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Is that travel cash yours? SARS does random forex checks at airports

By Paul Ash | 10 hours, 9 minutes ago

forex

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is apparently conducting random forex checks on passengers at South Africa’s international airports, the Association of South African Travel Agents says in a statement.

Passengers will have to show the receipt from the bank or exchange bureau where they bought their foreign currency or go back and get one. If you can’t produce a receipt, the forex will be confiscated on the spot and you will have 90 days to produce a receipt in order to get your money back. Read More…

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A thunderous spectacle as Hartbeespoort Dam opens its sluice gates

By Paul Ash | 4 days, 9 hours ago

Water thunders out of Hartbeespoort Dam this week/Danie Smith
Harties1

This was the sobering sight this week as all the sluice gates at Hartbeespoort Dam were opened to relieve some of the pressure on the dam which is 106% full.

In this usually parched land, you don’t see this kind of thing too often. Read More…

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World Cup price gouging: Take-another-slice-of-the-pie chart

By Paul Ash | 5 days, 9 hours ago

rates

This is a pie chart showing what some accommodation suppliers – mostly in the Western Cape – are doing with their prices during the World Cup soccer tournament.

The chart comes from the February accommodation tracking survey on CapeInfo.com which has come out guns blazing against the “vultures” who are hoping to cash in come June. Read More…

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Aircruise airship: A whole lot of hot air

By Paul Ash | 5 days, 11 hours ago

It looks like the joke’s on us. Yesterday’s story about Aircruise, the huge, vertical, fuel cell powered airship turns out to have been nothing more than a fat media stunt by UK design company Seymourpowell to show off its design abilities.

The lack of any visible means of propulsion should have been a red flag. More to to the point, as this blogger notes, the firm’s previous jobs include vibrating sex toys and cat food. To get from there to designing a flyable airship is most likely a step too far.

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New hydrogen airship “design” is a real gas

By Paul Ash | 6 days, 3 hours ago

Aircruise

This is what the luxury airship of the future could look like: a vertical, multi-level, flying condo, lifted by hydrogen gas in bags, and powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Read More…

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How safe are Africa’s airlines?

By Paul Ash | 1 week ago

logo_air-ban

The recent Ethiopian Airlines crash in Lebanon is a red flag to those who believe no good can come out of aviation in Africa. In rebuttal, remember that Ethiopian Airways, along with South African Airways and Kenya Airways, has a better safety record than many European airlines. Read More…

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World Cup Ticket prices: “We’re clean,” says SA Express

By Paul Ash | 1 week, 1 day ago

South African regional and feeder airline SA Express is taking steps to ensure that it does not get splattered with any mud that may or may not fly when the Competition Commission begins its inquiry into the allegations that local airlines are colluding over ticket prices during the Fifa World Cup tournament in June. Read More…

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Lie-flat beds come to economy class air travel. But only in New Zealand

By Paul Ash | 1 week, 4 days ago

Skycouch

Unless you are a tiny child or a midget, flying long-haul in economy is the stuff of nightmares. It’s no surprise that economy class passngers try and drink themselves into a drooling stupor. Read More…

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World Cup ticket prices: The Great Big Gouge

By Paul Ash | 1 week, 4 days ago

It’s no secret that a lot of people in South Africa are hoping to milk the Fifa World Cup tournament in June by jacking up their prices. From householders looking to rent out their homes at extortionate rates to guesthouse owners, restraurants and airlines (the latter are now to be probed by the Competition Commission), a lot of people involved in the local tourism industry are expecting a fat payday come June.

In short, it’s revolting. Read More…

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Japan Airlines’ bankruptcy is a clear sign that global financial troubles are not over

By Paul Ash | 2 weeks, 6 days ago

JAL

If airlines are another index of boom and bust, then this week’s announcement that Japan Airlines is broke and filing for bankruptcy protection is a sign that the world’s financial troubles are far from over.

Some 15 600 jobs – one third of the airline’s workforce – are to be canned as the carrier struggles to stay aloft. Read More…

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