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Every Friday, we help you navigate the week’s most important and interesting travel news stories.
Attentie!
Breaking travel news on Twitter
Canada’s largest carrier, Air Canada, said that in 2013 it will launch a low-cost airline serving southern US tourist destinations such as Las Vegas. This could be good news for travellers looking for competitive airfare pricing. [Airwise]
US airlines recently achieved best ever on-time arrival records for passengers and luggage, according to the latest Department of Transportation survey. Good weather helped. [LA Times]
Upgrade!
Amazing things that should happen more often
Our most re-tweeted item of the week was the news that the free Google Translate app now uses augmented reality to translate foreign-language signs as seen through your smartphone camera. The trick is similar to an innovation pioneered by the paid app Word Lens. The rub: you better have a good data plan and an Internet connection while travelling overseas. [Engadget]
Our other most re-tweeted item of the week was news that the UK-based airline Jet2 is removing debit card payment charges, copying the same move recently made by easyJet and Ryanair. Hope other airlines follow! [WhichBudget and MailOnline]
El Al Airlines mistakenly sold 5,000 round-trip tickets between New York City and Israel at the super-low price of $400. In a good move, the airline will honour the prices, which resulted from a computer malfunction. [NY Post]
In-flight entertainment
Photos, videos and wacky news stories that went viral on the Web this week
Many readers liked our tweet of a map of stereotypes about every US state as generated by Google Search auto complete. Examples include common phrases about Florida, like “so humid” and “so weird”. [No Upside]
It's official! You can find anything you want in New York City, including alcohol-infused sandwiches. Manhattan panini shop Salumè offers to drip a variety of spirits over your finished sandwich. [HuffPostFood]
Turbulence
Hold on folks, we’re in for a rocky ride
In case the broken wing wasn't scary enough on its own, an Alaska Airlines maintenance crew member left this wacky message on this airplane’s wing. [Gizmodo]
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