Travelore News: Lufthansa Strike Hits Air Travel As German Disruption Mounts

Ground staff at German airline Lufthansa opens new tab walked out at major airports on Wednesday, raising the pressure in wage talks and piling misery on travellers in Europe's biggest economy already hit by strikes on railways and public transport.

Some 100,000 passengers will be affected by the industrial action, which started at 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) and is due to run until 7:10 a.m. on Thursday, the national carrier has said.

The Verdi union has targeted the Frankfurt and Munich airports, where Lufthansa says only 10%-20% of flights will operate, as well as Berlin, Hamburg and Duesseldorf.

Verdi wants a wage rise of 12.5% for some 25,000 workers, or at least 500 euros ($537.00) more per month over a 12-month-period, plus a one-time payment of 3,000 euros to offset inflation.

A wave of nationwide industrial action in the last few weeks has hit air travel, railways and public transport, inflicting pain on the economy and fuelling discontent with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's awkward three-way coalition.

Writing by Madeline Chambers Editing by Miranda Murray, Reuters

Travelore Tips: United Airlines Seating Rule Will Cost Customers Twice

Rivals Delta and American Airlines don't ask their passengers to pay this added fee.

The big three traditional airlines American, United, and Delta used to offer full-fare, all-included travel. You paid more than you would for a discount carrier, but your ticket came with everything you needed for a comfortable flight.

Over the years, that has changed. Tickets have become more tiered with the major airlines looking to compete not just with Southwest and JetBlue, the sort of mid-tier customer-friendly carriers, but also the true discounters Spirit and Frontier.

Those airlines sell everything a la carte. Your ticket gives you the right to be on the plane, and that's all. It's a way to sell tickets to customers at a low price even though most of them will actually pay more.

It's a model that allows passengers to pay for exactly what they need. If you don't care where you sit, for example, you can opt to not buy a seat assignment and have your seat assigned at the gate. Passengers can also opt to not pay for baggage or a carry-on bag, meaning they can only carry a purse or small backpack on the plane.

United (UAL) , Delta (DAL) , and American (AAL) have all adopted a form of these a la carte fares. They call it "Basic Economy," but one airline has opted to be even more basic than its rivals.

United Airlines Basic Economy offers the least

When you fly Spirit or Frontier Airlines, passengers know the deal. They expect airlines that make every effort to save money, and people gird themselves for a bad experience.

It's not uncommon, for example, for Spirit and Frontier not to have a gate agent available until just before boarding starts. That creates a line at the counter as people ask questions, pay for checked bags they didn't realize weren't included, or try to get questions answered.

People generally expect better from United, Delta, and American. That puts those airlines in a tighter spot when it comes to Basic Economy fares. Passengers know that those cheaper tickets lack some regularly included perks, but they still have some expectations.

Passengers traveling on Basic Economy fares expect to pay for checked bags, but United Airlines passengers flying on the no-frills tickets may be shocked to learn that their fare does not include a carry-on bag. Delta and American Basic Economy include a traditional carry-on.

United Airlines has the most restrictive fares

Years ago, American Airlines did not allow Basic Economy passengers to bring a traditional carry-on on their flight as part of their fare. Customers hated that policy because it led to unexpected charges so the airline gave up some money and dropped that policy in the interest of customer satisfaction.

United Airlines seems to be taking a very different approach to how it treats Basic Economy passengers.

"Carry-on bags are not included unless you're flying to Canada, South America, across the Atlantic, or on an international flight across the Pacific. You can prepay to check a bag or check a carry-on at your gate for the regular bag fee plus an additional $25," the airline shared on its website.

So, not only will passengers pay to check their bags, but they'll also pay a penalty because they didn't read the fine print.

United also makes it harder for Basic Economy passengers who don't pay for a checked bag or carry-on to get on the plane.

"If you’re flying on a Basic Economy ticket without a checked bag, you’re not allowed to check in online or via the airline’s mobile app," Garry Leff wrote on View From the Wing.

"So, all Basic Economy customers are forced to wait in the line of shame at the airport. Their travels are slowed down and what they save in airfare they pay in time." ,br />
Source: https://www.thestreet.com/author/daniel-kline

Warning To Tourists In France As Bottled Water Found To Have Come From Contaminated Source

A French bottled water producer has been illegally treating contaminated water in their products, it has been revealed.

Nestle was found to have been hiding the fact the water it was selling under its Perrier, Vittel and Contrex brands had come from a contaminated source, which had been hidden by prohibited purification systems.

Some 30percent of the brands' products are thought to have undergone the illegal treatment which was uncovered in an investigation by Le Monde and Radio France.

French newspaper Los Echos revealed last Monday that Nestle had "breached regulations to maintain the safety of its water".

According to Le Monde the Swiss food and drink giant used disinfectants “due to sporadic bacterial or chemical contamination”

French law does not allow producers to use purification techniques on products labelled as ‘spring’ or ‘mineral’ water, as they are supposed to come from preserved underground resources and should already be safe to drink when they emerge from the well.

In a statement, the water producer admitted it had “microfiltration at [its] waters sites at a finer level than was previously recognised by the French authorities”.

It said: "We have also used activated carbon filters and ultraviolet systems which, though permitted by other jurisdictions, are not in line with applicable French natural mineral water regulations."

Nestle said it had "proactively" reported its use of the illegal methods to French authorities in 2021 and “presented them with several options to ensure compliance moving forward”.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/journalist/123507/Casey-Cooper-Fiske

Spain’s 85.1 Million Foreign Visitors Last Year Set A Tourism Record

Spain received a record 85.1 million international tourists last year, 19% more than the year before, the National Statistics Institute reported Friday.

The number of foreign visitors in 2023 surpassed the 83.5 million who went to Spain in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic ruled out most leisure travel.

The U.K., France and Germany sent the highest number of tourists to Spain last year.

The National Statistics Institute said Spain’s income from foreign tourists reached 108.7 billion euros ($117 billion) in 2023, an increase of 25% from the previous year. Tourism accounts for 12% of the country’s gross domestic product.

The northeastern region of Catalonia, including Barcelona, followed by the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off North Africa were the top destinations.

France, Spain and the United States have been the world’s three top tourist destinations for many years.

These Are The Airlines Returning To Israel - And Those That Are Not

Many airlines froze their routes to Israel because of the war with Hamas, but are now finding their way back to the Holy Land.

More and more airlines that have frozen their routes to and from Israel are bringing their activities out from hibernation in the last month, and announcing to the Israeli passenger - we are here.

Many airlines announced the return of operations to Israel - here is what to expect and who you can fly with.

Airlines that fly to Israel currently, and where they fly:

El Al (including Sun Dor): Amsterdam, Athens, Budapest, Boston, Bucharest, Bangkok, Berlin, Barcelona, ​​Dubai, Vienna, Venice, Warsaw, Geneva, Tbilisi, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Lisbon, Larnaca, Madrid, Moscow, Miami, Milan, Munich, Marseille, New York, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Phuket, Prague, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Chisinau, Krakow, Rome

Israir: Athens, Budapest, Bucharest, Batumi, Dubai, Varna, Tbilisi, Larnaca, Sofia, Prague, Chisinau.

Arkia: Athens, Budapest, Bucharest, Grenoble Batumi, Belgrade, Barcelona, ​​Grenoble, Larnaca, Milan, PragueFrom February: Sri Lanka, Amsterdam

Aegean Airlines: Athens

An El Al flight landed in Melbourne, Australia for the first time in April 2020. (credit: Walla)

Uzbekistan Airlines: Tashkent

Austrian Airlines: Vienna

Air France: Paris

Ethiopian Airlines: Addis Ababa

Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi

High Sky: Chisinau

Hainan Airlines: Shenzhen

TAROM: Bucharest

Fly (TUS): Larnaca

Lot: Warsaw

Lufthansa: Munich and Frankfurt

Swiss: Zurich

Fly Dubai: Dubai

Airlines that announced that they are returning to fly to Israel in February:

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) from 2.8 to Baku

View of a ''Wizz Air'' flight, a Hungarian low-cost airline, taking off from Ben-Gurion Airport. September 03, 2014. (credit: MOSHE SHAI/FLASH90)

Air Seychelles: from 2.6 to Seychelles

Air Europa: from 2.22 to Madrid

Emirates: from 2.1 to Dubai

Blue Bird: from 2.1 to Athens

Georgian Airways: From 2.17 to Tbilisi

Transavia: from 2.1 to Paris

Smart Wings: from 2.1 to Prague

Airlines returning to fly to Israel in March

Iberia: from 3.1 to Madrid

EasyJet: from 3.1

Air India: from 3.1 to Mumbai

Eurowings: from 3.21 to Dusseldorf

American Airlines: from 3.21 to New York

Brussels Airlines: from 3.1 to Brussels

Gulf Air: from 3.30 to Manama, Bahrain

Wizz Air: from 3.1 to Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, London, Krakow, Rome

United Airlines: from 3.2 to New York
KLM: from 3.1 to Amsterdam

Pegasus Airlines: from 3.1 to various destinations in Turkey

Finnair: from 3.30 to Helsinki

Cathay Pacific: from 3.28 to Hong Kong

Royal Air from Morocco: from 3.1 to Marrakesh

ITA: from 3.1 to Rome

Airlines returning to Israel in April

Air Baltic: from 4.1 to Riga

Air Canada: from 4.8 to Toronto

Emirates: from 4.1 to Dubai

Bulgaria Air: from 4.8 to Sofia

British Airways: from 4.1 to London

Delta Airlines: from 4.1 to New York

Virgin Atlantic: from 4.1 to London

Cyprus Airways: from 4.2 to Larnaca

Other extreme delays in returning to Israel

Air Malta, Air Serbia, and Norwegian Air will not return to Israel until further notice.

TAP, Turkish Airlines, and Royal Jordanian will not return to Israel until at least January 2025.

Korean Air: from 4.30 to Seoul

Vueling: from 3.2 to Barcelona

By WALLA! TOURISM

The Peninsula Hotels' Celebrated Global Art Programme,"Art In Resonance" Returns

The Peninsula, whose worldwide properties have long held partnerships with luminaries in the arts, has announced the return of its "Art in Resonance" programme, opening during Hong Kong Art Week. The relaunch will kick off with a collection of newly commissioned artworks from visionaries Kingsley Ng and Lachlan Turczan, which will be exhibited alongside pieces from The Peninsula's collection at the group's iconic Hong Kong flagship property. The exhibition will be open to the public.

Originally introduced by The Peninsula in 2019 in collaboration with its global cultural advisors Isolde Brielmaier and Bettina Prentice, "Art in Resonance" won wide acclaim for offering guests deeply immersive experiences in its hotels' respective destination cities. At its root, the commission-based art programme is designed to support the cultural eco-system by providing emerging artists with the funding, curatorial support and logistical capabilities that allow them to produce significant new public artworks.

"We are thrilled to bring back Art in Resonance, which has allowed our guests to engage with some of the world's most innovative artistic minds," said Gareth Roberts, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, The Peninsula's parent company. "It is particularly exciting to relaunch the programme in Hong Kong, a city that has experienced such a resurgence in vitality and creative energy."

A Dynamic, Thought-Provoking Exhibition

Starting in late March, visitors to The Peninsula Hong Kong will discover an inspiring collection of works. The first they will encounter is Hong Kong local Kingsley Ng's (b. 1980, Hong Kong) monumental sculpture Esmeralda, which will hover over the hotel's iconic façade. Ng describes the installation as "undulating between the physics of gravity and the buoyancy of air." According to the celebrated artist, the piece – named for one of Italo Calvino's fictional locations from his 1972 novel 'Invisible Cities' – is meant to be in dialogue with Hong Kong itself.

Also greeting guests this spring will be Lachlan Turczan's (b. 1993, Los Angeles) newly commissioned Harmonic Resonance - a kinetic sculpture that provides a mesmerising exploration of visible sound. The work features a parabolic mirror measuring over 1.6m in diameter will shape a shallow pool of water with a series of choreographed infrasonic tones that invite audience engagement. The low-frequency tones cause oscillating patterns to form on the surface of the pool – some of which appear to move in stop-motion.

Elise Morin's (b. 1978, Paris, France) glittering sculptural work SOLI, originally commissioned in 2019, has been significantly expanded by the artist especially for the Hong Kong exhibition. The work is newly augmented with an additional 4,000 crushed CDs - pulverized according to the security grade of their content. Morin's piece, resembling a whale breaching the ocean's surface, is a quiet commentary on the material burden of objects.

Another inspiring work included in the exhibit is Saya Woolfalk's (b. 1979, Gifu, Japan) Visionary Reality Portal, a digital portal for meditation and the contemplation of other worlds. The colourful, kaleidoscopic and multisensory video installation will be housed in a purpose-built room off street-level and open to the public. The piece, originally debuted at The Peninsula Paris in 2019, has also been further developed by the renowned Japanese-American artist to connect with viewers in Hong Kong.

"Giving artists like Elise Morin and Saya Woolfalk the freedom to further develop their pieces is one of the tenets of the Art in Resonance programme," said Bettina Prentice, co-curator of the Hong Kong exhibition. "Nothing is static - The Peninsula offers all of the programme's artists the opportunity to let their ideas evolve."

A Commitment to Contemporary Arts

The Peninsula has been committed to promoting the rich and vibrant cultural aspects of its properties' destination cities for generations by inviting its guests to engage with art through numerous channels. The group has hosted artist residencies; mounted enriching and culturally representative exhibits, talks, and symposia; and offered studio visits and workshops with local creators whose work exemplifies the distinctive flavour and energy of their home cities.

"Working with The Peninsula has been an extraordinary experience for me," said Kingsley Ng. "I feel privileged by the chance to partner with such a venerable brand, and to showcase my work to viewers in my cherished home city."

The exhibition artworks will remain at The Peninsula Hong Kong through May; after which they will travel regularly to other Peninsula properties, and be joined by additional, newly commissioned installations from local artists. For the duration of the exhibit, The Peninsula Hong Kong will offer visitors free access to all pieces, as well as guided tours, special dining experiences and other activations to highlight and pay homage to the artists and to the renewed vibrancy of the city.

More information can be found at The Peninsula's "Art in Resonance" programme webpage, www.peninsula.com/art.

Visit Philadelphia Giving Away 1500 Banned Books By Black Authors During Black History Month

To commemorate Black History Month, Visit Philadelphia launched Little Free(dom) Library, an initiative encouraging visitors and residents to explore Black history and narratives. Little Free(dom) Library is the third installment of Visit Philadelphia’s In Pursuit of A More Perfect Union series, a fresh take on how Philadelphia commemorates heritage months.

According to Penn America, more than 30 states have banned certain books by Black authors – both fiction and non-fiction – or otherwise deemed them inappropriate. In response, the Little Free(dom) Library initiative demonstrates Philadelphia's commitment, as the birthplace of the nation, to making these stories accessible and available to both visitors and residents.

Ms. Joyce Abbott and a Little Free(dom) Library. / Photo by R. Rabena for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

"Philadelphia strives to be a welcoming destination where every person can feel a sense of belonging,” said Angela Val, president and CEO, Visit Philadelphia. “We take pride in celebrating Philadelphia as the cradle of liberty, while also recognizing the complexity of its history. We want travelers and residents to know that in Philadelphia, Black history is American history, and Black stories are worth telling and sharing.”

The Little Free(dom) Library initiative includes:

15- and -30-second TV and radio spots, shot at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, featuring Ms. Joyce Abbott, Quinta Brunson’s sixth-grade teacher and namesake for Brunson’s Emmy Award-winning show Abbott Elementary

13 Little Free(dom) Library sites giving away 1,500 banned books by Black authors at visitor and neighborhood hubs across the city

A four-part social media video series with notable Philadelphians like Marc Lamont Hill, Dr. Christina Afia Harris and Solomon Jones reading passages from banned books

A dedicated page on visitphilly.com that will include visitor information for each Little Free(dom) Library location, a list of available books and Black-owned businesses to patronize before or after picking up a free book

“Visit Philadelphia implements a year-round marketing strategy that celebrates and highlights Philadelphia’s majority diverse population and actively invites diverse travelers to experience the destination,” said Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer at Visit Philadelphia. “Our Little Free(dom) Library initiative provides yet another opportunity for us to connect visitors to the values of our city and, especially in the lead up to the 250th anniversary of the country, continue exploring what it means to be American.”

Visit Philadelphia worked with integrated marketing agency Allen & Gerritsen to develop the TV and radio spots featuring Joyce Abbott that will run throughout February in more than 25 markets across the U.S. The $105,000 buy includes unskippable commercials on video and/or audio streaming platforms like Paramount, YouTube and iHeart. Digital and print ads will run regionally in The Philadelphia Tribune and radio spots will also run on WXPN and WURD.

"I'm excited to be part of Visit Philadelphia's Little Free(dom) Library initiative," Abbott said. "With over 30 years of experience as an educator in the Philadelphia public school system, ensuring students have access to Black history and stories holds great significance for me. I hope that individuals will find inspiration in the books they discover and deepen their understanding of the contributions of Black people in this country.

Little Free(dom) Library Banned Book Activation

In partnership with national nonprofit Little Free Library, Visit Philadelphia’s Little Free(dom) Library activation features 13 small library structures that will house banned books by Black authors.

Bold, vibrant artwork and uplifting expressions adorn each Little Free(dom) Library designed by local, self-taught artist Alloyius Mcilwaine. The Little Free(dom) Library sites work like the Little Free Libraries that have sprung up in communities across the country and function on an optional take-one-leave-one system.

“We are excited to partner with Visit Philadelphia on this new initiative,” said Greig Metzger, executive director, Little Free Library. “Part of our mission is to expand book access for all, and this activation does just that.”

The Little Free(dom) Library trail includes the following locations:

Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street

Columbia North YMCA, 1400 N. Broad Street

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, 2027 Fairmount Avenue

Faheem’s Hands of Precision, 2100 S. 20th Street

Frankford Community Development Corporation, 4667 Paul Street

Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street

Historic Germantown, 5501 Germantown Avenue

Johnson House Historic Site, 6306 Germantown Avenue

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, 419 S. 6th Street

Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street

South Street Street Off Center, 407 South Street

Visit Philadelphia collaborated with local community leaders, organizations and small business owners to select the initial books available in the libraries. Visitors and residents can find a mix of banned or challenged, fiction and non-fiction books for adults, teens and children. Some of the titles include The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones, All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M Johnson and The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.

All books were purchased from Black-owned bookstores in the region including Black and Nobel, Hakim's Bookstore & Gift Shop, Harriet’s Bookshop, Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books and The Black Reserve Bookstore. The Free Library of Philadelphia created a resource page where people can find book descriptions and information about book banning in the United States.

Visit Philadelphia’s In Pursuit of A More Perfect Union series showcases Philadelphia as the premier welcoming and inclusive destination in the U.S. Previous installments include Drag Queen Story Time at Independence Hall and Hispanic Voices.

As the official destination marketing organization for the city, Visit Philadelphia works to honor the nation’s history, while also acknowledging that the Founding Fathers’ vision of America does not reflect how many of our values have evolved over time.

This series serves as an educational platform, aimed at bringing Americans closer to realizing a more perfect union. To learn more, please visit visitphilly.com/freedomlibrary.