Travel & Places

Marine Inn Patong

2009-06-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

Guesthouse Rooms Patong Beach Phuket Thailand.
Marine Inn Patong
Patong Beach guesthouse, comfortably furnished rooms, well-decorated, conveniently located near sunny beach, Soi Bangla nightlife, great street shopping.

US Airways to end fees for non-alcoholic drinks

2009-03-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

US Airways, bowing to customer grumbling and a lack of response from competitors, plans to stop charging for soda, juice, water and coffee beginning March 1.

The Arizona-based airline is the only major U.S. airline to charge for non-alcoholic beverages and until now has been largely unapologetic for the $1-$2 fees and other new charges instituted last summer when fuel prices were escalating.

The airline announced the return to free drinks to employees Sunday afternoon and plans a public announcement Monday morning. It is the airline's second major retreat in three months, the last a return of mileage perks for frequent fliers.

Andrew Nocella, the airline's senior vice president of marketing and planning, said the airline ultimately decided to reverse its decision because the negative passenger reaction wasn't worth the limited amount of extra revenue the fees brought in.

Some travelers were upset they had to pay for drinks because they hadn't heard about the new charges, while others wondered why US Airways was charging when competitors such as Southwest and others don't, Nocella said.

"It's such a minor issue in the grand scheme of things but was having a large impact on the perception of our brand," he said. "We just came to the conclusion that it was distracting our passengers from all the other things we were accomplishing, in particular our great on-time performance."

The airline would not disclose the amount of revenue it took in from the beverage charges. Altogether, passenger fees brought in $100 million in revenue in the fourth quarter and are expected to bring in $400 million to $500 million this year. Eliminating the drink fees does not change that estimate, Nocella said.

As recently as last fall, US Airways CEO Doug Parker said in an interview that the airline had no plans to eliminate any of the fees despite the plunge in fuel prices.

"You never say never because competitive forces could eventually force us to turn back," he said, "but we certainly hope that's not the case and don't believe it will be."

He did say at the time that the airline was not selling as many drinks as it expected to sell, but called that a good thing because it meant the aisles weren't constantly clogged with beverage carts and it freed up flight attendants' time for more important matters.

US Airways President Scott Kirby went so far as to say the airlines' flight attendants, who initially came out against the beverage fees because they would bear the brunt of customers' wrath, would "riot" if the airline reversed its decision.

The Association of Flight Attendants, the union representing US Airways' flight attendants, debunked that notion and said his comment was "just his way of telling himself they made the right decision."

Mike Flores, president of the US Airways' unit of the AFA, praised the airline's decision to return to free drinks.

"Flight attendants are safety professionals first and foremost," he said. "This decision by the company will help return us to that status rather than being salespeople in the aisle of the airplane."

Nocella said the reversal on the drink front is not a sign US Airways' is abandoning its industry-leading embrace of passenger fees, or "a la carte" pricing.

"It really doesn't change our philosophy that a la carte is what we need to do as a business and an industry to move forward," he said.

In the memo to employees, Parker suggested that airline executives had no regrets about testing the out the beverage fee.

"Frankly, it would have been a bigger risk for us not to have tried charging for drinks because innovation and a new business model are desperately needed," he said.

Southwest Airlines, US Airways' main rival in its Phoenix hub and other cities, has called fees by US Airways and its competitors "a gift." The airline launched a major national advertising campaign touting its lack of fees. Company officials have said there is anecdotal evidence they are winning business from fee-charging competitors.

At US Airways, Nocella said, "It's hard to find any evidence that people weren't flying us because we were charging for drinks."

The Arizona Republic is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY.

The 20 Healthiest Places in America

2008-12-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a massive report that assesses the health of the U.S. population according to a number of measures — from leisure time physical activity to smoking rates and incidence of heart disease.

The part of the report getting the most press attention is how various communities see themselves. The survey, from 2006, asked people to assess their own health. This is the list of communities (listed by metropolitan statistical area, a Census designation that lumps some suburban areas in with their cities, lumps nearby cities together, or otherwise categorizes regions) that had the most people rate their health "good" or "great" (as opposed to "fair" or "poor"). The percentage of the population that rated their health "good" or "great" is noted along with each community.

Not surprisingly, many of the healthiest places are also among the 20 U.S. Communities That Exercise the Most. Those communities on both lists are highlighted in bold.

# Burlington-South Burlington, Vt. (91.8)
# Sioux Falls, S.D. (91.2)
# Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis. (90.6)
# Barre, Vt (90.5)
# Lincoln, Neb. (90.5)
# Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. (90.3)
# Colorado Springs, Colo. (90.2)
# Akron, Ohio (90.1)
# Austin-Round Rock, Texas (89.9)
# Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, Md. (89.8)
# Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass. (89.7)
# Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn. (89.6)
# Manchester-Nashua, N.H. (89.4)
# Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa (89.4)
# Denver-Aurora, Colo. (89.3)
# Concord, N.H. (89.2)
# Rockingham County-Strafford County, N.H. (89.2)
# Lebanon, N.H.-Vt. (89.2)
# Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. (89.1)
# Kalispell, Montana (89.0)

It is probably no coincidence that some of the communities known for their outdoors recreation — Burlington, Colorado Springs, St. Paul and others — are among the healthiest places to live. Getting outside and enjoying open spaces is one key ingredient to health. Neither is it surprising that many of these communities are actual cities, rather than suburbs, where driving is more common than walking.

Pilot explains "the go-around" that scares us all s***less

2008-10-04T10:59:00.003-07:00

There you are, belted in for landing, at a window seat in Row 36. The approach is smooth, the weather clear, the landing gear drops into place. Down, down, down you come. At 500 feet or so, you can make out the writing on billboards; touchdown is only seconds away. Then, without warning, the engines roar and the aircraft pitches up sharply.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Hooters...Restaurant That Is

2008-10-04T10:59:00.001-07:00

There’s an old saying that reminds us how times change, but people don’t. What’s also true is that times change, but hooters don’t -- except that they’ve gotten much bigger over the last 25 years. This is also true about the restaurant.

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McCain Puts $4.25 Million Mansion Up for Sale

2008-10-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

"OK, so after today's financial news, you might not be in the market for a mansion. But if you are, you're in luck! An ad in yesterday's Arizona Republic announced that on October 25, the "former home of Sen. John & Cindy McCain" will be auctioned."

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Top 10: Outrageous Dubai Construction Projects

2008-10-04T10:57:00.001-07:00

What do you get when you combine two parts obscene oil revenues, one part economic growth diversity with two parts Western-financed military security? Unequaled development coffers. The tiny emirate of Dubai, possibly sensing a change in global oil markets, has embarked on an unrivaled series of outrageous construction projects.

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Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain

2008-07-13T10:44:00.001-07:00

Pamplona, Spain is hosting its annual Festival of San Fermin, most famous for its "Running of the Bulls", an 800-meter chaotic dash from corral to bullring through the narrow streets of Pamplona. Once the bulls arrive at the Plaza de Toros, they are again corralled until the afternoon's bullfights (corridas). The festival, started in the sixteenth

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Rio de Janeiro, Just Sensational

2008-07-13T10:43:00.005-07:00

Few cities in the world have such beautiful scenery. Situated between the mountains and the sea , the "Wonderful City" welcomes visitors with open arms. Copacabana, one of Brazil's most famous beaches, is the scene of the greatest New Year's celebration in the world. Ipanema and Leblon are permanent attractions during the day.

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Should you check or ship your bags?

2008-07-13T10:43:00.003-07:00

f you're like most travelers, you've probably never considered shipping your luggage ahead of you instead of carrying it with you on a trip. But is this still the case? Most major airlines are now charging travelers to check a first or second bag on domestic flights — even as they continue to mishandle luggage in record numbers.

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Drowned Woman's Body Haunts Rafters

2008-07-13T10:43:00.001-07:00

Police say white water rafters going through the tricky Blossom Bar rapids on southern Oregon's Rogue River may see the body of a California woman who drowned there last week but cannot be recovered because of treacherous conditions in the rapids on the Wild and Scenic portion of the river.

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Study: The Most Obnoxious Tourists in the World

2008-07-13T10:42:00.001-07:00

Remember the tightwad tourist whose baggy shorts, frequent complaining and shouted questions about why none of the locals spoke any English made the ugly American the world's Visitor From Hell? Well, it's time for Archie Bunker to move over and make way for Petulant Pierre.

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Massage, not work, on the Kibutz in Israel

2008-06-30T09:13:00.003-07:00

Here is an oxymoron - the socialist Kibutz movement is finding great capitalist success in its growing hotel network. Ecology is one of the biggest focal points with organic farms and recycled playgrounds.

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Where To Shop In Summer's Travel Hot Spots

2008-06-30T09:13:00.001-07:00

Some vacationers travel purely to shop. Here are some of the coolest stores in this summer's hottest travel spots

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Motorized suitcase saves your back

2008-06-29T00:09:00.003-07:00

One of the challenges of traveling the world while continuing to work is that laptops, projectors, extra batteries and other gear can be heavy. And pulling a suitcase can be bad for your back. Finally, a well designed -- albeit expensive -- suitcase comes to the rescue. It works kinda like both a Prius and a Segway, and costs $1,300.

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Dubai to get 'moving' skyscraper

2008-06-29T00:09:00.001-07:00

Construction of the world's first moving building, a 80-storey tower with revolving floors which give it an ever-shifting shape, is due to begin.

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7 (More) Underground Wonders of the World [PICS]

2008-06-29T00:08:00.001-07:00

What motivates humankind to burrow deep into the Earth? From London to Paris, Budapest to Moscow, the USA to Australia, here are seven of the most amazing examples in the world. Some were built for military defense or shelter, many are abandoned while others thrive.

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13 Ways to Fly Easily & Comfortably

2008-06-29T00:07:00.001-07:00

#5) "Make a call." If you get to the gate and the airline says you've lost your seat, contact the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights at 877-359-3776. Kate Hanni, the group's founder, says stranded passengers have told her that seats were suddenly found when they called CAPBOR from the airport and let airline personnel know...

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Skydivers leap from crashing plane in Spain

2008-05-31T22:03:00.001-07:00

Nine skydivers leapt from a plane in eastern Spain on Friday when the aircraft lost a wing and plunged to earth, killing the pilot and one passenger, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The News network Cadena Ser, citing local witnesses, reported that four of the parachutists were injured, two of them seriously...

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UPDATE: New Crazy Floating Man-Made Island Completed [PICS]

2008-05-29T10:55:00.005-07:00

The original Spiral Island was the talk of the world: a man-made floating island constructed from 250,000 plastic bottles that could drift and relocate as needed ... until it was destroyed by disaster. Now the new amazing Spiral Island is finally finished and slated to open to the public within the next few months in Laguna Makax near Isla Mujeres.

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The Telectroscope, London's window on New York

2008-05-29T10:55:00.003-07:00

It looks like something from the Victorian era, and its name sounds like a device from 1950s science fiction. The Telectroscope is an extraordinary new device that allows people in London to see across the Atlantic. Positioned at a spot near Tower Bridge, it allows people to watch their counterparts in New York, peering through an identical scope.

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10 Cargo-Container Homes Better Than Your House [PICS]

2008-05-29T10:55:00.001-07:00

There are countless numbers of empty, unused shipping containers around the world just sitting on the shipping docks and taking up space. Some creative designers have begun using these strange surplus structures to build amazing home and office buildings.

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World's Biggest Airport Opens in Beijing (+PICS)

2008-05-29T10:54:00.003-07:00

The world's biggest airport is now finished and ready for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The $3.5 billion gigantic dragon terminal, which is the centerpiece of the 501-square-mile complex capable to allow 50 million passengers per year, looks even more impressive in the amazing, almost unreal photos.

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8 Places To Live Out Your Fantasies

2008-05-29T10:54:00.001-07:00

Tired of hitching up the family camper for summer road trips? Some of these adventures get the adrenaline pumping, while others offer experiences previously available only to an elite few. You might have to cash in your 401(k) to pay for one of these, but you'll be fulfilling a lifelong fantasy.

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I Hope Those Pillars Are Strong [PICS]

2008-02-10T11:46:00.001-08:00

below is the recently (2003) extended runway at funchal airport in portugal. the original 1400m runway was notoriously short and, as a result, sometimes dangerous for landing planes (see here). the runway extension won the iabse’s ‘outstanding structures award’ and rightly so: due to an obvious lack of land, engineers have supported the exten

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Don't Swim In the San Francisco Bay

2008-02-10T11:45:00.003-08:00

Nearly three million gallons (11 million liters) of partially treated sewage and storm water spilled into San Francisco Bay off the coast of affluent Marin County, officials said on Friday, just months after a major oil spill hit the bay.

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The 5 Most Expensive Universities in the World

2008-02-10T11:45:00.001-08:00

“The cost of obtaining a U.S. degree is among the highest in the world and rising, which may discourage international students,” says a 2007 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Globally, the average cost of a public education in the U.S. ($4,587) was second only to Australia ($5,289).

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The Coldest Places on Earth

2008-02-10T11:44:00.005-08:00

A few days ago, I woke to find my pipes frozen. The outdoor temperature was in the single digits, and the house temperature hovered in the 50s all day. The next day was warmer, but an ice storm soon followed. I made myself feel better by looking up the coldest places in the world.

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6 Tips on How to Escape Down an Airplane Slide

2008-02-10T11:44:00.003-08:00

Emergency airplane evacuations happen more often than most people think: about once every 11 days in the U.S., according to a 2000 report by the National Transportation Safety Board. Some situations are more dire than others, of course, as when the plane is on fire, but in many cases, the biggest challenge of an evacuation can be the airplane slide

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7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union [w/ pics]

2008-02-10T11:44:00.001-08:00

There are abandonments all over the world, but the former Soviet Union has some of the most interesting, unique and strange abandoned buildings. The complex political, military and social history of the country has led to everything from almost-finished buildings abandoned before actual use and entire abandoned cities to chilling gulags.

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Space tourism taking shape

2008-01-22T09:09:00.003-08:00

(SPACE.com) -- Ticket to ride commuter flights to the edge of space may not be too far off -- with spaceliners departing several spaceports here in the United States.

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Israeli Tourism Is Savaged by War

2008-01-22T09:09:00.001-08:00

With rockets still falling, visitor numbers are down 30%, and companies like El Al Airlines are taking a big hit to their bottom line.

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About Dubai - For newbies travelling there...

2008-01-22T09:07:00.005-08:00

A brief overview of the history of dubai and its currently population, culture status and more. Understand how it has evolved and why its stepping away from Oil and enticing people there for many other reasons... from hotelsindubai4u.com

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10 Travel Websites that should be Bookmarked

2008-01-22T09:07:00.003-08:00

Need a public-transport map for international cities that is downloadable to your cell- phone ? Or even perhaps an ATM machine locator anywhere around the world? Or even just a toilet finder for the emergency situation. Here are a bunch of websites that are diverse, interesting and even just quirky for anyone that is planning a trip.

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Worlds Largest Swimming Pool 3500 Ft Long!

2008-01-22T09:07:00.001-08:00

Measuring almost 3,500 ft in length, The San Alfonso del Mar seawater pool in Algarrobo, Chile has been named the world's largest outdoor swimming pool by the Guiness Book of World Records.

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America's Most Wired Cities

2008-01-17T05:35:00.003-08:00

What's America's most wired city? You might guess someplace in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles or San Diego. East Coast fans might bet on New York or even Chicago. But you've got to head south.

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Smithsonian: 28 Places To See Before You Die

2008-01-17T05:35:00.001-08:00

From "Portals into the Past" (e.g., Pompeii, Tikal) to "Scaling New Heights" (Mt Kilimanjaro, Yangtze River) to "Triumphs of Vision" (Zen Garden of Kyoto). Check out the photo gallery--pics repping each destination.

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Whole City in Just One Building

2008-01-17T05:34:00.005-08:00

One of the world's biggest building projects that has been officially granted for building in Moscow on the peninsula between Moscow River and Andropov Avenue.

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Amazing oasis town in the middle of the desert

2008-01-17T05:34:00.003-08:00

I’ve never seen an oasis before so this may not be anything special, but I thought it was pretty stunning.

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18 Stunning Bridges From Around The World

2008-01-17T05:34:00.001-08:00

From the awe-inspiring to the historic, from the elegant to the quirky. Check out these amazing feats of engineering.

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7 (More!) Abandoned Wonders of America [w/PICS]

2008-01-17T05:33:00.005-08:00

Imagine entire islands and vast building complexes eerily abandoned virtually in your own back yard. Complexes of more than 150 buildings and even entire small islands are located near or in the heart of major cities such as Houston and Washington DC - from insane asylums to military bases, hotels to theme parks and seminaries to giant silos.

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Disney World Restaurant Bans Children

2008-01-17T05:33:00.003-08:00

The home of Mickey Mouse, Tigger and Tinkerbell has banned kids from its fanciest restaurant.

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5 unbelievably cool research facilities

2008-01-17T05:33:00.001-08:00

Some incredible beasts have been constructed in the name of research and below are 5 of the most immediately intriguing. there are plenty more out there which will be highlighted in the near future as i’m making this a series of sorts. let me know if you have any in mind for the next collection.

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TSA To Punish Fliers For "Facecrimes"

2008-01-17T05:32:00.003-08:00

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners are learning to recognize a special set of forbidden facial expressions. If your face slips into one of these during a TSA inspection, you will be taken aside and given a more detailed screening

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JetBlue Flight Attendant Takes Revenge On Passenger

2008-01-17T05:32:00.001-08:00

A JetBlue flight attendant threw a hissy fit when a passenger failed to return her jammed seat to the upright and locked position. The stewardess admitted that the seat's spring was broken, but still gave the passenger a "warning card" and had airport security meet the plane at the gate. Why? A fellow passenger explains...

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