YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
Escape Artists offers up a global discourse ranging from great finds close to home to adventures far afield. You'll find weekly travel deals here, too. Share your road wisdom, rave about great finds and rant about roadblocks that get in the way of a great trip.
Contributors: Travel editor Kerri Westenberg, Curt Brown, James Lileks and Bill Ward.
Email us with tips and questions.
Air France faces strike
Posted by: Kerri Westenberg under Airlines, International travel Updated: February 6, 2012 - 11:46 AM
If you are heading to France via Air France, take note: The airline has cancelled flights and is making ongoing adjustments due to a strike by aviation workers that began today. Despite the actions, Air France is operating a majority of its flights. The strike is expected to run through Thursday, Feb. 9. According to a press release from Air France, the airline expects to operate 85 percent of its long-haul flights and 80 percent of its medium-haul flights. They have canceled or rescheduled some flights, but only 4 long-haul flights, according to the Washing Post.
If you are scheduled to fly the airline during the strike, you will be able to postpone or alter your flights. If you proceed with travels, Air France suggests passengers ensure their contact information is thorough and accurate. You can change your plans or update contacts and check the current flight schedules at the airline website.
Act fast for airline ticket sales
Posted by: Kerri Westenberg under Airlines, Deals Updated: February 1, 2012 - 10:09 AMA Smarter Travel e-mail landed in my inbox just now alerting me that America and Delta are matching an airfare sale launched by Southwest. Act fast: Sale ends tomorrow. Read more about it here.
Unhappy travelers miss happy meals
Posted by: Kerri Westenberg under Airports, Minnesota Updated: January 31, 2012 - 10:08 AMDelta made an unpopular decision when it pulled two McDonald's outlets in concourse G at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Delta controls vendors in the concourse; the Metropolitan Airports Commission has the rest of the airport. There's no Egg McMuffins to be found. Read all about it.
I was thrilled to see snow falling this morning. Conditions are ripening for my upcoming cross-country ski weekend. If you have a snow-centric getaway planned, you can get an up-to-date look at snow depths across the nation at this page of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's website. To get a sense of snow depths and conditions on state trails around Minnesota, go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.
After a cruise, no longer taking captain for grant
Posted by: Curt Brown under Cruises, International travel Updated: January 22, 2012 - 12:25 PMEvery day around noon on our Celebrity Solstice cruise through the Caribbean, Captain Gary would come booming over the loudspeaker and give the thousands of passengers longitudinal information we didn't understand, distance information equally confusing (sea miles vs. regular miles?) and the he'd sign off with a little joke. Three examples and I quote: "Man who walks in front of car will get tired; man who walks behind car with get exhausted and man who stands on toilet will get high on pot."
On New Year's Eve, hour after he deftly U-turned to drop off a passenger in St. Maarten for undisclosed reasons, we saw Capt. Gary sipping champagne with the revelers around the pool deck. He cemented his amiable personality on the last night in the big theater after the standup comic suggested next time, the over-70 crowd avoid napping in public spaces because, well, it's hard to be sure they're napping.
But now, after the shipwreck off Italy, I'm lefting wondering a could things:
How rigorous is Captain Gary's training and certification?
Will the cruise industry survive with its floating Old Country Buffet, very 20th century (two formal nights in a week, really?) ways?
But mostly, I'm left with a sense of gratitude for Captain Gary and his mates, for steering us clear without us ever thinking twice about safety or life and death drama that unfolded in the Mediterrean. So, thanks Gary, for the jokes, songs and getting us into port.
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