2020 has been to the travel what 2008 was to housing. An elephant roll off a cliff. But although the property market, in Sydney at least, came up smelling of record-breaking auction ink, the wanderlust industry is still currently in its nadir.

Before we climb back to the lofty heights of 2019 we must first navigate a few sticky patches. One among them: ghost flights. There are two types of ghost flights.

The first, as Scientific American and CNN Travel reported earlier this year, are flights with no-one, or extremely few people on them, which are forced to run anyway.

This either happens when federal regulations force airlines to fill a quota…

 

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A post shared by Michael Anthony (@thegeniuslayman) on Apr 27, 2020 at 7:57am PDT

… or when bare-bones networks are created via subsidies (like when the Australian government shelled out so Qantas and Virgin Australia could continue operating a skeleton domestic network during the peak of Australia’s first wave of coronavirus).

 

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A post shared by molly choma (@mollychoma) on Mar 30, 2020 at 10:33pm PDT

So far so pleasant, right (or at least, even if creepy, it’s better than being jammed in like sardines, at a time like this)?

Unfortunately, the second type of ghost flight, first noticed by The Points Guy, is a bit peskier. Taking to Instagram to share the phenomenon on Tuesday, The Points Guy wrote: “Beware of ‘ghost’ flights, AKA flights that are very likely to end up getting cancelled.”

 

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A post shared by The Points Guy (@thepointsguy) on Jun 8, 2020 at 2:45pm PDT

“[We] first noticed this trend when planning a trip with Iceland Air, but we’ve noticed it on other airlines like @united, pictured here,” The Points Guy wrote.

“Consider this: there are 13 (!) more NYC-SFO flights operating on July 6 compared to July 5, and from what we know about the airline industry, they aren’t planning on resuming their full schedules any time soon—let alone overnight.”

“If you are booking a trip for later this year, pay close attention to disparities in flight schedules a few days before/after your desired flight and, perhaps more importantly, rely on COVID-related schedule updates and information provided by airline (and not just what’s listed on flight search results). You can typically find this information on an airline’s website,” The Points Guy added.

In other words: some airlines are still selling flights that are highly unlikely to run.

Icelandair’s take? They’re just being optimistic. Whether this is misleading or whether, as Europe’s travel bans loosen, it is simply a smart business strategy (or both) remains to be seen.

Only time (and confirmed cases) will tell.

Read Next

• Singapore Airlines Is Now Sending Airbus A380s To This Rural Australian Outpost
• The Sad New Reality Of Flying Domestically In Australia

The post ‘Ghost Flights’ Are Best Avoided appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australia is already a very expensive country to own a car in. Rego, CTP, crazy petrol prices… Not to mention the proclivity of this nation’s council rangers to fine the living hell out of you for parking just one minute over the limit.

But just when we thought we had this car ownership thing down pat, it turns out there’s a bunch of obscure road rules that you could be breaking without even realising.

Eating while driving, applying makeup or honking your horn to say goodbye could attract fines well in excess of $300, Sunrise reported this morning.

The makeup thing makes sense, but as the Sunrise presenters rightly pointed out… Why do cars have cup holders if we can’t get our grub on behind the wheel? Why are drive-throughs on every major road in this country?

There’s plenty of other motoring laws that Australians break all the time without realising. For example, it’s actually illegal for any limb to be sticking out a car window. This one’s a confusing one because 1) basically every man and his dog breaks this one, and 2) if your indicators are broken, what are you supposed to do? You’re also supposed to physically indicate which direction you’re turning in absence of indicator lights, so in that instance, are you supposed to break the law?

Each state’s got its own weird road rules on the books. Hyundai’s collected some of the strangest…

• In NSW, it’s illegal to splash mud on someone waiting for a bus. Sure, we can understand that. However, the law is literally that specific. So you can splash people with water, and if it’s not a bus stop, go wild! (Please don’t go wild.)
• In Tasmania it’s completely illegal to use your phone’s GPS under any circumstances. This includes if it’s mounted. Actually worth keeping in mind if you’re planning a getaway down south.
• WA has one of the oddest: you’re not allowed to transport over 50kg of potatoes in your car, unless you’re a “potato corporation”. This one’s a legacy of the Great Depression and WWII, although I’m sure there’s some enterprising Irishmen out there who might take offence at this weird law.

You can look at this one of two ways. Either this is Australia living up to its reputation of being a rules-obsessed nanny state, or you can consider it a good thing we’ve got such thorough road rules. Australian roads are pretty safe – the road toll in the US is more than twice as high as ours, for example.

Read Next

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• Australia’s Best Driving Roads For Motoring Enthusiasts

The post Eating While Driving Will Cost You $541 In NSW appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As gallivanting came to a screech earlier this year, dire predictions were made. From “travel will never be the same again” to “normality won’t resume for at least three years” it’s all been said.

While we’re still waiting to see which predictions will come true, of late we have seen a tentative return to normality.

This has involved an extension of Emirates flights. As the Dubai-based carrier recently announced, Emirates now offers flights for passengers to 29 destinations including four Australian cities (two of which were previously unserviced).

“More flights for passengers will be available from 15th June between Dubai and 16 cities: Brisbane, Perth, Bahrain, Manchester, Zurich, Vienna, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, New York JFK, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Taipei and Hong Kong.”

“Flights will be available to four Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.”

“Travellers flying between Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas, can connect safely and efficiently through Dubai,” blurbed the media release.

Importantly, following the UAE Federal Government’s announcement to lift restrictions on transit passenger services, from the 15th June Emirates will offer passengers services to 16 more cities on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, extending its Australian services to Brisbane and Perth (in addition to reinstated services to Sydney and Melbourne).

The only problem is that travel restrictions remain in place at most countries (to which Emirates says “customers are reminded to check entry and exit requirements before their journeys”).

Emirates also says, “Passengers can book to fly between destinations in the Asia Pacific and Europe or the Americas, with a convenient connection in Dubai, as long as they meet travel and immigration entry requirements of their destination country.”

The idea being that, working closely with the UAE authorities, Emirates is taking a measured approach to flight resumption and “rebuilding connections between Dubai and the world.”

That’s all well and good. But in terms of those whom these resumed routes benefit, in the near term, it remains incredibly limited.

Yes: if you could get there (and perhaps this is a step in that direction), this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Europe without the crowds (to pick one example).

RELATED: Why Now Could Be The Best Time In History To Visit Europe

But as The Guardian recently reported in the context of Greece’s “quarantine free” offer to Australians, leaving Australia now to holiday, is – at the time of writing – illegal in the eyes of the Australian government.

Plus: thanks to the massive grey area that is insurance right now, even if the Australian government loosens the rule Australians can’t leave the country due to COVID 19 regulations, the only Australian travellers who would be able to take advantage of these Emirates flights would be those of the rich, adventurous disposition.

Perth

From 17 June, the inbound service EK420 will depart Dubai at 03:00, arriving in Perth at 17:50. From 18 June, the outbound service EK421 will depart Perth at 22:20, arriving in Dubai at 05:20 the following day.

Brisbane

From 18 June, the inbound service EK430 will depart Dubai at 02:45, arriving in Brisbane at 22:35. From 19 June, the outbound service EK431 will depart Brisbane at 21:00, arriving in Dubai at 05:10 the following day.

Melbourne

The inbound service EK408 departs Dubai at 02:40, arriving in Melbourne at 21:50. The outbound service EK407 departs Melbourne at 21:15, arriving in Dubai at 05:15 the following day. From 17 June, the outbound service will be changed to EK409, departing Melbourne at 21:15, arriving in Dubai at 05:15 the following day.

Sydney

The inbound service EK414 departs Dubai at 02:15, arriving in Sydney at 22:05. The outbound service EK415 departs Sydney at 21:10, arriving in Dubai at 05:40 the following day.

Read Next

• 15 Hours In The Worst Seat In Emirates A380 Business Class
• How To Get More From Your Next Emirates A380 Business Class Flight

The post Emirates Gives Rich Australians The Opportunity Of A Lifetime…But There's A Catch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The wondrous world of wine can be described in many ways: like fine art, or science, and that latter point is certainly the case if you want to start understanding how to go about ageing your glug with the intention of making it taste even better.

We’ve already found out how to tell if the bottles of wine you may already own are actually any good to drink, with advice from Brae Restaurant sommelier Sean McManus. But what if you’ve never thought about ageing a wine before, or someone gifts you a bottle and tells you it will be great in five years time? How do you go about storing it and looking after it? After all, it’s not just a case of leaving it in a cupboard waiting for the day it can be popped open.

There’s a science to ageing (and buying the right wines in the first place, to age). To find out how to do this, and to allow your bottles to vieillir as beautifully as yourself, we once again turned to Sean to find out all there is to know.

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A post shared by gilbert (@gilbertfamilywines) on May 3, 2020 at 10:01pm PDT

Sean starts by telling us, “Not all wine tastes great old. Not all wine is meant to be old. Most wines are produced to drink young.” A slight curveball you might think. He also provides one bit of very simple advice that may already be common knowledge, but just in case, Sean says, “If your bottle has a Stelvin enclosure (a screw-cap) you have to drink it young.”

“If a producer intends for a wine to be aged, they will be put the wine under cork enclosure and that’s because wine breathes.”

“It breathes through the cork and marinates in its own juices, feeding off itself essentially, and when the time comes, the symphony of oxygen, cork and wine reach their peak and the cork practically begs to be ripped off.”

So, onto the science. “For a wine to age, we need three things: acid; tannin or sugar. Not all together, but each plays a key role in how a wine will age if correctly cellared.” More on cellaring later.

Lab coats and goggles on for this next lesson.

“Acid and tannin both act as preservatives, helping slow down the rate of oxidation in wine, think of the way the inside of an apple goes brown quickly after being exposed to air. The same thing can happen to wine with too much oxygen or age.”

“Sugar plays a key role too, hence why some of the most expensive old wines in the world are sweet wines from Bordeaux.”

But if those three ingredients weren’t enough to get your head around, there’s one key ingredient that has a huge influence over how a wine ages. The grapes themselves.

Sean explains, “For white wines, you’ll want to look for laser-like acidity in grape varieties such as Riesling and Chenin Blanc, along with the cult Australia Semillon.”

“With regards to reds, go for bold Syrah/Shiraz, Sangiovese, Nabbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot to name a few.”

“That’s not to say that any bottle produced from these grapes will age well, they need to hail from great regions of the world or made by reputable producers.”

So, that home cellar of yours.

“High-quality wine can be destroyed if left on the back seat of your car on a hot day, and if you don’t own a temperature-controlled fridge, you’ll want to store your wine in the coldest part of your house that is free from aromas.”

“That may be a basement or under the stairs. The important thing to remember is that hot air rises and rooms in your house can fluctuate in temperature too much. Avoid these places.”

Ultimately, Sean says to “do your research!”

“If you like something, have a hunt around online and find out if anyone else is drinking any older styles from the same producer.”

“Don’t fall into the trap of just buying the cheaper wine from that producer and assume it will age well.”

“Generally, you want to look for single-vineyard bottling, rather than the yearly blend of the cash crop.”

Read Next

• The Difference Between An $800 & $80 Bottle Of Red Wine
• Best Australian Online Wine Stores To Satisfy Your Inner Wino

The post How To Buy Wine To Age appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Guys, fellas, lads, mi amigos. When it comes to getting down and dirty with a lady (or gent), even in the most casual sense, there should always be a mutual understanding that you will both see to each others’ needs. If you’re slightly bamboozled and wondering what the hell we’re talking about, then you’ll do well to take a look at this Reddit thread, posted just recently, but one that has already received a few hundred comments.

It was started by a 35-year-old, recently divorced female, who is just looking for some ‘fun’ to help her see through the post-divorce period. But while she’s been able to, fairly easily it seems, find some guys to help satisfy her, she’s felt anything but. Why? Because guys, it seems we can be a damn bit selfish.

How so? You may ask. The lady in question explains that even though her most recent conquest was ‘finished’ relatively quickly, it wasn’t that which bothered her, but rather “…that was it. He was done and that was it. Folks, he did not touch my [you get the gist] at all. Like nothing, nadda. Seriously.”

“The other two encounters have been similar, but they at least explored my beautiful garden a bit! Jesus.”

And while our damsel in sexual distress has received a few comments saying they’ve found communication to be key, she goes on to say, “I did communicate. They all talked a big game. No more dating apps for me!”

 

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A post shared by Samantha Rothenberg (@violetclair) on Jan 19, 2020 at 12:29pm PST

Of course, in the wake of the current pandemic, communication will need to play an even more prominent role going forward with any casual hook up, but that doesn’t mean finding out what your new fling likes and doesn’t like should take a back seat.

One of the many responses in agreement with the OP adds yet more weight to the argument that all a FWB partner wants is some attention in return. They say, “I have a pretty large sample size to speak of (of all ages mind you, I’m talking age 20-50) and it’s RARE to find a guy who will even TRY to give you pleasure. I don’t hate em if they can’t get me there, if they at least make an effort I consider it a successful date.”

Plenty more of the comments stand in solidarity too, with many women – and men – regaling similar stories. However the majority of the time they’ve found that if they’re a bit pickier with their casual encounters and speak openly about sex and what they like or dislike, the results are generally much better.

Read Next

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The post FWB Relationship Mistakes To Avoid appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

René Redzepi has almost single-handedly revitalised a whole region’s cuisine. His Copenhagen restaurant, Noma, is an easy contender for world’s best restaurant, having collected accolades like winning World’s Best Restaurant from Restaurant magazine a whopping four times and maintaining two Michelin stars for over a decade, just for starters.

Redzepi and Noma have become the standard bearers for modern Nordic cuisine, and haute cuisine more broadly. The Macedonian-Danish chef’s innovative approach to gastronomy, which champions foraging, hyper-local ingredients and seasonality, has transformed the popular conception of Nordic cuisine from dowdy to glamorous. Noma is one of the hardest restaurants to get a table at in the world.

Until now, that is. Like many restaurants, Noma had to close its doors temporarily due to coronavirus restrictions. As restrictions have eased in Denmark, Noma’s coming back with a radical new dining concept – swapping out molecular gastronomy for a burger and wine bar.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAMrZ1aJfFn/

No reservations, burgers and booze only, outdoor dining… Before Noma fully reopens when things finally get back to normal, they’ve scaled things right back with only a two-item menu: a cheeseburger and a veggie burger, both costing 125 Danish krone (around 27 Aussie or 19 American dollars).

Not only is this a brilliant way to ease back into regular business as we’re still dealing with the pandemic, Redzepi’s giving more people a change to enjoy Noma’s world-class nosh. Sure, burgers aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think Danish cuisine, but you can bet your bottom dollar that those burgers would taste divine. Especially paired with a fine selection of vino from Noma’s acclaimed somm, Norwegian native Mads Kleppe.

 

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A post shared by Mads Kleppe (@madskleppe) on May 21, 2020 at 1:44am PDT

But what does this mean for the industry? It foreshadows a growing need for restaurants and other players in the high-end hospitality industry to think carefully about how they approach reopening post-COVID. Restrictions might be easing and many countries may be over the worst of the pandemic, but business is almost certainly going to be very different to how it was before.

People are still very hesitant to go out, and the economic crunch this pandemic’s brought about means people have less money to spend on luxuries like fine dining. Couple that with the business impact of social distancing – less tables, less staff, more time and money spent on sanitisation – and you potentially have a recipe for disaster.

This transitional reopening for Noma is testament to Redzepi’s genius. Not only will a pared-back, more accessible menu drive new business for Noma whilst they gear up for a more substantial opening, the smaller scale and operating costs will place Noma in good stead during these economically challenging times.

Other hospitality players around Australia and the world have demonstrated similarly innovative tendencies during this global pandemic. In the middle of the market, iconic Sydney rock-and-roll joint Frankie’s transformed itself from a rollicking pizza restaurant-cum-bar into a wholesale craft beer delivery service during the lockdown, and is now finally reopening its doors.

 

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A post shared by Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice (@frankiespizzabytheslice) on Apr 14, 2020 at 10:19pm PDT

Read Next

• Mediocre Pubs & Restaurants May Benefit Most From Australia’s Easing Lockdown Restrictions
• You Haven’t Been To Sydney Unless You’ve Visited These Cool Restaurants
• The Wine Myth Europeans Wish Australians Would Stop Spouting

The post World's Best Restaurant's Radical Change Suggests Shakeup Imminent For Fine Dining appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

One part marketing genius, one part philanthropic, and two dashes timely, Singapore Airlines yesterday launched an initiative that may be the only worthwhile way you spend your KrisFlyer points this year.

Not only is this just what the world needs right now, but it also sheds light on how Main Players in the airline industry will gain and maintain their customer support through these challenging times.

First of all though: what the heck is it? The new project lets KrisFlyer members donate their airline miles to buy edible treats for 100,000 frontliners and other unsung Singaporean heroes in the battle against the pandemic.

This includes healthcare workers, conservancy workers, public transport operators, taxi drivers and migrant workers.

RELATED: Air Canada Makes Dramatic Change To Assist Medical Workers Amid Pandemic

Named KrisPay It Forward, the donation is done via the KrisPay app. With each donation of 450 KrisPay miles (equivalent to S$3, or AU $3.11), KrisFlyer members can purchase one food item.

These include a samosa set, a muffin and bun set, milk tea or green tea set, doughnut set and a curry puff set. These items will be provided by KrisPay partners such as Anglo Indian Cafe and Bar, Cedele, Gong Cha, Krispy Kreme, Polar Puffs & Cakes and Sakunthala’s Food Palace.

The campaign will run until July 15, or until the target funding of 50,000 treats is met. Singapore Airlines will match this with another 50,000 treats. The treats will be prepared by SIA’s partners and delivered to recipients after the target has been reached.

If you’re a KrisFlyer member and want to donate, all you need to do is download and log in to the KrisPay app. Next, click on the KrisPay It Forward link in the ‘Highlights’ section and follow the instructions. Members can top up their KrisPay wallet with KrisFlyer miles and donate any amount they wish.

“This is our small way of thanking them by giving them a well-deserved treat, and giving local businesses a boost at the same time.”

This comes in the context of Singapore’s flagship airline returning to Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane and unlocking free e-magazines and newspapers for passengers.

Read Next

• Singapore Airlines Is Now Sending Airbus A380s To This Rural Australian Outpost
• Singapore Airlines Announces The Loyalty Program Change You’ve Been Waiting For

The post Best Way To Use KrisFlyer Points This Year appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="257995" img_size="medium" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://www.farfetch.com/au/shopping/men/sale/all/items.aspx"][vc_column_text]We all like to treat ourselves every once in a while. Being able to splurge on some of the finest de...

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Private health insurance is often thought of as a luxury, but with perks like the one I just discovered, and with the work from home revolution in full swing, maybe it should start being considered common sense.

We’re lucky that in Australia we have a comprehensive public health system, but having a valid private health insurance policy can mean the difference between being treated straight away or having to wait ages to be seen.

Especially now that coronavirus restrictions are easing, there’s a perk of private health insurance that you should take advantage of: getting a decent massage on the cheap – an activity that will help both your body and your mental health cope with the transition out of isolation and back to work.

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A post shared by Sarah Freitas (@saarahfreiitas) on Jun 7, 2020 at 5:16pm PDT

Having a remedial massage or seeing an osteopath post-isolation is incredibly good for your body and mental health. You probably need it, too – lockdown has affected our normal exercise routines, and all that Netflix binging means you probably need some adjustment.

Not only is a massage great for de-stressing (stress can actually deal tangible physical as well as mental damage), but there’s compelling evidence to suggest that remedial massages can actually benefit your immune system, NIB relates. Two birds, one relaxing stone.

The kicker is that your local Thai massage place probably doesn’t offer health fund rebates so you need to call around to find places that do. Not all therapists are registered with health funds either, and the ‘find a therapist’ section on health fund websites can be a bit hit and miss too. You’ll need to do your research.

And be quick-smart about it. Many insurers reset their benefits on July 1st, so make the most of your insurance by getting a massage before then.

Read Next

• A Man’s Guide To Health Insurance And Whether You Need It
• The Best Sydney Day Spas That Won’t Scare Men Away

The post Private Health Insurance Massage Perk Every Australian Should Get appeared first on DMARGE Australia.