•Volcanic Ash Still Wreaking Havoc: The great clouds of ash released by the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced EYE-a-fyat-la-jo-kutl) volcano continue to ground thousands of flights flying in and out of airports in Northern and Central Europe, including London, Paris, and Berlin. Transatlantic flights are expected to be cancelled or delayed until at least Saturday – and possibly longer since the volcano is still erupting. (more…)

•Ashes to Ashes: Hundreds of flights throughout Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia (mostly between Northern European destinations) were cancelled today due to skies filled with floating ash released by an Icelandic volcano that began erupting yesterday. The ash – which can hinder visibility and get sucked into engines (particles range in size from 0.001 to 2mm and can be as hard as metal) – hampered many travelers plans, including those of Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja, who were set to fly to Copenhagen for the Danish queen’s 70th birthday.

•Rio’s Corcovado Closed: Last week’s historic rainfall in Rio de Janeiro, wreaked havoc on the Cidade Maravilhosa with flooding and mudslides leading to the death of over 60 people (and 250 in the surrounding state). Another casualty was the city’s symbol and top tourist attraction: the 31-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer that, perched atop Corcovado mountain, commands a view of the entire city. Due to mudslides in the surrounding Tijuca National Park, access has been obstructed; making the site safe for tourists could take several months. (more…)

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•A Spirited Defense of Carry-On Fees: Spirit, the airline that’s infamous for inaugurating the concept of carry-on fees, is trying to calm the outrage following its intention to raise fees to a whopping $45 per item (scheduled to enter into effect on August 1). In a surreal example of damage control, Spirit’s CEO, Ben Baldanza, released this video in which (squeezed into an overhead compartment), he claims that passengers are fed up with crammed overhead bins and long lines to board planes. He also promises that the new carry-on fees will be offset by lower ticket prices and better service. (more…)

•The Big Sleep: Many travelers complain about not being able to fall asleep on airplanes, but the opposite occurs as well. Last week, after drinking vast quantities of Coca Cola in order to stay awake on his flight from London to Calgary, British law professor, Kris Lines, dozed off during his 90-minute connecting Air Canada flight to Vancouver.
To his surprise, Lines was awakened 3 hours later by an equally surprised mechanic, only to discover that he was in an airplane hangar. Claiming this was an “isolated incident,” Air Canada apologized to Lines for not waking him up, and offered him a 20 percent discount on a future flight. The moral? Always fly with an alarm clock.

•Be Careful What You Wager: When cocky UK journalist Byrony Gordon published a challenge in The Telegraph betting “her flat and all its contents that nobody has ever said the words ‘Ryanair’, ‘marvelous,’ and ‘service’ in the same sentence,” the Irish-based budget airline took her up on her challenge – and won. The no-frills airline immediately published a selection of customer satisfaction letters on its website, touting, among other things, its “fantastic” flights and “highly efficient” and “friendly” crew. On its website, the airline also announced that it is “now seeking possession” of its winnings. (more…)

Here’s a few interesting news pieces from the travel world today:

•Two Bags are Better than One: Last week Transport Canada brought joy to many baggage-toting Canadian travelers with the announcement that Canadians traveling to the U.S. would once again be able to board the plane in the company of two pieces of hand luggage. Since the foiled Underwear Bomber attack, in which a Nigerian passenger tried to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest aircraft on Christmas Day, Canadians had been limited to one carry-on (and, at first, none). The return to a less paranoid, more civilized baggage rule went into effect last Thursday.

•California Dreaming: Air Canada kicked off its conquest of California with the inaugural flight of a new service between Toronto and Orange County. This summer the airline will be offering 77 weekly flights between TO and CA. Highlights include a new route to San Diego and the launch of a new wide-body aircraft featuring Executive First service on select flights to Los Angeles.

•London Calling: In the merry month of March, the British capital was the top destination of both Canadian and American flyers, knocking out previous favorite New York for the second month in a row. While the Big Apple remained Americans’ second favorite choice, it was third for Canadians who preferred the je ne sais quoi of Paris. Toronto and Vancouver (in 5th and 6th place) were also Top 10 destinations for Canadian travelers in March.

•When in Rome: From April 16-25, it’s Settimana della Cultura, or Cultura Week, in Italy. This not only means free admission to all national museums and monuments (Rome’s municipal sites will also be free or discounted), but visitors can also take advantage of rare access to palaces and archaeological sites that aren’t normally open to the public such as the sumptuous Palazzo Mattei di Giovi and the Scavi de Ostia Antica.

•Glaciers: Going, Going, Gone: Last week, the bell tolled for two more glaciers, which officially disappeared from Glacier National Park, located in the Rocky Mountains (to qualify as a “glacier”, ice masses must measure at least 25 acres). Researchers predict that most of the Montana park’s 25 remaining glaciers (which once numbered 150) could be gone by 2020.  Due to global warming, 90 percent of the planet’s glaciers are shrinking. The biggest losses are taking place in Alaska, the Alps, and the Andes.

•U.S. Receives More – But Cheaper – Visitors: The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the U.S. received 3.4 million international travelers in January. This figure represents a 10 percent increase over January 2009 – however, the latest influx of travelers spent 3 percent less than their predecessors. The biggest increases – all in the double-digits – were among travelers from Canada, Brazil, South Korea, China, and Australia.