Exotic and faraway vacations that money can buy
Market turmoil. Digital overload. Scary headlines. On the travel front, it's no wonder 'off grid' and 'unplugged' vacations are trending. A recent Booking.com survey revealed that 56 per cent of global travellers were seeking 'off the beaten path' destinations to escape from the drama of daily life.
'Our clients are taking sabbaticals or going on long trips to faraway places, where they are completely unreachable, no Wi-Fi, no cell service,' said Ms Erica Jackowitz, a co-founder of New York-based Reve Travel Club, which caters to busy professionals. She notes that many of her clients have recently chosen far-flung destinations, including Mongolia, Peru and the deserts of Saudi Arabia.
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AsiaOne
40 minutes ago
- AsiaOne
AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport, passengers say crew 'appeared just as confused', Asia News
Passengers and crew members were stunned when their flight bound for Seoul touched down at Gimpo International Airport instead of Incheon International Airport as planned. AirAsia flight D7506 departed from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Aug 13 and was scheduled to reach Incheon at 7.50pm, but ended up at Gimpo at 8.08pm instead, reported The Korea Herald. The pilot announced that they had arrived in Incheon upon touchdown, but passengers noticed that they were in Gimpo after looking out the window while preparing to disembark from the plane. "Everyone panicked. It seemed the cabin crew didn't know we landed at Gimpo until passengers told them. One crew member even said she needed to call her parents, who were waiting for her at Incheon International Airport," Lee Mi-hyun, a passenger, told The Korea Herald. According to the Korea Airports Corporation, the diversion to Gimpo was caused by "turbulence" over Incheon Airport. The flight refuelled at Gimpo and departed for Incheon later at 10.17pm, eventually landing at 10.54pm. The airline crew did not manage the situation adequately during the two-hour delay, according to Lee. "They appeared just as confused as the passengers," she told The Korea Herald, adding that some passengers even contemplated getting off at Gimpo instead of waiting to return to Incheon. "No water was offered, and there was almost no food left on board, leaving passengers with children upset," she added. Another passenger, surnamed Kim, told Korea JoongAng Daily that passengers were told conflicting explanations over the situation, including turbulence and a fuel shortage. "Even when we finally got to Incheon, no apology was given," added the 38-year-old. 'A planned diversion': AirAsia The Malaysia-based low-cost carrier issued a statement on Thursday (Aug 14) following the incident, acknowledging the incident but saying that it was "a planned diversion". "The captain acted in full accordance with standard operating procedures, including keeping guests informed of the diversion initially in English," the airline said. Citing "air traffic congestion at Incheon due to adverse weather conditions" as the reason for the diversion, the airline also said that the miscommunication between cabin crew was rectified promptly. Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X, said that it was an "unforeseen situation" and that the diversion was made "in the interest of safety". "We will also review our internal announcements and onboard information-sharing processes to ensure greater clarity in such situations," he said, thanking passengers for their understanding. In their statement, the airline also said that they will be extending travel vouchers to the affected guests as a gesture of goodwill. [[nid:720523]]
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
Airbnb lets US guests defer payments until closer to check-in
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Airbnb said the the "Reserve Now, Pay Later" feature could help US-based hosts get more reservations. WASHINGTON – Airbnb is letting guests in the US reserve some trips without paying upfront, an effort to win over budget-conscious travelers who may be reluctant to book in advance. The feature, called 'Reserve Now, Pay Later,' is available for US-based rental listings that have a flexible or moderate cancellation policy, the company said in a statement Aug 1 3. Guests do not need to pay the full amount until eight days before the end of the listing's free cancellation period, it said. The option is not a loan and doesn't require credit checks or interest, it added. This is the latest flexible payment option the online travel company has added in recent years to appeal to travelers who may be holding out on making reservations, particularly if they're on a budget or coordinating group trips. Airbnb said the new feature could help US-based hosts get more reservations, after it warned last week of moderating gains through the remainder of the year. The North American business has been a drag on overall bookings growth, which rose 7.4 per cent in the second quarter and would have seen a double-digit increase excluding the region, Airbnb said. The company already offers the option for guests to pay for a portion of their reservation and the rest until closer to check-in. It also allows customers to pay by installments through the buy-now-pay-later service Klarna Group Plc. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Straits Times
‘Even the crew didn't know': confusion as AirAsia flight lands at wrong airport in South Korea
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Some passengers criticised the airline for failing to provide a clear explanation of the situation. AirAsia, the Malaysia-based low-cost carrier, is under fire after a flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport landed at Gimpo International Airport instead of its scheduled destination, Incheon Airport, news reports said on Aug 14 . Originally set to reach Incheon at 7.50pm South Korean time (6.50pm Singapore time) on Aug 13 , AirAsia flight D7 506 reportedly touched down at Gimpo at 8.08pm after circling in the air. According to passengers on the flight, after the captain announced they had arrived at Incheon, people stood up to retrieve their bags from the overhead compartments, but some looked out the windows and checked their phones to find they were at Gimpo. 'Everyone panicked. It seemed the cabin crew didn't know we landed at Gimpo until passengers told them. ' One crew member even said she needed to call her parents, who were waiting for her at Incheon International Airport,' Ms Lee Mi-hyun, a passenger in her 40s who was returning from a trip to Malaysia with her husband and 8-year-old daughter, told The Korea Herald. What caused the flight to divert to Gimpo was 'turbulence' over Incheon Airport, where it refuelled before departing again for Incheon about two hours later at 10.17pm, according to the Korea Airports Corporation. Ms Lee noted that the crew failed to adequately handle the situation during the two hours before departure for Incheon. 'They appeared just as confused as the passengers. No water was offered, and there was almost no food left on board, leaving passengers with children upset. Some even said they would rather get off at Gimpo before the plane departed for Incheon,' she said. The captain and crew apologised over the public announcement system as the plane headed to Incheon, where it landed at 10.59pm, according to Ms Lee. Some passengers criticised the airline for failing to provide a clear explanation of the situation. 'During the two hours before we departed for Incheon again, there was no clear explanation of what caused the landing error or any effort to reassure passengers,' another passenger surnamed Ryu, 39, told The Korea Herald. AirAsia has not commented on the incident. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
