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January 29, 2025

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January 29, 2025

Holiday booking as a happiness booster: Psychological effects of travel planning

Amely Mizzi 29 January 2025 11:23

Booking a vacation flight triggers surprisingly strong feelings of happiness in many people. This is the result of a recent survey conducted by renowned cognitive scientist Dr. Laurie Santos. More than 2025 Americans took part in the survey, which was organized by the airline United Airlines, in January 1.300. The result: 70 percent of respondents said that they felt happy when booking a vacation flight. Dr. Santos explains that the so-called "happiness boost" from the anticipation of the upcoming experience often lasts long after booking. Especially in winter, when many people suffer from the gloomy season, booking a vacation offers a welcome opportunity to counteract the so-called "winter blues". According to the survey, 68 percent of participants said that January was a month in which they particularly depend on a positive outlook. Booking a holiday seems to generate just as much happiness as the act of travelling itself – almost 73 percent of respondents reported this positive effect. Interestingly, the joy that comes from booking a holiday surpasses the euphoria that comes from buying material goods. According to Dr. Santos, the rush of happiness from booking a holiday is more than twice as strong as buying clothes, jewellery or household items and even four times as intense as buying electronics. The reason for this lies in the nature of travelling: new experiences and encounters provide long-term joy, while the appeal of consumer goods quickly fades. This effect is explained by the brain's "hedonic adaptation", in which we

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Orfali Bros Bistro once again named best restaurant in the MENA region

Stephen Steiner 29 January 2025 11:20

Orfali Bros Bistro in Dubai has been named “Best Restaurant in the MENA Region” for the third year in a row at the fourth Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants Awards. The prestigious event took place in Abu Dhabi earlier this week and honored the region's most outstanding gastronomic addresses. Brothers Mohammad, Wassim and Omar Orfali, who founded the restaurant in 2021, are making their mark in Dubai with a unique blend of their Aleppo heritage and modern cuisine. Orfali Bros Bistro was also named “Best Restaurant in the UAE” and has now firmly established itself among the world's top restaurants. In the ranking of the best restaurants in the region, first place was followed by Trèsind Studio in Dubai in second place and Kinoya, also in Dubai, in third place. In Cairo, Khufu's received the “Best Restaurant in Egypt” award, taking 2th place. Particularly noteworthy was the award given to Dara Dining by Sara Aqel from Amman, which came in 3th place as the best newcomer and received the "Highest New Entry Award". In addition to the restaurant rankings, individual personalities from the gastronomy sector were also honored: Omar Shihab from Boca in Dubai received the Icon Award, while Boca also won the Sustainable Restaurant Award. Tala Bashmi from Bahrain was awarded the Estrella Damm NA Chefs' Choice Award and Carmen Rueda Hernandez received the title of Best Pastry Chef. The event was supported by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi and offers a platform for the outstanding culinary diversity

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Ströck presents exclusive Valentine's croissant for the festival of love

Jan Gruber 29 January 2025 11:14

On the occasion of Valentine's Day 2025, the traditional Ströck bakery is launching a special highlight: the handmade Valentine's croissant. On February 13th and 14th, the delicious pastry will be available in all Ströck branches. Filled with a combination of homemade raspberry jam and vanilla cream, it impresses with its buttery, fluffy dough and is decorated with edible flowers and a hint of pistachios. In its extra size, the croissant is particularly suitable for sharing and makes Valentine's Day an unforgettable experience. Ströck's master baker Pierre Reboul created the croissant with great dedication to convey the romantic message of Valentine's Day in a culinary way. The sweet treat should not only delight the palate, but also be a special gesture of affection. "Sometimes a croissant says more than a thousand words," says Reboul. The exclusive croissants are available for 3,90 euros in all Ströck branches and the Ströck-Feierabend bakeries. The family-run company, which was founded in 1970, now has 80 branches in Vienna and the surrounding area and has made a name for itself through its craftsmanship and innovative strength. In addition to the Valentine's croissant, Ströck also offers a wide range of pastries, bread and hot drinks that use regional ingredients.

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Air Baltic cooperates with Latin American airline SUA Líneas Aéreas

Jan Gruber 29 January 2025 11:11

The Latvian airline Air Baltic and the new Latin American airline SUA Líneas Aéreas have agreed on a strategic partnership. From October 2025, Air Baltic will lease up to five Airbus A220-300s to SUA under a so-called wet lease and support the company in areas such as operations, pilot training and IT infrastructure. SUA Líneas Aéreas plans to start flight operations in the fourth quarter of 2025 and wants to connect cities in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The aim is to offer shorter travel times and better direct connections. The partnership with Air Baltic is intended to help the young company build an efficient operating structure. For Air Baltic, the cooperation means an expansion of its international presence and the opportunity to use its know-how in operating the Airbus A220-300 in a new market. SUA CEO Antonio Rama emphasized that Air Baltic's experience was crucial to the airline's successful launch.

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“The Theater Hotel”: Charity event of the tourism schools Modul in Vienna

Jan Gruber 29 January 2025 11:09

The tourism schools Modul of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce are organizing the school charity event "The Theater Hotel" for the first time. The event will take place on February 14 and 15, 2025 at the Hotel Savoyen Vienna and combines culinary delights with top-class stage programs. The proceeds will go to the development aid project "Stein auf Stein", which creates housing for marginalized families in India. On Valentine's Day, a concert with the Strottern and the Velvet Elevator Orchestra is on the program. On February 15, a matinee with the title "The World, a Chanson: Jaques Brel meets Ferdinand Raimund" follows. Students from the Modul take care of the gastronomic accompaniment, marketing and the entire event process. The event was founded in 2008 by Helmut Kuchernig-Hoffmann and the actor Otto Tausig. The project team led by Leopold Blazek is organizing the new edition in 2025 in cooperation with the "The Theater Hotel" association, the Hotel Savoyen Vienna and other partners. The aim is to use the proceeds to finance several houses for needy families in India.

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China Southern Airlines: New service for passengers with long transit times

Stephen Steiner 29 January 2025 11:09

China Southern Airlines is offering passengers with long transit times a free hotel stay including breakfast and transfers at nine airports in China. The new service applies to international and domestic flights and is available at the Guangzhou Baiyun and Beijing Daxing hubs as well as at the airports in Urumqi, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Dalian, Wuhan, Changsha and Zhengzhou. The offer is aimed at travelers with a transit time of at least six hours and a confirmed seat. The hotel class and room type depend on the frequent flyer status in the Sky Pearl Club and the booking class. To use the service, affected passengers can report to the transit service counters at the airports, where the hotel and transfer will be organized. With this offer, China Southern Airlines is responding to flight schedules that can cause longer waiting times between connecting flights. The aim is to ensure that passengers have a comfortable stay even during transit, explained Jiamin Li, the airline's sales manager in Frankfurt am Main.

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Travel wave during the semester break: traffic jams and delays expected

Stephen Steiner 29 January 2025 10:08

With the start of the semester break in Lower Austria and Vienna as well as in six German federal states, the first major wave of travel is imminent this weekend. Around 445.000 students in Austria and around 2,5 million in Germany are starting their school-free period, which is likely to cause traffic problems not only on transit routes but also in metropolitan areas. Important motorways and city routes in Vienna and the surrounding area are particularly affected, such as the Westautobahn (A1), Südautobahn (A2) and Südosttangente (A23), where the ARBÖ expects significant delays from Friday afternoon. On Saturday, the focus of traffic will shift to the access roads to the ski areas in the Alps. Longer traffic jams are expected on the Tauernautobahn (A10), Inntalautobahn (A12) and Brennerautobahn (A13), among others. Important federal roads such as the Zillertalstraße (B169) or Fernpassstraße (B179) could also be affected by block clearances and high traffic volumes. In parallel to the wave of travel, sporting events also attract numerous visitors at the weekend. The "Nordic Combined Triple" is taking place in Seefeld, a highlight for fans of Nordic Combined. The ARBÖ advises visitors to use public transport, as the Seefelder Straße (B177) could be heavily congested by tourist traffic. Another highlight in Upper Austria is the "Upper Austria Ladies Linz" tennis tournament. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for the weekend in the Linz TipsArena. Here too, it is advisable to use public transport, as the parking situation in the area around the event is likely to be tight.

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Air Baltic: Record year 2024 with strong growth and innovations

Belinda Borg 29 January 2025 09:06

The Latvian airline Air Baltic recorded record results in 2024 and presented numerous achievements that further consolidate its position as the leading airline in the Baltics. With 8,3 million passengers carried, Air Baltic reached the highest number in its company history and underlined the growing demand for its services. In total, the airline operated more than 73.000 flights and achieved a seat occupancy rate of 81,2 percent. One focus of the past year was fleet expansion. With the addition of three more Airbus A220-300 aircraft, the total number rose to 49 aircraft. Air Baltic also used options for ten more aircraft of this type to pursue its long-term goal: to grow the fleet to 2030 aircraft by 100. This will enable a broader target group to be addressed and expand the range of travel destinations. In addition to its operational successes, Air Baltic received several awards in 2024. For the third time in a row, the airline was named the best airline in the region by Skytrax. Other honors include a four-star rating from Apex and recognition from CH-Aviation.com for one of Europe's youngest fleets. The company's innovative strength was highlighted by the PROS AI Innovator Award. A milestone was the introduction of SpaceX Starlink Internet, making Air Baltic the first European airline to test ultra-fast Internet on board. New codeshare agreements with Swiss, Air Canada and Bulgaria Air as well as the deepening of partnerships with Lufthansa and British Airways expanded travel options for passengers. The expansion of infrastructure also progressed: With the construction of the Baltic Cargo Hub, the airline focused on strengthening its logistics segment. In addition, special pop-up flights were launched.

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Study: Stress and burnout risk widespread in Austria

Belinda Borg 29 January 2025 08:07

A recent survey by the market research institute Marketagent shows the widespread burden of stress on the Austrian population. The representative study examines the causes of stress, its effects on health and strategies for coping with stress. What is particularly alarming is that one in four respondents see themselves as being at high risk of burnout, and in the group with high stress levels, the figure is as high as 63 percent. The most common stress factors include professional demands (36 percent), time pressure (35 percent), financial worries (31 percent) and family obligations (31 percent). Young people in particular are severely affected: almost half of 14- to 29-year-olds (48 percent) see school and professional demands as the main cause of stress. People with care or support responsibilities also report significantly higher stress levels than average. The survey also shows that stress often causes long-term physical complaints. Around 69 percent of respondents suffer from consequences such as sleep disorders, headaches or back pain. Irritability and impatience (53 percent) are also common reactions. The participants named sufficient sleep and time in nature as the most effective strategies for dealing with stress, with around half of those surveyed actively implementing these measures. The need for social action is particularly evident in the area of ​​prevention. Almost 80 percent of those surveyed demand that stress management be a permanent feature in schools and companies. Thomas Schwabl, Managing Director of Marketagent, stresses the importance of preventive measures and greater support for groups under particular stress.

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Riyadh Air: First Boeing 787-9 completes flight between Riyadh and Istanbul

Jan Gruber 29 January 2025 07:31

New Saudi airline Riyadh Air has reached another milestone on the way to its commercial launch by conducting its first flight in its official livery. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (registration HZ-RXX) flew from Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport (RUH) to Istanbul (IST) last weekend, a journey of around four hours. The flight marks the start of an extensive training programme to meet operational requirements for the planned entry into service in the third quarter of 2025. The aircraft, originally operated by Oman Air, is not part of Riyadh Air's regular order of 72 brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Instead, it will be used as a training platform for crew members and for obtaining the Air Operator Certificate (AOC). According to industry sources, Riyadh Air is expected to order more wide-body aircraft shortly, underlining the airline's ambitious expansion plans. The use of the aircraft for training purposes serves to prepare pilots and other personnel for the future requirements of flight operations. At the same time, the flight to Istanbul could also have technical reasons, as further details of its exact purpose are still unclear. Use of modern training methods In addition to flights with the Boeing 787-9, Riyadh Air relies on advanced simulators to optimize the training of its pilots. On January 27, 2025, the airline announced that it had received approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA) to use the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 RX7000 full-flight simulator. This technology makes it possible to recreate realistic flight conditions and make training more efficient. This strategic approach reflects the airline's high standards

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