The history of road travel via motorways, highways, and freeways
The Romans are credited with establishing the first road networks, created specifically to transport troops and supplies to far-flung corners of the empire. But it wasn't until the early years of the 20th century that the idea of roads built solely for motor traffic, or controlled-access highways, shifted into gear. The world's first motorway was inaugurated in 1924. Soon afterwards, plans for an interstate highway system in the United States were being drafted. Meanwhile in Germany, the Autobahn caught the imagination of many. Today, motorways and freeways can be found in numerous countries. But what drove the urge to build these extraordinary vehicular platforms in the first place? Click on, get in gear, and accelerate through the history of road travel.
2024-04-10T13:03:47Z
The world's safest airlines
Airline Ratings, the world’s only airline safety and product rating website, has published its World's Safest Airline list for 2024. In making its evaluation, Airline Ratings takes into account "a comprehensive range of factors that include serious incidents, recent fatal accidents, audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies, profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, expert pilot training assessment and fleet age." The results are timely, revealed shortly after the shocking Japan Airlines accident that occurred on January 2. The Airbus A350 burst into flames following a collision with a Coast Guard aircraft while landing at Tokyo's Haneda airport. Five of the six crew members on the smaller aircraft were killed, but miraculously, all 379 people aboard the Japan Airlines plane managed to escape. So, if you're planning to fly anytime soon, you might first want to browse this list of 25 airlines deemed the safest in the air. Click through and find out which airline has claimed the top spot.
2024-01-08T07:06:08Z
The weirdest reasons for airplane turnarounds
Flying is stressful, no doubt about it. There's the competitive prices, the complications of packing, and that all-important airport sprint. When you're on the plane, you can only pray you're not stuck in front of some bratty kicking kid, or behind a rude reclining pensioner. However, none of that could equal the amount of stress in these ridiculous stories. On a recent flight from Tokyo to Seattle, one passenger must have been having a pretty bad day, because he ended up biting a flight attendant. The plane took off at 9:47 pm local time on January 16 but was forced to return to Tokyo’s Haneda airport approximately one hour later. A representative for the Japanese airline revealed that a male American passenger had bitten a female flight attendant and was arrested as soon as the plane landed in Tokyo. She is reported to have sustained minor injuries. This isn't the first time biting has caused major disruptions during a flight. In 2022, two separate incidents occurred in which a passenger bit cabin crew or other passengers on flights with US carriers American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Both aggressors were fined around US$80,000 by the Federal Aviation Administration—the highest penalties ever issued by the agency. From bees in the cargo to drunken celebrities and forgotten babies, there are countless stories of planes turning around for the strangest reasons. Click through the gallery to hear all about them.
2023-12-29T15:05:29Z