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The unique travel hack that is guaranteed to help beat jet lag

Experts have revealed how to beat jet lag on your next overseas holiday, and it all comes down to your modes of transport. Sleep researchers said it's good news for cruise lovers, as exposure to sea air and bright natural light improves sleep to cure the annoying condition quickly. Some experts say to avoid travelling by plane all together, and always opt for cruising holidays instead. However, if you have to travel to your cruise by plane, being on board is a great way to tackle the dreadful feeling, compared with holidaying on land, Panache Cruises said. Dr Lindsay Browning, expert at Trouble Sleeping said exposing yourself to bright lights at the right time after a long-haul flight is one of the most powerful things we can do to boost and help shift circadian rhythm, and being on a ship is the perfect place for that. "As a general rule, you want to get lots of bright light exposure during the daytime and avoid light at night," Browning said. "When travelling on a cruise ship, you will naturally get a lot of bright light exposure during the day, helping your circadian rhythm.” "Further, when travelling by ship you will have a cabin with a proper bed and curtain, enabling you to sleep at night when you want to." The company claimed research showed how prolonged exposure to sea air can improve blood oxygen levels, boost vitamin D, and improve breathing leading to higher-quality sleep, helping to rid travellers of pesky jet lag so they can enjoy their holidays. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Politicians slam Albanese's "hypocritical" private jet use

Anthony Albanese has been urged to consider his carbon footprint after his controversial usage of a private jet. A group of independent MPs have asked the Prime Minister to offset his carbon usage after it was revealed that he and two other ministers chartered two private planes to attend the same clean energy event in the NSW Hunter Valley. Albanese was joined by Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to fly to the region from Canberra on Thursday to announce a $1bn to support Australian manufacturing in solar technology. Teal MP Zali Steggall urged the leaders to offset their carbon emissions from the short journey when it was revealed that the three men flew separately in two separate Royal Australian Air Force jets. “I certainly hope they were offsetting the emissions of those two jets with companies, like Green fleet and other places like that where you can offset the emissions of your travel,” Ms Stegall told Sunrise. “I certainly hope and I call on the Minister for Climate Change to do that. Look, as a lowly independent, we don’t get the luxuries of flying in the ADF jets.” Private jets have a dramatically higher carbon footprint per passenger than commercial planes, with the average private jet emitting two tonnes of carbon an hour. Mr Bowen defended the use of the planes, saying the use of two private jets was a decision made by the airforce for safety reasons. “The Prime Minister has a large jet available to him and that would normally be what we take,” he said on Monday. “The runway at Scone wasn’t strong enough to take a large jet so the air force … decided for two jets.” Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said the government should consider “jet pooling” and should make a conscious effort to cut down on the harmful use of private jets, which emit more carbon per passenger than commercial planes. “I fail to see why these guys, when they’re leaving from the same place on the same day, within 30 minutes of each other, couldn’t have either shared the plane or indeed, some of them, if they couldn’t all fit, use the commercial options that were available to them to fly direct from Canberra to Newcastle to make the announcement,” Senator McKenzie said. “It’s quite incredible.” Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

Tom Cruise’s unconventional acceptance speech

Tom Cruise has given one of the most unique acceptance speeches at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards. The 60-year-old, who famously performs his own stunts and is a licensed pilot himself, delivered a pre-recorded speech on May 7 while flying a World War II propeller plane. Cruise won best performance in a movie for Top Gun: Maverick. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Things we'll never forget: <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomCruise</a>'s performance in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TopGun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TopGun</a>: Maverick 🎥 Congrats to Tom Cruise on winning Best Performance in a Movie at the 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MTVAwards?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MTVAwards</a>! <a href="https://t.co/dZr3Wglpdq">pic.twitter.com/dZr3Wglpdq</a> — Movie & TV Awards (@MTVAwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/MTVAwards/status/1655367059994456065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2023</a></blockquote> “Hi everyone, thank you so much for this award,” he said from the cockpit. “I make these films for you. I love you. I love entertaining you. To know how much you enjoy it, how much you appreciate it, there’s just no better feeling.” In his acceptance speech, Cruise appears to be piloting the P-51 Mustang plane that he owns, which was featured in Top Gun: Maverick. “You have a wonderful summer," Cruise said in his speech. "Thank you again for letting me entertain you. It’s an absolute privilege. We’ll see you at the movies.” Cruise also recorded a similar message from the same plane that was played for King Charles II during the coronation concert on May 8. “Pilot to pilot," Cruise said. "Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time.” Image credit: Twitter

Movies

This house is out of this world

Tiny houses can act as the perfect passion project for anyone with the drive - and resources - to give it a try. Even, as it turns out, those who dream of soaring to new heights with their success. And for one property in southern Hungary, that’s exactly where it looks to be heading! Dubbed the ‘Jet House’, this aeroplane-shaped home invites all who stay there to “fasten your seatbelts, [and] get ready to take off with our newest cabin”. Described by its creators, the team at Hello Wood, this “not-so-everyday tiny house” is said to have “flown out of a cartoon and landed on the meadow.” Boasting “friendly arcs and curves and round windows”, it seems something straight out of a child’s wildest fantasies. And, it turns out, it is! The team’s brief was simple, and came directly from their “youngest client ever - 12-year-old Lujzi”. Lujzi wanted something that could double as a playhouse for time with her friends, and for sleep, before later being “converted into lodging”, as explained on Hello Wood’s project page. As they put it, “the concept was to create a full-fledged, functional tiny house that is more reminiscent of a beautiful design toy than a building.” The team noted on social media that the house is “fitted out with a kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom with [a] built-in desk and bench”. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjmMi4oJVn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjmMi4oJVn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by HELLO WOOD (@hellowood)</a> </div> </blockquote> Though, since the shape of the home is not typical, “it had design questions as well as building challenges” that the team were faced to overcome to complete their ambitious project. And luckily for Lujzi, they found a way. The jet home was constructed with wings made from “spacious terraces”, a circular window that covers its nose, and airport stairs to get to the front door. Comprising more than a thousand structural pieces, the property could not feature the likes of junctions or sewers on its exterior if the team hoped to “maintain the clean silhouette”. To combat this, they employed the use of “a ‘protective coating’, an innovative waterproofing layer that secures the durability of the tiny house.” Inside the cabin, which can sleep two, the team achieved a retro feel by implementing rounded shapes at every opportunity, and wooden elements wherever made sense. Two real aeroplane seats sourced from Sky Art completed the vision. with a series of other “aviation relics” that Lujzi and her father had collected - including, but not limited to, boarding passes, inflight brochures, plane-shaped trinkets, and a Pan Am model plane. "We were happy to accept the unusual assignment,” said Tamás Fülöp, the Jet House’s project architect. “As an architect, it is an inspiring task to design a structure that has to be cute. It was also a challenge to incorporate traditional architectural elements into the sculptural shape, such as waterproofing, vapour barrier, and thermal insulation.” Images: @hellowood @@zsuzsa.darab / Instagram

Real Estate

Beat jet lag with these tips and tricks

Tossing and turning, eating because you’re bored and trying to pry your eyes open after a long-haul flight. If you’ve experienced one of these while flying, I am sure you’re well aware of the woes that, unfortunately, come with jet lag. While jetting off is an exciting time, the out-of-whack body clock is most certainly not! The key to beating jet lag is understanding what it is and what is going on with your body. Put simply, jet lag means your circadian rhythm (a fancy name for body clock) is out of synch with its new environment. It’s likely to occur when you cross four or more time zones at once. While travel in the westward direction is said to be kinder on the body clock, either which way you fly, jet lag is an annoyance I am sure everyone would prefer to do without. If your trip involves travelling across five time zones, you might want to consider a stopover. Here are some other helpful little tricks that actually work. Sleep bank Prior to flying ensure you are getting enough sleep. Don’t stay up the night before a flight thinking you’ll sleep on the plane because if you can’t get to sleep on the plane you will be out of whack. Instead, in the days prior to take-off, try and get as much good quality sleep as you can. Time-zone trickery The key to beating jet lag is all the smooth transition between two time zones. Map out a plan before you get on board and set your clock to the time at your destination as you get on board. You’ll want to divide your flight time to accommodate time zone transition. For example, the flight from Sydney to LA might leave at midday but reach LAX at 5.30am. Given that 12pm Sydney is 5pm in LA, and the flight is about 13 hours, you should spend no more that the first half of the flight awake. Tailor the inflight services to your needs, even if that means missing a meal (often breakfast) so you can sneak in an extra hour of shut-eye. Dress right Although being able to easily fall asleep does have a lot to do with how comfortable you are, there are other factors, ones within your control, which you should consider. For instance wearing a good quality eye mask to block out light and choosing light, comfortable clothing made from a nice natural fabric that breathes (such as cotton) will help you get comfy and ready for sleep. Obviously lying down helps but failing be able to fly business class, at least try and choose your seat. Eat light You should watch what you eat not only before you fly but also on the flight too. Before you jet off you’ll want to steer clear of rich, heavy foods. Instead opt for lighter meals that include veggies. This is so your stomach doesn’t have to go into heavy-duty digestion mode once you’re on-board. If you can, make your pre-flight meal your main one and then eat light on the flight, leaning towards foods that are easy to digest. It’s better for your stomach to have two smaller meals when you fly allowing yourself ample digestion time in between rather that quickly eating a three-course meal. Say no to drugs Try to avoid using sleeping tablets as they tend to disrupt normal sleep cycles and may prolong jetlag. Drink H20 Water is your best ally when fighting jet lag. It’s best to buy a bottle before you board so you always have a supply with you. Most planes (unless you’re in business or above) only serve water by the glass. Limit caffeine and alcohol You should minimise, if not cease, your intake of caffeine and alcohol and ensure you are well hydrated before and during the flight. You might think a couple of glasses of wine will send you off into a nice deep sleep, but not only alcohol dehydrate you, it also tends to result in inefficient sleep. Keep active Regular physical activity – such as walking around the plane and stretching – may also be beneficial. Stop-over strategy If you have a stop-over take advantage of what is available to you. If this is not a good time to sleep for the timezone you’re heading to, don’t! Instead have a shower (they’re often at big airports and can be used by anyone for a small fee), stock up on another light meal and avoid sitting around. Going for a walk around it a good way to stay awake and stimulated. If you can get some fresh air, do! Landing strategy As soon as possible after landing you’ll want to take a shower and have breakfast – if it’s breakfast time. Look for high protein options avoiding the easy carb route and get a good portion of salads or greens. A fresh juice is also a good option. And if you like your coffee, go for it. A good shot of coffee will reboot your energy levels. Berocca can also be helpful. If it’s daytime when you land, go out and expose yourself to daylight – the stimulus will help reset your body clock by regulating melatonin. And although you may feel like going to bed, stay awake and be somewhat physically active at least until sundown. Immediately adopting the local time is the best way to crush jet lag in just a few days: don’t go to bed before 10pm when you land, and get yourself out of bed before 10am on the first morning. Nothing quite kills motivation as much as jet lag, and when you land, the last thing you want to do is head out for a nice long walk or light jog, but pushing yourself to doing just that is one of the best things for you. It will help you revitalise your numb muscles after the flight, and give you more energy during the following days. If you have a beach or pool nearby, go for a swim. It is sure to give you a revitalised feeling. The general rule is you should exercise a night if you travelled westwards, and in the morning if you travelled eastwards. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

How to beat jet lag and get the most out of your holiday

There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to explore somewhere new because you’re just too tired. However, a few travel experts have revealed their best tips for avoiding jet lag so you can acclimatise to your new destination as quickly as possible. The main advice from the experts is to adjust to the local time when you board the plane. They suggest eating and sleeping as if it’s the time at your destination from the moment you get onboard the plane. Another tip is having your meals at the times you will be eating once you arrive, as this will help your body adjust, making it easier for you to get in sync. They even suggest eating before you get on your plane if you can, if it fits better with your new schedule. Sleep is an important part of acclimatising too. If you’re arriving at your destination in the morning, maximising the amount of sleep on the plane is the priority to make sure you are fresh when you arrive. However, if you are landing in the evening, it’s best to sleep when you arrive at the same time as the locals. Sometimes that might mean pushing through to evening if you’re tired, but the benefits for the rest of the trip will make it worthwhile. Try to push yourself to power through in order to get the most out of your holiday. Image: Getty

Travel Tips

Facial recognition is on the rise – but the law is lagging a long way behind

Private companies and public authorities are quietly using facial recognition systems around Australia. Despite the growing use of this controversial technology, there is little in the way of specific regulations and guidelines to govern its use. Spying on shoppers We were reminded of this fact recently when consumer advocates at CHOICE <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/consumers-and-data/data-collection-and-use/how-your-data-is-used/articles/kmart-bunnings-and-the-good-guys-using-facial-recognition-technology-in-store" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that major retailers in Australia are using the technology to identify people claimed to be thieves and troublemakers. There is no dispute about the goal of reducing harm and theft. But there is also little transparency about how this technology is being used. CHOICE found that most people have no idea their faces are being scanned and matched to stored images in a database. Nor do they know how these databases are created, how accurate they are, and how secure the data they collect is. As CHOICE discovered, the notification to customers is inadequate. It comes in the form of small, hard-to-notice signs in some cases. In others, the use of the technology is announced in online notices rarely read by customers. The companies clearly don’t want to draw attention to their use of the technology or to account for how it is being deployed. Police are eager Something similar is happening with the use of the technology by Australian police. Police in New South Wales, for example, have embarked on a “low-volume” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jul/01/calls-to-stop-nsw-police-trial-of-national-facial-recognition-system-over-lack-of-legal-safeguards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trial</a> of a nationwide face-recognition database. This trial took place despite the fact that the enabling legislation for the national database has not yet been passed. In South Australia, controversy over Adelaide’s plans to upgrade its CCTV system with face-recognition capability led the city council to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-22/adelaide-city-council-votes-no-to-facial-recognition-in-cctv/101172924?utm_source=pocket_mylist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vote</a> not to purchase the necessary software. The council has also asked South Australia Police not to use face-recognition technology until legislation is in place to govern its use. However, SA Police have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-22/adelaide-city-council-votes-no-to-facial-recognition-in-cctv/101172924?utm_source=pocket_mylist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> an interest in using the technology. In a public <a href="https://www.itnews.com.au/news/sa-police-ignore-adelaide-council-plea-for-facial-recognition-ban-on-cctv-581559" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, the police described the technology as a potentially useful tool for criminal investigations. The statement also noted: <blockquote> There is no legislative restriction on the use of facial recognition technology in South Australia for investigations. </blockquote> A controversial tool Adelaide City Council’s call for regulation is a necessary response to the expanding use of automated facial recognition. This is a powerful technology that promises to fundamentally change our experience of privacy and anonymity. There is already a large gap between the amount of personal information collected about us every day and our own knowledge of how this information is being used, and facial recognition will only make the gap bigger. Recent events suggest a reluctance on the part of retail outlets and public authorities alike to publicise their use of the technology. Although it is seen as a potentially useful tool, it can be a controversial one. A world in which remote cameras can identify and track people as they move through public space seems alarmingly Orwellian. The technology has also been criticised for being invasive and, in some cases, <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/bias-in-facial-recognition-isnt-hard-to-discover-but-its-hard-to-get-rid-of/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biased</a> and inaccurate. In the US, for example, people have already been <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/wrongful-arrests-ai-derailed-3-mens-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrongly arrested</a> based on matches made by face-recognition systems. Public pushback There has also been widespread public opposition to the use of the technology in some cities and states in the US, which have gone so far as to impose <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/face-recognition-banned-but-everywhere/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bans</a> on its use. Surveys show the Australian public have <a href="https://securitybrief.com.au/story/australians-uneasy-about-facial-recognition-tech-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns</a> about the invasiveness of the technology, but that there is also support for its potential use to increase public safety and security. Facial-recognition technology isn’t going away. It’s likely to become less expensive and more accurate and powerful in the near future. Instead of implementing it piecemeal, under the radar, we need to directly confront both the potential harms and benefits of the technology, and to provide clear rules for its use. What would regulations look like? Last year, then human rights commissioner Ed Santow called for <a href="https://www.itnews.com.au/news/human-rights-commission-calls-for-temporary-ban-on-high-risk-govt-facial-recognition-565173" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a partial ban</a> on the use of facial-recognition technology. He is now developing model legislation for how it might be regulated in Australia. Any regulation of the technology will need to consider both the potential benefits of its use and the risks to privacy rights and civic life. It will also need to consider enforceable standards for its proper use. These could include the right to correct inaccurate information, the need to provide human confirmation for automated forms of identification, and the setting of minimum standards of accuracy. They could also entail improving public consultation and consent around the use of the technology, and a requirement for the performance of systems to be accountable to an independent authority and to those researching the technology. As the reach of facial recognition expands, we need more public and parliamentary debate to develop appropriate regulations for governing its use.  <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-andrejevic-567958" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Andrejevic</a>, Professor, School of Media, Film, and Journalism, Monash University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gavin-jd-smith-195220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin JD Smith</a>, Associate Professor in Sociology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian National University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/facial-recognition-is-on-the-rise-but-the-law-is-lagging-a-long-way-behind-185510" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Queen’s private jet forced to abort landing

A plane carrying Queen Elizabeth II was forced to abandon its initial landing due to severe weather conditions. The pilot was due to land at RAF Northolt, about 20km from Windsor Castle, after leaving Aberdeen but was unable to because of a severe electrical storm, rain and hail. The plane remained in the air for an extra 15 minutes before the pilot successfully pulled off a second attempt at landing. The 96-year-old monarch was then taken to Windsor Castle to prepare for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations that will run until June 5. Revellers have already begun camping outside the castle hoping to get a glimpse of the royals during the exciting days ahead. The Platinum Jubilee will kick off with Trooping the Colour Parade on Thursday. It remains unclear how many events the Queen will attend due to her mobility issues, with the Palace no longer announcing whether she will attend an event in person until the day. Instead, it is assumed that her son Prince Charles, 73, will take her place as he has been doing for quite some time. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Terrifying final moments of crashed passenger jet emerge

Less than a minute of flight data has stumped aviation experts who have been trying to retrace the last minutes of the China Eastern airlines MU5735 flight before it crashed. The passenger airplane departed from Kunming at 1pm local time (4pm AEDT) on Monday, with 123 passengers and nine crew onboard. Though it had an expected arrival time of 3.05pm in Guangzhou, the Boeing 737 plane crashed at approximately 2.20pm local time over Wuzhou city, nose diving into a hill and erupting in flames. After analysing the plane’s flight data taken from its computers and sensors, FlightRadar24 was able to show the plane stabilising during the stable auto-pilot section of the trip. The flight path monitoring then abruptly drops, the vertical rate increases again, and the aircraft dramatically drops a second time - correlating with a reported altitude drop from 29,100 feet to 9075 feet in two minutes and 15 seconds, 10-20 seconds of stabilising, and another drop. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/graph.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /> Image: FlightRadar24 No more data was recorded from 2.22pm onwards, when the plane was recorded as travelling at 3225 feet. However, the drop and brief stabilisation has stumped experts, with NSW-based aviation expert telling <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/china-eastern-flight-5735-aviation-experts-call-boeing-737800-flight-pattern-unusual/b080c7bd-563c-4114-940b-3ca9dd20714b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> he found it hard to explain. “It is unlikely, unless it was absolutely catastrophic like the wings falling off, for it to have fallen from the sky in the way that it did,” he said. “This has gone straight down. It’s likely when you go through the causes it has been hit in flight with military ordinance or there’s been a pilot intervention or collision.” Along with the plane’s blackbox, Boeing 777 pilot and aviation blogger Juan Brownes believes there is another piece of evidence that could explain the crash. Mr Browne claimed that the condition of the plane’s elevator trim jackscrew could help investigators understand how and why the plane was locked in a near-vertical nosedive, explaining that it could only happen if the aircraft’s elevator was locked in a specific position. “There’s really only one thing that can get the aircraft in that vertical descent and keep it there, and that is the elevator or the stabiliser trim,” he told the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3171336/china-eastern-airlines-flight-mu5735-air-safety-experts-study-video-and?module=lead_hero_story&pgtype=homepage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Morning Post</a>. “If you can find where the nut on the jackscrew was located, you can get an idea of what the trim state of the aircraft was on impact.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/crash-event.png" alt="" width="979" height="919" /> Image: FlightRadar24 (<a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/plane-carrying-133-crashes-in-china-casualties-unknown/news-story/283d107abceae4c132f821d15bf060a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>) Another aviation expert claimed the pilots would have been powerless to rescue the plane as it plummeted from the sky, explaining that the dramatic drop in altitude would have rendered the passengers and crew unconscious. However, flight commentator Sally Gethin told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18014251/china-eastern-airlines-crash-jet-mountain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a> that flight data may have shown the “10 to 20 second spell where one or more of the pilots regained consciousness and tried to save the plane”. She also said it was “too soon to speculate” on whether the crash could have been caused by a safety issue. Nevertheless, China Eastern Airlines has grounded their fleet of Boeing 737’s, with Ms Gethin suggesting they could be concerned “about the safety of that aircraft”. Other experts have said the crash shouldn’t have occurred when it did, as the autopilot stage is the point when accidents are least likely to occur, and that the Boeing 737 was one of the safest planes ever made. “The 737 NG has been in operation for 25 years and has an excellent safety record,” the director of aviation consultancy firm Cirium told Bloomberg. “I’m not going to speculate on what happened but if the FlightRadar24 logs are accurate, something seems to have happened abruptly and the plane nose dived from cruising altitude.” Graphic footage of the aftermath of the crash has since emerged online, including <a href="https://twitter.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/1505824981950816259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this clip</a> from Insider Paper on Twitter. State broadcaster China Central Television reported that rescue teams were dispatched to the scene of the crash, while one local villager told a news site the plane had “completely fallen apart”. No survivors have been found as of yet. Image: news.com.au

Travel Trouble

Meet the teen tracking Russian billionaires’ jets

A 19-year-old who shot to fame for tracking billionaire Elon Musk’s private jet has taken on a <a href="https://happymag.tv/elon-musk-jet-tracker-russian-aircraft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new target</a>: the aircrafts belonging to Russian billionaires. Jack Sweeney first garnered attention after creating a Twitter account that tracked and updated the world about the movement’s of Musk’s jet. Now, as Russian billionaires attempt to move their yachts and aircrafts out of Russia to prevent them from being confiscated thanks to widespread sanctions, Sweeney started a new account exposing their movements. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Roman Abramovich's Jet LX-RAY Landed in Ankara, Ankara Province, TR. Apx. flt. time 35 Mins. <a href="https://t.co/8mBVcRf47Q">pic.twitter.com/8mBVcRf47Q</a> — Russian Oligarch Jets (@RUOligarchJets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUOligarchJets/status/1498964543564922882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> A new Twitter account, called Russian Oligarch Jets, appeared on February 28 and began posting automatic updates about the take-offs and landings of various Russian jets. On March 3, the account shared a list of the oligarchs it is tracking and their planes. The list includes several belonging to Roman Abrahamovich - a confidant of President Vladimir Putin - and Alisher Usmanov, who has been blacklisted and has his $800 million yacht <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/luxury/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-seized-germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confiscated</a> by German authorities. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The latest list is below. Trying to stay the most accurate, red removed green added. <a href="https://t.co/WjZV2J9Tib">pic.twitter.com/WjZV2J9Tib</a> — Russian Oligarch Jets (@RUOligarchJets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUOligarchJets/status/1499088188463202306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> When he was still tracking Musk’s jet, Sweeney was offered $5,000 by the tech founder to stop. However, Sweeney said the sum wouldn’t be enough to replace “the enjoyment factor” and instead asked for an internship. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This account has every right to post jet whereabouts, ADS-B data is public, every aircraft in the world is required to have a transponder, Even AF1 (<a href="https://twitter.com/AirForceTrack?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AirForceTrack</a>) Twitter policy states data found on other sites is allowed to be shared here as well. <a href="https://t.co/Wol8O1DRiq">pic.twitter.com/Wol8O1DRiq</a> — Elon Musk's Jet (@ElonJet) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElonJet/status/1483587836053909504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2022</a></blockquote> With Musk seeming to disapprove of the counter-offer, Sweeney was soon offered a job with Stratos Jet Charters. Sweeney runs several other accounts that post automatic updates about various aircraft, including <a href="https://twitter.com/PutinJet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian VIP jets</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherplanes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weather planes</a>, and VIP jets belonging to the <a href="https://twitter.com/USAirForceVIP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Air Force</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CelebJets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">celebrities</a>. Image: @jxck.sweeney (Instagram)

Technology

How does a jet engine work?

<div> <div class="copy"> Modern aviation owes its success to the jet engine. The technology was originally developed in the late 1930s and early 1940s for military use in <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" target="_blank">World War Two</a>, but it has since powered the passenger aircraft revolution. There are many different variations on the jet engine, but the one most commonly used in passenger planes is called a turbofan (because it contains a turbine and a fan). The description below is about turbofans in particular, but much of it applies more generally. <h2>So how does a jet engine work?</h2> At the simplest level the way a jet engine works can be reduced to just four words: suck, squeeze, bang, blow. Let’s break down what that means. <h3>Suck</h3> When you look at a jet engine, the first thing you will generally notice is that the front is a giant many-bladed fan, inside what is known as the intake. The blades act in exactly the same way the blades on a propeller or desk fan work, sucking air in and shoving it out the other side at high speed. The fan in a jet engine does have a lot more blades than a desk fan, though: often more than 20. Think of the fan as a propeller on steroids. In most modern jet engines, the fan alone can generate up to 90% of the thrust, or ‘pushing power’ of the engine. To find out where the other 10% comes from, we must continue to follow the air on its journey. <h3>Squeeze</h3> We are now leaving pre-jet engine technology behind. Once the fan sucks in the air, some of it is not just forced around the engine, but is funnelled to what is known as the compressor. Inside, air is pushed along by many spinning disks loaded with small blades along a tube that gets smaller and smaller. This quickly squeezes the air, making it much denser, hotter and more explosive when fuel is added. <h3>Bang</h3> For the pyromaniacs out there, there is where the fun begins. Fuel is added to the compressed air, creating a highly volatile mix requiring a simple spark to burn. This is what happens in the combustion chamber, where the fuel/air mix is sprayed and ignited, rapidly expanding the air and generating the rest of the thrust of the engine. <h3>Blow</h3> The rapid expansion of the air during combustion generates a massive amount of pressure that needs to find a way out. The way out of a jet engine is at the end of another tube full of spinning disks bristling with blades that are spun by the force of the expanding gas. This part is known as the turbine. Once at the end of the turbine, the gases leave the engine at high speed, exerting a force on the engine in the opposite direction. (In accord with Newton’s third law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.) The ingenious part of the modern jet engine is that the intake fan, compressor, combustion chamber and turbine are linked by a single shaft running along the inside of the engine. So when the expanding gases spin the turbine at the back, it helps spin the fan at the front, which keeps the process going and generates more thrust. Image credits: Getty Images</div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/how-does-a-jet-engine-work/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Jake Port. </div> </div>

Technology

Kylie Minogue jets home to Australia for very special reason

Kylie Minogue has flown home from London in the middle of a pandemic for a very special reason – she is getting married! The 52-year-old and her longtime partner, Welsh British GQ artistic director Paul Solomons, 46, came into Melbourne recently, secretly undergoing hotel quarantine before being spotted out and about together. Her promoter Michael Gudinski said she "is vibing to be home... She's ecstatic to see family and she's going to stay in Australia for a while." Paul’s stepmother Gloria told the UK Daily Mail "she is very nice. I'm thrilled they're engaged. It's very exciting. But I'm sorry, I can't tell you any more because I've been told not to. I respect my son and Kylie too much." <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839907/kylie-minpgue-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d52e9c4bb729432d9b5a8ff48957ec37" /> While Kylie has denied the report multiple times, insiders tell reporters it's "simply because she wanted to keep her secret to just family for a little while longer." However fans have found it hard to believe there could be any other reason after Dannii was spotted leaving a designer couture with a large dress bag. "There's no way Kylie would get married without Dannii by her side," the source said. “Those two have been thick as thieves since they were kids and she's a shoo-in for maid of honour." The source went on to say, "I heard Kylie wanted a really low-key wedding once she realised Paul was the one. But now she's back in Melbourne, plans are snowballing a bit." "She's totally caught up in the moment and thrilled to be home. Paul is determined to give her the wedding of her dreams, whether it's intimate and just family or the who's who of Australian society."

Relationships

Qantas lands historic non-stop flight from London to Sydney

Qantas has done the unthinkable and touched down in Sydney after departing from London on a shocking 20-hour flight. The journey was 17,800 kilometres long and this means that Qantas have successfully landed its second ultra-long-haul research flight as a part of Project Sunrise. It’s the second time the route has been flown by a commercial airline, as the first time was back in 1989. Project Sunrise is studying ways to combat jetlag for those on board and the flight carried just 52 passengers and crew. It’s not the first test flight that Qantas has done, as they did another non-stop flight trial that connected New York and Sydney last month. Despite the London-Sydney flight being 1500 kilometres further than New York-Sydney, it takes a shorter journey due to tailwinds. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that Qantas wants to make the non-stop journeys a reality within the next few years. “We know that travellers want room to move on these direct flights, and the exercises we encouraged on the first research flight seemed to work really well,” he said to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/qantas-to-add-move-and-stretch-zones-to-ultralong-haul-flights/news-story/b8359f1b6cb804809567ed253fd0578a">news.com.au</a>. “So, we’re definitely looking to incorporate on-board stretching zones and even some simple modifications like overhead handles to encourage low impact exercises.” Joyce also mentioned that the non-stop Perth to London flight has boosted confidence in the longer proposed journeys. “It had the highest customer satisfaction rating after a year of any route on our network, and it’s been the most successful launch of a new route,” he said.

Domestic Travel

Natural therapies for jet lag

Jet lag occurs when our body clock ‘lags’ behind (or in front) of local time. Symptoms of jet lag include; fatigue, sleepiness during the day, trouble concentrating, sluggishness, clumsiness and generally feeling less than fabulous. Jet lag is made worse by travel fatigue. Sitting down for hours in small seats, squished side-by-side like sardines in a can, our muscles are bound to cramp and tire. Even sardines get to lie down. Reducing Jet lag The trick is you set your watch to the local time of your destination. This means that you try to sleep when it is night-time at your destination, and eat at your destination’s meal times. Speaking of eating, it is best to eat lightly, so you don’t feel like a stuffed trout – salads and fruit, instead of sugar and starch. The air circulating in planes is as dry as a chip and dehydration adds to jet lag, also triggering sinusitis, headaches and blotchy skin. Aim to drink one glass of water an hour while on the plane. And before you take-off make sure you are fully hydrated (this does not mean ‘tanked’) for the 24 hours prior to take off, drinking at least 2 litres of water. The downside to drinking all this water is the need to use the bathroom frequently, which can be inconvenient when you are in the middle seat. However, the trip to the loo can double as ‘exercise’. We need to exercise to prevent swelling of the ankles and legs, and to prevent deep vein thrombosis, a potentially fatal condition that comes from being cramped in a confined space for hours. Why not make the exercise fun? If you were good at hurdles at school, use the food carts in the aisles to practice your jumping skills – the hosties won’t mind a bit. More sedate exercise involves circling your feet and ankles, hands and wrists, lifting each thigh for twenty seconds, while pulling in your tummy. Looks odd, but works a treat. Other tips: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Arnica, a homoeopathic remedy, is terrific for jet lag. Take a dose every couple of hours of the flight, and for a day after you arrive.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">If you are an anxious flyer, take a dose of Rescue Remedy before and during the flight. Kava is also excellent for creating calm.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Take Ginseng and a B complex in the ‘morning’ to give you energy and Valerian and Passionflower at ‘night’ to help you sleep.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">The herb Vitex agnus castus (Chaste tree) is thought to improve melatonin levels. Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate our circadian rhythm. Take a dose with each meal.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">When you arrive, if it is night-time try to sleep or do relaxing things like a hot bath with lavender oil. If it is day-time spend some time outside in the sunshine to adapt to the new time zone.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">If you have the time, try to break up your journey with overnight stops. This will greatly reduce jet lag and your bank balance.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Travel first class. French champagne is well known to prevent jet lag and travel fatigue. When sleepy, snuggle in between those crisp white sheets and remember your earplugs to help to reduce the bleating sounds from cattle class.</li> </ul> Written by Mim Beim. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/health/natural-therapies-for-jet-lag.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Travel Tips

How you can overcome jet lag

Long flights across many time zones often leave us feeling fatigued, sleepy, irritable and generally out of sorts. And it’s not just because of poor sleep on the plane and dehydration from the altitude – the feelings persist for several days. Jet lag is caused by our 24-hour body clock lagging behind the rapid change of clock time over the flight. Our body clock has a strong effect on the times across the day we feel alert and when we feel sleepy. The body clock consists of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/keeping-time-how-our-circadian-rhythms-drive-us-17">circadian rhythms</a>. For a person who regularly sleeps from 11pm to 7am, all of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/forget-bob-geldof-this-is-why-you-dont-like-mondays-828">circadian rhythms</a> will become aligned to ensure best sleep during those times. In the middle of the sleep period, around 4am, the body drops to its lowest body temperature (known as Tmin). This is also the time when melatonin hormone secretion is highest. The alignment of these rhythms is not caused directly by the timing of our sleep period, but indirectly by the timing of darkness during sleep and visual light stimulation when we are awake. Once the body clock becomes stabilised, it is resistant to change. So, after less than a day in the air, our body clock is still on home time when we arrive at our destination. This is where the problem arises. Flying westward Take the example of flying from the Sydney to London. At this time of year, there is a nine hour time zone difference between the two cities. If you arrive in London at 7am in the morning, your body clock will be telling you it’s 4pm. By 1pm London time, you’re likely to want to take a nap. But try not to fall into a deep sleep; your body will be telling you it’s 10pm so you’ll have to resist the urge to sleep through until 7am your body clock time. This, of course, would mean waking up at 10pm London time ready to start your “day”. If you manage to stay awake until early evening, you will still be woken up early the next morning by your early timed body clock and early “wake-up zone”, making you feel tired the next day. Until you can shift the timing of your body clock later by about eight to nine hours, your jet lag will continue to cause extreme tiredness in the late afternoon and disturbed sleep at night. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/47360/original/ctzmkb33-1398833045.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Lowest body temperature shifts from 4am Australian time to 7pm UK time (orange arrow pointed to the left). She must now delay her body clock by nine hours (bottom orange arrow pointed to right). Leon Lack/The Conversation Resetting your body clock The good news is you can re-time the body clock. The strongest effect is from appropriately timed visual light stimulation. But take care to get the timing right so you move your body clock in the right direction. Light stimulation before your body reaches its lowest body temperature (Tmin), usually about 2 hours before your typical wake-up time, will delay your body clock to a later time. However, light after Tmin will shift your body clock earlier. For a Sydney to London trip, you would need to delay your body clock by about nine hours to most quickly align your body clock to London time. Fortunately, normal daylight can be used as it occurs before Tmin up to about the Tmin time. So spend the day outdoors if possible. Even a cloudy day is better than staying indoors. However, after your body clock has been delayed by a few hours from outdoor light, your Tmin will now have moved “out of reach” of the delaying effect of daylight, since only light administered close to Tmin has a strong re-timing effect. Your body clock re-timing may stop well short of the eight to nine hour delay needed for full re-alignment. In that case, it would be useful to use artificial indoor light stimulation in the later evening to complete the jet lag cure. Flying eastward Flying across many time zones in the opposite direction (eastward) can present a more challenging re-adjustment. Flying across seven time zones to the US West coast, for instance, requires an advance of the body clock (re-timed earlier). This is the same type of change needed when we <a href="https://theconversation.com/spring-forward-fall-back-how-daylight-saving-affects-our-sleep-25025">go onto daylight savings time</a> in the spring. That causes some disruption of sleep and daytime alertness for a few days in many people. Now multiply that change by seven times and it will give you some perspective on this jet lag disruption. Upon arriving at your US West Coast destination, your body clock timing will be seven hours too late. The time of your Tmin may be as late as 11am instead of 4am. Your body won’t be ready for sleep until the wee hours of the morning and it will want to sleep most of the day away (an extreme example of the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.1986.9938970">delayed sleep pattern</a> of many adolescents). Again, light can be used to re-time your internal clock. To maximise the re-timing effect you should avoid very early bright light up until about 10am because being before your Tmin it might shift your clock in the wrong delay direction. Instead you should get bright light preferably for several hours starting around 10am. Then, as your body clock becomes timed earlier the beginning of the light stimulation can start earlier (8-9am) to complete the re-alignment job. Overcoming jet lag One way to reduce the time taken to overcome jet lag in your destination is to do some re-adjustment of your sleep period and light exposure before leaving on your trip. <a href="http://re-timer.com/product/jet-lag-calculator/">Jet lag calculators</a> can work out the specific times for your light exposure before and after the trip. Taking <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12076414">melatonin</a> can also assist this re-timing process: a low-dose (0.5-1mg) short-acting preparation (available over-the-counter in the US or by doctor’s prescription in Australia) taken at the desired bedtime in your destination. In conjunction with appropriately timed bright light, melatonin can greatly reduce the duration of your jet lag. But should you even attempt to re-time your body clock? That depends on how long you’re staying in the new time zone. If your stay is short (one to three days), it may be less disruptive to not go through any re-adjustment but simply keep your body clock on “home” time. That way you also avoid re-adjusting again when flying home. Most airline flight crew follow this rule. But if your stay overseas is going to be at least a week and if you want it to be more pleasurable, you can minimise jet lag by appropriately timed light stimulation and melatonin.<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/25616/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Leon Lack, Professor of Psychology, Flinders University. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-jet-lag-and-how-can-you-overcome-it-25616" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

Piers Morgan slams Prince Harry as “hypocrite” over private jet use

Piers Morgan has slammed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as “hypocrites” after the prince defended their use of private jets. The prince and his wife Meghan have faced criticism after media reports emerged that they <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49567157">flew privately four times in 11 days this summer</a>. Prince Harry said “we can all do better” with sustainable travel at a launch of eco-tourism project in Amsterdam on Tuesday. “I came here by commercial. I spend 99 per cent of my life travelling the world by commercial,” he said. “Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe – it’s generally as simple as that.” Morgan accused the prince of making false statements to defend his travel practices, saying that he has flown on private jets for the majority of his known trips since his wedding to Meghan in May 2018. “When he was pressed to explain why he uses fuel-guzzling private jets all the time if he cares so much about the environment, Harry point blank lied,” Morgan wrote on his <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7426913/Hypocrite-Harry-needs-high-horse-stop-preaching-say-not-do.html">Daily Mail</a> column. Morgan also said the prince’s safety concerns are “completely bogus” as he noted how Prince William and the late Princess Diana travelled with commercial airlines. “Did you really accept a free ride on Elton John’s private plane to the South of France last month because you were worried about the safety of your family, or because you just fancied a more luxurious mode of travel?” Morgan wrote. The TV host argued that the Duke is “fast becoming Hypocrite Harry”. He wrote, “They want to be the first ‘woke’ royals – using their status as a platform to regularly dictate to us how we should live our lives, whether it’s demanding we stop using social media so much or instructing us to curb our flying – as they themselves bombard us with endless social media posts, and use private jets like taxis.” Speaking on <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/9858855/piers-morgan-slams-meghan-markle-prince-harry-defiant-rant/">Good Morning Britain</a> Wednesday morning, Morgan said of the Sussexes: “Nobody wants to hate these two, but they are making themselves look like rank hypocrites and you can’t as a Royal do that.” A <a href="https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media/final_sovereign_grant_for_website.pdf">sovereign grant report</a> published in June showed that the royal’s household carbon emissions almost doubled last year due to business travel.

Travel Trouble

They’re just like us! Cambridge family’s humble decision amid private jet furore

Prince William and Duchess Kate have arrived in Scotland to visit the Queen at her Balmoral holiday home. However, it is not their decision to visit Her Majesty that has made headlines around the world - but instead their choice of transportation. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with their three children, Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 16 months, travelled home with the flew budget airline FlyBe. The royal family was spotted landing at Aberdeen Airport from Norwich Airport, near their home of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate - on a flight that would have cost them AU$139 (NZ: $147) per person on the flight. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ehwQBHefl/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ehwQBHefl/" target="_blank">A post shared by Eugenia Garavani (@eugeniagaravani)</a> on Aug 22, 2019 at 11:52am PDT </div> </blockquote> The news comes amidst a scandal embroiling their family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have copped a heap of criticism for reportedly flying by private jet to Nice, France to visit singer, Elton John. The flight alone is said to have costed approximately AU$36,000 (NZD$38,000). Media outlets and critical members of the public took turns lambasting the new royal parents for their four flights on private jets in two weeks, in the wake of Prince Harry’s recent climate change comments. The retaliation involved a number of high profile figures coming to the defense of the royal’s including Elton John, Ellen DeGeneres and Pink. John and a close friend both said Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan both flew private for security purposes - a claim which may not hold up to some considering the second and third-in-line-to-the-throne were photographed doing the opposite. However, ITV’s royal editor, Chris Ship suggests the photos of the Cambridge family just confirms all the more that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a wise decision. "The Royals are always at risk of having their privacy invaded by camera phones in the hands of other passengers," Ship wrote about the pictures taken by those on-board. "A smarter interpretation might be this: these images - which first found their way onto the Mail Online - support Harry and Meghan's decision to accept offers of private jets to protect the privacy they so crave when they're not on duty."

International Travel

One of the world's biggest airlines collapses

India’s Jet Airways has finally collapsed after months of speculation. The once iconic airline has been struggling for months to stay in business and the announcement follows weeks of questions over the fate of the airline. Jet Airways has failed to secure emergency funding from India’s banks and is suspending all flights. The collapse of Jet Airways is the biggest in India since the failure of Kingfisher Airlines back in 2012. The blow is massive to the Indian aviation industry, as demand soars for services. However, airlines are struggling to keep the prices low. Jet Airways explained in a statement their sadness. "This has been a very difficult decision but without interim funding, the airline is simply unable to conduct flight operations," Jet Airways said in statement. "Above all, the airline would like to express its sincere gratitude to all its employees and stakeholders that have stood by the company in these trying times." The airline was informed late on Tuesday by a range of lenders that are led by the government-run State Bank of India that the airline would not be receiving more funds. Passengers are being informed about the closure of the airline via email and text messages and are able to claim a refund. The airline’s operations had shrunk to 40 flights on 5 aircraft on Tuesday, before the closure was announced. However, the banks are continuing to search for a private investor to buy 75 per cent of the airline. The deadline for bids is May 10th.

Travel Trouble

"Cold-hearted:" The hidden flaw in Jetstar's flight refund rule

A young woman has spoken out over Jetstar’s “cold-hearted” treatment after she and her terminally ill mother were forced to cancel flights due to a deteriorating illness. When 22-year-old Ashlee Brown booked a trip for her and her 57-year-old mother, Pauline, to the Gold Coast in May last year, they both understood it would be the last holiday they would have together. Pauline had been dealing with a rare form of liver cancer for the past year and after realising how quickly her health was declining, the mother-daughter duo both found solace in a girl’s getaway for some quality time together. Unfortunately, Pauline’s health deteriorated so much the girls were forced to cancel their flights. Ashlee said they notified the airline of the situation and provided a necessary doctor’s certificate to verify her mother’s condition with over 24 hours’ notice. The Browns were not offered a refund but instead were both given vouchers with a six-month expiry date, which disappointed the family, as Mrs Brown was likely to not fly again. “They are so strongly uncaring,” Ashlee said. Pauline sadly passed away in August, leaving the family distraught. The best friend of 22-year-old Ashlee, Jessica Carson, decided to hold the airline responsible for their “cold-hearted” treatment of the Brown family and left a scathing review on the Jetstar Official Facebook page. “I will NEVER fly with Jetstar again,” the post read. “My best friend and her mum booked a trip to the Gold Coast as her mum’s last holiday, as she was terminally ill with cancer.” After explaining the situation for the two women she scolded the airline for the hurt they caused to the family. “They wouldn’t refund any of the trip…They just ruthlessly give you the same answer, telling you their policies again and again… I heard the same thing 10 times from 10 different people,” Ms Carson wrote. “We are deeply hurt by the unfair and heartless treatment we have received by Jetstar. Let this be a warning to anyone using this company ever again.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJetstarAustralia%2Fposts%2F2187189567991416&width=500" width="500" height="273" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> A Jetstar representative reignited anger amongst the social media comments by stating: “If you’ve purchased a Starter fare, you will be subject to change fees and fare difference to make any changes in your booking, under our fare rules,” part of the response read. “What a disgusting and insensitive reply Jetstar,” a user commented back. “Jetstar are rubbish.. what a horrible company no compassion whatsoever I'll never fly with them again let's start a petition,” another wrote. Do you think Jetstar’s refund rule is fair? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

The Queen's $1 jet lag cure

The Queen’s schedule is jam-packed with appearances all over the world, so it is fair to say that she is quite an experienced traveller. All of her years of travel have allowed her to find a cure for jet lag that is not only effective but also very cheap. According to the Independent, Her Majesty relies on homeopathic medicines and barley sugar to get her body adjusted to different time zones. Barley sugar sweets, which can be bought from supermarkets for $1, help to kickstart her metabolism and gets her hungry at the right times of day. "Carrying out your daily habits like eating and sleeping in line with your new destination’s time zone — both en-route and on arrival — helps re-synchronise our body clock to our new environment,” general practitioner Dr Nick Knight told The Telegraph. “What the Queen is doing by having barley sugar is essentially using her body’s sugar metabolic pathways to help adjust her body clock. “Essentially the same should happen if you were to have your breakfast, lunch and dinner at times that match your destination before you get there, regardless of whether you’re hungry or not.” Have you ever used barley sugar to beat jet lag? Or do you have your own trick you swear by to beat jet lag? Tell us know in the comments below.

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