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Flight cancelled after parents demand free upgrade for their child

A flight was delayed for hours before being ultimately cancelled after two parents demanded that their child was upgraded to first class for free. A plane in China was grounded for three hours after the parents caused a ruckus with the cabin crew, and were eventually kicked off the aircraft. According to a fellow passenger, the argument kicked off when an unsupervised child began to sob uncontrollably after boarding a flight from Chengdu to Beijing. As it turned out, the inconsolable toddler’s parents were seated in first class but had only bought their child an economy ticket. It was then that the angry dad confronted the staff, demanding that his son be moved to first class at no extra cost. According to the South China Morning Post, the irate dad explained that because he had already paid for two first class tickets, his child’s upgrade should be free. In the clip shot by a fellow passenger, the outraged dad began berating a group of passengers, crew members, and security guards as they repeatedly explained why his child isn’t entitled to an upgrade. “Stop swearing at me,” fumed the father. “You have no right to do that.” When a security guard attempts to de-escalate the situation, the parent lays into him, shouting: “What gives you the right to order me about?” This prompts a woman to retort: “You’ve wasted too much of our time and we won’t tolerate it any longer.” After three hours of back and forth, the couple were eventually kicked off the plane, while the flight was cancelled. The entitled passenger has since been rinsed on social media with one commenter fuming, “This man is so selfish.” Others suggested solutions for the father that didn’t involve the airline giving the man an extra first-class seat. “He can switch seats,” advised one person. “Let him sit in economy class, and have the mum take care of the child in the first-class cabin.” Some on social media were quick to chastise the airline for their handling of the situation, with one person writing, “Keeping the quarrel going for hours? The problem-solving skills of the crew are poor.” Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

When Life At Sea <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their world-first three-year voyage in early 2023, many were quick to jump at the opportunity to spend the next years of their life onboard. People from around the globe <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/meet-the-woman-preparing-to-spend-three-years-at-sea#xd_co_f=YTM5MzVmOGQtNTY4My00NWE1LThjNDctMTUxMjJlNjVhMWNj~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sold their homes</a> and belongings to fork out the hefty $180,000 price tag to spend 36 months travelling the world, with their once-in-a-lifetime voyage set to kick off in November. But now, as their departure date loomed, Life At Sea have left passengers stranded after abruptly cancelling the trip in its entirety. Life at Sea Cruises was scheduled to depart from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1st but departure was relocated and delayed twice to November 30th, before passengers were informed on November 17th the cruise was off, according to CNN. The news outlet reported that the ship that was destined to be the vessel of the three-year journey was bought by another company just one day before the voyage was cancelled. The owner of Life at Sea Cruises’ parent company Miray Cruises, then confirmed they couldn’t afford the ship because investors had pulled out “due to unrest in the Middle East” – but suggested they were working on getting another ship and a new departure date. The idea that the vessel would be replaced filled some travellers with hope they would still be embarking on their three-year adventure, before CEO of Miray Cruises was forced to clarify: “In case we weren’t clear, the Life at Sea cruise trip is cancelled.” Passengers were devastated by the news, with those who thought they had locked in the next three years of their lives telling CNN they felt “incredibly sad”, “angry” and “betrayed”. “I had the next three years of my life planned to live an extraordinary life, and now [I have] nothing,” said one cruiser. “I don’t think they will ever understand how much damage they’ve caused us,” said another. The more than $180,000 three-year trip had been celebrated by big cruising fans and called a “nightmare” and “claustrophobic” by critics across social media. The company’s website is still advertising the cruise as normal, with a countdown stating on Monday it was three hours “until we go for an adventure of a lifetime”. Image credits: Life At Sea

Travel Trouble

Flight cancelled after passenger's sickening act

A flight has been cancelled at the last minute after a passenger allegedly defecated on the floor of the airplane bathroom. The EasyJet flight was due to depart from the Spanish island of Tenerife to London’s Gatwick airport, which had already been delayed by several hours when the incident took place. A passenger on board by the name of Aaran Gedhu told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/easyjet-flight-canceled-defecation-incident/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> that the problems began when the scheduled plane was switched out for a smaller aircraft. Passengers were turned away from boarding the plane while the switch took place, which stirred up a frustrated atmosphere amongst passengers. After travellers eventually made it onto the plane two hours after their scheduled departure, they had to wait for their luggage to be transferred to the new plane, which again took several hours. As the delay extended, the atmosphere on the packed flight was characterised by "suspense and anger," Gedhu said. "EasyJet planes, as they are, just aren't very comfortable – it's just a basic seat with okayish legroom room. So everyone was just a bit tense," he said. "Then, the pilot finally gave the all clear, and then he said that it will be about 20 minutes until departure," recalled Gedhu. "And that's when the incident happened with the defecation." Gedhu, who was seated in the middle of the aircraft, saw "two passengers" visit the front airplane bathroom with word quickly spreading that someone had defecated on the bathroom floor. As an unpleasant smell followed, passengers grew more irritated, but Gedhu says most people onboard believed the incident was an "accident". "Everyone was being polite to each other. There was no fighting amongst the passengers," he said. "It was just a very uncomfortable experience. Obviously, the plane was in an unsanitary state. So they had to get external cleaners out from the airport to clean it. So that's when the stairs reconnected, and the cleaners came on to deep clean the flooring." According to Gedhu, passengers remained in their seats during the cleaning process, and after the situation had been resolved, the captain of the aircraft told the plane's occupants they would have to disembark. "It was very frustrating," another passenger, Kitty Streek, told CNN Travel. "We obviously can't prove whether the person simply had an accident or if they had done this out of anger for the delayed flight but it was hard not to be angry either way as nobody wants to be stranded in another country." Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

"Magical": Ed Sheeran crashes wedding after cancelled Vegas concert

Ed Sheeran, the man of the hour, recently pulled off a surprise move that left a wedding chapel feeling less little and a lot more magical. After recently being forced to <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/ed-sheeran-fans-left-devastated-moments-before-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scrap his Las Vegas gig</a> due to some venue woes, he stumbled upon a teeny spot he couldn't resist: The Little White Wedding Chapel. In a moment that's now etched in matrimonial history, Sheeran couldn't resist the urge to crash Jordan and Carter Lindenfield's intimate wedding ceremony. And boy, oh boy, was it a surprise! The couple were just about to say their "I dos" when up popped Ed Sheeran like a musical jack-in-the-box. Strolling in with an acoustic guitar and a gang of backup singers, ready to serenade the lovebirds with his upcoming single, "Magical", the jaw-dropping, starstruck expressions from the bride and groom said it all. After Sheeran finished crooning his heart out for the tearful duo, they sealed the deal with a kiss and the all-important certificate-signing ritual. But here's the kicker: Sheeran himself became an official witness to their nuptials, sheepishly admitting: "This is the first time I've been a witness." As if the entire affair wasn't surreal enough, Ed took to Instagram to immortalise the moment, captioning it with the understatement of the century: "Crashed a wedding, this is Magical." The fans, always ready to hop on the Sheeran bandwagon, couldn't contain their excitement in the comments section. Some were so swept away by the thought of Ed showing up at their own weddings that they contemplated tying the knot, fiancé or not. "I never wanted to get married, but if this could happen, I might reconsider," one fan playfully quipped. Another enthusiastic soul chimed in, "You can crash my wedding too! No date set, and I'm still looking for the fiancé, but hey, baby steps." This isn't the first time Sheeran has indulged in his wedding-crashing whims. In 2015, he made headlines by gatecrashing a wedding ceremony in Sydney, courtesy of a local radio station. They had organised the dream wedding for a couple who had faced some serious hardships, so Sheeran decided to sprinkle some stardust on their special day. Fast forward to the present, and Ed's spontaneous wedding performances are still going strong. This latest magical moment came hot on the heels of his Las Vegas concert cancellation. He had to break the news to fans just an hour before showtime. But he then went on to assure everyone that the safety of his fans was his top priority. "I really am gutted," he confessed, but promised that the rescheduled show on October 28 would be nothing short of spectacular.

Music

Bruce Springsteen cancels shows after being "taken ill"

Bruce Springsteen's upcoming performances have been unexpectedly put on hold due to his falling ill, leading to the postponement of his scheduled shows. A sudden announcement, posted on the singer's official X account, has informed fans that the show dates will be rescheduled. "Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed. We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled shows." This announcement emerged mere hours before the debut show, just as eager fans were anticipating a memorable experience with Springsteen and his band. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed. We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled… — Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) <a href="https://twitter.com/springsteen/status/1691872953414115424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote> This occurrence isn't the first instance where the music icon had to modify a show at the 11th hour due to health issues. Earlier this year, Springsteen communicated the postponement of his March 9 event at the Nationwide Arena in Ohio, attributing it to "illness." No explicit details about his health condition were disclosed in that instance either, but fans were encouraged to retain their original tickets for the rescheduled shows. Following the Ohio cancellation, two more postponements were subsequently declared. The performance originally slated for March 12 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut has been rescheduled to September, while the March 14 show at the MVP Arena in Albany, upstate New York, was similarly postponed. Both changes were tied to unspecified health concerns. During this period, Steven Van Zandt, a member of the E Street Band, assuaged fans' concerns. He reassured them via Twitter, stating: "No need to be anxious or afraid. Nothing serious. Just a temporary situation. We will all be back in full force very soon." The band embarked on their tour in February, commencing in Tampa and traversing the United States before crossing the Atlantic to Europe in April. Returning to the United States in August, Springsteen and his crew intended to entertain audiences for several more months before culminating the extensive tour on December 10 in San Francisco. With a career spanning over 50 years, the seasoned singer-songwriter shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Caring

Woman divides internet after cancelling her brother's wedding

A woman has divided the internet after admitting to cancelling her brother's wedding without telling him, after consistently being treated poorly by her future sister-in-law. The 27-year-old shared that the "extreme" moment came after countless mean comments, wedding planning gone wrong and a selection of financial problems. Writing on Reddit's "Am I The A**hole?" thread, the woman wanted advice on if she was in the wrong. The woman explained that her brother, 30, and his fiancée Ella, 28, had been together three years but the two women were never particularly close. "Honestly, we never got along but I always tried to put up a peaceful front because my brother seemed blissfully happy with her," the poster explained on the online forum. "Ella was mean to me a lot ... She would make comments about my weight, my makeup, and especially my dog. She hated animals and hated that I would bring my lab, Toast, to my parents or my brothers house." After her brother popped the question, she was shocked when Ella asked her to be her Maid of Honour, given their turbulent relationship. Despite this, she agreed to the role, thinking it was the "sisterly" thing to do. "What I failed to realise when I accepted the role was that to her [Maid Of Honour] meant planning the entire wedding. Like I was booking venues, florists, jazz band, everything," the woman wrote. "Even worse she expected me to put my MY credit card down for all of it... Every time I asked Ella about it, she would say that it would all be paid back by her parents before the wedding." It wasn't until three weeks before the wedding that the relationship between the two women took a turn for the worst. "I asked if she had received the updated receipt of everything owed when she exploded," she said. "She called me a whole line of terrible names but the one that stuck out was her saying 'What do you need the money for anyway? Your sick dog is dead now'." "My beautiful Toasty died about a month before this after he fought the bravest battle with cancer. He was my soul dog and I was devastated." Ella's hurtful comments went a step too far, leading the woman to "immediately called the vendors and cancelled any deposit under my card. Every. Single. One." "After almost 20 calls, all that was left of her wedding was the dress and the flower arch." The woman told her brother what she had done, and said she would no longer be attending their wedding if it still went ahead after her revenge plan. She then ignored calls from her future sister-in-law, forcing her to deal with all the wedding fallout. Most people took to the comments in support of the woman's "revenge", saying she would have been saddled with footing the bill. "MOH duties do NOT include planning the whole wedding and they certainly do NOT put down all the deposits and pay for the wedding," one person wrote. "If you ask me, it sounds 100% like they were going to stiff you for the wedding. I don't believe for a minute her parents were paying for it." Another wrote, "You didn't cancel the wedding. You extricated yourself from an abusive and exploitative situation. They're still free to marry, on their own thin dime." While most people supported the woman's actions, there were a handful of comments that believed the woman had gone too far with her revenge, but also agreed her sister-in-law treated her very poorly. After the original post went viral, the poster shared an update that she is now speaking to her brother again and that the couple didn't make it down the aisle. They are currently on a "break" with Ella no longer in possession of an engagement ring. Image credits: Shutterstock

Relationships

Why why WHYYYY Tom Jones' biggest hit is ‘cancelled’

Choirs have been informed that they are no longer allowed to perform Welsh singer Tom Jones’ classic “Delilah” during international rugby matches at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The announcement, made on Wednesday, came after allegations of misogyny, sexism, racism, and homophobia within the Welsh Rugby Union. Prior to banning the song, claims of a toxic culture within the WRU’s governing body were made public during a TV documentary, and chief executive Steve Phillips issued his resignation. Previously in 2015, the WRU had removed “Delilah” from its Test match playlists and half-time entertainment, but now guest choirs have been asked not to perform it. “‘Delilah’ will not feature on the playlist for choirs for rugby internationals at Principality Stadium,” a spokesperson for the stadium confirmed. “Guest choirs have also more recently been requested not to feature the song during their pre-match performances and throughout games,” he continued, “the WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind. "We have previously sought advice from subject matter experts on the issue of censoring the song and we are respectfully aware that it is problematic and upsetting to some supporters because of its subject matter." The lyrics of concern, written in the 1960s, reference a woman’s murder at the hands of her jealous partner. “I crossed the street to her house and she opened the door. She stood there laughing,” the song goes, “I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more.” The decision to ban the song has been met with mixed response, with many unsure that it was the right step towards tackling the WRU’s issues - or if it was even a step at all. “All the things they need to do,” tweeted WRU wing Louis Rees-Zammit, in what is believed to be a comment on the situation, “and they do that first…” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> All the things they need to do and they do that first….😶 — Louis Rees-Zammit ⚡️ (@LouisReesZammit) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisReesZammit/status/1620804107392155654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote> “Wrongheaded,” was what Welsh Conservative shadow sport minister Tom Giffard said of the decision. “One that amounts to simple virtue signalling, designed to ease the pressure the WRU are currently under. Calls to ban the song span at least the last decade, yet the WRU have chosen now to act.” He went on to state that people would rather see “institutional change” within the WRU, with better working practices and a refined complaint process. But, as he put it, “instead they are choosing to ban a much loved Tom Jones song. This action will solve nothing." Images: Getty

Music

Why people are calling for Nicole Kidman to be "cancelled"

Nicole Kidman has come under fire for failing to speak out against luxury fashion brand Balenciaga, with many calling for the actress to be "cancelled" over her silence. The big-name brand is under intense scrutiny after releasing a series of photographs showing children holding stuffed animals dressed in bondage gear to promote their new collection. Another image shows a hidden document referencing a real-life court case about child pornography. As the images began to go viral on social media, Balenciaga was accused of promoting the sexualisation of children and “child abuse”. Nicole Kidman has a long history of working with the brand, and stars in the luxury Spring 2023 fashion campaign. Other celebrities associated with the brand, such as Kim Kardashian, have spoken out in protest against Balenciaga, expressing their "disgust and outrage" over the campaign images. Kidman posted images of her Spring ‘23 campaign with Balenciaga to her Instagram account on November 22, around the time the controversial promo pictures were released, and has provided no comment on the controversy. That silence has registered with her fans, many of whom took to the comments section beneath her post. “Shame on you,” one user wrote. “Silence is deafening. So disappointed,” wrote another. <div> Another fan wrote, “Oh, sweet Nicole, you best remove this and cut ties with this company! Going to lose many fans.” “Um – have always loved you Nicole but I’m shocked you haven’t said anything about the horrendous photos that this brand you’re representing posted,” one follower said. Following the public outcry surrounding the images, Balenciaga deleted all its Instagram posts of the campaign and shared a statement of apology on the social media platform. <div> “We sincerely apologise for any offence our holiday campaign may have caused,” read the statement, which was shared last week. “Our plush bear bag should not have been featured with children in this campaign." “We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms.” Image credits: Getty Images </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

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

Stranded opera singer busks to earn cash after cancelled flights

After her flight home was cancelled, one Jestar passenger said she was forced to busk for money until she could get home. Edit Pali had travelled to a remote resort in Phuket with her husband Tibor to celebrate her 50th birthday when a cancelled flight saw their stay extend for another five days. Having spent a large portion of their savings on their trip, the couple were faced with the problem of paying for their additional days in the resort. Ms Pali told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/stranded-aussie-jetstar-passengers-speak-out/04c064ba-f60c-43dd-8ba8-640595f8ddc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> that the airline had offered them $30 for meals and $150 for accommodation each day in compensation - but the money failed to arrive. “I’m a tough chook but I cried, I really cried,” she said. Taking advantage of her skills as an opera singer, Ms Pali decided to sing for her supper at breakfast, lunch and dinner while they waited for the funds to come through. "We're just average people, we don't make a lot of money, so for us to go away to Thailand for a week to a luxury resort, that was a big enough chunk into our savings,” she added. A Jetstar spokesperson said they were aware of Ms Pali’s situation and were doing “everything we can”. But Ms Pali isn’t the only person affected by a cancelled flight, as six out of 11 of Jetstar’s 787 planes were grounded earlier this month. At least 4,000 passengers travelling on popular winter routes, including to Bali, Thailand, and Japan, have been affected by delays and cancellations, with the airline blaming lightning, bird strikes and parts shortages. "Our teams work around the clock to get passengers on their way as soon as possible and we provide a range of support, including help to cover accommodation and meals costs as well as other reasonable expenses," the airline said. In a statement, Jetstar said Ms Pali and her husband were due to have their expense claim paid by September 27. Image: A Current Affair

Travel Trouble

Amid flight cancellations and airport chaos, is it worth traveling right now?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-dimanche-836528">Frederic Dimanche</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wayne-smith-1136529">Wayne Smith</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> <iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/amid-flight-cancellations-and-airport-chaos--is-it-worth-traveling-right-now" width="100%" height="400"></iframe> We all realized the importance of the COVID-19 pandemic when we were asked by the government to <a href="https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/16/prime-minister-announces-new-actions-under-canadas-covid-19-response">stay home</a> in Winter 2020. When <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-travel-international-covid-advisory-1.6220428">Canadians were given the green light to travel again</a>, the government and media instilled <a href="https://theconversation.com/fear-of-travelling-canadians-need-to-put-travel-risk-into-perspective-171193">a fear of travelling</a> and many chose not to. Although <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/99225">we’re not out of the pandemic yet</a>, when it comes to restrictions, things are looking better. Take the EU for example: Restrictions have <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/28/europes-travel-rules-are-dropping-as-fast-as-its-covid-cases-.html">been dropped</a>, and as a result, <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.18111/wtobarometereng.2022.20.1.3">international trips increased 182 per cent from 2021 to 2022</a> for the first three months of the year. And while some are still preferring <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canada-travel-summer-muir-halifax-hotel-vrbo-vacation-rental-banff-niagara-whistler-153800575.html">to stay at home or avoiding international air travel</a>, many are eager to fly, but are confronted with <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/travel-chaos-flight-cancellations-2022/index.html">difficult travel conditions</a>: Flights are delayed or cancelled, people are waiting in line for hours at airports and missing their flights, luggage is being lost and emotions are high. So, is it worth travelling right now? <h2>Revenge travel and a labour crisis</h2> On one hand, the good news is many people have overcome <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104261">their fear of travelling</a> amid the pandemic. They long for a time when they could visit other places, or see friends and family they’ve missed these past 30 months. <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/revenge-travel-explainer/index.html">Revenge travel</a> — a term coined to define people’s need to travel after being deprived of it — and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2021.2006858">nostalgia for travelling</a> are fuelling people’s return to travel. And Europe is a top destination. Compared to 2021, Europe <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.18111/wtobarometereng.2022.20.1.3">welcomed almost four times as many</a> international travellers during the first three months of the year, while the U.S. welcomed more than twice as many. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477253/original/file-20220802-11-14sdbs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A mountain with homes embedded along the side is pictured by the sea" /><figcaption>Europe is a top travel destination right now. Pictured: Portofino, Italy. (Kristine Tanne/Unsplash)</figcaption></figure> On the other hand, the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/europes-summer-discontent-reveals-travel-sector-labour-crisis-2022-06-19/">travel rebound has met a labour crisis</a>: Employers are struggling to hire qualified people after many left due to pandemic unemployment. The result? Travel chaos. From lost luggage to missed connections and cancelled flights, airports are struggling. In particular, Toronto Pearson airport has received <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toronto-pearson-airport-delays-1.6534360">poor publicity</a> the past several weeks and been ranked “<a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/27865/worst-offending-airports-for-delays/">worst in the world</a>” for the number of delayed flights (over 50 per cent of all flights) from the end of May until July 19. Is it going to be fixed anytime soon? Probably not. But airports like <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-pearson-seeing-measurable-improvements-following-weeks-of-delays-1.6015470">Pearson say they are seeing improvements</a>. In the meantime, it’s a safe bet for travellers to get accustomed to paying more for lower quality services. <h2>Plenty of health benefits</h2> But it is still worth travelling. We know how important travel is: We travel to reconnect with friends and family, to escape our normal lifestyles, to discover other landscapes and cultures. And taking vacations is actually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0047287513496477">good for your health and wellness</a>, even when <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1434">it’s a short trip</a>! Travelling <a href="https://travelhub.wttc.org/blog/9-reasons-travel-is-good-for-your-mental-health">has health benefits</a>, like recovering from mental and physical fatigue, improving household relationships and making people happier. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-004-5012-3">Researchers</a> have shown that satisfaction with leisure travel is positively connected to quality of life. And <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taab123">several studies</a> have even shown that international travel restrictions led to unintended negative health and social consequences. While travel for vacation is recommended, beware: According to air travel specialists, <a href="https://theconversation.com/coming-changes-to-the-canadian-airline-industry-could-lead-to-even-more-disruption-187425">more disruptions</a> are in the cards and <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/air-travel-chaos-more-to-come/index.html">more air travel chaos is on its way</a>. The labour issues that are the main reason for the disruptions are unlikely to disappear anytime soon and will continue to affect all tourism sectors, from transportation to hospitality and attractions. While travellers should not feel discouraged as the benefits outweigh the costs, it may be time to consider alternative, less environmentally damaging forms of travel: closer to home, without flying and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19407963.2022.2100410">favouring domestic tourism as a substitute to international tourism</a>. The key to a successful trip is to properly plan for it, consider any alternatives that may be needed and be diligent about checking and double checking travel regulations and restrictions — even while on your trip, as they may change. Make sure you have digital copies of all relevant documents (like your passport, prescriptions and vaccination records) and pack at least a couple of days of clothes in your carry-on (or don’t check a bag at all). Also remember to be respectful of the people and countries you visit (wearing a mask, for example, may be encouraged or required in some countries or public places). Finally, bring some patience, flexibility and a willingness for adventure.<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/187045/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-dimanche-836528">Frederic Dimanche</a>, Professor and Director, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wayne-smith-1136529">Wayne Smith</a>, Professor, Hospitality and Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> 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/amid-flight-cancellations-and-airport-chaos-is-it-worth-traveling-right-now-187045">original article</a>.

Domestic Travel

With Batgirl cancelled here are 5 other films we will never get to see

Batgirl has become the latest film to be added to a growing list of movies we will never get to see. The US$90 million film had been shot and largely edited, but now the whole thing will be consigned to the cutting room floor. Warner Brothers CEO David Zaslav <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/batgirl-david-zaslav-warner-bros-discovery-1235333681/">stated</a> the decision to cancel the film was due to a redirection of the company strategic vision – a discouraging, but often used corporate rationale when Hollywood studios believe they will make a better financial return on a film by <a href="https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2020/06/how-hollywood-studios-manage-to-officially-lose-money-on-movies-that-make-a-billion-dollars/">writing it off</a> as a loss instead of releasing it . Batgirl isn’t the first film to be scrapped in the history of the movie business. Infamous examples include Terry Gilliam’s <a href="https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/terry-gilliam-on-set-man-who-killed-don-quixote-adaptation-jonathan-pryce-adam-driver">The Man Who Killed Don Quixote</a> and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s plan for a <a href="https://www.openculture.com/2016/10/14-hour-epic-film-dune-that-alejandro-jodorowsky-never-made.html">14-hour version of Dune</a>. Here are five other films that didn’t make it onto our screens … at least not yet. <h2>1. Superman Lives</h2> Starring Nicholas Cage as the “man of steel”, Superman Lives also met its untimely end at Warner Brothers. Kevin Smith (of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109445/">Clerks</a> fame) was commissioned to rewrite a Superman script in the mid-90s. It seemed to be doomed from the beginning with producer Jon Peters <a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/comics/the-big-screen-superman-reboots-that-almost-happened/">reportedly suggesting</a> this Superman shouldn’t fly or wear his famous suit. Smith then got ousted from the project once Tim Burton signed on to direct, with Burton insisting on making his own version of the story. Three drafts later and with a budget that had almost doubled to around <a href="https://www.looper.com/11884/superman-lives-never-made/">US$200 million</a> the studio put the film on hold. Both Burton and Cage eventually pulled out of the project, although <a href="https://comicbook.com/dc/news/nic-cage-says-superman-lives-best-superman-movies/">Cage stated</a> this Superman film would have been the best one ever. <h2>2. Revenge of the Jedi</h2> Imagine if Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi opened with a family of Ewoks sitting silently in a retro lounge room, or a scene where Jabba the Hutt and Bib Fortuna merge bodies in a grotesque sarlacc pit accident. This is what could have been if Revenge of the Jedi were made. Both David Lynch and David Cronenberg were listed as potential directors for the third instalment of George Lucas’ saga. <a href="https://www.benningtonreview.org/adam-golaski">Some accounts</a> of the story suggest Lynch turned it down to do Dune, while Cronenberg cited his <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2458516/that-time-david-cronenberg-turned-down-directing-star-wars-return-of-the-jedi">youthful arrogance</a> and lack of interest in doing other people’s material. Richard Marquand went on to direct the retitled film, so we are left to wonder what surreal nightmare it could have been. <h2>3. Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales</h2> This 1968 film, directed by then film student Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World) and starring Richard Pryor, told the story of a wealthy white man abducted and put on trial by the Black Panthers for all the racial crimes that occurred throughout US history. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/70NrVDBxdKY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> With the film near complete, Pryor and his then wife, Shelley Bonus, got into a heated argument where she reportedly accused him of being more interested in the film than in her. Pryor responded by <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a25720/richard-pryor-furious-cool-excerpt-1113/">destroying</a> the only negative of the film . Fragments of the film remained, which Spheeris screened at a 2005 retrospective tribute to Pryor. The fragments became the <a href="https://shadowandact.com/uncle-toms-fairy-tales-the-secret-never-released-richard-pryor-movie">subject of a lawsuit</a> filed by Pryor’s seventh wife, Jennifer Lee, arguing Spheeris and Pryor’s daughter had together stolen the negative. As of 2021, the lawsuit was <a href="https://www.filmink.com.au/unsung-auteurs-penelope-spheeris/">still pending</a>. <h2>4. Who Killed Bambi?</h2> Named after their song Who Killed Bambi?, the Sex Pistols were the subject of a feature film set for release in 1978. Written by Roger Ebert and directed by Russ Meyer, the film was to be a vehicle for the Pistols to break through into the US market. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZpPIcwIV46U?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Fox Studios <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/sex-pistols-versus-soft-porn-king-killed-bambi-movie-dead-arrival/">shut down production</a> after the first day of shooting, with executives and Fox shareholder, Princess Grace of Monaco, concerned about making another Meyer sexploitation film. There were also issues with a lack of funding and infighting between the band, filmmakers and band manager, Malcolm McLaren. The film was no more, but the screenplay can still be found <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/who-killed-bambi-a-screenplay">on Ebert’s website</a>. <h2>5. 100 Years</h2> Robert Rodriguez’s 100 Years makes the list for a different reason. Intriguingly, the film has a planned release date of 2115 – 100 years after its completion. Perhaps not so intriguingly the film <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2016/05/john-malkovich-robert-rodriguezs-film-100-years-will-be-displayed-at-cannes-before-2115-release-291273/">is said</a> to have been “inspired by the century of careful craftsmanship it takes to create each decanter of Louis XIII Cognac” – making it seem more like a marketing gimmick than an experiment in exhibition. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NqMKrFFvR00?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The only copy of the physical film was displayed in a custom made safe at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, due to open automatically on November 18 2115. Written by and starring John Malkovich, the film imagines Earth in 100 years. Secrecy surrounds further details on the film’s story and whether the filmmakers’ have predicted an authentic vision of the futureWe can safely assume cognac will make a cameo, but most of us will never know.  <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sian-mitchell-1063942">Sian Mitchell</a>, Lecturer, Film, Television and Animation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation.</a> Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/never-made-destroyed-in-a-locked-safe-for-100-years-with-batgirl-cancelled-here-are-5-other-films-we-will-never-get-to-see-188232">original article</a>.

Movies

Cancelled flights, disrupted vacations, frayed tempers: FAQs about the chaos in the airline industry

People around the world are anxious to travel again as pandemic restrictions are being lifted. But those planning to jump on a plane for a vacation have been frustrated by chaos in the airline industry. In both North America and Europe, thousands of flights have been cancelled and hundreds of thousands of passengers have had their trips disrupted. Things will get worse before they get better. Air Canada has announced it will eliminate more than 150 daily flights for July and August. “Regrettably, things are not business as usual in our industry globally, and this is affecting our operations,” Air Canada president Michael Rousseau <a href="https://milled.com/air-canada/a-message-from-air-canadas-president-gQLU1OsSJMb4j5Fl">said in an email to customers when announcing the flight cutbacks</a>. So why is this happening? Here are answers to some key questions about the current problems with air travel. <h2>Why are so many flights being cancelled or delayed?</h2> The principal cause of the disruptions has been a shortage of qualified personnel at airports to handle the recent surge in passenger traffic. Airlines have been taking advantage of recent demand for air travel by returning aircraft and flight schedules to close to <a href="https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21271750/air-passengers-to-reach-83-of-2019-levels-this-year-iata">80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels</a>, with the resulting volume of flights putting significant stress on the capability of the supporting infrastructure — <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/06/easyjet-to-scrap-more-summer-flights-from-schiphol-klm-limits-sales/">airports, air traffic control and labour conditions</a>. <h2>Are the problems only happening in certain airports or is this a worldwide issue?</h2> The congestion phenomenon in the summer 2022 travel season is rapidly spreading across a number of European and North American airports. The reason behind this concentration of congestion is quite simple: these are the air travel markets that have experienced the highest volumes of air travellers in recent months. <figure> The rapid elimination of COVID-19 protocols in these markets since March have generated a significant increase in the demand for air travel, with volumes of passengers that haven’t been seen in more than two years. This increase in volume has been highly evidenced in major airline hub airports such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/schiphol-airport-amsterdam-photos-security-staff-shortages-europe-flight-2022-6">Amsterdam</a>, <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/airport-chaos-european-travel-runs-into-pandemic-cutbacks-1.5959561">London</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/19/us-travelers-flight-cancellations-chaos">New York</a> and <a href="https://globalnews.ca/video/8905320/frustrations-mount-over-ongoing-delays-at-toronto-pearson-airport">Toronto</a>, where tens of thousands of passengers are processed every day. <h2>Are all the problems related to the pandemic?</h2> When the global air travel market collapsed in March 2020 with the introduction of travel restrictions and border closures, the commercial aviation industry took steps to conserve cash and maintain a minimal workforce. Hundreds of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/02/01/airlines-lost-over-40000-workers-united-airlines-announced-another-14000-jobs-may-be-lost/?sh=6fa3ff1324b3">thousands of aviation workers were laid off or terminated</a>, with years of experience and technical expertise removed from the ranks of the commercial aviation communities. With the assistance of governments throughout the world, over US$200 billion of financial support was provided by governments to help the commercial aviation industry maintain minimal service and prevent financial collapse. When demand for air travel returned this March, the hiring frenzy began, but in a very different labour environment. The people who left in 2020 had, for the most part, moved on to other career opportunities and no longer had much interest in returning to an industry characterized by lower compensation and a higher employment risk. So the staff shortages have their genesis in the pandemic, and will continue to impact employment levels as travel returns. <h2>How many more people are travelling these days compared to a year ago – and compared to pre-pandemic levels?</h2> The International Air Transport Association publishes <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2022-releases/2022-06-09-01/">air travel statistics</a> relating to the volume of air travel throughout various world markets. It has noted that there is a significant difference in the volume of air travel, when compared to both 2021 and pre-pandemic levels. The air travel market that has demonstrated the highest rebound has been domestic North America — travel for April 2022 has increased more than 280 per cent compared to April 2021 traffic levels, but remains at slightly more than 30 per cent lower than April 2019 levels. In the Chinese domestic market, continuing pandemic-related travel restrictions and occasional city lockdowns have resulted in <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/air-passenger-monthly-analysis---april-2022/">traffic levels down by close to 80 per cent</a> in April 2022, compared to April 2021 and 2019. <h2>What can be done to prevent delays?</h2> There are a number of perspectives that can be applied to a resolution of the current level of delays. European authorities have announced <a href="https://nltimes.nl/2022/06/16/schiphol-press-conference-many-flights-will-slashed-limit-passengers-ceo-wont-quit">specific reductions in flights</a>, while the U.S. government is <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/flight-cancellations-surge-buttigieg-demands-airlines-hire-staff-1717188">threatening to impose flight reductions</a> as a means of minimizing flight cancellations. The Canadian government has facilitated a meeting with the major aviation organizations in Canada to discuss <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/21/transport-minister-airlines-airports-delays/">a concerted and effective resolution </a> and <a href="https://investors.aircanada.com/2022-06-23-Air-Canada-Comments-on-Aviation-Industry-Summit-with-Federal-Transport-Minister">Air Canada announced measures</a> it was intending to implement to ease congestion at both Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau airports. Canadian government officials have also announced <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/05/25/airport-delays-are-here-to-stay-for-the-long-term-due-to-a-shortage-of-workers-in-airport-security-union-says.html">plans to hire close to 2,000 additional border security and screening personnel</a> to deal with specific congestion issues. Labour groups are not certain that the problems of congestion will be addressed by such actions. The main issue is the volume of air travellers that are being drawn into the airport environment by the volume of flights operated by the airlines. Airlines have decided to grow their capacity to meet surging air travel demand, but the airport infrastructure is not equipped to handle such volumes. While such enthusiasm by the airline industry is laudable in times where adequate and experienced staff are available at airports, that is not the case now — and will not be the case for the foreseeable future. <h2>How long will this last?</h2> The summer travel season is in full flight in the northern hemisphere. Additional airline capacity and greater demand for air service by a travel-starved population will continue through at least September. Unless actions being contemplated by American, European and Canadian carriers results in a reduction of peak loading of aircraft movements across major airline hubs, in North America and Western Europe primarily, the congestion and delays will continue – and possibly worsen. Relief will most likely come in the fall, as demand for air travel is reduced with the arrival of the school season. Staffing will also reach required levels by the fall, with the arrival of normal commercial air operating conditions. Other issues that may reduce demand include <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2022/05/13/airfare-inflation-cool-demand-summer/?sh=42ae089032c3">higher airfares due to inflation and higher oil prices</a>, which may impact the survival of some airlines. <h2>What advice would you give to air travellers over the next few months?</h2> Airport authorities have been providing <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/travelling-this-summer-toronto-pearson-and-its-airport-partners-offer-travel-advice-for-passengers-822689624.html">guidance to travellers</a> on how best to prepare themselves for summer travel, including tips on how to avoid delays at security checks. In this coming summer of disruption, I would recommend travellers embark on their air journey with patience, ensure they are well-rested prior to departing for the airport and remember that airline staff are also experiencing stressful moments during their day. A smile, a thank you and, above all, a caring attitude for fellow travellers and staff is called for. The air travel experience will get better! Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-canada-flight-reductions-faqs-about-the-chaos-in-the-airline-industry-185750" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </figure>

International Travel

Woman cancels wedding after creepy find

In a confronting clip posted to TikTok, 25-year-old Maria (@lifebymaria) has shared how her life essentially fell apart after she came across a folder on her now-ex fiance's work computer – that caused her to cancel her impending nuptials. "Imagine being engaged, 3 months away from your dream wedding, invitations are sent, and on a random Thursday finding out your fiancé has been hiding a porn folder which included photos of your sisters and his co-workers,” she explained. Maria proceeded to explain what had happened. “He was helping me apply for a job because my computer wasn’t working,” she says in the video. “He downloaded my resume to his work computer and went to his folder files to look where the files were downloaded. After clicking on the particular folder, she came to discover photos of her sisters and other individuals. “He said he would stare at the photos of my sisters and others. “He said he would stare at the photos during work and picture them naked because he was ‘bored’ and it was a thrill for him to do so during work,’’ the woman added. She also alleged that he would cyber stalk her siblings, “cropped from Instagram etc and used them for porn purposes’’. You can view the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/discover/lifebymaria">TikTok videos</a> here. The story left many people shocked, and there was no shortage of supportive comments for Maria. “Better than a divorce babe," wrote one person. "Saved yourself.’’ Another agreed, writing: ‘’Not only you saved yourself, you saved them too. “He could have done something if you kept quiet about it in hopes to save your relationship.’’ Image: Getty

Relationships

Government funds bail out festival cancellations with Event Saver Fund

As another year of music festivals and summer events have been cancelled in the eleventh hour by the pandemic, the NSW government has put their hand up to help the arts. The state government recently announced the Event Saver Fund, which is aimed at financially supporting the state’s music industry that has been devastated by the latest wave of Omicron. At a recent press conference, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean revealed that a $43 million fund has been established for organisers of the cancelled events to be financially supported if they've been cancelled or may be affected by changes to public health orders. “This fund is a $43 million fund that will ensure that we will underwrite sunk costs for the festivals that could be impacted by changes to public health orders,” he said. The fund will help organisers to pay their staff and suppliers, as well as recoup other costs lost in the event planning that got cancelled or cut short due to lockdowns or border closures. Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said the vital funding will give event organisers to continue to plan festivals without the stress of a last-minute cancellation costing them thousands. “Major events provide tremendous social benefits to the community, bringing us together to enjoy live performances,” he said. “As we look to rebound from the effects of the past two years, this funding will help support local jobs and ensure major event organisers can plan with confidence to safely deliver their events in 2022/23.” Australian Festivals Association chair Julia Robertson welcomed the Event Saver package, and emphasised how much the industry has suffered since the start of the pandemic. “This package is really great for building confidence,” she said. “For helping those festivals that have got events coming up — to maintain those festival lineups — but also to those events that have had to be cancelled over the last couple of weeks due to the Omicron variant. “We will be able to help those events recover some of those costs that they’ve lost. We’ve got a really long way to building that confidence for the festival industry, so thank you.” Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Royal family’s annual Boxing Day Hunt cancelled

The British Royal Family’s annual Boxing Day Hunt is likely going to be cancelled this year as a result of the cold temperature. The hunt, also known as Balmoral’s Glorious Twelfth, may not go ahead this Christmas as the colder than usual temperatures have contributed to fewer animal births. During the hunt, male members of the royal family hunt pheasants and grouse. Prince William is known to love the tradition, and was expected to bring his eldest child, eight-year-old Prince George, along with him. In 2018, there was speculation that Prince Harry would not attend the hunt amidst rumours his wife would not approve. However, reports later claimed that he did attend, with a source telling Us Weekly at the time, “There were never any questions that he wouldn't participate in that.” In addition, Meghan Markle accompanied sister-in-law Kate Middleton to the post-shoot lunch at the log cabin on the family’s estate. The hunt is not the only royal Christmas tradition in danger this year, after the Queen was forced to cancel her usual pre-Christmas lunch due to a spike of COVID-19 cases in the UK. Daily Mirror editor Russell Myers claimed on the Today Show that the Queen may also be forced to cancel her Christmas Day celebrations as well. Myers said of the Queen’s decision to cancel the pre-Christmas gathering, “The rates of COVID-19 are surging by the hour in the UK, so I think it was a sensible decision. The Queen was always going to consult her family to see whether they indeed wanted this party to go ahead." Image: Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Family & Pets

Two schools cancel their productions of Grease over its outdated themes

Two high schools in Perth have cancelled their upcoming productions of the musical Grease, after students have called out the "outdated" themes of the story. Year 7 - 10 students from Scotch College and Presbyterian Ladies‘ College in the Western Australia capital were due to perform their rendition of the iconic musical later this month, but decided against it. The young women involved in the production believed that the play was inappropriate for modern times, saying the themes of the show were sexist, offensive and anti-feminist. The kids at Scotch College also agreed that a different production would be better suited to a modern audience, but a replacement musical has not yet been announced. PLC Principal Cate Begbie and Acting Scotch College Headmaster Mr Peter Burt issued a brief joint statement about the decision. “A number of PLC students raised concerns whether the musical was appropriate in modern times,” it read. “Scotch College listened respectfully to the girls’ concerns and both schools agreed a different musical would be better suited for their joint production in 2022.” The 1978 movie, based on the 1971 musical, tells the story of good girl Sandy Olsson and bad boy greaser Danny Zuko falling in love during a summer fling, and later finding out they go to the same high school. In recent times, the movie has been called out for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/things-were-different-olivia-newton-john-hits-back-at-grease-sexism-claims?fbclid=IwAR22YlGUQT52_5dJcre94iILKXkJP-HKzaXGRcQR2dST1DG5Xj1YaeZC4WE" target="_blank">its outdated themes</a>, as star Olivia Newton-John claimed critics need to take into account the times in which the film as made. "It's a movie," the 72-year-old told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com.au" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. "It's a story from the Fifties where things were different. Everyone forgets that, at the end, he changes for her, too. There's nothing deep in there about the #MeToo movement. "It's just a girl who loves a guy, and she thinks if she does that, he'll like her. And he thinks if he does that, she'll like him. I think that's pretty real. People do that for each other. It was a fun love story." Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Travel bans and event cancellations: how the art market is suffering from coronavirus

The recently released <a href="https://www.artbasel.com/about/initiatives/the-art-market">The Art Market 2020</a> report provides a timely insight into how COVID-19-related disruptions are likely to impact growth and sales in the global art market. The report estimates global art market sales in 2019 were worth US$64.1 billion (A$97 billion), down 5% on 2018. This drop reflects the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-september-2019-briefing-no-130/">decline in global economic growth</a> driven by increasing geopolitical tensions and the trend toward trade protectionism led by the United States. In 2020, measures to control the spread of coronavirus through government restrictions on travel and large social events are already having a dramatic impact on the international art market. In the last six weeks, multiple art fairs have announced either <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/miart-2020-1795875">postponement or cancellation</a>, including Jingart Beijing, Art Basel Hong Kong, Miaart Milan, Art Paris, Art Berlin and Art Dubai. The European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht went ahead, but reported <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/tefaf-fair-quiet-coronavirus-fears-1795797">a 27% drop</a> in attendance of VIPs at the opening, when many major sales are traditionally made. <h2>The growing art fair market</h2> As in previous years, 2019 art market sales were highly concentrated in three major hubs. The United States, the United Kingdom and China collectively accounted for 82% of the total value of sales. The Art Market report identified a growing shift away from public auctions toward private sales. The overall auction sector (including public auctions and private sales by auction houses, online and offline) represented 42% of total market sales in 2019. The overall dealer sector (including dealer, gallery and online retail sales) represented 58% of total art market sales in 2019, with the value of sales increasing by 2%. Within this sector, dealers with turnover of more than US$1 million (A$1.5 million) experienced a much larger growth of 20%. These dealers are the fastest-growing sector and the most reliant on art fair sales. Almost half of all sales in the dealer sector were made at art fairs in 2019, amounting to US$16.5 billion (A$25 billion) – 26% of all sales made in the global art market. This concentration of sales at the top end of the dealer market is perhaps the art market’s Achilles heel when considering potential fallout from the impending COVID-19 pandemic. Dealers in this turnover bracket attended twice as many art fairs as smaller dealers, with international fairs (as opposed to local fairs) contributing to more than half their total art fair sales. For dealers with turnover of more than US$10 million (A$15.1 million), international art fairs represented a staggering 70% of their art fair sales. <h2>An unwelcome ‘distraction’</h2> Besides the sales generated at art fairs, dealers have become increasingly dependent on fairs for expanding client lists and developing their businesses. The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic represents an immediate threat to this business model. One dealer quoted in The Art Market report noted the undesirable impact disruptions from outside the art world can have on art market demand: "2020 will be a challenging year, but rather than major political dramas having a direct financial impact, their main danger for us is to distract people’s attention. Distractions and anxieties can take people away from buying art, even if the economy is booming and they’re still in a position to spend." While this dealer was more likely referring to topical political issues, such as Brexit or trade sanctions, the COVID-19 outbreak has the potential to provide a far greater “distraction” for art buyers. The impact of COVID-19 on the long-term health of the art market remains to be seen. Art fairs <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/art-fair-saturation-1484986">had already been struggling</a> due to multiple economic headwinds in the latter part of 2019, with increasing numbers of retractions and cancellations worldwide. In 2019, Art Basel Hong Kong featured 242 galleries from 35 countries and was attended by 88,000 visitors over five days. This was a pivotal event on the regional calendar and its loss to the 2020 art market will be sorely felt. The global footprints and nimble business structures of international auction houses may help these businesses weather this storm, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/arts/christies-sothebys-auctions.html">they have done in the past</a>. But the picture is worrying for commercial galleries. Artists and galleries <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/australian-galleries-count-cost-as-coronavirus-shutters-hk-art-fair-20200207-p53yts.html">prepare for months</a> in advance of fairs and exhibitions. In a survey of the <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/analysis/behind-closed-doors-how-museums-in-china-are-coping-with-coronavirus">impact of the coronavirus</a> on the art market in China, 73.8% of respondents in the visual arts industry reported their businesses will not survive for longer than three months if the current containment situation continues. <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/coronavirus-hong-kong-online-gallery-platform-1794369">Creative initiatives</a> are emerging, such as Art Basel Hong Kong’s online viewing platform. But with uncertainty about how long it will be until this pandemic is under control, the future health of the global art industry is yet to be determined. Image credits: Getty Images This article was first published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/travel-bans-and-event-cancellations-how-the-art-market-is-suffering-from-coronavirus-133161" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Queen cancels trip on doctor's orders

Image: Getty The Queen has “reluctantly” cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland on medical advice, though royal experts have assured the public the decision is no cause for concern. Her Majesty had planned to travel to Northern Ireland on Wednesday afternoon, but Buckingham Palace announced she would be unable to attend, following doctors advice to “rest”. “The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days,” the spokesperson said. “Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow." “The Queen sends her warmest good wishes to the people of Northern Ireland and looks forward to visiting in the future.” No further details were revealed about why the 95-year-old has been ordered to rest at home, sparking speculation among the public. However, royal sources confirmed to multiple outlets that the Queen’s decision to cancel the trip had nothing to do with the UK's spike in COVID-19 numbers. “We are told there is ‘no cause for alarm’ about the Queen’s health,” ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship tweeted in the wake of the announcement. Northern Irish leaders sent their well-wishes to the Queen with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, tweeting that he trusts the Queen "will keep well and benefit from a period of rest". At 95 years of age, Queen Elizabeth is Britain's oldest monarch, but that hasn't stopped her from continuing to carry out public royal duties well into her 90s. It's understood that she will now retire to Windsor Castle for a few days' rest before returning to her planned royal duties next week. In the meantime, other senior royals including Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William may step up to attend some of the engagements she will be forced to miss.

Caring

Against cancelling Chaucer

Was Chaucer a toxic misogynist, or a staunch women’s ally? Spying is a risky profession. For the 14th-century English undercover agent-turned-poet Geoffrey Chaucer, <a rel="noopener" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=kYzgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA95&dq=Chaucer+military+intelligence&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwikmuL34d_xAhWRcc0KHRMHB0kQ6AEwAHoECAkQAg#v=onepage&q=Chaucer%20military%20intelligence&f=false" target="_blank">the dangers</a> – at least to his reputation – continue to surface centuries after his death. In his <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/why-is-chaucer-disappearing-from-the-university-curriculum-leicester-essay-a-s-g-edwards" target="_blank">July 2021 essay</a> for the Times Literary Supplement, A.S.G. Edwards, professor of medieval manuscripts at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, laments the removal of Geoffrey Chaucer from university curricula. Edwards says he believes this disappearance may be propelled by a vocal cohort of scholars who see the “father of English poetry” as <a rel="noopener" href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/727754" target="_blank">a rapist, racist and antisemite</a>. The predicament would have amused Chaucer himself. Jewish and feminist scholars, among others, are shooting down one of their earliest and wisest allies. This is happening when <a rel="noopener" href="https://voegelinview.com/feminist-thought-of-geoffrey-chaucer-the-wife-of-bath-and-all-hire-secte" target="_blank">new research reveals</a> a Chaucer altogether different from what many current readers have come to accept. My decades of research show he was no raunchy proponent of bro culture but a daring and ingenious <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/for-the-birds-hardly-valentines-day-was-reimagined-by-chivalrous-medieval-poets-for-all-to-enjoy-respectfully-155099" target="_blank">defender of women and the innocent</a>. As a <a rel="noopener" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iDoS8ewAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">medievalist who teaches Chaucer</a>, I believe the movement to cancel Chaucer has been bamboozled by his tradecraft – his consummate skill as a master of disguise. Outfoxing the professors It’s true that Chaucer’s work contains toxic material. His “<a rel="noopener" href="https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/prologue" target="_blank">Wife of Bath’s Prologue</a>” in “The Canterbury Tales,” his celebrated collection of stories, quotes at length from the long tradition of classical and medieval works on the <a rel="noopener" href="https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/12914/" target="_blank">evils of women</a>, as mansplained by the Wife’s elderly husbands: “You say, just as worms destroy a tree, so a wife destroys her husband.” Later, “<a rel="noopener" href="https://sites.fas.harvard.edu/%7Echaucer/teachslf/pri-par.htm" target="_blank">The Prioress’s Tale</a>” repeats the anti-Semitic <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.adl.org/education/resources/glossary-terms/blood-libel" target="_blank">blood libel</a> story, the false accusation that Jews murdered Christians, at a time when Jews across Europe <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.montana.edu/historybug/yersiniaessays/pariera-dinkins.html" target="_blank">were under attack</a>. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411132/original/file-20210713-21-fxqh4g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411132/original/file-20210713-21-fxqh4g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="An illustration of two women characters from Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales'" /></a> The Prioress and the Wife of Bath from Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘The Canterbury Tales.’ <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-prioress-and-the-wife-of-bath-from-old-england-a-news-photo/1036139720" target="_blank" class="source">Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)</a> These poems in particular generate accusations that Chaucer propagated sexist and antisemitic material because he agreed with or enjoyed it. <a rel="noopener" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=5rDoDwAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=elaine+tuttle+hansen+chaucer+and+the+fictions+of+gender&source=gbs_navlinks_s" target="_blank">Several</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://muse.jhu.edu/issue/40555" target="_blank">prominent</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691160092/chaucer" target="_blank">scholars</a> seem convinced that Chaucer’s personal views are the same as those of his characters and that Chaucer is promoting these opinions. And they believe he abducted or raped a young woman named Cecily Chaumpaigne, although the <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.umsl.edu/%7Egradyf/chaucer/cecily.htm" target="_blank">legal records</a> are enigmatic. It looks as though Cecily accused Chaucer of some such crime and he paid her to clear his name. It’s unclear what actually happened between them. Critics cherry-pick quotations to support their claims about Chaucer. But if you examine his writings in detail, as I have, you’ll see themes of concern for women and human rights, the oppressed and the persecuted, reappear time and time again. Chaucer the spy Readers often assume Chaucer’s characters were a reflection of the writer’s own attitude because he is such a convincing role player. Chaucer’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=E4DXD7Sk7WcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=life+of+Chaucer+Riverside+Chaucer&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiws4jr0uXxAhWnEFkFHXbCAOQQ6AEwAHoECAsQAg#v=onepage&q=life%20of%20Chaucer%20Riverside%20Chaucer&f=false" target="_blank">career in the English secret service</a> trained him as an observer, analyst, diplomat and master at concealing his own views. In his teens, Chaucer became a confidential envoy for England. From 1359 to 1378, he graced English diplomatic delegations and carried out missions described in expense records only as “<a rel="noopener" href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-riverside-chaucer-9780199552092?lang=de&cc=lt" target="_blank">the king’s secret business</a>.” Documents show him scouting paths through the Pyrenees for English forces poised to invade Spain. He lobbied Italy for money and troops, while also perhaps investigating the suspicious death of Lionel of Antwerp, an English prince who was probably poisoned soon after his wedding. Chaucer’s job brought him face to face with the darkest figures of his day — the treacherous <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-II-king-of-Navarre" target="_blank">Charles the Bad, King of Navarre</a>, a notorious traitor and assassin, and Bernabò Visconti, lord of Milan, who helped devise a <a rel="noopener" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=0YoxAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA179&dq=Bernabo+Visconti+torture&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizxdyM8t_xAhVZGs0KHZgQCn0Q6AEwCHoECAQQAg#v=onepage&q=Bernabo%20Visconti%20torture&f=false" target="_blank">40-day torture protocol</a>. Chaucer’s poetry reflects his experience as an English agent. He enjoyed role-playing and assuming many identities in his writing. And like the couriers he dispatched from Italy in 1378, he brings his readers covert messages split between multiple speakers. Each teller holds just a piece of the puzzle. The whole story can only be understood when all the messages arrive. He also uses the skills of a secret agent to express dangerous truths not accepted in his own day, when misogyny and antisemitism were both entrenched, especially among the clergy. Chaucer does not preach or explain. Instead, he lets the formidable Wife of Bath, the character he most enjoyed, tell us about the misogyny of her five husbands and fantasize about how ladies of King Arthur’s court might take revenge on a rapist. Or he makes his deserted <a rel="noopener" href="http://mcllibrary.org/Houseoffame/" target="_blank">Queen Dido cry</a>: “Given their bad behavior, it’s a shame any woman ever took pity on any man.” Chaucer the chivalrous defender While current critiques of Chaucer label him as an <a rel="noopener" href="https://muse.jhu.edu/issue/40555" target="_blank">exponent of toxic masculinity</a>, he was actually an <a rel="noopener" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=E5BCs9mylBsC&pg=PA379&dq=Chaucer+human+rights&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKqeXc1OXxAhV3F1kFHZztDcYQ6AEwAXoECAoQAg#v=onepage&q=Chaucer%20human%20rights&f=false" target="_blank">advocate for human rights</a>. My own research shows that in the course of his career he supported women’s right to choose their own mates and the human desire for freedom from enslavement, coercion, verbal abuse, political tyranny, judicial corruption and sexual trafficking. In “The Canterbury Tales” and “The Legend of Good Women,” he tells many stories on such themes. There he opposed assassination, infanticide and femicide, the mistreatment of prisoners, sexual harassment and domestic abuse. He valued self-control in action and in speech. He spoke out for women, enslaved people and Jews. “Women want to be free and not coerced like slaves, and so do men,” the narrator of <a rel="noopener" href="https://sites.fas.harvard.edu/%7Echaucer/teachslf/frkt-par.htm" target="_blank">“The Franklin’s Prologue” says</a>. As for Jews, Chaucer salutes their ancient heroism in his early poem “<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/English/Fame.php" target="_blank">The House of Fame</a>.” He depicts them as a people who have done great good in the world, only to be rewarded with slander. In “The Prioress’s Tale” he shows them being libeled by a desperate character to cover up a crime of which they were manifestly innocent, a century after all Jews had been brutally expelled from England. Chaucer’s own words demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt that when his much underestimated Prioress tells her antisemitic blood libel tale, Chaucer is not endorsing it. Through <a rel="noopener" href="https://sites.fas.harvard.edu/%7Echaucer/teachslf/pri-par.htm" target="_blank">her own words and actions</a>, and a cascade of reactions from those who hear her, he is exposing such guilty and dangerous actors as they deploy such lies. And was he a rapist or an abductor? <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jun/07/document-casts-new-light-on-chaucer-rape-case" target="_blank">It’s unlikely</a>. The case suggests he might well have been targeted, perhaps even because of his work. Few authors have ever been more <a rel="noopener" href="https://scholarship.depauw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1133&context=studentresearch" target="_blank">outspoken about man’s inhumanity to women</a>. It is bizarre that one of the strongest and earliest writers in English literature to speak out against rape and support women and the downtrodden should be pilloried and threatened with cancellation. But Chaucer knew the complexity of his art put him at risk. As his character the Squire dryly observed, people all too often “demen gladly to the badder ende” – “They are happy to assume the worst.”<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152312/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jennifer-wollock-1179510" target="_blank">Jennifer Wollock</a>, Professor of English, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672" target="_blank">Texas A&M University</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/calls-to-cancel-chaucer-ignore-his-defense-of-women-and-the-innocent-and-assume-all-his-characters-opinions-are-his-152312" target="_blank">original article</a>.

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