Latest news with #AuroraBorealis
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘Fantastic news' – Irish airport announces ‘exciting' new route to European city starting next year
AN Irish airport has announced an "exciting" new route to Frankfurt. Discover Airlines, a Lufthansa Group subsidiary, is set to introduce a direct, twice-weekly service from Shannon Airport to the German city from April 4, 2026. 2 Shannon Airport welcome the new Frankfurt route 2 The first flight will take off on April 4, 2026 The route will operate on Saturdays running from April 4 to October 24, 2026, and on Thursdays from May 14 to September 24, offering passengers a quick two-hour journey on board an Airbus A320-200. The new Frankfurt route will add more than 16,700 seats to Shannon's summer schedule. CEO of the Shannon "Having direct access to Frankfurt, one of Europe's key airport hubs and a leading financial centre, opens up incredible opportunities for both connectivity and growth. READ MORE IN TRAVEL "It's a win not just for business travel, but also for regional tourism. Germany is a hugely important market for us, and with this new direct route, inbound visitors have an easier path to the beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way and all that the West of Ireland has to offer.' Head of Aviation Development at Shannon Airport, Declan Power said: 'We're proud to announce this new route today - a testament to the strong demand from our passengers flying to and from Shannon Airport. "We've worked closely with our new airline partner, Discover Airlines, to deliver this strategic connection to Frankfurt, one of Europe's premier hubs and we're confident the service will really resonate with both business and leisure travellers alike." As part of the Lufthansa Group, Discover Airlines will connect to the vast Lufthansa Group network through their Frankfurt hub. Most read in News Travel This offers convenient and regular onward connections to destinations across Germany, Europe and beyond to Asia, Africa and the Americas. The service features coordinated flight and rail transfers, and convenient departure times from Shannon to ensure smooth afternoon and evening connections from Frankfurt. I'm an Aer Lingus flight attendant - here's a look at our newest flight direct to US destination from Dublin Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has added a new route to one of the best places in the world to A brand-new direct route from Whether chasing the Aurora Borealis, taking advantage of 24-hour skiing, or just looking for a picturesque winter escape, Tromsø has something for the whole family. Flights will operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Sundays, from until March 25 with one-way fares available from €99.99 including taxes, charges and carrier-imposed fees. Chief Customer Officer, Susanne Carberry said: 'Our new direct service from Dublin to Tromsø introduces Norway to the Aer Lingus network for the first time . "This is a fantastic opportunity for our customers in Ireland to discover the natural beauty and unique experiences of Northern Norway this winter. "The new route also offers the people of Tromsø and surrounding areas a convenient connection to Dublin and a chance to explore all that Ireland has to offer.' Route developer at Avinor, Airports of With its unique location within the Northern Lights Belt, Tromsø is an ideal destination for visitors hoping to experience the beauty of the Aurora Borealis. The city's famous Fjellheisen cable car to the summit of Mount Storsteinen offers one of the best ways to see this natural phenomenon, whilst also enjoying panoramic views of the city – including its famous Arctic Cathedral. Just 12km from the airport, Tromsø Alpinpark offers slopes for all skill levels—perfect for snow sports enthusiasts seeking adventure in the Arctic. Adding to the airline's portfolio of 'Coolcation' destinations, Tromsø is the fourth new short haul route added to Aer Lingus' 2025/26 winter schedule. Aer Lingus will also launch new direct flights from Dublin to Turin this winter, as well as direct flights from Cork to Prague and Geneva. And the airline is also having a The Irish airline has slashed prices with up to 20 per cent off some routes. Passengers must travel between August 18 and September 30 to avail of the cheap Catch some sunshine in beautiful Faro, Located in the Algarve region, Faro is known and loved for its unique island beaches, intriguing architecture and buzzing nightlife. Escape to sunny Palma de Mallorca in Spain for a bargain €58.40 from Dublin. The Sun lovers can also catch a flight from Cork to Malaga for just €58.17. Malaga, with over 300 days of sunshine a year, is a great spot for a mix of sun, culture and history. Sun worshippers in the capital can also snap up flights to Tenerife from €82.40 and Lanzarote from just €92.80. For holidaymakers who like a mix of sun and city, flights from Dublin to Barcelona are a steal from €44.60. From tapas bars and seafood taverns to super-trendy molecular gastronomy, there's plenty for foodies to indulge in.
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘My hands and feet went numb': Toronto man, 26, wins $60-million Lotto 6-49 Gold Ball jackpot
A 26-year-old Toronto man may never have work again after winning a $60-million lottery jackpot. Bocheng Mei won the Lotto 6-49 Gold Ball jackpot from the May 7 draw. Now, he plans to buy a new home in Toronto and to take care of his parents. 'I can now change their lives along with my own. I can provide for them now and make so many things happen for all of us that were never possible before,' he said in a news release from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. While he may never need to work again, Mei plans to continue learning. 'I love to learn, so I want to take advantage of various educational opportunities. I also want to explore different cultures, so that means plenty of travel. I really want to experience the Aurora Borealis as well, which may involve trips to Finland and Iceland.' The new multimillionaire buys his lottery tickets online and uses the OLG's 'Never Miss a Draw' subscription service. He discovered his lottery win from a telephone call from an unknown number, which turned out to be from an OLG representative. The reason he received the call is because he had missed an earlier email from the OLG informing him of his win. At first, he worried the call was a scam. 'I answered the call, and the person said they were from OLG,' he said. 'I started googling them to see if they were legit, as I've had enough experience detecting scam calls. I knew they were really OLG representatives because they didn't ask for any banking information. They just asked me to check my account. That's when I discovered I had a winning ticket, and it said I'd won $60 million! My hands and feet went numb.' The OLG rep walked him through the next steps, but everything felt like a dream, Mei said. After his phone call with the OLG, Mei, who works in the software industry, had to join a work meeting online, which he did right after and tried to keep it cool. Once the meeting was over, he logged off from his computer and took the time to think about his windfall. He then called his parents to share the news. 'I tried to be very calm when I told them I'd won a big prize,' he said. 'They wanted to make sure I wasn't being tricked, but they know I'm always very cautious. When I told them the prize was $60 million, I reassured them they would never need to worry about money again. I told them they could retire and enjoy life. They were so shocked to hear the news.' He kept the news quiet for a while but eventually told a small group of friends. 'They were so excited for me and started jumping for joy. I'm not a super expressive person, but they were acting exactly how I was feeling inside. I'm very lucky to have them by my side,' he said. He may also have inspired his friends. 'Most of my friends don't buy lottery tickets — I think I'm the only one. But now that this news is out, I think they'll change their minds,' he said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘My hands and feet went numb': 26-year-old Toronto man wins $60M in Lotto 6/49 jackpot
Bocheng Mei wasn't expecting to become a multimillionaire when he picked up a call from an unknown number. The 26-year-old Toronto resident is Ontario's newest lottery winner, taking home the $60 million Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot from the May 7 draw. His winning ticket was purchased online through , using the site's 'Never Miss a Draw' subscription feature, which automatically enters players in upcoming draws. After seeing various lottery winners on social media and in the news, Mei decided to try his own luck by signing up online for the subscription. 'I do most stuff online, so I picked my own numbers, added ENCORE, and never had to think about it again — because I knew my tickets would be purchased automatically,' Mei said during his winner celebration in Toronto. When OLG tried to reach out to notify him of the prize, a feature of being an account holder on , he had missed the email. Then, he got a call from an unknown number. 'I answered the call, and the person said they were from OLG,' he said. Skeptical of being scammed, Mei began to Google the representative to confirm they were genuine. 'I knew they were really OLG representatives because they didn't ask for any banking information. They just asked me to check my account. That's when I discovered I had a winning ticket, and it said I'd won $60 million! My hands and feet went numb,' he recalled. Still processing the shock, Mei, who works in the software industry, had to attend a work meeting immediately after the call. After wrapping up his workday, the first people he told were his parents. 'I tried to be very calm when I told them I'd won a big prize. They wanted to make sure I wasn't being tricked, but they know I'm always very cautious,' he said. 'I told them they could retire and enjoy life. They were so shocked to hear the news.' It took a few days for reality to sink in. Eventually, he told a small circle of close friends, who were overjoyed. As one of the only people amongst his friends who purchases lottery tickets, Mei joked that he might be starting a trend. Now, with $60 million in his account, Mei says he's taking time to plan his next steps carefully. 'I love to learn, so I want to take advantage of various educational opportunities. I also want to explore different cultures, so that means plenty of travel,' he said, adding that seeing the Aurora Borealis is on his bucket list. He also hopes to buy a home in Toronto and, most importantly, provide for his parents. 'I can now change their lives along with my own,' Mei said. 'I can provide for them now and make so many things happen for all of us that were never possible before.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Northern Lights: Six Unique Aurora Adventures To Book Now For Winter
The Northern Lights from Abisko, Sweden. Everyone wants to see the aurora borealis. Expedia's Unpack '25 report saw 61% of respondents wanting to see the Northern Lights. The current solar maximum (when the sun is at its most active every 11 years or so) has seen the Northern Lights glimpsed at more southerly latitudes than is possible, but to get a reliable show, you must head to the Arctic Circle, most reliably between September and March. Beyond 2027, displays of the Northern Lights at lower latitudes will wane, but those at higher latitudes where the auroral oval sits almost permanently —including Alaska, northern Canada, Iceland, northern Norway, Sweden and Finland — will continue to host aurora displays. 1. Chase The Aurora With Wil Lots of people think they know about the Northern Lights, having seen them once. A select few can predict them almost down to the minute. One of the latter is Wil Cheung, an experienced aurora chaser from the U.K., who's seen the Northern Lights over 300 times and sends out incredibly accurate daily alerts on Facebook about when to see the aurora. His latest aurora cruise, from Liverpool in the U.K. into the aurora zone around Norway, during which he'll use his ability to interpret real-time solar data to have guests out on deck during the all-important expansion phases. The cruise also includes professional photographers running workshops and lectures from astrophysicists. It will take place between Oct. 16 and 25, coinciding with the peak of the Orionid meteor shower. Aurora tourists taking in the sky show on March 14, 2018 from the aft deck of the Hurtigruten ship ... More the m/s Nordnorge on the journey south, from a location north of Tromso this night This is a single 2-second exposure with the Rokinon 12mm full-frame fish-eye lens and Nikon D750 at ISO 8000. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images) 2. Learn How To Photograph The Aurora The tiny town of Churchill on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, is one of the best places to see polar bears in the wild from tundra vehicles. It's also a mecca for aurora-hunters. This Northern Lights Photo Expedition from Natural Habitat Adventures features expert photographer guides, snowshoeing and dog sledding. 3. Ride The Northern Lights Train Between Narvik in Norway's Nordland and Kiruna in Sweden runs the Ofot line, one of the northernmost railway lines in the world. It's there to take iron ore — 100 tons at a time — to the coast for export around the world. However, it's known as The Arctic Train, taking tourists from the fjord in Narvik to Abisko National Park in Sweden. The latter is home to incredible landscapes, Aurora Sky, where you can ride a chairlift in the dark while surrounded by aurora up to a mountain for a gorgeous view over Lake Torneträsk. 4. Take A Journey On An Astronomy Voyage This unique journey on MS Trollfjord up the Norwegian coast from Oslo to Honningsvåg in the far north and back over a leisurely 15 days, with lectures from expert astronomer, Tom Kerss, Hurtigruten's Chief Aurora Chaser. This North Cape Line trip includes multiple stops and endless opportunities to view and photograph the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights appear over Mount Kirkjufell with Kirkjufellfoss waterfall in Iceland. 5. Take An 'Extreme' Aurora Tour Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, but finding a clear sky can mean a lot of driving in the dark, often in icy conditions. This "extreme" tour from Reykjavik eschews the typical two-hour tour that has only a small chance of success and extends it to an all-nighter. Lasting up to 10 hours from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., this tour can reach iconic places such as Kirkjufell — Church Mountain — on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland, which is too far from Reykjavik to feature on most aurora tours. The driver and guide is also an experienced aurora photographer, who will capture images and share them with guests. As the name suggests, Viking outfits are available for quirky images against the backdrop of the aurora. 6. Hire A Private Aurora Guide If you've seen the Northern Lights raging above you from Alaska or northern Europe, it's natural to want to show your friends and family. Trouble is, if you do take them, you're now in charge of finding them the aurora. Designed to give families and groups the best chance to experience the aurora dancing in Arctic skies, Lights Over Lapland has a four-day adventure in Abisko National Park, Sweden, for up to 12 people, spread over two traditional Swedish homes, accompanied by a highly experienced aurora guide with a 4x4 to get you all to the wilderness when the aurora appears. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Extra.ie
4 days ago
- Extra.ie
Aer Lingus launches magical new winter route from Dublin
Aer Lingus is bringing a serious dose of winter magic to its upcoming schedule with the launch of a brand-new route from Dublin to Tromsø, Norway – one of the top spots on the planet to catch the Northern Lights in all their glory. Starting December 3, the airline will fly direct to Tromsø twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, with flights running through March 25, 2026. One-way fares start at €99.99, including taxes, charges and carrier-imposed fees. Aer Lingus cabin crew member Lauryn Hamilton pictured as the airline announces a new winter route from Dublin to Tromsø. Pic: Naoise Culhane It's also not just for Irish holidaymakers as the new route opens up a direct link for Norwegians looking to explore Ireland too. Tromsø is one of the world's best places to catch the Aurora Borealis or to take advantage of their '24-hour skiing' experience. Susanne Carberry, Chief Customer Officer at Aer Lingus, said: 'Our new direct service from Dublin to Tromsø introduces Norway to the Aer Lingus network for the first time. 'This is a fantastic opportunity for our customers in Ireland to discover the natural beauty and unique experiences of Northern Norway this winter. 'The new route also offers the people of Tromsø and surrounding areas a convenient connection to Dublin and a chance to explore all that Ireland has to offer.' The destination is a great place to see the Northern Lights. Pic: Naoise Culhane Tromsø's appeal goes well beyond its light show with their famous Fjellheisen cable car whisking visitors up Mount Storsteinen for stunning views of the city and the iconic Arctic Cathedral. Just 12 km from the airport, Tromsø Alpinpark is ready to welcome 'skiers of all levels'. Ulv Elbirk from Avinor, the Norwegian airport operator, said they're expecting the route to attract not just Irish but also American visitors, giving Tromsø's tourism scene another boost. The new service is part of Aer Lingus' growing list of 'Coolcation' destinations which, as the name suggests, are cool in temperature but great for seeking adventure. Tromsø joins a busy winter lineup that also includes new routes from Dublin to Turin and from Cork to both Prague and Geneva.
