Search

Actors blamed for delaying movie production

These single cast members have been responsible for delaying movie production on these titles. 1. Marlon Brando — Mutiny on the Bounty Brando was singled out as the reason months of production and $6 million went down the drain during the making of Mutiny on the Bounty in 1962. According to the film’s director Lewis Milestone, Brando put earplugs in on set to silence instructions and argued over many scenes in the script. Reportedly, he also refused to shoot the finale and demanded to make his own ending. The delays and tension on set were ironic as the film focused on deadly mutiny. 2. Johnny Depp — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales The fifth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise had a very messy production due to extensive delays and behind-the-scenes drama. Depp delayed production after illegally bringing his dogs into Australia during shooting, injuring his hand and reportedly showing up late to shooting. 3. Brad Pitt — The Fountain Writer and director of The Fountain Darren Aronofsky admitted that Brad Pitt was responsible for delaying film production. Pitt was initially going to star in the film but when it was just weeks away from the start of principal photography in Australia, Pitt let Aronofsky know that he was leaving the film. The departure meant there were extensive delays in starting production, but Aronofsky pins the departure on creative differences and says that neither of them were to blame. 4. Benedict Cumberbatch — Doctor Strange Benedict Cumberbatch was originally the only actor director Scott Derrickson had in mind to play Marvel’s Doctor Strange. Cumberbatch initially turned the role down due to conflicting schedules, so production was delayed to allow the actor a second chance at starring in the film. "If you can't jump on board when the ride's going past, that's usually it," Cumberbatch said "So the hugest compliment they paid me was to come back to me. It motivated me to try to fulfil their faith in me." 5. Robert Downey Jr — Sherlock Holmes 3 The next instalment of Sherlock Holmes has been delayed while Robert Downey Jr fulfils his contractual obligations with the Avengers, according to Holmes producer Joel Silver. Hopefully Downey will return to the Sherlock films after the fourth Avengers. Images: Getty

Movies

10 ways to stay sane on a flight delay

Flight delays seem to be a part of air travel today, so you’ll need some innovative ways to fill your time. Here are 10 ideas to pass time at the airport (without having to pull your smartphone out of your pocket). 1. Explore the city Depending on how long your delay is (and how close the airport is to town), you might be able to get out and have a quick look around. Many airports even offer free bus tours for passengers that will take them past all the major sites. 2. Or explore the airport Airports aren’t what they used to be. In fact, many are practically cities in their own right! Have a look around and you will be amazed what you can find – movie theatres, spas, gardens, libraries, playgrounds and more. 3. Grab something to eat Would you believe that celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey, Jamie Oliver and Wolfgang Puck now operate airport restaurants? The quality of food in airports has increased dramatically over recent years, so you can spend your time on a great meal. 4. Take a nap This will depend on how comfortable you are with sleeping in public, but most airports have a lot of quiet hidey holes that you can seek out. Use your carry on or your coat as a pillow, set your alarm (you don’t want to miss your flight) and catch a few Zs. 5. Buy a new book Airports reliably have great bookstores, so grab yourself the latest bestseller or a classic you’ve always wanted to read and settle in for the wait. We think that time spent reading is never time wasted. 6. Do some exercise Plane travel means sitting still in a small space for hours at a time, so take this opportunity to get moving. This can be a simple walk around the terminal or outside, or you can find a quiet space and do some stretching. Some airports even have gyms, yoga rooms or jogging tracks for passengers to use. 7. Hit the shops Frustrated at the delay? Retail therapy can do wonders for your mood. Airports are a great place to get new release makeup or perfumes, high tech electronics or fashion accessories like handbags and sunglasses at a great price. 8. Splurge on lounge access At a number of airports you can pay a relatively small fee (usually less than $50) and access one of the exclusive priority lounges. Facilities will vary, but you can expect free food and drinks, wi-fi, televisions, books and magazines, and showers. Think of it as a little treat for having to put up with a delay. 9. Find the airport hotel If your delay is going to be a long one, it might be worth checking into the airport hotel for a few hours. Many will offer special rates for a day or part thereof, so for a reasonable price you can have a shower, watch some TV and even have a nap in a proper bed. 10. Meet new people Remember when we used to be able to strike up conversations with people in real life? Without the aid of a smartphone? Now’s a great time to bring it back. Others from your flight will be in the same position as you, so you’ve already got some common ground. Image credit: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Airlines to cough up millions in refunds and fines over delays and cancellations

Frustrated travellers subject to major delays or cancellations to their US flights could be entitled to a portion of $US 600 million ($NZ 978 million) in refunds from six airlines forced to refund their customers. The airlines have been ordered to pay back customers by the US Department of Transport as part of “historic enforcement actions”. Under US law, customers must be refunded by airlines or ticket agents if the airline cancels or significantly changes a flight to, from or within the US and they don’t want to accept the alternate offer. The department also ordered the airlines to pay a total of $US 7.25 million ($NZ 11.83 millIon) in fines for “extreme delays in providing refunds”. “When a flight gets cancelled, passengers seeking refunds should be paid back promptly. Whenever that doesn’t happen, we will act to hold airlines accountable on behalf of American travellers and get passengers their money back.” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/more-600-million-refunds-returned-airline-passengers-under-dot-rules-backed-new" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a> shared on Monday. “A flight cancellation is frustrating enough, and you shouldn’t also have to haggle or wait months to get your refund.” According to 7News.com.au, the refunds apply to both US and international travellers. The fines and refunds vary from airline to airline, with the affected airlines including: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Frontier Airlines - ordered to refund $US 222 million ($NZ 362.2 million) and pay $US 2.2 million ($NZ 3.6 million) in fines </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Air India - to pay back $US 121.5 million ($NZ million) and fined $US 1.4 ($NZ 2.3 million) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> TAP Portugal - with refunds totalling $US 126.5 million ($NZ 206.3 million) and fines of $US 1.1 million ($NZ 1.8 million) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Aeromexico - to refund $US 13.6 million ($NZ 22.1 million) and pay $900,000 ($NZ 1.4 million) in fines </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> El Al - due to pay $US 61.9 million ($NZ 100 million) in refunds and $900,000 ($$NZ 1.4 million) in fines </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Avianca - with total refunds of $US 76.8 million ($NZ 125.2 million) and a fine of $US 750,000 ($NZ 1.2 million) </li> </ul> Most of the fines will be paid to the Treasury Department, with the remainder to be credited based on airlines paying customers beyond the legal requirement. According to Blane Workie, the assistant general counsel for the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection DOT, the refunds have either already been made or customers should have been informed of them. Image: Getty Images

International Travel

Airline havoc and lost luggage become major headache for cruise-goers

With airlines across the globe making headlines for delays, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/qantas-loses-woman-s-luggage-that-contains-her-mother-s-ashes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losing passengers’ luggage</a>, and a host of other issues, it might seem that going on a cruise would be a safer option. But many cruise-goers have faced even more significant problems as a result of waylaid luggage, with some telling <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lost-luggage-cruise-vacation-travel-transport-europe-trip-airport-airline-2022-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider</a> that they had to choose whether to stay at the airport to find out what happened to their luggage or make it in time for their cruise boarding time. For Ed Perry and his wife, who flew from North Carolina to Amsterdam for a two-week cruise to Budapest and Hungary, flight delays, route changes and having to check their hand luggage resulted in both their carry-on bags and their hold luggage being lost. “It was a disaster from start to finish,” Mr Perry told Insider. He added that he and his wife couldn’t shop for clothes when their ship docked because they’d paid for excursions, but that other passengers stepped in to lend them clothes. Todd McCloud Jr said losing his luggage after last-minute flight changes “put a dampener on our whole trip”. He said a staff member told him his bags would arrive on another flight and be taken straight to the port where his family’s cruise around the Caribbean would be departing from, but that the bags ultimately never arrived. “I’m lucky that I didn’t put our birth certificates in those bags or else we wouldn’t have been able to go on that cruise at all,” Mr McCloud said. Fortunately, his bags were waiting for him when he returned to the airport, along with a voucher and a cheque from Southwest, the airline he flew with, to cover the cost of the replacement items he purchased during the trip Other passengers shared how their luggage was lost during layovers, with some bags being passed between multiple airports as airlines tried to follow cruise itineraries to match up the luggage with their rightful owners. Thomas Hatch, who was meant to arrive in Rome for a 10-day Celebrity Cruises trip around Europe, said a total of eight bags belonging to him and three other passengers failed to arrive in time. British Airways staff told Mr Hatch that the luggage would be flown to Rome on a later flight, but the flight’s cancellation resulted in six of the bags being sent to Athens the day before Mr Hatch’s ship docked there. Despite matching his itinerary, Mr Hatch said the airport was “overwhelmed” with luggage and wouldn’t let the ship's porter collect the bags. He said two of his bags were sent to Thessaloniki Airport in Greece, despite the ship never stopping there. Another passenger, who wished to remain anonymous so as not to jeopardise her chances of compensation, shared photos of luggage tags from her bag, which showed the airline apparently sent it to four European airlines in failed attempts to match up with her cruise. While passengers said they struggled to get help from the airlines, cruise lines went out of their way to be of assistance. Mr Perry said Viking “bent over backwards for us”, with staff lending him their mobile phones so he could call Air Canada, who he said were difficult to reach during the trip and never offered to send his luggage to other ports. Zoe Greenberg had a similar experience to Mr Perry, sharing that Air Canada was “impossible to reach” despite her calling them daily and her husband spending three-and-a-half hours on hold on one occasion. “They had no idea where our bags were,” she said. On the other hand, both Mr Perry and Ms Greenberg said their cruise lines also waived laundry fees during their trip. When she arrived back at Barcelona airport, Ms Greenberg said her husband found her luggage in a storage room “with thousands of bags” but that he didn’t receive his until 26 days after their trip. Image: Getty Images

Cruising

The “marshmallow test” of delayed gratification is actually culturally diverse

The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_marshmallow_experiment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford marshmallow experiment</a> is one of the most enduring child psychology studies of the last 50 years. The test is a simple one. A child aged between 3 and 6 had a marshmallow (later experiments also used a pretzel) placed in front of them and told that if they wait, they could have a second marshmallow when the tester returned. The original study found that those who waited for the extra marshmallow had more success as an adult than those that scoffed the marshmallow down, suggesting that being able to delay gratification is an important life skill. But since its inception, people have argued whether waiting for a marshmallow as a five-year-old can really tell you how successful, thin and educated you’ll be as an adult, or if there might be other, more complicated factors going on behind the scenes. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09567976221074650?journalCode=pssa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychological Science</a> has suggested one of those factors – showing that cultural upbringing could change the way children respond. “We found that the ability to delay gratification – which predicts many important life outcomes – is not just about variations in genes or brain development but also about habits supported by culture,” <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/today/2022/07/21/new-take-marshmallow-test-when-it-comes-resisting-temptation-childs-cultural-upbringing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said one of the researchers</a>, University of Colorado Boulder psychology researcher Yuko Munakata. “It calls into question: How much of our scientific conclusions are shaped by the cultural lens we, as researchers, bring to our work?” <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p199467-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> This is a larger problem than just some kids eating marshmallows. Historically, science – across <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/clinical-trials-have-far-too-little-racial-and-ethnic-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clinical</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691620927709" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychology</a> research – has a habit of having too little cultural diversity, and the new research shows why this can be an issue. The researchers found that the 80 children in Japan were much better at waiting to eat food when asked than the 58 children in the United States. However, this was reversed when asked to wait to open gifts. “This interaction may reflect cultural differences: waiting to eat is emphasised more in Japan than in the United States, whereas waiting to open gifts is emphasised more in the United States than in Japan,” <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09567976221074650" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the team write in their new paper.</a> “These findings suggest that culturally specific habits support delaying gratification, providing a new way to understand why individuals delay gratification and why this behaviour predicts life success.” This small study doesn’t look into the longer-term results of the original marshmallow experiment, like whether the kids will be more successful as adults. Along with cultural differences, other studies have shown <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/06/marshmallow-test/561779/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">qualities like affluence</a> are also a defining factor. All of this is only if the marshmallow test actually holds at all. <a href="https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/new-study-disavows-marshmallow-tests-predictive-powers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Recent follow up studies</a> with <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797618761661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">larger groups</a> of children followed into adulthood have shown that those who chose marshmallowey goodness straight away are not generally more or less financially secure, educated or healthy than their food-delaying peers. It seems that 50 years later the test is still telling us things – just about our own biases rather than predicting the future of five-year-olds. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=199467&title=The+%26%238220%3Bmarshmallow+test%26%238221%3B+of+delayed+gratification+is+actually+culturally+diverse" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/marshmallow-test-cultural-diverse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jacinta-bowler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jacinta Bowler</a>. Jacinta Bowler is a freelance science journalist who has written about far-flung exoplanets, terrifying superbugs and everything in between. They have written articles for ABC, SBS, ScienceAlert and Pedestrian, and are a regular contributor for kids magazines Double Helix and KIT. Image: Getty Images </div>

Caring

Aussie airports brace for record crowds over Easter

Aussie travellers are facing ongoing mayhem across the country as airports feel the pressure of the Easter long weekend. Sydney Airport is at the epicentre of the chaos, with travellers in the airport’s domestic terminals experiencing <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/give-us-patience-chaos-continues-at-sydney-airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lengthy queues</a> and hours of waiting to check-in and get through security. With an already stretched staffing system and 82,000 people expected to go through the domestic terminal gates on Thursday - the busiest the airport’s been since 80,000 people filed through on March 6, 2020 - it’s unlikely that the pressure will ease anytime soon. An additional 79,000 people are predicted to travel through the terminals on Good Friday, with numbers dropping to around 60,000 on Saturday and Sunday before picking up again. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Melbourne airport 5:45am.. big queues for bag drops but flights being called out to make sure people aren’t missing them. With traffic into airport too the advice is definitely still to get here early though! <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstMelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirstMelb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/melbourneairport?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#melbourneairport</a> <a href="https://t.co/R0M8HcdoO2">pic.twitter.com/R0M8HcdoO2</a> — Caty Price (@caty_price) <a href="https://twitter.com/caty_price/status/1513968147052736512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></blockquote> But the chaos hasn’t been limited to Sydney, after Melbourne and Adelaide airports saw similar situations unfolding on Thursday morning. Melbourne is also expecting crowds over the Easter break, with 380,000 people set to walk through the airport over the entire long weekend. Brisbane hasn’t been spared either, with foot traffic of 56,000 predicted for Thursday. In response, Australians have been advised to arrive at least two hours before their domestic flight - or three hours for international flights - and expect delays. Lyall Stranby, the chief executive of Melbourne Airport, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/sydney-airport-chaos-to-continue-with-more-than-80000-people-expected-on-thursday/news-story/d7b9b0d277cd44cf7240de7ca36dcc5d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> impacts of the widespread redundancies among airline and airport staff during the pandemic are still being felt despite efforts to rapidly expand the workforce. “COVID-19 decimated airlines and airports and resulted in thousands of highly-skilled workers being stood down or made redundant,” she said. “The airlines and their suppliers are now scaling up their workforce but given the safety-critical nature of the jobs they do; recruitment and retraining can take time.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> As someone who works at Sydney Airport, please be kind to us, we are trying to get you to where you need/want to be. Short staffed due to being dead quiet for like 1.5 years and then suddenly going full speed once the borders opened. We get it, it’s hard for us too — louis (@louis20016) <a href="https://twitter.com/louis20016/status/1512282830478356482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></blockquote> Travellers in Melbourne have also faced lengthy wait times for their luggage, with some waiting up to an hour to pick up their bags. Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said this period has been challenging for everyone, including passengers. “We’ve got staff shortages, we’ve been rebuilding the business from the ground up,” Mr Culbert told 2GB’s Chris Smith on Wednesday. “You go back to November last year, and we were all in lockdown, we were operating at one percent of normal capacity and we all started recruiting for Easter back in December last year, right when we got a sense of the borders were going to open but we just haven’t been able to get enough staff. “Then you add on top of that the Covid issues, on any given day up to 20 percent of staff can’t come to work due to Covid. So we’re running at 60 percent of ordinary staff capacity.” As staff face the crowds, senior staff at Sydney Airport have been told to leave their offices to help manage queues, while retail and IT staff have been redeployed onto the security floor, as reported by news.com.au. With airport service staff, including security workers, now recognised as critical workers in NSW and Victoria, they are exempt from isolating for seven days if they are close contacts and have no COVID-19 symptoms. Image: @cajlamb (Twitter)

Travel Trouble

“Give us patience”: Chaos continues at Sydney Airport

Aussies hoping to fly from Sydney airport over the Easter holidays are facing ongoing chaos, as long queues build up inside the airport’s domestic terminal. It’s seen some passengers have been waiting for upwards of two hours to get through security, due to the start of the school holidays and staff shortages, which Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has attributed to Covid. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Sydney airport is absolutely insane. Security line starts inside and snakes back and forth, then it goes outside and snakes back and forth, then you can go back inside and snakes back and forth. Flights are delayed because they can't get humans through fast enough! <a href="https://t.co/NpE2AiNJkh">pic.twitter.com/NpE2AiNJkh</a> — James Ryall (@jgryall) <a href="https://twitter.com/jgryall/status/1511982559353532420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote> “At the moment the sick leave, absenteeism is twice the level of the reserves,” Mr Joyce <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-airport-delays-continue-as-queues-form-and-joyce-blames-covid-staff-shortages/a3a6164b-5483-4cc5-941e-f4c09b2366ba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Today show. “You have 15 percent of cabin crew typically on reserve or backup to stand by, where now you’re getting up to 30 percent of people not turning up because Covid or (from being) close contacts. “Managing that, we ask people to give us patience. We again apologise for it.” The third day of delays has seen queues forming before 5am, with images from inside the packed terminal quickly circulating on social media. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hell is… this at 5am. 🤦🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyAirport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyAirport</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JetstarAirways?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JetstarAirways</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gq8VaKD5Az">pic.twitter.com/Gq8VaKD5Az</a> — Dr Darren Saunders (@whereisdaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/whereisdaz/status/1512521908050309122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></blockquote> It comes less than a week after Mr Joyce came under fire for appearing to blame customers for contributing to the delays. “I went through the airport on Wednesday and people forget they need to take out their laptops and they need to take out their aerosols,” he said previously. “So that is taking longer to get through the queue.” Going forward, Mr Joyce said changes to the rules for close contacts - which has seen the rules for isolation become more varied depending on a person’s risk of getting sick - would also help the situation. Image: Twitter

Domestic Travel

Pierce Brosnan film to debut after eight-year delay

Pierce Brosnan’s latest role sees him portray King Louis XIV in The King’s Daughter, but its January release comes after an unusually long delay. The film, based on Vonda N. McIntyre’s 1997 novel The Moon and The Sun, follows King Louis XIV’s journey for immortality. His quest seemingly ends when he captures a mermaid with the intention of stealing her life force to fuel his immortality. However, the plot thickens when he discovers his illegitimate daughter, Marie-Josèphe, has become close with the mythical creature. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OdCNs2pkNLk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Starring alongside Brosnan is Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) as Marie-Josèphe, Fan Bingbing (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as the Mermaid, and Julie Andrews as the film’s Narrator, as well as William Hurt, Benjamin Walker and Rachel Griffiths. Although a trailer for the film was released in December 2021, no-one had heard of the film at the time, with <a rel="noopener" href="https://screenrant.com/kings-daughter-pierce-brosnan-movie-8-year-delay-release/" target="_blank">ScreenRant</a> reporting that the film was actually completed in 2014. With an initial release date set for the following year, The King’s Daughter was cancelled just weeks before its premiere due to issues with the film’s water-based visual effects with no future release date set. After responsibility for the film’s distribution was passed around multiple times, independent film company Gravitas Ventures eventually secured the rights and will now release it on January 21, 2022. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846767/brosnan2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f96782bb92b94b66a203ff15ec356131" /> Pierce Brosnan stars as a French king in the film, which will finally be released after eight long years of delays. Image: Thekingsdaughter.com The film’s lengthy delay comes as the film industry continues to grapple with the impact of COVID-19, which has seen delays affect big titles such as John Wick 4 and Marvel’s Morbius among others. Though delays are often a bad sign for films, Paul Currie, a producer for <a rel="noopener" href="https://thekingsdaughtermovie.com/" target="_blank">The King’s Daughter</a>, has said he is confident in the film and claims it will be “somewhere between Twilight and Alice in Wonderland”. Expectations may also be running high due to the popularity of the source material, with the critically acclaimed The Moon and The Sun even beating Game of Thrones for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1997. But, it’s debut is sure to spark plenty of scrutiny too, as is common with book adaptations. Whatever the outcome, the long-overdue release of The King’s Daughter will prove to be a victory in itself, all while showing that pandemic-related delays are nothing to be complained about. Image: Thekingsdaughter.com

Movies

Flight chaos: Eight hour delay after passenger’s huge mistake

A passenger aboard a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight couldn’t seem to wait when it came to using the bathroom and as she rushed to the toilet, she accidentally opened the emergency exit door – causing the slide to deploy, according to reports. PIA Flight 702 was preparing to depart from Manchester to Islamabad on Friday night but was faced with a delay of up to eight hours according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Independent</a>. The woman allegedly chose to ignore seatbelt signs and accidentally opened the emergency door towards the back of the plane, close to the toilet. All doors were “armed” which is what caused the emergency evacuation slides to deploy. “A passenger erroneously opened the emergency door causing the emergency slide to activate,” forcing all passengers to be removed from the plane, PIA said in a statement. When a slide is mistakenly deployed, the airline is able to continue to fly as per usual and replace it at its home base, which is the option PIA chose to take. Though problems tend to arise as fewer passengers are allowed to fly because of reduced evacuation capacity. 38 passengers put their hand up to board a later flight. “All passengers were provided dinner. The offloaded passengers were provided with transportation and hotel accommodation and will be adjusted on the next available flight,” the airline said. Though not everyone was satisfied, as many complained that their luggage was left in Manchester. “Pathetic service from PIA. I am one of the 38 passengers who voluntarily offloaded from PK702 so it can fly to Islamabad only on the condition that all 38 of us will get our luggage,” a passenger tweeted. “First you did not give it to us in Manchester. … Then when we reached here today, we were told half of our luggage is still at Manchester airport,” she wrote after arriving in Islamabad.

International Travel

Samsung delaying Galaxy Fold launch due to screen issues

A report from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/samsungs-galaxy-fold-smartphone-release-delayed-11555941705?mod=e2tw">The Wall Street Journal</a> has suggested that Samsung are pushing the breaks on the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which is the brands latest phone. The Galaxy Fold is a phone that is bendable, but people have found it too flimsy. The Fold has been plagued with bad press since the announcement, but not all complaints have been legitimate. Some had issues with the size of the phone, but that can be overlooked as the users adjust to their new device. However, other issues are more pressing. Some users, who were too excited about their new phone to read the instructions, peeled off the protective film that is necessary for the device to function properly. Those who keep the film on report a large crease down the middle of their phone that is frustrating to look at. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> After one day of use... <a href="https://t.co/VjDlJI45C9">pic.twitter.com/VjDlJI45C9</a> — Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevekovach/status/1118571414934753280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">17 April 2019</a></blockquote> Some are folding the phone like it’s built to do, but are losing the function of the other screens. Journalists who have been given the phones as trials are reporting these problems, which can be seen in the tweet below. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> The screen on my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GalaxyFold?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GalaxyFold</a> review unit was completely broken and unusable just two days in. Today Samsung has replaced my review unit, and I am waiting on an official statement. <a href="https://t.co/VXionV5PsO">pic.twitter.com/VXionV5PsO</a> — Gautam Tandon (@TheGautamTandon) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheGautamTandon/status/1118804506618335237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">18 April 2019</a></blockquote> Samsung have released a statement addressing the issues with the phones: “We recently unveiled a completely new mobile category: A smartphone using multiple new technologies and materials to create a display that is flexible enough to fold. We are encouraged by the excitement around the Galaxy Fold. “While many reviewers shared with us the vast potential they see, some also showed us how the device needs further improvements that could ensure the best possible user experience. “To fully evaluate this feedback and run further internal tests, we have decided to delay the release of the Galaxy Fold. We plan to announce the release date in the coming weeks. “Initial findings from the inspection of reported issues on the display showed that they could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge. There was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance. “We will take measures to strengthen the display protection. We will also enhance the guidance on care and use of the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold. “We value the trust our customers place in us and they are always our top priority. Samsung is committed to working closely with customers and partners to move the industry forward. We want to thank them for their patience and understanding.”

Technology

The clever trick to predict if your flight will be delayed

Rocking up to an airport only to find your flight has been delayed by up to four hours, is about as much fun as having your baggage rerouted to the wrong hemisphere. While for the most part, flight delays are a relatively fickle phenomenon, there’s a clever way to figure out if this unsightly fate is going to befall you, ahead of time. Thanks to a useful website called <a href="https://www.flightaware.com/" target="_blank">Flight Aware</a>, you can get up to date information regarding the status of your flight and whether it’s going to be at the gate when you are. Dan Miller, the man behind the popular travel blog <a href="http://www.pointswithacrew.com/" target="_blank">Boarding Area</a>, explains how this website can be an absolute godsend for travellers stuck heading to busy terminals. “The #1 trick I use to tell if my flight is going to be delayed is checking where your inbound aircraft is. I use Flightaware.com for this (not an affiliate link),” Dan writes. “Just pull up your flight, and click on the ‘Where is my aircraft now’ link at the top. “The part that irritates me the most is that most airlines do not actually put any delay notice up until well past the time that it is obvious to just about everyone that the flight is going to be delayed. Put another way, airlines seem to cling to the belief that just possibly, everything will go right, time will stand still, and they still might put this flight out on time until the absolute last possible second.” <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GQNs_HA32Js" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> So there you have it, that’s how you figure out whether your flight will be delayed! Do you think you will give this advice a try? Let us know in the comments section!

International Travel

World’s best and worst airlines by punctuality

For those who insist that travelling is all about the journey, we say this: It really depends on which airline you're flying with. Aside from variations in cabins and service quality, there's the major concern of how likely your flight will be delayed. Fly on the wrong airline and your odds of a delay are as high as 55 per cent; choose the right one and that number shrinks way down to just 11 per cent. That's enough to make or break a holiday's spell, no matter where you're sitting on the plane. But how do you know which airlines to steer clear of, and which ones to prioritise? Every year, the aviation insights company FlightStats puts together a list of the international airlines with the best on-time performance records. It's the capstone to the company's year-round efforts to track delay and cancellation patterns for airlines across the globe. We've asked them to share all of their annual findings so we can point out the losers, too. Without further ado, here are the full results, along with your likelihood of getting delayed on each carrier: The worst 10 international airlines of 2016: 10. Hainan Airlines - 30.3 per cent 9. Korean Air - 31.74 per cent 8. Air China - 32.73 per cent 7. Hong Kong Airlines - 33.42 per cent 6. China Eastern Airlines - 35.8 per cent 5. Asiana Airlines - 37.46 per cent 4. Philippine Airlines - 38.33 per cent 3. Air India - 38.71 per cent 2. Icelandair - 41.05 per cent 1. El Al - 56 percent The best 10 international airlines of 2016: 10. Qantas - 15.7 per cent 9. TAM Linhas Aereas - 14.93 per cent 8. Delta Air Lines - 14.83 per cent 7. Singapore Airlines - 14.55 per cent 6. ANA - 14.46 per cent 5. Austrian - 14.26 per cent 4. Qatar Airways - 13.66 per cent 3. JAL - 12.2 per cent 2. Iberia - 11.82 per cent 1. KLM - 11.47 per cent According to Jim Hetzel, vice president of aviation and distribution at FlightStats, compiling the list is no small feat. "We stitch data together from 500 different sources," said Hetzel, likening the process to creating a giant quilt. Among those sources are flight-tracking and positional services, airport runway times, radar services, airline records, airport data, and such governing bodies as Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration. "All of these pieces come in in different formats, all with different elements of value, and a lot of times the sources don't agree," said Hetzel as to why his business is so unrivalled. "We've built the technology and logic to sort that out and validate information across multiple sources. It's a pretty interesting process," he said. As for this year's results? Hetzel says they're the best numbers yet. "I'm seeing a big improvement in overall performance across the board as the industry becomes more and more competitive," he said, noting that on-time performance has become a major selling point for airlines. "It's a huge win for travellers." (Air India disagrees with the above assessment, spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said in a statement.) Do these results match with your experience? Share with us in the comments below. Written by Nikki Ekstein. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2017/01/passengers-should-be-weighed-for-flights-according-to-fellow-flyers/">Passengers should be weighed for flights, according to fellow flyers</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2017/01/snake-on-a-plane-grounds-emirates-flight/">Snake on a plane grounds Emirates flight</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2017/01/why-passengers-always-board-planes-from-the-left-side/">Why passengers always board planes from the left side</a>

Travel Tips

The real reason your flight is delayed

The weather is a convenient excuse for airline delays, but it’s generally not the cause. These are the top reasons for flight delays. 1. Airline factors Most of the time your flight is late, it’s because the airline themselves has had some sort of issue. Statistics from the Federal Aviation Authority in the US found that around six in 100 flight delays are caused by airline problems. These can be things like a computer glitch, lack of flight crew, aircraft damage, mechanical breakdown, delayed luggage or unruly passengers holding up the flight, among many other things. 2. Late arrivals Remember that the above figure doesn’t even take into account the ripple effect caused by each individual flight delay, which can play havoc with the overall schedule. Aircraft turnaround times are getting shorter as airlines look to cut costs, so even a small delay can have a huge impact on following flights. 3. National Airspace System These are the systems that control the airspace over each country (hence the name). With literally thousands of aircraft in the air at any one time, delays can pop up all over the place. If airports or routes are overcrowded, your flight might have to circle in the air for a while until a spot frees up. Once again, this system is susceptible to the ripple effect as each delay knocks into the next. 4. Security problems These are pretty rare, but sometimes there can be a big hold up at security with huge lines meaning all passengers are late to the gate. While they won’t hold the flight for just one or two latecomers, if every passenger is running late then they will have to wait. Security delays also apply in the case of airport evacuations, where all passengers have to leave the terminal for a period of time. If this happens, expect delays to be in the hours rather than minutes. 5. Extreme weather Of course, you can’t rule out the weather factor completely. Australia gets off pretty lightly with just a few delays for high winds or big storms. In the USA and Europe, massive snowstorms regularly close airports for days at a time. Tornados, hurricanes and ash from volcanic eruptions have all played their part in keeping planes on the ground and unhappy passengers grounded. Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/a-solution-to-lost-luggage-for-good/">A solution to lost luggage for good</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/should-reclining-seats-on-planes-be-banned/">Should reclining seats on planes be banned?</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/travel-experts-reveal-best-and-worst-airports/">Travel experts reveal best and worst airports</a>

Travel Tips

What happens when my flight is delayed?

They say in life, nothing is certain but death and taxes. Anyone who’s travelled would probably add airline delays to that list as well. Consumer advocate group CHOICE says that around 21 per cent of Australians experienced flight delays or cancellations on international or domestic flights in 2015, and 4 per cent of people have been bumped from their flight due to overbooking. These figures are backed up by research from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Economics, which found that 76,266 domestic flights were delayed by 15 minutes or more and 8,271 were cancelled in the 2014–15 financial year. At some point in time most of us will be faced with an inconvenient delay, and while most airlines have plenty of information hidden in the Ts and Cs to ensure they’re covered, it doesn’t mean you’re completely without any rights when your flight is delayed. When the delay or cancellation is within the airline’s control (mechanical issues etc.): <ul> <li>Most airlines will carry you on another scheduled service as soon as space is available. If they can’t do this they will generally provide a refund.</li> <li>At the airline’s discretion, you may also be provided with meals, refreshments, accommodation and transfers, appropriate with the length of the delay.</li> </ul> When the delay or cancellation is outside the airline’s control (bad weather etc.): <ul> <li>Airlines will usually try to help you get to your destination in time.</li> <li>But, as is often stated in their product disclosure statements, airlines are not responsible for any costs or expenses you incur as a result of the delay.</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/">London’s 8 most photographed locations</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</a>

Travel Tips

5 tips for dealing with flight delays

Of all the annoying things in the world air delays are certainly right up there. The good news is that there are things you can do. We’ve put together a guide showing you how to cope with air delays. 1. Watch the weather Make sure you keep your eye on the weather so you know at least a couple of days ahead of time if there’s a chance that your flight could be threatened. Keep on the lookout because it’s easier to change a flight a few days out rather than on the actual day. 2. Consider making a reservation at a nearby hotel If it looks like there’s a chance your flight won’t lift off, a sneaky thing you can do is book a room at a nearby hotel and cancel last minute. Look for off-airport hotels that offer shuttle service. 3. Have important numbers ready to go with your phone Save some important numbers before you head off, like the contact number for your airline, reservation sites, car rental companies and even your travel agent if you happened to use one. 4. Know your options Make sure you’re aware of alternate options at hand, like the sort of flights available from other airlines. Sometimes you can get transfers to different locals that can be a real time saver. 5. Call ahead to the airline The most extreme cases (and sometimes not even then), the airlines won't tell you that your plane is delayed even when the entire airport is about to shut down. This is because the airlines fare better if you show up and sleep on the floor than they do if they let you stay in your hotel room an extra day. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international-travel/2015/12/7-iconic-public-transport-experiences/">7 of the world’s best iconic public transport experiences</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international-travel/2015/12/top-10-amazing-festivals/">10 most amazing festivals in the world</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international-travel/2015/12/shibuya-pedestrian-crossing-japan/">The busiest pedestrian crossing in the world</a>

Travel Tips

Baby boomers are delaying retirement

Whether you’re counting down the days till retirement or still on the fence as to when the big day will be, chances are good you’ve spent plenty of time thinking about how you’ll manage financially once you’re no longer clocking up the weekly hours. With the rising cost of living, more and more baby boomers are choosing to extend their working life with a 10 per cent jump from 2008 (45 per cent) to 2015 (55 per cent) of 60 to 64 years olds remaining in full and part time employment. The over-65s still in employment has also grown. While cost of living is one factor, the other is thought to be the surprisingly big impact remaining in the work force for a couple of extra years has on retirement income, even for those working part time or in a job share situation. Working for longer boosts retirement income in two ways: <ul> <li>It allows you to save a larger overall sum of money i.e. by giving you the capability to contribute more to your super.</li> <li>It spreads the spending of your savings over lesser years in total.</li> </ul> A hypothetical example compares someone retiring at 60 versus the same person retiring at 62. With average super savings, retiring at 60 would lead to an income stream of about $32,000 a year. Working two extra years increases this to around $34,600. While not everyone wants to or physically can work longer, it’s something worth considering if you’re still enjoying your work and are capable of continuing, even on a part time basis, for a little while longer.

Money & Banking

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Actors blamed for delaying movie production

10 ways to stay sane on a flight delay

Airlines to cough up millions in refunds and fines over delays and cancellations

Airline havoc and lost luggage become major headache for cruise-goers

The “marshmallow test” of delayed gratification is actually culturally diverse

Aussie airports brace for record crowds over Easter

“Give us patience”: Chaos continues at Sydney Airport

Pierce Brosnan film to debut after eight-year delay

Flight chaos: Eight hour delay after passenger’s huge mistake

Samsung delaying Galaxy Fold launch due to screen issues

The clever trick to predict if your flight will be delayed

World’s best and worst airlines by punctuality

The real reason your flight is delayed

What happens when my flight is delayed?

5 tips for dealing with flight delays

Baby boomers are delaying retirement

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Actors blamed for delaying movie production

10 ways to stay sane on a flight delay

Airlines to cough up millions in refunds and fines over delays and cancellations

Airline havoc and lost luggage become major headache for cruise-goers

The “marshmallow test” of delayed gratification is actually culturally diverse

Aussie airports brace for record crowds over Easter

“Give us patience”: Chaos continues at Sydney Airport

Pierce Brosnan film to debut after eight-year delay

Flight chaos: Eight hour delay after passenger’s huge mistake

Samsung delaying Galaxy Fold launch due to screen issues

The clever trick to predict if your flight will be delayed

World’s best and worst airlines by punctuality

The real reason your flight is delayed

What happens when my flight is delayed?

5 tips for dealing with flight delays

Baby boomers are delaying retirement

Join Over60