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Flight attendant shares travel tips for loved-up couples

A flight attendant has shared what loved-up couples should not do when taking a trip together. Seasoned cabin crew member Suzanne Bucknam has warned couples to be wary of appropriate behaviour, and advised against these travel “icks”. Suzie told <a href="https://www.skyparksecure.com/">SkyParkSecure</a>, that one thing couples should be aware of when travelling are public displays of affection (PDA), which could land you in trouble. "A kiss on the lips or handholding doesn't warrant ick status but making out and putting a blanket over each other's laps gets very uncomfortable for everyone in the vicinity," Suzanne explains. "I've seen several couples attempt to join the mile-high club either in the bathroom or, worse, at their seats with said blanket over them. In fact, I've caught a couple with their pants down in the back of our plane once. We did an emergency landing and had them escorted off the plane, then got back in the air without them.” "It should be known that you can be arrested for public indecency, and flight attendants won't be afraid to call the authorities if they see you trying to get too cosy with your partner." Another must do for travelling couples is to book your plane seats together, rather than ask other passengers to change seats. "A simple boarding process can become a nightmare if couples don't book seats together but demand another passenger to move," she says. "Not only does it slow the process down significantly, but it often causes an altercation between passengers when someone won't move. Someone picked and paid for that seat, so they are well within their right to turn down a request to switch." Suzie said that while she understands couples, especially honeymooners, are excited about their travels, that doesn’t give them the right to make demands, and being difficult will get you nowhere. "What I wish all honeymooners knew before travelling somewhere is that, just because they're celebrating, it doesn't mean others have to celebrate or contribute to that celebration. If you do get a free upgrade or a free drink, fantastic! But please don't demand one from an unsuspecting flight attendant," she explains. "And as an employee who has been in that situation, it's just plain awkward if there are no upgrades available, and it's against the airline's policy to give freebies." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Man arrested for climbing Eiffel Tower before closing ceremony

A British man has been arrested after climbing the Eiffel Tower just hours before the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics was due to commence. Shocked onlookers were horrified when they spotted the shirtless man scaling the 330m structure with no harness, as he stood on top of the blue Olympic ring before continuing his dangerous ascent. Incredible footage of the dangerous stunt, which was posted to X, shows him reaching halfway up the giant landmark with just a bag of chalk to help him, as he was not supported by any ropes or harnesses. Other videos shows the free climber being taken away in handcuffs by French police as tourists looked on from the viewing platform. The Paris Prosecutor’s office confirmed to The Sun the man was British and has been charged with endangering others and intrusion into a historic or cultural site. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> someone was trying to climb up Eiffel Tower after the Olympics, he was detained by police shortly after 💀<a href="https://t.co/m1oRWsKYeX">pic.twitter.com/m1oRWsKYeX</a> — ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/scubaryan_/status/1822685874691444924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></blockquote> A Paris police spokesman said: “At 2.45pm, an individual was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower. The police immediately intervened and arrested the individual.” According to spectators, the man could be heard saying “bloody warm, innit” as he was led away by police. Security officials quickly cordoned off the Eiffel Tower as they evacuated the site at around 3pm, as those inside were briefly locked up on the second floor, before they were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later once the man had been escorted from the area. Specialist climbing police were sent up the tower after it was cleared to check for any suspicious or unusual activity. Tourists queuing up for the landmark were left unaware of the ongoing situation and were left frustrated after they were told to leave. One social media user posted on X: “Just waited in line for so long to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but someone is trying to climb it so they just shut the whole thing down. Super.” Image credits: X (Twitter)

Legal

Cause of death revealed after eight-year-old dies mid-flight

The cause of death of an eight-year-old girl who died suddenly mid-flight has been revealed. Sydney Weston was travelling with her family from their home state of Missouri to Chicago on June 13th when she suddenly fell ill on the flight and died. Now, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, Sydney was suffering from at least five different illnesses at the time of her death. The eight-year-old reportedly died from complications of chronic primary adrenalitis coupled with several infections, including enterovirus and strep, as well as inflammation of the small intestines known as duodenitis and the thyroid gland inflammation commonly known as thyroiditis. Harwood found that the long list of conditions suggests Sydney may have suffered from an autoimmune disorder which left her body attacking its own healthy cells and harming organ operation. Sydney suffered a medical emergency onboard the flight, causing the plane to divert to Peoria, Illinois, for an emergency landing, but Sydney died after being rushed to a nearby hospital. Results from a previously released preliminary autopsy were inconclusive but found that her body showed no signs of abuse, neglect or foul play. At the time of her sudden and tragic death, Sydney was just a week away from celebrating her ninth birthday. “She will forever be remembered for the happiness she brought to every single person she encountered. Our hearts are heavy. She was our baby girl and we celebrate her beautiful life,” her obituary read. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

If Australia had an aviation ombudsman, passengers could get compensation for cancelled flights

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-wastnage-489752">Justin Wastnage</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> The financial difficulties of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-02/rex-airlines-staff-notified-of-termination/104172020">Rex Airlines</a>, coming so soon after the bankruptcy of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-26/bonza-directors-accused-of-trading-while-insolvent/104022496">Bonza</a>, have brought into sharp focus one of the federal government’s key priorities for aviation: enhancing passenger rights. In each case, passengers were left with tickets for flights that did not fly. In the case of Rex, tickets were honoured by rivals Virgin Australia and Qantas, possibly trying to recapture the small toehold Rex had established in the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne golden triangle. The Bonza story was more complex as the fledgling airline, which collapsed in May, had sought to exploit under-serviced routes to smaller leisure-based cities including Maroochydore and Port Macquarie. In many cases, passengers were left out-of-pocket and stranded. <h2>Support for an ombudsman</h2> These failures will have emboldened the federal government’s plans to introduce stronger passenger protections and an airline ombudsman. The release of its <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper">policy white paper</a> is imminent. The paper covers aviation issues including competition between airports and airlines, the sector’s environmental impact and better mechanisms for consultation. After years of opposition, <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com.au/article/qantas-and-virgin-change-tune-on-aviation-ombudsman-ahead-of-white-paper-release/">Qantas and Virgin quietly fell in behind the idea in May</a>, signalling a deal is close to being announced. The ombudsman is designed to protect consumer rights in what is often monopolistic or quasi-monopolistic operating environments. With the exception of residents of southeast Queensland and the western suburbs of Melbourne, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967070X18302063">most Australians only have one airport from which to fly.</a> This, coupled with an effective airline duopoly, can lead to higher prices and poorer service for consumers, the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Airline%20competition%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202023%20report.pdf">Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC)</a> has argued. The ACCC has been calling for better passenger rights for more than a decade. But its calls grew louder after it fined Qantas <a href="https://theconversation.com/qantas-has-finally-settled-its-ghost-flights-lawsuit-for-120-million-whats-next-229368">A$120 million for selling “ghost” flights in May</a>. Passengers did receive refunds, but the process was not easy compared to many overseas jurisdictions where compensation is automatic and based on distance travelled. Australia is rare among developed countries for not having automatic compensation if a flight is cancelled or delayed. <h2>The EU model</h2> The leader in air passenger rights, as in many areas of consumer protection, is the European Union. <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj">The EU Passenger Rights regulation</a> is 20 years old and now also applies to rail and bus passengers. The regulation favours the passenger and awards compensation <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/ec-regulation-261-2004/">of up to €600 (almost A$1,000) for delays or cancellations</a>. There are clauses for when a delay is unavoidable, but generally airlines have now built the scheme into their costs of doing business. The scheme is well publicised and in 2022, about <a href="https://schengen.news/8-million-passengers-affected-by-flight-cancellations-airport-strikes-are-eligible-for-compensation-of-up-to-e600/">eight million passengers were eligible for refunds</a>. Air passenger rights in the UK continued in the EU mould after Brexit and were even strengthened. But in a 2023 review into the UK scheme, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-aviation-consumer-policy-protecting-air-passenger-rights/outcome/response-to-the-aviation-consumer-policy-reform-consultation#chapter-3-compensation-for-delays-and-cancellations">some airlines argued</a> “private insurance was a better option for some passengers”, particularly those with disabilities. The same reasoning led to the removal of Australia’s previous consumer protection scheme for airline passengers, the <a href="https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/peaceofmind/#:%7E:text=The%20Travel%20Compensation%20Fund%20continued,and%20until%2030%20June%202014.">Travel Compensation Fund</a>, which refunded customers when airlines or travel agencies went bankrupt. The scheme was ended under the Abbott government in June 2014, with travellers told instead to take out their own travel insurance. Labor is expected to reintroduce an element of corporate responsibility for airline delays, not least since Brazil, Canada and Türkiye have also followed the EU’s lead. Brazil’s scheme is particularly generous, with up to R7,500 (A$1,950) available to passengers who have to pay for last minute accommodation if their flight is cancelled. Lawmakers there countered claims by airlines that low cost airline passengers could stay in cheaper hotels, by applying the compensation uniformly, regardless of travel class. <h2>Popular with voters</h2> Air passenger rights can be a vote winner, too. Before he withdrew his bid for reelection, US President Joe Biden trumpeted the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-rule-requiring-automatic-refunds-airline">automatic airline compensation scheme</a> the US Department for Transportation will bring in this year. Until now, airline compensation was mandated by the states without coordinated processes meaning some airlines used vouchers, some credits and a few cash to compensate customers. Despite this, about <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-rule-requiring-automatic-refunds-airline">US$3 billion (A$4.6 billion)</a> in refunds have been issued to US passengers since 2020, including more than US$600 million to Southwest Airlines passengers alone. This was due to a serious scheduling crisis which forced the low-cost carrier to cancel almost 60% of its flights in the 2022 summer. By contrast, in Australia, air passengers have only had basic protections under <a href="https://consumer.gov.au/australian-consumer-law/legislation">consumer rights law</a> since deregulation in 2002. There is no guarantee of a seat or even flight the consumer purchased. This has led consumer advocates including <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/consumer-advocacy/policy/policy-submissions/2023/november/aviation-green-paper">Choice</a> to support calls for an airline ombudsman and automatic delay and cancellation compensation.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235679/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-wastnage-489752">Justin Wastnage</a>, Adjunct Industry Fellow, Griffith Institute for Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-australia-had-an-aviation-ombudsman-passengers-could-get-compensation-for-cancelled-flights-235679">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Qantas slashes cost of more than 450,000 airfares

Qantas has slashed the price of more than 450,000 airfares as part of its latest sale. The airline announced the week-long sale on Tuesday, with more than 120 routes abroad included, and almost 30 overseas destinations. Return economy flights from Sydney to New York is being offered for $1,699 and Sydney to London for $1,799. Flights from Melbourne to Los Angeles are also part of the offer, going for $1,099, while Brisbane to Seoul return economy fares are available for $949. Sydney to Port Vila is $699 and Brisbane to Queenstown is $619. Premium economy return sale fares include Sydney to Los Angeles for $3,199, Melbourne to London for $3,899 and Brisbane to New York for $4,199. For those wanting to travel in business there also return sale fares for Melbourne to Auckland for $1,199, Brisbane to Tokyo for $4,999 and Sydney to London for $8,999. Return Classic Plus fares include Melbourne to Los Angeles in economy from 73,900 points plus $360, Brisbane to New York in premium economy from 236,300 points plus $684, and Brisbane to Tokyo in business from 303,900 points plus $470. The sales will run until 11.59pm AEST on Monday, August 5, unless sold out prior, for travel dates between August and June 2025. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Flight cancelled after crew member loses it at passenger

An Air Canada flight heading from Morocco to Montreal was cancelled on Friday after a flight attendant lost it at a passenger who reportedly requested a blanket. Viral footage of the incident showed a female flight attendant yelling: “You will behave or we will get off!” at a female passenger. “I’ll tell the captain right away. Yes or no?” When a passenger asked the flight attendant to call the captain, she refused and said: “I don’t want no bullying against my crew”. She then stormed up the aisle before she turned around and yelled: “Everyone behave! Be quiet … or you’re getting off.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Stress levels are quite high in the sky these days : An Air Canada flight from Casablanca (CMN) to Montreal (YUL) was canceled due to the inappropriate behavior of a flight attendant on July 26, 2024. The Airbus A330-343 aircraft (C-GHLM) did the taxi aiming a departure while… <a href="https://t.co/h3s4fbGF5A">pic.twitter.com/h3s4fbGF5A</a> — FL360aero (@fl360aero) <a href="https://twitter.com/fl360aero/status/1817249195960455420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2024</a></blockquote> According to CTV News, the meltdown occurred after the passenger asked for a blanket. In a statement to the publication, Air Canada said the flight had been rescheduled for Saturday with a different crew. “We are taking this incident very seriously. It is under review, and we will take appropriate action,” the statement read. “It is under review, and we will take appropriate action. We apologise to our customers and deeply regret that their experience today fell far short of what they have come to expect when flying with Air Canada.” The airline has also offered compensation to all passengers affected by the delay. Images: X

Travel Trouble

So when should you book that flight? The truth on airline prices

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuriy-gorodnichenko-144556">Yuriy Gorodnichenko</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-berkeley-754">University of California, Berkeley</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/volodymyr-bilotkach-145437">Volodymyr Bilotkach</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/newcastle-university-906">Newcastle University</a> How airlines price tickets is a source of many <a href="http://airtravel.about.com/od/travelindustrynews/a/mythticket.htm">myths</a> and urban legends. These include tips about the best day of the week to buy a ticket, last-minute discounts offered by the airlines, and the conspiracy theories suggesting that the carriers use cookies to increase prices for their passengers. None of these three statements is entirely true. Studies have suggested that prices can be higher or lower on a given day of the week – yet, there is no clear consensus on which day that is. Offered prices can in fact drop at any time before the flight, yet they are much more likely to increase than decrease over the last several weeks before the flight’s departure. Further, the airlines prefer to wait for the last-minute business traveler who’s likely to pay full fare rather than sell the seat prematurely to a price conscious traveler. And no, the airlines do not use cookies to manipulate fare quotes – adjusting their inventory for specific customers appears to be beyond their technical capabilities. What is true about pricing in the airline industry is that carriers use complex and sophisticated pricing systems. The airline’s per passenger cost is the lowest when the flight is full, so carriers have incentive to sell as many seats as possible. This is a race against time for an airline and, of course, no company wants to discount its product more than it has to. Hence, the airlines face two somewhat contradictory goals: to maximize revenue by flying full planes and to sell as many full-fare seats as possible. This a process known in the industry as yield or revenue management. <h2>Airlines and their bucket lists</h2> Here is how <a href="http://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1522&context=jaaer">yield management</a> works. For each flight or route (if we are talking about multi-segment itineraries), the airline has a set of available price levels – from the most expensive fully refundable fare to the cheapest deeply discounted non-refundable price. The industry jargon for these prices is “buckets.” Then, seats can be interpreted as balls that are allocated among these buckets. Initial allocation of seats between the price buckets is determined by historical data indicating how well a certain flight sells. For example, fewer deeply discounted seats will be offered on a flight on Thanksgiving week than on the same flight during the third week of February. As the seats on a flight sell, yield managers monitor and adjust the seat allocation. If, for instance, the sales are slower than expected, some of the seats might be moved to lower-priced buckets – this shows up as a price drop. As noted above, such price drops can occur at any time before the flight. However, the general trend of price quotes is upward starting from about two to three weeks before the flight departure date. Of course, an average traveler wants to know when he or she should buy the tickets for the next trip. Another important question is where to buy this ticket. Airlines distribute their inventory on their own websites and on several computer distribution systems, meaning that prices can sometimes differ depending on where one looks. We are not entirely sure what precipitates this phenomenon – likely explanations include differences in contracts between the airlines and the distribution systems/travel agents, implying that different travel agents may not have access to the airline’s entire inventory of available prices. <h2>When to book</h2> The airlines’ yield managers start looking at flight bookings about two months before the departure date. This implies that it generally does not pay to book more than two months in advance: studies show that initially the airlines leave the cheapest price buckets empty, and yield managers may move some seats into those buckets if a couple of months before the departure date the flight is emptier than expected. Between two months and about two to three weeks before the flight date, the fare quotes remain mostly flat, with a slight upward trend. However, and perhaps paradoxically, there is a good chance of a price drop during this period. We tend to monitor prices for several days – sometimes up to a week – hoping for a potentially lower quote. It does not always pay off, but sometimes we do manage to save a considerable amount of money. Two to three weeks before the flight date, the price quotes start increasing. This is the time when business travelers start booking. While price drops are still possible, a chance of a price increase is much higher if you wait to book within this time period. This is also the time when one can find significant differences between price quotes, depending on where one looks and what contract they have with the airlines. Thus, if we book a trip earlier than three weeks before the flight date, we tend not to delay the purchase. At the same time, we check quotes from multiple travel agents, or go directly to a site that allows for a quick comparison of prices (such as <a href="https://www.kayak.com">kayak.com</a> or <a href="http://www.skyscanner.net">skyscanner.net</a>). Or check the airline itself. As for answering the original question we posed, here are some simple tips. First, if you have to travel during a peak period, such as Thanksgiving week, it is generally best not to delay buying that ticket. Otherwise, it might pay to monitor the offered prices for some time before committing. The best strategy for booking within the last couple of weeks before the flight, however, is not to delay the purchase, but to try getting quotes from several agents, which is easy to do in the internet age.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34033/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuriy-gorodnichenko-144556">Yuriy Gorodnichenko</a>, Associate Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-berkeley-754">University of California, Berkeley</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/volodymyr-bilotkach-145437">Volodymyr Bilotkach</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/newcastle-university-906">Newcastle University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-when-should-you-book-that-flight-the-truth-on-airline-prices-34033">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Tips

"I want her parents to know": Fellow Qantas passenger reveals final moments of young woman

The passenger who was seated next to the woman who tragically <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/young-woman-dies-on-qantas-flight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> after boarding a Qantas flight has broken his silence on her last moments. Ravinder Singh was seated next to Manpreet Kaur, who passed away shortly after boarding a flight from Melbourne to Delhi on June 20th. The 24-year-old student, who had dreams of becoming a chef, was travelling to see her parents in India for the first time in four years, but did not make it to her destination. Now, Ravinder Singh has shared details on her final moments in the hopes it will bring her grieving parents some comfort. “I was sitting next to her on the Qantas flight from Melbourne to Delhi and was actually the last person to talk to her,” Ravinder Singh exclusively told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/passenger-speaks-after-woman-dies-next-to-him-on-qantas-flight/news-story/24e8396d8eb3a1d35aea4a4291b847ba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “When I boarded the plane, she was already seated in the aisle. I was in the window, so I asked if she could please get up so I could occupy my seat. “I noticed that she began scrolling through photos on her mobile phone and stopped at a photograph of an elderly couple. I asked if they were her parents. She smiled and nodded and kept staring at it.” Mr Singh, who had been in Australia to visit family, said that everything seemed fine and the plane eventually began moving towards the runway, ready for take off. He explained that Ms Kaur had then put her phone down and rested her head on the seat in front, when he realised something was not right. “She was wearing her seatbelt and leaned forward to rest her head on the seat in front. As the plane was preparing for takeoff, I wanted to alert her to sit upright,” he shared. “But the plane jerked and I expected her to wake up. But instead, her head just moved towards me." “I got the attention of a flight attention and told her that this woman does not seem very well. She checked her pulse and after that, the reaction of the cabin crew was very commendable." “They tried their best to revive her. She was then evacuated by medical staff.” The retired army officer said the incident still “haunts him” and he wants her parents to know that she “left the world peacefully”. “The incident has been etched in my memory for life,” he said. “It is very difficult to digest that a young girl with whom you were just interacting with has passed away in front of your eyes." “Her innocent face stills haunts me and I want her parents to know she loved them a lot. She left this world peacefully looking at their photograph." “My heart breaks for her family who would have been looking forward to seeing her after a long time.” It is understood that Ms Kaur had been feeling "unwell" when she arrived at the airport and boarded the plane with no issues, with reports suggesting she died of tuberculosis. Image credits: news.com.au

Caring

Young woman dies on Qantas flight

A young woman has tragically died onboard a Qantas flight from Melbourne to the Indian city of Delhi. Manpreet Kaur, 24, boarded the international flight to visit her family for the first time in four years, but she never made it to her destination. According to a close friend, the student reportedly “felt unwell” hours before arriving at the airport but managed to board the flight without any issues. However, when she went to put on her seatbelt, Ms Kaur apparently fell to the floor and “died on the spot”. The plane was still grounded when Ms Kaur collapsed, as cabin crew and emergency services rushed to help her. “When she got on the plane, she was struggling to put her seatbelt on,” her friend Gurdip Grewal told the <a title="www.heraldsun.com.au" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/tributes-flow-for-student-who-died-on-qantas-flight-at-melbourne-airport/news-story/aaa561d3d6ab09d15bcf3533312abdab" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="aaa561d3d6ab09d15bcf3533312abdab" data-tgev-label="news" data-tgev-metric="ev">Herald Sun.</a> “Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot.” According to reports from the Herald Sun, it is believed Ms Kaur died of tuberculosis, an infectious disease that mostly affects the lungs. Her roommate, Kuldeep, said Ms Kaur had worked at Australia Post while studying cooking, with dreams of one day becoming a chef. “She was kind and honest,” she told the publication. “She loved to travel with her friends around Victoria.” A <a title="www.gofundme.com" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/smksq-manpreet-kaur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been created for Ms Kaur to help her family, as the fundraising page reads, “Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled.” “As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honour her memory and support her family in their time of need." “As we say our final goodbyes, every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Your support means the world to us and Manpreet’s family.” A Qantas spokesperson told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/woman-dies-on-international-qantas-flight/news-story/41934ac049c5f9712e37f3a2680b1e2a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that their “thoughts are with her family and loved ones”. Image credits: GoFundMe

Travel Trouble

Flight attendant reveals the unexpected reason why it's so cold on planes

When it comes to packing essentials in your carry-on for your next flight, many people add a jumper, extra socks, or even their own blanket to their bags. Because one thing’s for sure: you’ll probably be cold on your flight. But have you ever stopped to think of the reason why the cabin of a plane is so cold? According to a Canadian flight attendant, it's to do with keeping you feeling good. Vanessa Settimi told Reader's Digest that a cooler cabin helps passengers who are prone to fainting or have motion sickness during turbulence. She also clarified that despite what travellers may think, cabin crew don’t have control over the cabin temperature. "Temperature in the cabin is controlled by the pilots. Even though travellers often ask to get the temperature turned up during flights, it is kept on the cooler side." She went on to say that the key to staying warm on your next flight is bringing extra layers. "Now this might just be the flight attendant in me," says Settimi, "but you will never catch me flying as a traveller in sandals and a tank top!" Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-merrett-1509278">Craig Merrett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/clarkson-university-4276">Clarkson University</a> Airplane flight is one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century. The <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/wright-brothers">invention of the airplane</a> allows people to travel from one side of the planet to the other in less than a day, compared with weeks of travel by boat and train. Understanding precisely why airplanes fly is an ongoing challenge for <a href="https://www.clarkson.edu/people/craig-merrett">aerospace engineers, like me</a>, who study and design airplanes, rockets, satellites, helicopters and space capsules. Our job is to make sure that flying through the air or in space is safe and reliable, by using tools and ideas from science and mathematics, like computer simulations and experiments. Because of that work, flying in an airplane is <a href="https://usafacts.org/articles/is-flying-safer-than-driving/">the safest way to travel</a> – safer than cars, buses, trains or boats. But although aerospace engineers design aircraft that are stunningly sophisticated, you might be surprised to learn there are still some details about the physics of flight that we don’t fully understand. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577439/original/file-20240222-28-v3tjb4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A diagram of an airplane that shows the four forces of flight." /></a><figcaption>The forces of weight, thrust, drag and lift act on a plane to keep it aloft and moving. <a class="source" href="https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/airplane-cruise-balanced-forces/">NASA</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>May the force(s) be with you</h2> There are <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/four-forces-of-flight/#:%7E">four forces</a> that aerospace engineers consider when designing an airplane: weight, thrust, drag and lift. Engineers use these forces to help design the shape of the airplane, the size of the wings, and figure out how many passengers the airplane can carry. For example, when an airplane takes off, the thrust must be greater than the drag, and the lift must be greater than the weight. If you watch an airplane take off, you’ll see the wings change shape using flaps from the back of the wings. The flaps help make more lift, but they also make more drag, so a powerful engine is necessary to create more thrust. When the airplane is high enough and is cruising to your destination, lift needs to balance the weight, and the thrust needs to balance the drag. So the pilot pulls the flaps in and can set the engine to produce less power. That said, let’s define what force means. According to <a href="https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/4079abf0-7a4b-4f49-80ad-c69cd06a80f9/newtons-second-law-of-motion/">Newton’s Second Law</a>, a force is a mass multiplied by an acceleration, or F = ma. A force that everyone encounters every day is <a href="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/#:%7E">the force of gravity</a>, which keeps us on the ground. When you get weighed at the doctor’s office, they’re actually measuring the amount of force that your body applies to the scale. When your weight is given in pounds, that is a measure of force. While an airplane is flying, gravity is pulling the airplane down. That force is the weight of the airplane. But its engines push the airplane forward because they create <a href="https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/what-is-thrust/">a force called thrust</a>. The engines pull in air, which has mass, and quickly push that air out of the back of the engine – so there’s a mass multiplied by an acceleration. According to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-wh3fJRdjo">Newton’s Third Law</a>, for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. When the air rushes out the back of the engines, there is a reaction force that pushes the airplane forward – that’s called thrust. As the airplane flies through the air, the shape of the airplane pushes air out of the way. Again, by Newton’s Third Law, this air pushes back, <a href="https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/what-is-drag/#:%7E">which leads to drag</a>. You can experience something similar to drag when swimming. Paddle through a pool, and your arms and feet provide thrust. Stop paddling, and you will keep moving forward because you have mass, but you will slow down. The reason that you slow down is that the water is pushing back on you – that’s drag. <h2>Understanding lift</h2> <a href="https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/what-is-lift/">Lift</a> is more complicated than the other forces of weight, thrust and drag. It’s created by the wings of an airplane, and the shape of the wing is critical; that shape is <a href="https://howthingsfly.si.edu/media/airfoil#:%7E">known as an airfoil</a>. Basically it means the top and bottom of the wing are curved, although the shapes of the curves can be different from each other. As air flows around the airfoil, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO75jDwGCdQ">it creates pressure</a> – a force spread out over a large area. Lower pressure is created on the top of the airfoil compared to the pressure on the bottom. Or to look at it another way, air travels faster over the top of the airfoil than beneath. Understanding why the pressure and speeds are different on the top and the bottom is <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/lift-and-copjpg">critical to understand lift</a>. By improving our understanding of lift, engineers can design more fuel-efficient airplanes and give passengers more comfortable flights. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579698/original/file-20240304-24-6df49v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A diagram that shows how the airfoil of a plane works." /></a><figcaption>Note the airfoil, which is a specific wing shape that helps keep a plane in the air. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/how-airplanes-fly-royalty-free-illustration/1401215523?phrase=airfoil+diagram&adppopup=true">Dimitrios Karamitros/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>The conundrum</h2> The reason why air moves at different speeds around an airfoil remains mysterious, and <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/video/no-one-can-explain-why-planes-stay-in-the-air/">scientists are still investigating</a> this question. Aerospace engineers have measured these pressures on a wing in both wind tunnel experiments and during flight. We can create models of different wings to predict if they will fly well. We can also change lift by changing a wing’s shape to create airplanes that fly for long distances or fly very fast. Even though we still don’t fully know why lift happens, aerospace engineers work with mathematical equations that recreate the different speeds on the top and bottom of the airfoil. Those equations describe a process <a href="https://howthingsfly.si.edu/media/circulation-theory-lift">known as circulation</a>. Circulation provides aerospace engineers with a way to model what happens around a wing even if we do not completely understand why it happens. In other words, through the use of math and science, we are able to build airplanes that are safe and efficient, even if we don’t completely understand the process behind why it works. Ultimately, if aerospace engineers can figure out why the air flows at different speeds depending on which side of the wing it’s on, we can design airplanes that use less fuel and pollute less.  <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-merrett-1509278">Craig Merrett</a>, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/clarkson-university-4276">Clarkson University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-airplanes-fly-an-aerospace-engineer-explains-the-physics-of-flight-222847">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Tips

The one in-flight activity to avoid to conquer jet lag

While many people love to travel and explore new destinations, there’s no doubt that the worst part of a holiday is often the long-haul flight. With many holidays, especially ones overseas, a drastic change of timezones can mean jet lag is unavoidable, but there are a few things you can do to make life easy when you land. According to one travel expert, how you feel when you disembark often boils down to your in-flight activities. Sarah Built, who has worked up a lifetime of long-haul travel as the Etihad Airways Vice President of Sales for Australasia, told <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/flight-tips-how-to-avoid-jet-lag/db8fbda1-2318-44c0-b9fe-e14d11dec70c">9Travel</a> that there is one thing she always avoids onboard in order to land at her destination feeling fresh: alcohol. "Whilst the allure of coffee, cocktails and snacks is real (particularly if you're travelling with kids), they can actually contribute to dehydration and worsen jet lag," she says. Instead of that in-flight beer glass of wine, Sarah says to drink water (with lime added for a twist) or herbal tea to boost your hydration and lessen that groggy mid-flight feeling. Drinking water is obviously also the key to staying hydrated, as Sarah says it's important to start drinking extra water the day before your flight, so you're going in prepared. "I carry a reusable water bottle to keep fluids up during the journey (most airports will have water stations for you to refill easily)," she says, which means you won't need to pay for an overpriced bottle at the airport. "Dehydration can cause headaches and fatigue, and you want to be able to hit the ground running on arrival, so always remember to drink plenty of water," she advises. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

"Fly high, Bette!": World's longest-serving flight attendant dies aged 88

Bette Nash, the world's longest-serving flight attendant has passed away aged 88, after a short battle with breast cancer. American Airlines, where Nash devoted almost seven decades of her life, announced her death on social media on Saturday. "We mourn the passing of Bette Nash, who spent nearly seven decades warmly caring for our customers in the air," they began their post. “Bette was a legend at American and throughout the industry, inspiring generations of flight attendants. “Fly high, Bette. We’ll miss you.” A spokesperson for the airlines confirmed that she was still an active employee at the time of her death. Nash, who was born on December 31, 1935, began her flight-attendant career with Eastern Airlines in 1957, at just 21-years-old. In January 2022, she was officially recognised as the world’s longest-serving flight attendant by Guinness World Records, after surpassing the previous record a year earlier. She continued to hold the title until her passing. Tributes have poured in from people all over the world on social media, with many praising her for her unwavering dedication and kindness. "Fly high Bette! It was a pleasure being your passenger," wrote one person on X, alongside a selfie he took with her. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Fly high Bette! It was a pleasure being your passenger. <a href="https://t.co/9N63YPB5Ia">pic.twitter.com/9N63YPB5Ia</a> — Jon Kruse (@JonKruseYacht) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonKruseYacht/status/1794459429997273423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2024</a></blockquote> "She was flying as a passenger when she sat next to me, pinned her jacket to the bulkhead, gave me a three minute story of her life then said 'So what's your story?'. She was a dynamo. Rest easy," another added. "She was an absolute delight in my earliest airline life working the USAir shuttle at LGA. Godspeed and eternal silvered wings Bette!" a third wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> She was an absolute delight in my earliest airline life working the USAir shuttle at LGA. Godspeed and eternal silvered wings Bette! — Ryan Spellman (@JustJettingThru) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustJettingThru/status/1794480142766531034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2024</a></blockquote> "Rest in Peace Bette Nash," wrote a fourth. "Bette was a class act. Truly a loss for the skies. She was truly an Angel," added another. Image: CBS/ X

Caring

"Not one ounce of compassion”: BBC star kicked off plane over daughter's allergy

A BBC weather presenter and her family have been kicked off a plane after asking passengers to be wary of her daughter's peanut allergy. British weather presenter Georgie Palmer was flying from London to Turkey with her husband Matt and their daughters Annie and Rosie, as the family boarded their flight at Gatwick Airport with SunExpress airlines. Georgie and her family were kicked off the plane shortly after boarding, after the 49-year-old mother ran into issues around her daughter's severe allergy to peanuts. According to Palmer, she has requested that the captain make an announcement to all passengers asking them not to eat any peanut products on the flight, but the pilot refused. Palmer then took matters into her own hands and one by one asked passengers not to consume peanuts on the four-hour flight, before being asked to disembark the aircraft. The weather presenter took to Instagram to share her side of the story with a lengthy post. She began, “I thanked the beautiful souls on our plane for helping us. Many of them hugged, cheered and held our hands as we were forced to disembark." “The SunExpress captain and cabin crew refused to make the standard announcement on behalf of our daughter. We gently asked the passengers at the front of the plane to share our request." “Row by row, all the passengers turned back to kindly ask the row behind to please not eat nuts on the flight. It was calm, earnest and with an overwhelming sense of solidarity and empathy.” Georgie added: “There’s no beef with simple asks like these. People get it!" “We were hoofed off the plane after the angry little captain shouted at us from the cockpit.” She concluded by saying they were discriminated against for “simply having an allergy”. Georgie told the <a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13457399/bbc-weather-presenter-Georgie-Palmer-flight-nuts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail,</a> “The captain decided because of my daughter’s allergy he didn’t want to fly with her on board." “When he found out I had spoken to the other passengers he was screaming at me from the cockpit. He was so angry, the next thing I knew we were told to get off the plane." “How we were treated was disgusting – nobody working on that plane showed one ounce of compassion.” A SunExpress spokesman then shared the airline's version of events, claiming that Georgie's husband had become aggressive, and kicked the family off the plane with their best interests at heart. The statement said, “We take the safety of our passengers very seriously. Shortly after boarding our flight, the passenger raised a concern about one of his family group having a serious peanut allergy." “They requested an announcement to other passengers. We refrain from making these kinds of announcements. Like many other airlines, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment on our flights, nor can we prevent other passengers from bringing food items containing allergens on board." “Due to the insistent behaviour of the passenger to others on board, the captain decided it would be safest if the family did not travel." “When this was explained to the passenger, he behaved aggressively towards our crew members and tried to gain access to the cockpit. To ensure the safety of our crew and our passengers on board, we cannot tolerate aggressive and unruly behaviour on our flights." “Our website states that passengers must notify us 48 hours in advance of any special care required due to a medical condition. No such notification was received from the passengers in this instance.” According to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/28140666/bbc-family-flight-passengers-peanuts-allergy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>, Mr Sollom denies acting aggressively. The differing versions of events have divided many on social media as thousands weighed in on the debacle, with plenty of users siding with the pilot. “The pilot is a national treasure,” one person wrote. “As they should have been,” a second wrote, referring to the family getting kicked off. “Would have booted them off as well,” another agreed. A fourth wrote: “I think this story would be found under Self Entitlement in the dictionary.” Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

Flight attendant reveals what happens if a passenger dies onboard

A flight attendant has revealed what happens if a passenger dies onboard, and the morbid reason the protocol has changed in recent years. Mandy Smith has been a flight attendant for 12 years and thankfully, hasn’t had to encounter such a tragedy during one of her flights. According to the protocol of the airline she serves, previously when passengers passed away on board they used to be put inside the bathrooms, but now their bodies are laid across the front seats. She explained to LadBible, “This has not happened to me, thankfully. It happened to a friend of mine, where they had a passenger pass away on the flight.” “Now, we used to have to put passengers in the bathrooms, and then lock the bathrooms off. But because they would be seated on the toilet, as they sat there - if rigour mortis set in - then they would be then stuck in that position, and they wouldn't be able to fit in their coffin.” 'So, unfortunately, now, we have to lay them across the front of the seats and try and calm their loved ones down, treat them with respect, cover them with blankets, and maybe just cordon the area off with blankets tucked into the overheads, which is what I would probably do.' Mandy also explained that according to different laws, if someone dies on a flight, cabin crew officially have to keep going to their final destination. She said, “If they passed away on board, it's the law that we, as cabin crew, have to keep going. So, we have to keep doing any kind of resuscitation until they're deemed to be deceased.” “So, if it was an accident that happened on board, or if they had a heart attack, we would then just keep going doing CPR.” “But if it was someone who passed away from natural causes, or another kind of ailment, then obviously, we wouldn't need to do anything to them then.” “We'd need to contact the ground services to be met by an ambulance or the coroner. We wouldn't really do it as an emergency landing, we'd just treat it as a normal landing if that person's definitely passed away.” Image credits: YouTube

Travel Trouble

Can you control your image? Gina Rinehart, King Charles and ‘moral portraits'

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535">Roger Benjamin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ensemble <a href="https://theconversation.com/vincent-namatjiras-paintbrush-is-his-weapon-with-an-infectious-energy-and-wry-humour-nothing-is-off-limits-217361">Australia in Colour</a> (2021) is subject to his trademark distortions. When the painter gets to work interpreting the press photographs that his main source, resemblance is always stretched. No one comes out unscathed: Tony Abbott looks just as scary as Angus Young from AC/DC; a grimacing Queen Elizabeth as grisly as a roaring Cathy Freeman. Indeed, in the <a href="https://thamesandhudson.com.au/product/vincent-namatjira/">2023 volume on Namatjira</a> there are no fewer than four paintings of Gina Rinehart – and they look like four different people. Do we expect a portrait to be a moral <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiognomy">physiognomy</a>, the ancient pseudoscience that assumes the way someone has lived their life shapes their features and appearance? Roman emperors were shown to be ideal types: the heroic portrait. Who knows what these men actually looked like? In the case of King Charles III, whose <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68981200">new portrait</a> by Jonathon Yeo was unveiled this week, we can compare his likeness to the myriad photographic and filmic images. Newspaper caricature, <a href="https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/exhibits/virtual-exhibits/art-politics-300-years-of-political-cartoons/political-cartoons-part-1-1720-1800/">popular since the 1700s</a>, works hard to point out imperfections, posit animal likenesses, and exaggerate specific facial features to satirise public figures. Namatjira brushes with caricature even when depicting himself. <h2>Can you control your image?</h2> I think Rinehart should be flattered to be one of Namatjira’s favourites. The wits in the twittersphere have in the past 24 hours shown several more of his Ginas, and it turns out there are also at least half a dozen colour portraits of her by other artists. They range from <a href="https://scottmarsh.com.au/products/mothers-milk">Scottie Marsh’s mural</a> on a Sydney wall of a matronly Rinehart giving the breast to infant Barnaby Joyce (with apologies to Raphael), to Xavier Ghazi’s demonic hard-hatted Gina <a href="https://citynews.com.au/2023/bald-archy-prize-heading-for-immortality/">giving Australians the finger</a> – it’s in newspaper caricature mode, his entry in the Bald Archies competition for 2023. Although Rinehart has reportedly called for Namatjira’s painting to be taken down, the initiative <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/gold-medallist-led-campaign-to-take-down-gina-rinehart-portrait-20240516-p5je1y.html">apparently comes</a> from members of the Australian swimming team and their former coach (Rinehart is that sport’s major private sponsor). I suspect their discomfort comes from reading Namatjira’s Gina as a moral portrait; that is, ugliness of appearance projects an ugly spirit (whereas for them she is the epitome of generosity). It’s an interesting idea that the fresh-faced teenage daughter of Lang Hancock in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abcs-australian-story-focuses-on-gina-rineharts-bond-with-father-lang-hancock-20150706-gi6h1f.html">old news photos</a> has changed not just because times takes beauty away (as we all know), but because of the impact of things she inherited from her father: not just the extreme wealth and the jawline, but the conservative views, and the ways she has used her money and power. Her control of vast tracts of (unceded) grazing land across western and central Australia give reason to reflect on what Western Aranda man Namatjira might think of her. <h2>And yet what about commissions?</h2> When can a sitter control their portrait image? Only when they commission the work. Art history has plenty of cases in which a sitter has rejected their portrait. Monet in the 1860s painted his brother Leon, who so disliked the canvas he locked it in an attic, from which it emerged 150 years later. Portrait paintings have had to be altered, payment refused, or be paid for then destroyed. The commissioned portrait, it’s assumed, must flatter the sitter or at least offer a fair and non-judgemental likeness. The British royal family has historically been very forgiving about portraits, and has the sophistication to know it is futile to protest a likeness. Doing so invokes the perverse “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect">Streisand effect</a>”, as we see happening with Namatjira’s Gina. There are dozens of depictions of Elizabeth II and Charles III in Namatjira’s pantheon – including one of the late queen alongside Rinehart in Australia in Colour. Namatjira has a family link to Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who met Albert Namatjira (the painter’s great grandfather) on their 1954 tour of Australia. But no one is asking for Queen Bess to be removed from the National Gallery of Australia. As a mark of noblesse oblige, King Charles has accepted the newly unveiled commissioned portrait of himself by Jonathon Yeo. It is an absolute shocker, and he should have sent it back. The King, de-aged by 20 years, looks pleasantly out at us from a floor-to-ceiling fog of strawberry- and cerise-coloured paint that covers his dress uniform. The joke, of course, is that the red colouration can be read as a reference to “<a href="https://time.com/6226657/crown-charles-camilla-tampongate/">tampongate</a>”, the product of an infamous case of tabloid phone-hacking in 1993. It’s a case of a portrait generating an unintended consequence – just as Namatjira surely did not expect to provoke international headlines today with his Gina, whom he’s been depicting for years. Fittingly, wise heads have rejected calls for the gallery to remove the canvas, starting with director Nick Mitzevich’s <a href="https://amp.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">measured statement</a>, seconded by the National Association for the Visual Arts whose <a href="https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2024/nava-defends-vincent-namatjiras-artistic-freedom-amid-demands-removal-nga/">press release</a> insists on freedom of expression. Finally, late yesterday, Namatjira, resisting myriad calls for interviews, issued a statement in the pithy mode of his book texts. Let him have the last word: <blockquote> I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230297/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </blockquote> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535">Roger Benjamin</a>, Professor in Art History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: X (Twitter) This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-control-your-image-gina-rinehart-king-charles-and-moral-portraits-230297">original article</a>. </div>

Art

Man books 58 flights for free

A Jetstar passenger has become locked in a legal battle with the Aussie airline after exploiting a promotion to get 58 flights for free. Lawyer Tyrone Barugh was one of many travellers who made use of Jetstar’s promotion that offered people a free return fare. Barugh booked a flight from Auckland to Sydney for $260 and received the free return, although he soon cancelled the outbound flight and was given credit with the airline. However, he did not cancel the return trip. Mr Barugh then used the credit to book another flight, before doing the same thing a further 57 times. The would-be passenger told n<a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/man-locked-in-tribunal-battle-with-jetstar-after-booking-58-free-flights/news-story/1e3f67324c952ce232f3a583575d7ddc">ews.com.au</a> that he had not planned to board any of the flights, and has taken Jetstar to the Disputes Tribunal of New Zealand, claiming he is entitled to approximately $4,500 in taxes owed on the flights. “They’re [Jetstar] not out here with the most saintly of intentions,” he said. “They have terms and conditions that are designed to potentially avoid having to do the right thing by a lot of their customers and limit their liability to their customers, and they’re pretty happy to pull those out when it suits them.” He claims he is owed the money as he has paid the Passenger Movement Charge, which is a $60 fee the Australian Government collects when a person leaves the country. Mr Barugh says he would accept a settlement of a “small flight credit and a toy plane”. “There is a spirit of larrikinism,” he said. A spokesman for Jetstar declined to comment on the case, saying, “As this is a matter before the Tribunal, we won’t be making any comment.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Dodgy tactic to keep driver's licence growing "out of control"

A criminal lawyer has exposed an alarming trend, which has caused more and more people to seek legal advice. Over the past year, there has been an increase in the number of drivers off-loading their demerit points to strangers in exchange for cash, as Aussies desperately try to keep their licences. The illegal tactic is often advertised on social media, where users attract those looking for someone to falsely nominate and palm off their demerit points to. The price of one demerit point can go for $30-$150, and criminal lawyer Jahan Kalantar revealed that more people are seeking legal advice after getting involved in the trend. "This used to be a very tiny part of my practice, I do about eight to nine consultations a week on this," he told 7News Sunrise. "This is becoming really out of control." <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dodgy-drivers-licence-tactic-used-by-millions-growing-out-of-control-044254123.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Australia </a>shared a screenshot of a chat obtained from Facebook, which showed a person responding to an ad someone put up about selling their demerit points. "What fine is it?" the person advertising asked. "Speeding," the person replied. "Yeah I can sort it out for you," they said. When asked how it would work the advertiser replied: "If it's under 5 points it's $80 a point". There are tough penalties for those who choose to falsely nominate another driver, and for those who trade their demerit points for cash. In Victoria, offenders face fines of $9,000, while those in NSW and Queensland cop a maximum penalty of $11,000. In addition to hefty fines, imprisonment is also a risk, with one high-profile incident in 2006 landing former federal court judge Marcus Einfeld in prison after he was caught falsely declaring another driver for his speeding fine. Images: 7NEWS/ Facebook

Legal

“The spirit of Australia”: Rival airlines' actions praised after Bonza collapse

Thousands of passengers were left stranded across the country when budget airline Bonza cancelled all their flights and announced that they have entered into voluntary administration. “Bonza has temporarily suspended services due to be operated today, as discussions are currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the business,” CEO Tim Jordan said. “We apologise to our customers who are impacted by this and we are working as quickly as possible to determine a way forward that ensures there is ongoing competition in the Australian aviation market," he later told news.com.au. Rival airlines, including Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin have all stepped in to help passengers and staff affected by Bonza's sudden collapse. Jetstar and Virgin Australia sprung into action when one passenger, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/not-good-enough-karl-takes-aim-at-airline-cancellation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tracy Hilbert</a>, revealed her devastation after her morning flight to Melbourne got cancelled on the day that she was planning to be with her family following her father's passing on Monday. The two airlines helped her get to her destination without charging her for a ticket. Jetstar, which is owned by Qantas, also released a statement on Tuesday and said: “We understand today’s news about Bonza will have a significant impact on many people’s travel plans.” “For Bonza customers who are due to travel today or who are stuck away from home, Jetstar and Qantas will assist by providing flights at no cost where there are seats available.” Qantas also released a statement offering employment support to staff affected by the budget airline's collapse. “We extend our thoughts to our aviation industry colleagues and their families – from pilots and cabin crew to flight planners and operations controllers,” it read. “If Bonza employees would like to discuss recruitment opportunities within Jetstar and Qantas, particularly in specialised fields which are unique to aviation, we’ve set up a dedicated page on the Jetstar careers website. “For any customers with a cancelled Bonza flight on a route we operate, to make sure you’re not further out of pocket, you can fly with us at no cost where we have seats available.” Virgin Australia also extended its hand to staff seeking employment, and offered support to any passengers stranded mid-journey with complimentary seats, where available. “When Bonza started in Australia, we welcomed its launch because competition makes us all better and benefits consumers. We are saddened to hear of Bonza’s current situation and the impacts on its people, customers and partners,” the statement read. “We will do what we can to support Bonza’s employees by prioritising them for any current and future roles at Virgin Australia, and encourage them to contact our careers team at recruitmentteam@virginaustralia.com if they wish.” The three airlines' responses have been applauded by the aviation industry and Aussies alike with many branding it “the spirit of Australia”. Image: Lachie Millard/ news.com.au

Domestic Travel

Jetstar celebrates 20th birthday with "return for free" flights

Jetstar is celebrating its 20th birthday with massive sales and “return for free” flights across Australia and the world. The budget airline is offering over 200,000 “return for free” flights to 64 domestic and 33 international destinations, including popular holiday spots like Japan and Thailand. “Since launching in 2004, Jetstar has enabled hundreds of millions of Australian passengers to travel to more places, more often for less,” Jetstar Group CEO, Stephanie Tully, said. The 20th birthday sale will run for 48 hours, starting at 12.00am AEST on Wednesday, May 1, and end at 11.59pm AEST Thursday 2 May. The travel dates will vary according to the route, but for domestic flights dates include mid-January to late March 2025 and mid-June 2024 to late March 2025 for international services. Club Jetstar members will have 12 hours of exclusive early access from midday Tuesday. A few of the destinations included in the offer can be seen below: Domestic: <ul> <li>Sydney to Ballina Byron from $86</li> <li>Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Launceston from $87</li> <li>Sydney to Gold Coast from $99</li> <li>Newcastle to Melbourne (Tullamarine) from $124</li> <li>Gold Coast to Melbourne (Tullamarine) from $125</li> <li>Perth to Gold Coast from $262</li> </ul> International: <ul> <li>Gold Coast to Wellington from $243</li> <li>Brisbane to Auckland from $266</li> <li>Perth to Bangkok from $309</li> <li>Perth to Phuket from $329</li> <li>Adelaide to Bali (Denpasar) from $349</li> <li>Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Singapore from $399</li> <li>Sydney to Honolulu from $449</li> <li>Brisbane to Seoul (Incheon) from $479</li> <li>Sydney to Osaka from $548</li> </ul> A complete list of all the destinations and details can be found on the <a href="https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/deals?pid=mainnav%3Adeals&flight-type=2&adults=1&origin=SYD#deals-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jetstar website</a>. Image: Getty

Domestic Travel

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