the 100-day average at 2:50 p.m.
Brent Market
Brent for May settlement, which expired Wednesday, climbed $1.89, or 3.2 percent, to end the session at $60.32 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. It was the highest close for a front-month contract since March 5. The more-active June contract gained $3.51, or 5.9 percent, to $63.32. Volume was up 18 percent from the 100-day average. The European benchmark crude closed at a $3.93 premium to WTI.
Futures extended gains after the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book showed the economy expanded in most U.S. regions from mid- February to the end of March, with higher retail sales and rising demand for business service. Total industrial production dropped last month, a Fed report showed.
U.S. crude supplies climbed 1.29 million barrels to 483.7 million last week, the highest level in records compiled by the EIA since August 1982. Monthly data going back to 1920 show stockpiles haven’t been this high since 1930. Inventories were projected to climb 3.6 million barrels, according to the median of 10 analyst estimates in a Bloomberg survey.
‘Seasonal Leader’
“The supply gain was a lot smaller than what we’ve gotten accustomed to so the report is bearish even though inventories are at the highest level in more than 80 years,” John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC, an energy hedge fund in New York, said by phone. “The big drop in gasoline is also supportive, since it’s the seasonal leader.”
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Inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for WTI traded in New York, climbed 1.29 million barrels to a record 61.5 million.
Crude production fell 20,000 barrels a day to 9.38 million last week, according to the EIA. That’s down from 9.42 million on March 20, the most in weekly estimates that started in January 1983. Output has surged as the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, unlocked supplies from shale formations in the central U.S.
Shale Outlook
Output from shale formations such as North Dakota’s Bakken will fall 57,000 barrels a day in May, the EIA said Monday. Deutsche Bank AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and IHS Inc. have projected that U.S. oil production growth will end, at least temporarily, with futures near a six-year low.
Refineries operated at 92.3 percent of their capacity, up 2.2 percentage points from the prior week, the report showed. U.S. refiners schedule maintenance for late winter as they transition from winter fuels to maximizing gasoline output.
U.S. refineries used 16.5 million barrels a day of crude and other liquids last week, the highest seasonal level in weekly data going back to 1989.
“Refineries are coming out of seasonal maintenance,” Sallee said. “We’re seeing a nice trend of growing refinery utilization rates that will help move the domestic crude market into balance.”
Fuel Stockpiles
Supplies of gasoline fell 2.07 million barrels to 227.9 million, the lowest level since December. Inventories of distillate fuel, a category including diesel and heating oil, rose 2.02 million barrels to 128.9 million.
Gasoline futures for May delivery rose 10 cents, or 5.5 percent, to $1.936 a gallon, the highest settlement since March 3. May ultra low sulfur diesel climbed 8.71 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $1.8888, the highest close since March 4.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ crude production rose the most in almost four years in March, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday in a report. Output grew by 890,000 barrels a day to 31.02 million a day, the biggest monthly gain since June 2011, the Paris-based IEA said. The group’s 12 members, which pump about 40 percent of the world’s oil, are scheduled to meet June 5 in Vienna.
“OPEC’s core Gulf producers -- led by Saudi Arabia -- appear to be sticking with their defense of market share,” the IEA said Wednesday in its monthly market report.
The IEA lowered its prediction for North American oil production in the second half of the year by 160,000 barrels a day. That’s partially due to the drop in U.S. rigs.
Panasonic eyes doubling of airline Wi-Fi installation to meet demand
HAMBURG (Reuters) - Panasonic Avionics says it will need to double the rate at which it installs Wi-Fi systems on aircraft to catch up with skyrocketing demand from airlines to keep passengers connected above the clouds.
Airlines are rushing to install Wi-Fi on board, seeing not only an opportunity to meet demands from customers to be always connected, but also to make the most of advertising contracts from companies keen on access to this captive audience.
Panasonic Avionics, part of Panasonic Corp, says it has won a 46 percent share of business for Wi-Fi systems since 2009, taking the lead over rivals such as OnAir, Gogo and Global Eagle's Row44.
"We installed 488 systems on aircraft last year, but the rate needs to double to 1,000 a year to catch up with demand," Neil James, executive director sales and marketing, told Reuters at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg this week.
While Wi-Fi onboard has so far mainly been fitted to long-haul fleets, airlines are now looking at it for shorter flights, especially as people bring their own tablets on board. [ID:nL5N0VM2IV]
James predicted 12,000 narrow body planes would be equipped with the technology in the next 10 years.
He also said Panasonic would continue to look at acquisitions to expand its avionics business. It on Tuesday announced the purchase of software consultancy Tactel, which designs apps and portals.
SEEKING SATELLITES
Suppliers used the Hamburg show to tout hardware to capture the satellite signals that make Wi-Fi on board possible.
Global Eagle unveiled a prototype for a new antenna which does not only spin and lift as it seeks the best satellite reception but also tilts from side to side.
The antenna is aimed specifically at airlines flying close to the equator, such as those in South America and the Middle East, where other antennas can find it hard to pick up signals, chief engineer Simon McLellan said.
Honeywell and Inmarsat meanwhile said they were teaming up with Kymeta to test a new flat-panel design. Kymeta's electromagnetic metamaterial technology means a beam can be steered and locked to any satellite without having any moving parts in the antenna.
Honeywell says having Wi-Fi-connected planes is not only good for passengers but can help airlines save money by making it easier to share weather and maintenance data to ensure planes are taking the best routes and spending as little time on the ground as possible.
Cramped airline seats may spark fights, health concerns
WASHINGTON — Sitting still on long flights is what threatens a rare risk of blood clotting, rather than necessarily how close seats are squeezed together on airliners, a Transportation Department consumer panel heard Tuesday.
And the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection also heard arguments that placing more seats on planes is how low-cost carriers are able to offer cheaper fares. If the department were to require more room between rows, fewer seats would mean higher fares, the committee heard at the panel.
"If airlines are forced to reduce the number of seats, inevitably fares are going to increase," said Keith Hansen, director of facilities for Allegiant Air. "We would price a lot of those travelers out of flying."
The consumer panel — four members who represent consumers, local governments, airlines and airports — studies aviation issues and makes recommendations to the Transportation secretary. Tuesday's hearing was strictly informational.
Nimea Reyes, a doctor in the division of blood disorders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said studies have found the risk of thrombosis grows with immobility through any kind of sitting, not just on planes, but cars or trains or other transportation. The risk is that a clot forms in the lower leg and then dislodges to injure the lungs or heart.
Studies of airline passengers found risks of one case in 4,656 flights or one in 6,000 flights, she said.
"In general, the overall incidence is low," Reyes said.
Higher risks come from recent surgery, active cancer, estrogen use, pregnancy, limited mobility, family history, older age and obesity. Risks during travel grow with the duration of the flight, she said.
"Most studies showed that long-distance air travel was a risk factor" for thrombosis, Reyes said of flights longer than 10 hours.
To prevent thrombosis, Reyes suggested calf-muscle exercises, wearing compression stockings and moving around every few hours. Aisle seats are considered better than middle or window seats because they allow for easier movement.
"It is more likely that you'll move around," Reyes said.
The panel studied health and safety aspects of seat arrangements because the "pitch" — an industry term for the distance from the back of one seat to the back of the next — has been dropping from 32 inches or more to as close as 28 inches. Seatbacks also are becoming thinner, making the cabin feel more crowded.
A key incident focused attention on seat spacing in August, when passengers got into a fight when a traveler used a Knee Defender, a device that prevents a seat from reclining.
Ira Goldman said he created the Knee Defender 11 years ago because many people bump knees against the seat in front of them, even before reclining, which only makes it worse.
"I was tired of being hit in the knees by the aluminum bar in the tray table," Goldman said.
He suggested the Federal Aviation Administration should change its guidance to allow passengers to move around the cabin during non-turbulent flights. The Transportation Department should force airlines to publish information about how much room their seats provide, and provide refunds if a seat is too cramped, he said.
"If it is cramped to the point that you are physically confined to your seat, then cramped airline seats are causing health problems," Goldman said.
The FAA requires airlines to be able to evacuate a plane within 90 seconds, with half the doors blocked. The FAA studies evacuations with a 31-inch pitch. While the narrow rows and aisles can hinder movement, the FAA doesn't regulate seating for comfort.
Simon Pickup, strategic marketing director for Airbus Americas, said economy seats in standard cabins generally have 31- to 34-inch pitch. Ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit have 28-inch pitch, he said.
Airlines have different layouts to appeal to different customers. Spirit puts 218 seats in an Airbus 321 with bargain fares, while American might have 102 seats in three classes with more expensive fares.
"They each play a part in capturing passengers who have different needs," Pickup said.
Hansen of Allegiant said surveys found half the airline's passengers say low fares are their highest priority.
Allegiant's MD 80 aircraft have 166 seats in a cabin that previously held 150, he said. Most of the plane's seats have a 30-inch pitch, as do its Boeing 757, A319 and A320, he said.
"Low fares drive demand," Hansen said. "Above all else, the customer wants a low fare."
Hate nickel-and-diming? This new cruise ship is for you
BOARD THE VIKING STAR — You cruise a lot. You've noticed a growing number of extra charges on ships for everything from room service to yoga classes. You hate it.
You're going to love the Viking Star.
River cruise giant Viking's first ocean ship, which set sail this week from Istanbul on its maiden voyage, is bringing the "no nickel-and-diming" philosophy that runs through the river cruise industry to the world of ocean cruising — and in a big way.
For starters, Internet access is complimentary. For readers accustomed to resorts on land, that may not seem like such a big deal. But in the ocean cruising world, it's revolutionary.
Ocean cruise lines love to charge exorbitant fees for Internet service. On some ships, it's as much as 99 cents a minute, and it's not uncommon for cruisers to spend $100 or more on a sailing just checking emails. But on the Viking Star, emails just flow in to your smartphone throughout the day, just as if you were at home — no muss, no fuss. No charge.
That one differentiator alone will make you love this line. But it's just the tip of the iceberg. Also included in the fare for a Viking Star cruise is a tour in every port — another hallmark of river cruising that has never caught on with ocean lines.
Ocean cruise lines love to tout all the wonderful places they'll take you in their brochures. But for the most part, they just drop you in each port on the schedule with little insight into what to do and see. Sure, you can sign up for a line-run tour. But they're invariably pricey. Often outrageously overpriced. Otherwise, you're on your own.
Viking founder Torstein Hagen has said the Viking Star was designed to focus on destinations in a way that has been lost across much of the cruise industry in recent years, and that includes giving passengers a solid orientation to every place the line takes them.
Hagen also has ordered beer and wine to be included with lunch and dinner at Viking Star restaurants -- another common-on-river-lines, rarer-on-ocean-lines offering. Bucking the trend at such lines as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival, there's also no charge for room service available 24 hours a day. Also complimentary are the ship's two specialty restaurants, Manfredi's Italian and The Chef's Table. In addition, cappuccinos, lattes and other espresso drinks from restaurants and bars around the ship always are complimentary.
Indeed, other than alcoholic drinks at the bars and spa services, it's hard to find things on board the Viking Star on which to spend money. Even the little things. There's no charge to use the washers and dryers in the launderettes found on every passenger deck, or to watch a movie on the interactive, in-room televisions.
The exquisite thermal suite in the Viking Star's spa, which has a salt-water-filled thermal pool, hot tub, sauna, chilled "snow grotto" and other Nordic wellness-themed features, is complimentary to visit. On many ships, a day pass to the spa can cost up to $50 per person. Yoga and pilates classes at the adjacent fitness center also are included in the fare. You'll pay as much as $30 a class on some ships.
Even soda and snacks from the mini-bars found in most cabins are included in the fare. Three of five cabin categories also come with complimentary alcohol in mini-bars. The top three cabin categories also bring complimentary shoe-shining and pressing. Complimentary dry cleaning and laundry service is available to customers in the top two cabin categories.
Transfers between airports and the ship also are included.
Of course, passengers do pay for it all. They just pay up front. The Viking Star's inaugural season of eight- to 50-day cruises in Europe and the Baltic started at $2,499 per person, based on double occupancy, a higher starting price than the mass-market lines that have the most extra charges.
That said, the Viking Star isn't a mass-market product. Elegantly designed and intimate, the 930-passenger vessel offers the sort of sophistication and service that is found on upscale lines Oceania and Azamara, neither of which include a tour in every port or Internet access for all passengers (Oceania soon will begin offering unlimited Internet access to passengers in top suites; unlimited Internet access on Azamara costs $69.95 per day).
Specialty restaurants on Azamara cost $25 per person, except for passengers in some suites. Specialty restaurants on Oceania ships are complimentary, but the line charges $34.95 per day for unlimited wine and beer with lunch and dinner.
The value of what Viking is doing is about more than dollars and cents. A noticeable result of the all-inclusive mentality on the Viking Star is that there's no hard sell on passengers through announcements and fliers to run up extra charges — something that is common on many ships and often takes away from the tranquility of a cruise vacation. Without the pressure to drive on-board revenue, Viking also can afford to keep its ships in ports later than other lines that rely on spending at extra charge eateries and drinks with dinner to hit revenue targets.
Southwest says it will have the USA's widest 737 seats
Passengers will soon be getting wider seats on Southwest Airlines.
The seats won't begin flying on Southwest's planes until 2016, but – once they do – customers on those planes will get close to an inch of extra width.
Southwest claims that the 17.8-inch width will give it the widest 737 seat of any U.S. airline, Bloomberg News reports. Southwest, which flies only 737 aircraft, operates the world's biggest fleet of 737s.
Bloomberg notes Southwest's new seat "compares with 17.1 inches on Southwest now, 17 on Alaska Airlines and as much as 17.3 on some United Airlines 737s in economy class, according to the SeatGuru.com website."
"The new aircraft seats are the widest economy seats available in the single-aisle 737 market, and offer a unique design that gives our customers what they asked for: more space," Southwest's Chief Commercial Officer Bob Jordan says in a statement.
Southwest will be the first carrier to put the seat on its planes, starting with new Boeing 737-800 jets that will begin arriving next year.
"Serving as the launch customer for this seat is just one of several upcoming milestones related to our bold, new look launched in September of last year, and is specifically aimed at enhancing our customer experience," Jordan adds.
The carrier also will add the seats to its new Boeing 737 MAX jets, which are due to begin arriving in 2017. Southwest will be the launch customer for that variant of the 737.
One thing that won't change is seat "pitch," or the measure of the distance from the back of one seat to the back of the next. That will remain at about 32 inches, Bloomberg says.
The airline unveiled the seat for its all-737 fleet on Tuesday at the Aircraft Interior Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Southwest says it partnered with B/E Aerospace to design the seat.
The move, of course, comes at a time when fliers are seeing most other spaces inside aircraft cabins getting tighter.
But while customers will be happy with wider seats, there's an advantage for Southwest too. They will be lighter than previous ones, shaving off about 200 pounds in weight, according to Bloomberg. That will reduce fuel consumption on planes with the seats.
"The new, lighter seat allows us to continue to improve our fuel efficiency," adds Mike Van de Ven, Southwest's Chief Operating Officer. "This seat selection is just one more reason we are enthusiastic about our fleet modernization plans."
The Shocking Thing a Cruise Operator Told a Father Whose Cop Son Was Killed in Training Accident
WKMG-TV reported that Haley, a platinum member of Carnival Cruise Lines, said he tried to have his upcoming trip refunded, but the request was initially refused.
“I needed help, and with something as tragic as this, and all I got back from Carnival was how much of my money could they keep,” Haley told WKMG, which noted that it was supposed to be Forsyth’s first cruise.
“There’s no way to schedule the accidental shooting of this police officer. There’s no way you should make a dime off of this,” Haley said,
Haley said he told an operator to turn on the news as proof he wasn’t lying about his son’s death or service.
“And when I said that, she said, ‘Well, if you want to play the dead son angle…,’ and I just lost it,” Haley recalled to WKMG. “I called her a bad name and hung up.”
Shortly after the news station contacted the cruise line for comment, it was told that a full refund was granted to Haley’s family.
“Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Haley and his family during this tragic situation,” Carnival told WKMG in a statement.
However, Haley said he will still be charged the insurance fee, which will be more than $1,000. It’s something he told WKMG he will continue to fight.
Family, friends and members of the police force gathered for Forsyth’s funeral Monday.
“Jared, I’d like to say to you, you are my brother, my friend, and my partner and I love you,” Officer Michael Diesso said, according to Bay News this week.
The officer whose gun discharged the fatal bullet is not being named. Bay News reported that he was welcomed to the funeral service by Forsyth’s family, but he declined. The news station reported that he is receiving counseling.
Passengers 'can hijack cockpit from a laptop' warn security experts
A passenger can easily gain control of an aircraft by hacking into the inflight wifi from a laptop, a team of security experts have warned.
It said that if the wifi shared the same router as the aircraft's main avionics system, it would be simple for them to breach onboard flight operations.
The US-based team told the US Government Accountability Office that aircraft security certification standards must be beefed up.
"[The Federal Aviaition Agency] must focus on aircraft certification standards that would prevent a terrorist with a laptop in the cabin or on the ground from taking control of an airplane through the passenger Wi-Fi system," said Peter DeFazio, a member of the House Transportation Committee.
One cybersecurity expert claimed a virus could be planted in specific website visited by passengers during a flight, which could then access the main flight deck computer systems through infected machines.
The increased use of smartphones and tablets in the cockpit also increases the risk of crew members unwittingly spreading a virus.
The FAA has not issued industry wide certification standards relating to inflight cybersecurity but has powers to issue special rules in the US for specific risks.
Passengers injured after plane skids off runway
Air safety authorities have launched an investigation into how an Asiana Airlines plane skidded off a runway as it landed at Hiroshima airport in Japan, injuring at least 20 people.
The aircraft spun 180 degrees and hit an 18-foot tower before coming to rest on a grass verge.
The 74 passengers and seven crew were forced to evacuate the Airbus 320 using emergency chutes, said the BBC. Local news reports claimed at least 20 had minor injuries. The airport was closed for several hours following the incident late last night.
Early reports suggested the aircraft, which was travelling from Seoul in South Korea, might have clipped a radio facility sited near the runway to help aircraft find the landing strip. A fragment was found on a wheel of the plane.
Asiana Airlines apologized for the incident, and said it had set up a response team. "As to the determination of the cause of the accident, we will co-operate as closely as possible with the relevant authorities," it said.
In July 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 from Incheon crashed at San Francisco airport after its tail clipped a sea wall, killing three passengers.
Two years earlier, two Asiana pilots were killed when their cargo flight crashed into the sea off South Korea's Jeju island.
Tablet for two at an Olive Garden near you soon
NEW YORK – Olive Garden has a tablet for two waiting for you.
The Italian-fare restaurant chain said Tuesday that it is installing Ziosk computer tablets at all of its U.S. locations so customers can order and pay by touch screen.
Olive Garden, owned by Orlando’s Darden Restaurants Inc., started using Ziosk tablets in some restaurants last year. The chain said Tuesday that locations using the devices have experienced faster dining times and increased tip percentages for wait staff. It will start rolling them out at additional restaurants next month and expects the 7-inch devices to be in all of its more than 800 U.S. restaurants before year’s end.
“We’ve been focused on improving the dining experience at every touch point, and we’re excited to give our guests the ability to customize their visit by leveraging the technology of Ziosk’s tabletop tablets,” Dave George, Olive Garden president, said in a statement.
Tablets have made appearances in airports, where travelers can have food delivered to where they sit, but are still limited in the traditional restaurant scene.
Ziosk tablets are in use at Chili’s restaurants and are in the process of launching nationwide at Red Robin.
Darden’s stock fell 47 cents to $68.13 in afternoon trading.
Value Place hotel to open Thursday in Davie
The first Value Place hotel in Broward County is set to open Thursday in Davie, as the brand spreads across South Florida.
The 124-room, four-story hotel at 5700 Reese Road is the first company-owned property in South Florida for the extended-stay chain based in Wichita, Kan.
"We've been getting six to eight people a day dropping in to make future reservations and others ready to check in, "Mark Knapp, Value Place's regional vice president for Southeastern U.S., said during a hotel tour Wednesday. "About a third of the hotel will be booked in about a week. We will fill up fast."
The $5.4 milion Davie hotel is near State Road 84 and the intersection of Interstate 595 and Florida's Turnpike.
"This is a great location. We've got great visibility," Knapp said. "We really feel good about it."
The hotel chain typically attracts budget-minded travelers looking for long-stay accommodations — people such as construction workers, traveling technicians, tradesmen and salespeople, among others.
Value Place also appeals to people who are transitioning between homes.
"Our philosophy is to give you everything you need and not charge you for what you don't want," Knapp said.
Accommodations include studios, studios with sleeper sofas and rooms with two double beds. All rooms are equipped with a stoves, microwaves, shelves for dishware and full-size refrigerators.
Complimentary housekeeping service is provided every two weeks, but guests can pay extra for daily linen service or cleaning. There's also a 24-hour laundry room onsite, but no fitness center or restaurant.
Value Place properties charge extra for upgraded Wi-Fi access (basic is free) and there's a one-time fee for a coffee-maker in the room.
"We're a cross between an apartment and hotel," Knapp said.
At the Davie hotel, the nightly room rate starts at $99.99 and weekly at $399.99, he said.
On Wednesday, the hotel was going through its final pre-opening brand inspection — a final step necessary for it to officially begin accepting guests.
Value Place — a relative newcomer to South Florida — is in the throes of a multiyear plan to expand its presence here through a combination of corporate and franchisee-owned sites.
The brand's only other South Florida hotel operates as a franchise in Homestead.
In 2013, the hotel chain announced plans to invest $131 million to buy land and build 15 company-owned hotels in South Florida.
Another 124-room hotel is under construction at 2171 10th Ave. in Lake Worth. It is expected to open before the end of the year, as well as the groundbreaking on a franchise property near Zoo Miami.
Value Place also is looking at the Doral area in Miami-Dade County as a future hotel site, Knapp said.
More hotels could also be in the works in Broward.
"Ideally we'd love to see more [Value Places] in Broward County," Knapp said.
Value Place was founded in 2003 by real estate developer Jack DeBoer and today is billed as the nation's largest and fastest growing economy extended-stay hotel brand. It has nearly 200 hotels in 31 states, including 21 hotels in Florida, according to its website.
Universal Orlando raises starting pay
Universal Orlando Resort will raise starting hourly pay for its employees to $9.50 on June 1 and $10 a year later.
Currently Universal's starting pay is $9 an hour.
The raises mirror those that Walt Disney World has put in place for its workers.
Universal workers making more than the minimum will also get pay increases, spokesman Tom Schroder pointed out.
Universal also said it will begin hiring "thousands" of new employees for both summer and permanent positions. Further details were not available.
Protest Flight: Guy Lands Small Copter at Capitol
FLORIDA POSTAL CARRIER WAS REPORTEDLY PROTESTING CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS
(NEWSER) – A pilot has been taken into custody after landing a small copter on the lawn at the US Capitol today, reports CNN. Capitol Police confirm that a "gyro copter with a single occupant" landed of the pilot's own accord—though most definitely without permission to fly in restricted airspace. The pilot has not been officially identified, but the Tampa Bay Times says a Florida postal carrier named Doug Hughes pulled the stunt as a protest against what he sees as weak campaign finance laws. Rep. Mike McCaul, chair of the House Homeland Security panel, tells the AP that Capitol Police were ready to shoot him down if he'd gone much closer.
"He's not a suicide bomber, he's a patriot," a friend of Hughes' tells the Tampa newspaper. Hughes apparently hatched an idea about a year ago to deliver letters to every member of Congress via his aircraft. "As I have informed the authorities, I have no violent inclinations or intent," Hughes wrote on his website, thedemocracyclub.org. "An ultralight aircraft poses no major physical threat—it may present a political threat to graft. I hope so. There's no need to worry—I'm just delivering the mail." The incident sent the Capitol and nearby streets into a brief lockdown. It's not the only strange incident to hit DC airspace recently.
Gambling losing its appeal in Las Vegas
Gambling, once the mainstay of Las Vegas, is slowly taking a back seat to other entertainment in Sin City.
The latest survey of Las Vegas visitors found that fewer people go to the city to gamble and that first-time visitors are more likely to travel there for a wedding or a convention or to visit friends and family.
The number of visitors increased to 41 million in 2014, up from 39.7 million in 2013, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. But as hotel occupancy rates and hotel tax revenue went up, gaming revenue for Clark County fell from $9.7 billion in 2013 to $9.5 billion in 2014, according to the agency.
Gaming experts have long noted a trend of Las Vegas visitors cutting back on gambling to spend more time and money attending comedy performances, magic shows and musical acts.
The latest survey of 300 visitors conducted for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau shows that the percentage of visitors who said gambling was the primary purpose for their trip to Las Vegas dropped from 15% in 2013 to 12% last year.
The percentage of first-time visitors to Las Vegas has increased from 15% in 2013 to 19% in 2014, according to the survey. Only 4% of first-time visitors said their primary reason for visiting Las Vegas was to gamble, compared with 14% for repeat visitors.
Instead, a higher percentage of first-time visitors said they took a trip to Las Vegas last year to vacation, attend a convention or a wedding or to visit friends and relatives, according to the survey.
Las Vegas tourism officials say the trend reflects an evolution for the gambling hot spot.
“Las Vegas has long been known to evolve to make sure that we have something for everyone, and we will continue to evolve to make sure we are delivering on the brand promise and providing a great experience for everyone,” Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau spokeswoman Heidi Hayes said.
Cruise New Zealand: Big ships are coming
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - For the last year, Cruise New Zealand had been saying “it’s not if, but when”, and now the big ships are coming.
Royal Caribbean International has announced that its brand new Ovation of the Seas is headed for New Zealand after its initial debut in China. Scheduled to be delivered in April 2016, this third Quantum-class ship is expected to reach our shores in late 2016.
Ovation of the Seas will be the newest and largest ship to visit New Zealand at a length of 348 metres, 167,800 gross tonnage and a maximum capacity of 4900 passengers and 1300 crew. Each visit will be the equivalent of 12 Airbus A380s arriving at the same time.
“Due to the size of this ship, it can only visit select New Zealand ports (where minimal upgrades are still required to accommodate her). As Sydney is important to Australian cruising, so Auckland must be included in any New Zealand cruise itinerary. Neither Princes nor Queens wharves are big enough to accommodate the Ovation of the Seas, and it will need to use an industrial wharf as an interim solution,” Cruise New Zealand General Manager Raewyn Tan says.
Cruise New Zealand has been actively lobbying for big-ship capable infrastructure since Quantum of the Seas (the first of that class) was announced for China in 2014. Cruising tends to occur during the sunny months, and the belief is that Australasia is a natural offset for Asian winters.
“This belief is about to become reality. It is now imperative for New Zealand stakeholders to gear up on how to deliver a positive big ship experience,” Ms Tan says.
Tourism Industry Association Chief Executive Chris Roberts says the growth of the cruise sector is great for New Zealand’s tourism sector and wider economy.
“The tourism industry’s Tourism 2025 growth framework identifies cruise as a valuable opportunity for growth over the next decade, both in terms of direct visitor spend and a means of bringing the tourism dollar to ports around the country,” he says.
The size of New Zealand’s cruise sector has grown by five times over the last ten years. If cruise were a country, it would be New Zealand’s second largest inbound holiday market, bringing 202,700 passengers. Crew account for an additional 69,000 visitors.
“There’s no sign of this growth slowing. So if we want to maximise the returns to Auckland and New Zealand, the development of the Ports of Auckland must include improved facilities for the largest cruise ships,” Mr Roberts says.
Tourism New Zealand is also welcoming the announcement that the Ovation of the Seas is soon to be cruising New Zealand waters.
“The rapidly expanding cruise sector is an important contributor to the New Zealand economy and wider tourism industry as we work towards the goals of the Tourism 2025 framework, which outlines key initiatives for supporting the growth of the tourism industry and how to target for value. Not only are cruise ships of this scale an increasing source of visitor value, research shows that 25% of passengers return to New Zealand for another visit within the year of their cruise,” Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler says.
In recognition of this, Tourism New Zealand is continually developing initiatives that encourage cruise visitors to come back for a more in-depth holiday, as well as promoting pre- and post-cruise activity in our key target markets internationally.
“The deployment of Ovation to Australia and New Zealand is true validation of the work we have been doing alongside Cruise New Zealand to ensure New Zealand continues to attract a growing share of the global cruise market,” Mr Bowler says.
2 TSA officers fired after plotting to grope attractive men, police say
(CNN) Two Transportation Security Administration screeners have been fired after conspiring to grope attractive men at Denver International Airport, Denver police said.
Here's how police say the scheme worked: When the male TSA officer noticed a man he found attractive, he would alert a female TSA officer.
The female officer would then tell the screening machine that a female passenger -- not a male -- was walking through. And that information would trigger a machine to register an anomaly in the groin area, prompting the male TSA officer to pat down the passenger, police said, citing a TSA investigation.
But during the patdown, the male TSA officer used the palms of his hands to touch the passenger's front groin area and buttocks, which violates TSA policy.
All this came to light after an anonymous tip from a TSA employee in November. The agency launched an investigation, and investigator Chris Higgins monitored the two TSA officers in question, Denver police said in a report.
Higgins watched the plan being carried out on February 9. He interviewed the female TSA officer, who said she had done this with her colleague at least 10 other times, police said.
Both of the TSA officers investigated have been fired, TSA special agent Charles Stone told police. Authorities did not release their names.
The TSA called the incident deplorable.
"These alleged acts are egregious and intolerable," the agency said in a written statement to CNN.
"All allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated by the agency. And when substantiated, employees are held accountable."
But it's unlikely criminal charges will be filed because there is no identifiable victim. The TSA said it has been trying to identify the passenger in the February incident but to no avail.
The TSA said no passengers have come forward with similar cases so far at the Denver airport.
United Airlines to upgrade food for coach fliers on overseas flights
United Airlines apparently has decided the way to customers hearts — and wallets — is through their taste buds, as the Chicago-based carrier on Wednesday will announce more food upgrades, including free wine and beer for economy passengers on long-haul international flights and three-course meals in coach.
The food changes starting June 1 are "designed to offer travelers flavorful, complimentary meals with more substantial portions," United said.
Three-course meal service in economy class starts with a beverage and cheese and crackers, baked whole-grain bruschetta chips or Kiri cheese spread and crackers. Main courses, served with salads and artisan bread, include turkey meatloaf with sweet potato mash and mixed vegetables, ravioli with roasted red pepper sauce, and udon noodles with stir-fried vegetables and ginger soya sauce.
Desserts include gelato, sorbet, ice cream and mousse.
The changes are part of a food-upgrade blitz by United in recent months.
In March, the airline launched a new food menu, including a Greek yogurt bar and a hot oatmeal station, at its United Club airport lounges in Chicago and Houston. That's in contrast to the salty snacks and packaged food commonly found in the clubs. O'Hare International Airport hadn't gotten a significant menu upgrade since United merged with Continental airlines in 2010. The food is slated to be rolled out to clubs worldwide.
United also introduced new premium-cabin meals and snacks on flights within North America and replaced snack boxes with freshly prepared entrees served on chinaware in premium cabins on United Express regional-jet service of at least 800 miles.
It launched Goose Island Beer Co.'s award-winning Goose IPA craft beer this month on flights worldwide, with the beer being served free on Wednesday on seven domestic flights departing O'Hare and on one flight from Houston to London.
Most of the previous food upgrades were aimed at premium customers — those who spend the most money with the airline — but Wednesday's announcement is aimed at passengers in the back of the bus, although long-haul international tickets are pricey too.
"United is committed to improving every aspect of our customers' experience on the ground, in the air and with every interaction," said Sandra Pineau-Boddison, United's senior vice president of customers.
United is also upgrading its gate areas, starting with prototypes at O'Hare that include redesigned seating areas, more power outlets and even a proprietary scent piped into the jet bridge walkways. That adds to recent additions of new and remodeled aircraft as well as onboard Wi-Fi and video entertainment streamed to passengers' personal devices.
The changes are coming as United is making record profits. The airline last year earned about $2 billion, up 89 percent over the previous year on the strength of full planes and plummeting jet-fuel prices.
The new food changes announced Wednesday apply to long-haul international flights, which United defines as trans-Atlantic flights, most trans-Pacific flights and service from the U.S. to Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
Besides free beer and wine, passengers will receive a free bottle of water and can buy half-bottle premium wines and spirits.