As another week comes to an end, we share with you the most important highlights from the past week. Here are five news stories and features to peruse as you relax by the pool this weekend:
1.) Jonathan Spira lived the panda life at the Ritz-Carlton, Chengdu, in the beautiful city of Chengdu, China. Some highlights from his stay include an opulent room with great views of the city, a harmonic healing spa treatment that uses handmade “singing bowls,” and a delicious multi-course dinner complete with a Kung Fu tea ceremony.
2.) Karin Sun paid a visit to the Warwick San Francisco, a historic hotel that first opened in 1913. She reported that her elegantly designed and comfortable suite, as well as her memorable dining experience at the newly opened Aveline restaurant, made the hotel an ideal place to stay as she explored downtown San Francisco.
3.) Jonathan Spira traveled in first class on Delta Flight 3394 from Washington, D.C. to New York, a trip that lasted only 40 minutes. Although his flight was delayed by over three hours, he reported that the courteous and proactive service that he encountered every step of the way made his experience a pleasant one.
4.) American Airlines Group said it is making progress in its integration of operating policies and procedures following the merger of American and US Airways, and that it is are on track to receive a single operating certificate by the second quarter of 2015. The airline expects to move to a single reservations system late next year, and has aligned the in-flight meal menus and windows for both airlines.
5.) We’ve shown you what to see and do in Geneva, but the smaller towns and villages along the lakefront have just as much to offer. Join Karin Sun as she takes in the sights of the magnificent Chillon Castle in Montreux, visits a winery in the Lavaux vineyards, and tours Lausanne’s Olympic Museum and Park in our guide to what’s doing in the Lake Geneva region.
Since it was an eventful week, here are a few more news stories to take a closer look at this weekend:
Several airlines have cancelled or offered travel waivers for flights to West Africa due to the worsening of an Ebola outbreak in the region, while the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has also issued a Level 2 travel warning for Nigeria. The CDC had previously issued Level 3 warnings for Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
The Transportation Security Administration has discontinued the practice of allowing randomly selected passengers to use its PreCheck service at airports, and is instead limiting access to those who are enrolled in the program. The TSA expects this move to help eliminate delays and reduce wait time at the PreCheck security checkpoints.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)