Matador Network's Blog, page 1318

No sleeping in Stansted airport

If you were hoping to save on a hotel and spend the night in the comfort and luxury of London Stansted Airport’s floor, you might have to rethink your plans. The airport is cracking down on its overnight guests, periodically closing its departures area to travelers between midnight and 2 AM.

Airport officials told the Telegraph that the reason for the closure is due to “construction work as part of our £600 million airport transformation programme, and to allow cleaning and other preparations for the next day’s flight operations.” Due to these projects, passengers, unfortunately, “can no longer sleep on the floor overnight, so [they] should not arrive sooner than their scheduled check-in time.”

The airport has seen as many as 600 people sleeping in the terminal in a single night, many trying to avoid paying for a hotel. For this reason, camp beds, sleeping bags, and other bedding are also banned from the airport. If you happen to doze off in your seat, that will still be allowed. The new rule is simply meant to discourage floor-sleeping.

Reactions to the news seem to be mixed. Some passengers expressed outrage, saying “I personally don’t sleep at the airport but I don’t ever have a problem with those that do. This is just very mean of @STN_Airport,” while others welcome the crackdown. This Twitter user said, “Best news I’ve heard in a long time. Stansted could win me round yet.”

H/T: AFAR

More like this: Airport nap pods will finally give travelers the rest they need

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5 best waves to learn to surf

Sure, you could learn to surf anywhere there are waves, but not all beaches are created equally. Some beaches have powerful, enthusiasm-squelching waves that can turn any newbie off from surfing. Others are so secluded or so cold that only the most dedicated surfers – that is, the ones who are already addicted to the sport – would want anything to do with them.

If you’re just starting to take up surfing and want to find a place to master the basics, head to the comfortable, mellow waves at these excellent beginner surf destinations/ And, since you can’t spend all day in the water, these surf spots also happen to be in beach paradises where the après-surf can be as good as the waves.

1. La Jolla Shores, San Diego

Photo: Sebastien Burel/Shutterstock

La Jolla Shores Beach, along a scenic stretch of coastline north of San Diego, is one of the area’s most famous beach breaks. La Jolla Shores isn’t the go-to choice for San Diego’s experienced surfers – that would be a few miles south at the La Jolla reefs – but it’s year-round waves are the perfect size range to learn to surf. They’re usually no smaller than two feet and rarely get bigger than five feet. In summer, the water temperature also hovers in the high 60s. That’s cold enough to be refreshing in the San Diego sun, but not so frigid as to require a cumbersome wetsuit.

La Jolla Shores’ main street, Avenida de la Playa, has dozens of surf schools, a few quality taco shops, and some of the best ocean views in the city. After a day on the waves, you can swap your board for a kayak and tour the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, where you could enter a massive sea-cave and check out the area’s sea lion colony up close. You could rent a bike and coast down the boardwalk, and, if you’re tired of the beach altogether, hit the town of La Jolla for shopping and eating before ending the night a mile south in Pacific Beach, San Diego’s liveliest nightlife community.

2. Montauk, New York

Photo: mnapoli/Shutterstock

Once a sleepy fishing village in the shadow of New York City, Montauk has become increasingly popular as a premier East Coast surfing destination. Montauk is the easternmost town on Long Island and offers New Yorkers a relaxing break from life on the faster paced coast. While there are some breaks east of the town that feature heavier waves and rocky bottoms, beginners can happily spend a few days learning to surf on the slow rollers off Ditch Plains. Espo’s Surf Shop in neighboring Amagansett is a good place to rent boards and organize lessons.

In the summertime, the water is often warm enough to forego neoprene, and the waves are milder than the sometimes-heavy wintertime swells. Look out for hurricanes, though; they can ramp up an otherwise tranquil summer session to death-defying heights. After a morning surf, grab lunch at Joni’s in the town of Montauk, visit the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse, or grab a spot on a deep-sea fishing expedition and reel in some fresh Amberjack. End your day with some live music or a round of pool at the Stephen Talkhouse.

3. Waikiki, Hawaii

Photo: Maridav/Shutterstock

No list of beginners’ surf spots would be complete without the most famous one of all: the esteemed Waikiki Beach on the Oahu’s south shore. Especially in the summertime, the waves at Waikiki rarely get scary big. Instead, you’ll find slow rolling “straight-handers,” or waves that can be ridden straight towards the beach. The lineup can get crowded, but most of the locals embody the aloha spirit. If you snake their wave they won’t be looking for you later in the parking lot. More likely, they’ll shoot you a shaka and turn around for the next one.

That’s not to say the locals don’t know how to surf. At Waikiki you’ll see some of the most stylish longboarding around. As a new surfer, there’s really nothing better seeing how it should be done and trying to copy it. It’ll take you years to equal some of the most graceful Waikiki longboarders, but seeing it live in person will make you want to try. After you’ve surfed, you’ll find that the bars and restaurants around Waikiki are as good as the waves. You’re never more than five minutes away from a Piña Colada and a killer view.

4. Playa Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Photo: katehall66/Shutterstock

If you’d rather take your surf lessons international, one of the best beaches you could choose is La Punta in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Playa Carrizalillo is just about a mile northwest of the sinister big wave testing ground Playa Carrizalillo, where a deep-water trench funnels deep ocean swells towards the famous sand bar. While waves at Zicatela can exceed 30 feet, the beach around the corner stays consistently smaller thanks to a mini-peninsula which stretches directly in front of the beach and blocks south swells from detonating on the sand.

The result is a mellow, beginner break that’s surrounded on three sides by lush Oaxacan forest. If you’re travelling with non-surfers, they can sit up in the bar of the Villas Carrizalillo Hotel and watch from the cliffside as you learn to rip below. The beach is perfectly situated against the town of Puerto Escondido, which has dozens of great restaurants and, in the summertime swell season, some of the most respected big wave surf competitions in the world.

5. San Sebastián, Spain

Photo: Roman Belogorodov/Shutterstock

There’s hardly a better European surfing spot than northern Spain. Like Puerto Escondido, San Sebastián is one home to some of the world’s best beach breaks, where a fledgling surfer doesn’t have to take any chances with rocks and reefs. Unlike Puerto Escondido, San Sebastián is an antique European cultural hub right on the border of France. On the beaches of San Sebastián, you’ll hear Spanish as often as French, with plenty of Basque (the region’s ancient, local language) mixed in.

The waves can be incredible and the infrastructure is unbeatable. Dozens of surf schools border the town’s most famous surfing beach, Zurriola Hondartza. Once you’ve had enough, hike the nearby Mount Ulia for stunning ocean/city vistas or head across the border to France. Things ramp up as soon as it gets dark in the city’s old town, which buzzes with pintxo bars. You can flit from bar to bar, having a tiny beer and a pintxo, or Basque tapa, of mushrooms, anchovies, or another tasty local food. You’ll fortify and get to bed early enough for another day in the water.

6. Essaouira, Morocco

Photo: Dinozzzaver/Shutterstock

Most people don’t associate surfing with Africa, but Morocco (and Namibia) have some of the best waves on Earth – and possibly the most unique surf culture. Essaouira is one of the emerging hubs of the surf scene in Morocco and the perfect place to begin, thanks to the soft sand bottom, the year-round warm water, and the ancient African town it flanks. You can’t surf all day, after all.

The wave is a generally mild, sloping, A-frame. In a word: ideal. In addition to a stellar wave, Essaouira is home to a few decent surf schools and several thousand years of history. The “old town,” as it’s known, is partially enclosed in fortress walls that have stood since they were built by the Portuguese in 1510. But this city is much older than its walls would suggest. Accounts exist of the old port from as long ago as 5 BCE. Once you’ve had a bit of surf, grab a tour guide and wander the city like the Carthaginians of old – if you can drag yourself away from the perfect waves, that is.


More like this: The most underrated surfing spots for summer 2018

The post Best waves for beginners to learn to surf around the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Nordic road trip midnight sun

In the northern hemisphere, summer solstice officially kicks off the summer. For countries on this side of the world, the longest day of the year falls between June 21st and 23rd – but in the upper regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, the “longest day” lasts well more than a day. Here, the sun circles the sky, never dipping below the horizon for weeks on end.

If you want to experience the white nights – to go on a hike, ski a slope, or just read a book outside in the middle of the night – head to these Nordic countries for the ultimate midnight sun road trip. Here’s the ultimate itinerary for you.

1. Tampere, Finland

Photo: Ekaterina Povrosky/Shutterstock

Although the sun does in fact set in Tampere during the longest days of the year – setting just past 11:00 p.m. and rising again over four hours later – it’s still a good first stop on your road trip. A two-hour drive north from Finland’s capital Helsinki, Tampere lies between two lovely lakes and is called the sauna capital of the world, due to its thriving public sauna culture.

In Tampere you’ll understand Finns’ obsession with saunas, as these public saunas are spacious, clean, and the perfect relaxation to get into the summer frame of mind. Head down to Rauhaniemen Kansankylpylä for some löyly, which is the Finnish word for the rush of warmth you feel a few seconds after someone has tossed water on the sauna rocks. Then take a cooling post-sauna dip in Näsijärvi Lake. Afterwards, stroll through town to Laukontori’s newest restaurant/bar Kuuma, which also has its own public sauna. The next morning, before you head north, you can start the day with brunch and another sauna in Tullin Sauna.

2. Hailuoto, Finland

Photo: ABB Photo/Shutterstock

Totally relaxed after all those saunas, you’re ready for the seven-hour drive past endless forests to Hailuoto, in Finnish Lapland. You’re much farther north here, and during this time year, the sun won’t dip below the horizon until well past midnight, rising again less than two hours later. Even so, darkness never really sets in, giving you plenty of hours to explore this island offshore from the city of Oulu.

Hailuoto is known for its serene nature and fishing village lifestyle. Finns believe that nature belongs to everyone, as long as you treat it respectfully. This makes the island ideal for hiking, and there are a couple of spots for camping on the island. Hailuoto’s slow lifestyle, forests, and beaches make it perfect spot to quiet down for a while and appreciate Finns passion for the outdoors.

3. Rovaniemi, Finland

Photo: Omaly Darcia/Shutterstock

Four hours on the road, past yet more forests, and you reach the capital of Lapland, Rovaniemi. You’re on the Arctic circle now. If it’s late June and you check the local newspaper to find out when the sun will set, you’ll read: July 7. Even then, the sun will only be gone for 45 minutes.

Rovaniemi is famous as the home of Santa Claus, and in winter plane-loads of tourists arrive at its airport from as far as the UK and Japan to visit Santa’s Village. But Rovaniemi is also an ideal place to visit in summer to experience the white nights. You can stay in cabins along the Ounasjoki river, or at the base of Ounasvaara, Rovaniemi’s tallest point. Head to the top of Ounasvaara to watch the sun work its way along the horizon, without ever dropping out sight. You can mountain bike, hike with husky dogs, go horseback riding, or even float in a quiet lake, all in the middle of the night.

4. Inari, Finland

Photo: Stefano Zaccaria/Shutterstock

As you head north from Rovaniemi, the trees get progressively shorter, looking more compact and prepared to withstand two months of darkness a half-year from now. But around the summer solstice, Inari, reached in under four hours, basks in unending sunshine for two months. Actually, “basks” is too strong a word – the sun never gets high in the sky. Instead, it creates the sense of perpetual morning, illuminating everything with a crisp, white light, which is even more magical.

Inari is home to members of Finland’s Lapp, or Sami, population, and the area has four official languages: Finnish, and three versions of the language spoken by these once semi-nomadic people. The Sami still herd reindeer, and in Inari many of their products are for sale. Check out the Siida Museum of Sami culture on the banks of Lake Inari, and explore Lemmenjoki National Park, the largest national park in Finland. Lakeside cabins are a good place to rest before your last northward push.

5. Nordkapp, Norway

Photo: Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock

The journey to Nordkapp, or North Cape, is stunning. As you cross into Norway and drive along the waters of the Barents Sea, you’ll soon see iconic red or yellow houses, each one far from any neighbors, on the shoreline, with steep peaks rising behind them. You may marvel at the hardiness of people who could live in such remote conditions in a place that can endure month of darkness.

In theory, Nordkapp sees continuous sunshine from mid-April through the end of August. The reality is that Nordkapp is shrouded in fog most of the year, but it’s worth going there to say you’ve reached the northernmost point in Europe. Add to that rugged landscapes, hundreds of thousands of puffins, gannets, and cormorants, and it’s a dream spot for nature lovers. There are plenty of camping and hotel options all over the island of Nordkapp and on the European mainland just south of it.

6. Tromso, Norway

Photo: Diego Fiore/Shutterstock

The drive to Tromso, south of Nordkapp, is a long one, since the fjords that slice up Norway’s coastline make getting from point A to point B a circuitous undertaking. But while the drive will take many hours, it’s one you won’t forget. Inland, you’ll pass arctic-looking reindeer trodding over treeless landscapes of peat moss, while by the water you’ll marvel at tiny fishing villages backed by soaring mountains.

After so many days of quietly contemplating the white nights of summer in natural settings, you’ll appreciate arriving in Tromso, the largest city in northern Norway and a cultural center of sorts. Check out its wooden buildings, as well as its more modern buildings, like the angular Arctic Cathedral – where you can also hear choral, classical, or organ music at 11:30 p.m. every night through mid-August.

7. Riksgränsen, Norway

Photo: genlock/Shutterstock

The three-and-a half-hour journey into Rikgränsen, a ski resort on the Swedish side of the Norway-Sweden border, is the right call here. Driving any further south along Norway’s craggy coast will take many more days of travel. From Riksgränsen, you can head south in Sweden along the Gulf of Bothnia, perhaps overnighting in Umea, a seaside university town, before finishing up in Stockholm.

Is there really a better way to celebrate summer than skiing with the midnight sun? At an altitude of under 4000 feet, Riksgränsen is high enough to have some snow into the summer, keeping at least 2 of its 16 lifts open for skiing during the night. There are plenty of lodging options, from condos to hotels. And of course there is daylight, lots of it. Even if you don’t ski, take a gondola up to view the sun’s journey, as it arcs around its way around you, staying above the horizon – as it will do for weeks to come.


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Koko the gorilla dies at 46

We all know gorillas are capable of some pretty extraordinary, human-like behaviors, and now one of the most extraordinary gorillas that helped us understand this has sadly passed away. Koko the gorilla, who mastered sign language, died on Tuesday at age 46. In a release, The Gorilla Foundation said “Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy. She was beloved, and will be deeply missed.”

Koko was a western lowland gorilla born at the San Francisco Zoo in 1971. She learned sign language early in her life, enjoyed reading and being read to, and even purred at parts of books she particularly enjoyed. She also had an affinity for kittens, showing them a matronly care, and was widely known for her tenderness. She was said to have understood about 2,000 words of spoken English, and could actually follow conversations.

She was, perhaps, the first gorilla celebrity, having made friends with Robin Williams and TV’s Mr. Rogers, appearing in several documentaries, and twice featuring on the cover of National Geographic. She also dabbled in the art world, having painted a few pictures that are now available for purchase.

Although her passing is sad, there’s no denying her impact on research efforts to better understand gorillas, their emotional capacity, and cognitive abilities.

H/T: CNN

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signs your mom is from Maine

There are certain childhood experiences shared by those who grew up with a mom from Maine. Their expressions of tough love showed you how to be independent and made you consider your environmental footprint from a young age. From being taught how to swim at a crazy young age to being educated about recycling, here are 11 signs that you were raised by a mom from Maine.

1. You were sent outside to play no matter the weather.

Zero degrees? No problem. Your mom grew up playing outside and she expected you to do the same. She might not have let you stay in and play video games or watch movies on a cold day, but she did always have hot cocoa ready for you when you came in from the snow.

2. You and your mom had some of the same teachers.

It’s bound to happen when you grow up in the same town as your mother. There is a degree of comfort when your form teacher has fond or comical memories of your mom’s school days. And we tip our hat to the handful of teachers who educated generations of our family for 30+ years.

3. You were forced to take years of swim lessons.

You remember begging not to go and how shockingly cold the water always was, but there was no getting out of it. Your mom made sure that you learned to swim so that she didn’t have to worry about you swimming in the ocean. She would stand at the edge of the water and watch you like a hawk, but after a few years of lessons, she became more at ease leaving you to properly enjoy the water without surveillance.

4. You spent your childhood covered head to toe in sunscreen and bug repellent.

You and your siblings would be told to line up, and then one by one you would stand on the coffee table with your arms out so that mom could cover your entire body with sunscreen and/or bug spray. You dreaded it but knew there was no escape.

5. You can practically recite Miss Rumphius and Blueberries for Sal.

Mom’s pride for Maine meant that books by local authors were on heavy rotation. She may have even pointed out everyone she knew in The Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle and told you their backstory.

6. Growing up your chores included recycling and composting.

You started recycling before you even started school, and you know exactly what can and can’t be composted.

7. Everyone in town knows your mom.

You knew that you needed to behave because if you didn’t your mom would find out before you saw her again. Even the smallest things like riding a bike without a helmet would get back to her instantly. On the flip side, you definitely scored a couple of summer jobs just because the boss was friends with mom.

8. Your childhood involved learning Maine life skills.

You know how to ice fish, sail, start a bonfire, catch a fish, and set up a tent. Your mom wanted to make sure you learned how to fend for yourself…and you can, even in the apocalypse.

9. You know there would be hell to pay if you tracked sand, mud, or snow into the house.

You still hear your Mom’s voice in your head screaming “Don’t track into the house!” every time you approach a front door when you have muddy or wet shoes on.

10. You were told a cautionary tale for everything.

At some point you might have questioned your Mom’s ability to have a cautionary tale for everything — were all these crazy stories true, were they local tall tales, or did mom have an overactive imagination? Either way, you knew not to go swimming alone, to stick your hand out a car window, or to pet a stray dog.

11. Your mom is constantly trying to convince you to move back to Maine.

Your mom knows that Maine is the best place to raise a family, and she wants you to know it too. Even if you already live in Maine, she wants you to live closer. And she loves to find subtle ways to mention homes for sale near her whenever you chat.

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23 signs you were born and raised in Maine

The post 11 signs you were raised by a mom from Maine appeared first on Matador Network.

Queer Eye star opens restaurants

The beloved Queer Eye’s food expert Antoni Porowski is venturing out of comedy and TV into the restaurant business. Known for his love of avocados, healthy recipes, and helping people to turn their kitchen into a haven, the chef is to open a fast-casual restaurant in New York City.

Announced at a Queer Eye cast panel at the 92nd Street Y, Antoni revealed, “I’m all about, like, cheese and pork belly and decadence, and as a result of the increased vanity of being on camera all the time and working out and eating healthy, I’m developing a fast-casual food concept restaurant that I’m gonna be opening here in New York.” Although he was not supposed to let the cat out of the bag about his new business, fans of Queer Eye are already hoping that the menu will include a grapefruit and avocado or grilled-peach salad.

During the panel, Antoni went on to share about his past working as a waiter, manager, and sommelier at his family-run Polish restaurant before branching off into a career in TV. Antoni also talked about his upcoming cookbook, containing over 100 recipes, none of which include avocados.

One can only hope, Antoni continues working front of house, and, although the concept of ‘fast-casual’ is yet to be defined, we have no doubt that fans will be lining up to enjoy a Queer Eye dining experience.

H/T: Vulture

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Add the Faroe Islands to you list

Føroyar. That’s the local word for the Faroe Islands and its proper name. It’s a series of islands about halfway between Norway and Iceland, and is technically part of the Kingdom of Denmark, though it’s autonomous. I had a chance to make my way to this remote spot and explore it by foot, car, and plane. What I discovered was a lush land, wild weather, open roads, and this-can’t-be-real moments around each bend in the road.




1

Drangarnír is not easy to access. I drove to a small Faroese village, parked, climbed a fence, and walked for two hours straight up a slope without meeting a single other human being. When I arrived, most of the area was covered in thick Faroese fog. But, waiting almost always pays off on the Faroe Islands - conditions change extremely fast. The fog slowly started to diminish, uncovering the island of Tindhólmur that lies behind the majestic arch. I couldn’t have dreamed of better conditions to reflect the moodiness of this place.

2

From the same spot, I launched my drone and flew it over to the island behind the arch to capture it from above as the fog moved off. This island reminds me of a dinosaur swimming in the ocean. I was so blown away by the scene that I spent an hour flying my drone around and capturing the spot from all the different angles. Nature truly put on a show for us.

3

Gásadalur is a village that is well-known for the waterfall that dramatically crashes into the ocean at its feet, but there’s more to it. Behind the town lies a bench with this mind-blowing view. What you can’t see on the photo is that it was incredibly windy, so much so that it wasn’t easy to get the shot. I absolutely love the combination of the greens from the grass and the blues of the ocean in this photo. My friend Jack, the guy in the orange jacket, puts the massive cliffs into scale. Be careful if you climb around them though - it can be dangerous.

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4

Viðareiði is the northernmost town on the Faroe Islands. There’s just one road that leads to this place and it involves single-lane tunnels to boot. Viðareiði is surrounded by mountains on both sides, which makes the town look all sweet and tucked in. But it also makes for insane views: cliffs on the left, cliffs on the right, a sharp horizon, and sun rays breaking through the moody Faroese clouds. It was hard to leave this place, but as dusk rolled in, so did my hunger. As restaurants are scarce outside of the major town centers of Tórshavn or Klaksvik, I decided to leave. Remember to pack snacks.

5

I got a chance to fly in a small plane above the Faroe islands, and I noticed two things about the roads etched through the landscape. One, how precarious they could look as they weaved particularly close to the cliffs; and two, how few cars there were. When it rains (which it does regularly), waterfalls start running down the side of the mountains about every 50 meters.

6

The lack of cars made for an enjoyable road trip back on land - often ours was the only car on the road. One thing to watch out for while driving are the sheep; the Faroe Islands have more sheep than inhabitants. If you get into a traffic jam, it’s clearly not with other cars. It’s with sheep.

7

Føroyar is bird paradise. It also has views for days, extremely heavy winds to play with, and lots of fish (we assume, given the birds chowing down). Without a human in the photo, it’s always hard to get the majesticness of these cliffs across - they’re several hundred meters high. Sørvágsvatn lies on the island of Vágar, and it’s one of the more accessible locations of the Faroese Islands. It has a path leading all the way from the parking area to the ocean, about a one-hour hike.

8

This is what lies behind the cliffs of the previous photo. Even though I was completely safe from the waves below me, I still felt a huge amount of respect towards the ocean while standing here. I’ve never seen a natural force as powerful as the sea on that day. The collision of waves sounded like explosions and I felt the noise in my stomach rather than in my ears.

9

Still doubting how windy it is on the Faroe Islands? I had to hold onto wooden pillars for this shot so the wind wouldn't push me over. Walking was hardly possible and the seagulls you see in this shot actually couldn't fly against the wind - they seemed to enjoy the storm quite a bit though, just kind of hovering in the air unable to fly forward. This is the town of Gjógv with its natural gorge harbor.

10

Witnessing nature's incredible power, beauty, and vulnerability in a place like the Faroe Islands made me appreciate how special it all is. I left inspired to respect nature more deeply, and take action to protect our planet so future generations can show up to the Faroe Islands and have the same experiences that I did.

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All-you-can-eat buffet bankrupt

Crushing it at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet is a skill that takes years of over-stuffing your face to hone. A restaurant in Chengdu, China learned the hard way that no one is more skilled in this fine art than the Chinese themselves. Jiamenar, a hot-pot restaurant in the bustling city of nearly 15 million, was forced to close its doors after only two weeks in business because customers ate too much food. A poorly laid out plan for an all-you-can-eat buffet that sent food costs through the roof and put the restaurant under.

While the buffet concept itself may not have been entirely a bad idea, it was the marketing effort that delivered the killer blow. Hoping to attract a loyal following, the restaurant allowed diners to buy a $25 all-you-can-eat card giving them unlimited access to the buffet for an entire month. Upon learning this, Chengdu residents lined up to take full advantage of the offer, forming lines in front of the restaurant each morning. After gorging themselves, the diners decided to optimize their investment even more by passing the card on to friends and family, creating utter chaos inside the dining room and sending over 500 people through the buffet line (multiple times, of course) each day.

Despite the staff being overwhelmed and the kitchen hardly able to keep up with demand, hungry diners continued to pour through the doors nonstop to take advantage of the killer deal, eventually sending the ownership over the breaking point. The opening promotion backfired horribly, and Jiamenar shut its doors with the owners over $100,000 in debt. Su Jie, a co-owner of Jiamenar, told the Chengdu Economic Daily “the uncivilised behaviour of the diners was secondary — the main problem was our poor management.”

H/T: Muchines

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Airlines refuse fly kids

In response to the separation of immigrant children from their families at the southern US border, several airlines have refused to play any part in the Trump administration’s no-tolerance policy. On Wednesday, American Airlines asked the government to stop using its commercial plans to transport separated children — and they’re not alone. Frontier Airlines has also asserted that it would not “allow [their] flights to be used to transport migrant children away from their families;” similar statements are also coming from United and Southwest airlines.

Following these firm declarations by the country’s biggest airlines, and a national public outcry, President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to end the separation of families. Instead, parents and children will be detained together — a decision that’s still being met with much public disapproval.

The level of the airline industry’s involvement in this issue shows how contentious it has become. For many flight attendants, seeing children accompanied on flights by federal agents has been harrowing. They are trained to care for unaccompanied minors, ease their fears while flying, and make them feel welcome; even under ordinary circumstances, flight attendants have seen first-hand how difficult it can be for children flying without their parents. Participating in a process that forcibly separates children from their families, which instills fear and uncertainty into child passengers, runs counter to a flight attendant’s instincts.

Dallas-based flight attendant Hunt Palmquist described “two of the most disturbing flights of my life” in an essay published in the Houston Chronicle. “There were ICE agents,” he said, “and migrant children (approximately four to eleven years old) who had been separated from their families and were being flown to a ‘relocation’ site.” The flight made a lasting impression on Palmquist, which he will not soon forget. “The images of those helpless children have been burned into my psyche…faces full of fear, confusion, sadness and exhaustion left me somewhat traumatized, as it occurred to me a few weeks later that I might as well have been a collaborator in their transport.”

It’s naive to think the airline’s actions represent a complete swing away from a corporate mindset, but it does represent the power of public opinion. Criticism of President Trump’s immigration policy was so widespread that airlines simply couldn’t ignore a simple truth: there is an ethical line in the sand, and a lot of consumers are falling on one side of it.

The outpouring of love and support for immigrant families might not change federal policy, but it does signal to industries that rely on public support — like the airlines — that falling on the decent side of that ethical line is, ultimately, the right thing to do.

H/T: New York Times

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Aer Lingus denies drunk passengers

If you were hoping to board your next Aer Lingus flight in a drunken haze, utter a few untoward comments to fellow passengers and flight attendants, and then drift peacefully to sleep, you may need to rethink your plan. Aer Lingus has announced that it will now prohibit inebriated passengers from boarding its planes.

The rule is part of a trend toward curbing drunken behavior on flights. In an incident over the weekend, a Ryanair flight en route to Ibiza was diverted because of a group of drunk, unruly passengers. Following the incident, Ryanair called on airports to ban serving alcohol before 10 AM and to institute a two-drink limit. Dublin Airport, however, isn’t taking kindly to that suggestion. In a statement to theJournal.ie, Dublin Airport spokesman Paul O’Kane said that the airport will “continue to work with its airline customers and all other agencies in relation to this issue, and will again remind the license holders in its bars and restaurants of their responsibilities.”

Aer Lingus’ new rule comes on the heels of Ryanair’s call for airport sobriety. In addition to prohibiting passenger drunkenness, the airline will also confiscate any open containers of alcohol found on passengers. “Should a guest become disruptive in flight, said an Aer Lingus spokeswoman in a statement, “they may be denied future travel on the airline.”

H/T: The Points Guy

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