Travel News and Stories for 11/20/2009 : Kathika Travel Website

By newsdesk on November 20th, 2009

Below is a list of travel news and stories for 11/20/2009

FAA Computer Glitch Delays Flights Nationwide
Controllers forced to manually enter pilots’ flight plans.
http://abcnews.go.com

One wrong turn results in a 600km trip
An 81-year-old Australian takes a wrong turn on the way to the shops and keeps driving for 600km.
http://news.bbc.co.uk

LA Oil Rigs Hidden as Buildings, Islands & Palm Trees [vid]
Before L.A. was firmly established as a movie and TV town it was an oil town. In fact, Los Angeles is part of a region that is third largest oil producer in America with over 20 billion barrels of oil yet to be extracted under our feet! Who knew?
http://www.thisisbrandx.com

After car rental disaster, angry customer mails “gesture of goodwill” back to Thrifty
Like most travelers, Bette Waterstreet doesn’t expect much when she rents a car. A clean, running vehicle that’s in the same car class she ordered will do just fine. But that’s not what she got when she rented from Thrifty in Ontario, Canada, recently.
http://www.elliott.org

FAA Glitch Delays Flights Across USA This Morning
Flying this morning? If you’re reading this from a US airport, then you may have already noticed some flights showing up red with delays on the departure screens. The reason is an "FAA glitch" where their computer systems are having issues with processing flight plans, causing the FAA to process flight plans manually and significantly slowing down the system, since we rely on computer so much for this sort of high-volume, fast-paced work.
http://www.jaunted.com

Random Airline Fees Continue Into 2010, Including Super Bowl Travel
Remember all those airline fees that were pouring in a few months ago related to this season’s holiday travel? Well the airlines must have really enjoyed what they were seeing, as they are now looking to tack in some additional charges for days well into 2010. Delta, United, and American Airlines are busy adding these presents to our tickets anytime they think travel will be busier than usual.
http://www.jaunted.com

Newport Beach’s Christmas Boat Parade: Plan ahead to cruise in its midst
If you’re not going to be in the popular Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, then one of the next best places to see the lights and action may be aboard a Hornblower yacht. On five consecutive nights, Dec. 16-20, the Christmas Boat Parade Dinner Cruise, put on by Hornblower Cruises & Events, sails “right through [...]
http://travel.latimes.com

Top budget resorts in the U.S.
Forget everything you thought you knew about resorts. These 10 escapes deliver thrilling activities, plush amenities, and sweeping views, from $119 a night.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Best New Trips in the World: Surf, Hike, and Mountain Bike Pristine Sri Lanka
The world’s far corners are now well within reach. SRI LANKA: MIA No More After the tsunami of 2004 and the resolution of a decades-long civil war, Sri Lanka is finally starting to look like its old self: a peaceful destination where surf lineups are nonexistent despite world-class waves and centuries-old tea estates are lined with mountain bike–ready trails.
http://ngadventure.typepad.com

Abroad: Unveiling the Hanging Gardens of Armenia
The Cafesjian Center for the Arts is a mad work of architectural megalomania and one of the most spectacular museum buildings in ages.
http://www.nytimes.com

The Way of the Hermit Crab: 4 Rules for Better Backpack Living
Though we all begin life bare-ass naked and devoid of any possessions, none of us stay that way for long. The doctor swaddles us in a cozy new blanket, cooing relatives hand us stuffed animals and baby toys, while mommy and daddy shower us with gifts and buy us whole wardrobes of clothing.
http://www.vagabondish.com

"Nationwide system outage" grounds flights
Only when I arrive at my gate do I learn of the FAA’s "nationwide system outage" grounding flights across the country. Gate attendants are reading from prepared FAA statements, explaining they don’t know what caused the delay, but that they’re working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.
http://www.gadling.com

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