The news came after Airbnb said Wednesday it generated revenue of more than $1 billion in the second quarter of its 2019 financial year — the second time in its history it has passed the figure. […] Essentially, Airbnb is harking back to its roots as a homesharing platform, something it seems keen to do especially in the face of mounting criticism about its impact on cities across the world.Patrick Whyte (Skift)
Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) will see its first commercial flight take off around September 20, according to Chinese state media, with main tenant China Southern planning to deploy an Airbus A380, the world’s biggest airliner, for the maiden journey.Steven Jiang (CNN)
Hotels and restaurants which were identified as benefitting from fake reviews were hit with a ranking penalty, which means moving them down the popularity ranking league that appears when users perform a search. In some cases, a ‘red badge’ warning, where the hotel listing carries a warning logo for suspicious activity, is posted alongside the listing.Sean Poulter (Daily Mail)
Southwest, the largest U.S. operator of the Max, had 34 of the planes when the plane was grounded and expected to add another 41. As a result, its latest schedule change affected 200 daily flights, double the number from just a few months ago. The airline is still in the processing of notifying passengers and has contacted those booked through mid-December, spokesman Chris Mainz said. […] American planned to go from 24 Max 8s to 40. The latest schedule change impacts 140 daily flights, up from 115 a few months ago. All passengers have been notified, spokesman Ross Feinstein said. […] United expected to end the year with 30 Max 9s, up from just 14 when the plane was grounded. It had to cancel nearly 100 daily flights in November and December, compared with 70 in September. All affected passengers have been rebooked, spokesman Frank Benenati said.Dawn Gilbertson (USA Today)
Top 10 cities for visitor numbers: 1. Bangkok, Thailand; 2. Paris, France; 3. London, UK; 4. Dubai, UAE; 5. Singapore, Singapore; 6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 7. New York, USA; 8. Istanbul, Turkey; 9. Tokyo, Japan; 10. Antalya, TurkeyMastercard Global Cities Index
I am a little bit irritated that, over the years, we as an airline, and I think as the industry, have been subjected to the requirements of the propulsion manufacturers, and to an extent the airframe manufacturers, where we are expected to deal with quality control issues and design issues, and operate these aircraft and engines, and take whatever consequences there are when they don’t work. We are not in a business to deal with aircraft that don’t function properly.Tim Clark (Emirates)
Watching the golden brown abondance cows methodically lining their stomachs with prime Alpine grass, it’s easy to forget that these gentle animals are big business. Their milk is made into the much prized reblochon cheese, which, like champagne, has as appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC). While skiing brings millions to the region, reblochon comes a close second.Liese Spencer (The Guardian)
Dubai’s economy grew at the slowest pace since 2010 last year as the Gulf’s chief commercial center grappled with fallout from geopolitical tensions and a low oil price. Tourism has been stagnant since 2017, while Emirates remains based at the original Dubai International hub as it mulls how best to develop its strategy of carrying passengers between all corners of the globe. The company is finding it tougher to add profitable new routes, and its reworking its fleet plans with the cancellation of the Airbus SE A380 super-jumbo.Layan Odeh (Bloomberg)
You could have exactly the same recipe. And if one person is more passionate than the other, they’ll have a better result. Even if you’ve done exactly the same thing, it won’t be the same. It’s like magic.Mahmoud M’Seddi (Boulangerie M’Seddi Moulins des Prés)
Concerns over the sustainability of the congested and rapidly sinking political center of Jakarta prompted the need for a new capital. The relocation was announced Monday by President Joko Widodo. The proposed location, near the relatively underdeveloped cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda, is a far cry from the crowded powerhouse which has served as Indonesia’s financial heart since 1949 — and Widodo acknowledged that moving the country’s capital to the island will be a mammoth and expensive undertaking. But Jakarta’s rapid expansion in recent years has presented myriad environmental, economic and safety concerns, prompting the government to look elsewhere and ease the strain on the massive metropolis.Rob Picheta (CNN)