Travel wires

Ever wondered why most airline seats are blue? Cabin designer Nigel Goode, a 30-year veteran of the industry, says: “It’s all about making the travelling experience less stressful and blue is said to evoke a feeling of calm. While some of the more budget airlines might use brasher, bolder shades, most others go with muted tones. The overarching aim is to create a home-like, relaxing feel, so airlines tend to use muted colours that feel domestic, natural and earthy for that reason.” Travel Wires is an unrepentant fan of the national carrier’s stylish black seats. Airbnb ready for take-off Airbnb’s 36-year-old billionaire founder, Brian Chesky, suggests he and his business partners are preparing for an airline take-off. “We definitely want to get into the end-to-end trip business. We're trying to be a onestop shop for travel.” He might well have been looking for a cheap headline, because he didn’t offer any details, and experts are sceptical. Seth Kaplan of Airline Weekly thinks the idea unlikely: “I don’t see any obvious synergies about Airbnb benefiting from launching its own carrier.” Check your buzz at the door Your buzz is taking me higher … Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport has installed bins outside its terminal so passengers can get rid of legally bought marijuana before boarding a flight. Pot, dope, skunk, depending on which generation you grew up in, is legal in Nevada but banned outside the state under federal law, so tourists leaving Sin City can now dump surplus stash in green “amnesty boxes”. They are bolted to the ground and designed so marijuana and prescription drugs can only be dropped in, not taken out. Legal sales of recreational marijuana began in the state on July 1, and have exceeded expectations. Reaching for greatness American Airlines is changing its inflight safety video after complaints the ending is “too loud and celebratory”. The clip shows a female flight attendant talking through the aircraft's safety features and procedures before an orchestrated flashmob of staff and passengers come together in a group. The crew member tells the camera “great is what we’re going for” before the group starts cheering, whooping, clapping and giving each other high-fives. Some passengers — especially those who have experienced the airline’s notorious delays – were not impressed with the upbeat ending. Kinda makes you happy that our national carrier does not resort to cheap tricks like using B-grade celebrities and over-the-top storylines in its safety videos. Please remove your headphones and pay attention, Passenger Obama in Seat 47F.

— travel@nzherald.co.nz