Lonely Planet Helps Stranded North American Travelers with Free iPhone City Guide Apps

With ice and snowstorms continuing to delay flights across the US and Canada, Lonely Planet is offering 14 of its iPhone City Guide apps free to stranded travelers for a limited time.

“We recognize that travelers are stuck all over the country due to these recent storms and will need access to our content”, said John Boris, Lonely Planet’s Managing Director. “Thus, we made all our US and Canadian iPhone City Guide apps free so that regardless of whether they are stuck in a blizzard or on the beach, they can easily download the practical information and recommendations we provide straight onto their phone”.

The 14 guides, normally $5.99,  will be free in the iTunes App Store from 6  pmPST on Tuesday, February 1, to 6 pm PST Friday, February 4, 2011.

The cities available are:

·         San Francisco

·         New York City

·         Boston

·         Washington DC

·         Chicago

·         Seattle

·         New Orleans

·         Vancouver

·         Las Vegas

·         Miami

·         Toronto

·         Los Angeles

·         Montreal

·         Fort Myers and Sanibel

Lonely Planet has a history of helping stranded travelers, having offered their European iPhone City Guide apps free during the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull and again during the Christmas snowstorms. This is the first time they’ve offered their US or Canadian city guides for free.

See also:

‘Trip’ website addresses travelers’ concerns over safety, security, health

Continue reading on Examiner.com: ‘Trip’ website addresses travelers’ concerns over safety, security, health – National Eclectic Travel | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/trip-website-addresses-travelers-concerns-over-safety-security-health#ixzz1CpOXJckv

For more travel features and about travel security and deals, visit www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

Students Worldwide to ‘Fly Ideas’ for Greener Flight, €30,000 Prize in Airbus Competition

University students worldwide can shape the future of flight and win €30,000 (about $44,000) in a global competition launched today by Airbus at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.

The Airbus Fly Your Ideas (FYI) competition challenges students worldwide to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry. The biennial contest involves three progressively challenging rounds judged by a panel of Airbus and industry experts. It concludes with a final at next summer’s International Paris Airshow – Le Bourget, France. The winners will share the top prize of € 30,000; the runners-up €15,000 (about $22,000).

Announcing the launch of FYI 2011, Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering and FYI patron, said: “Fly Your Ideas is a unique opportunity for students to be part of Airbus’ vision for an eco-efficient aviation industry of the future. The competition is designed to stimulate ideas for both a more connected and sustainable world. It also enables Airbus to engage with students and research teams to identify R&T opportunities to balance the increased demand for air travel with a better environment.”

Students of any age, nationality, gender or discipline – from engineering to marketing; business to science; philosophy to design – are invited to take part. Proposals are welcome on all aspects of the ‘Environmental Life Cycle’ – an innovative approach Airbus uses to improve the environmental performance of an aircraft and its production process. It consists of five stages: design; supply chain; manufacturing; aircraft operations and aircraft end-of-life.

FYI 2011 follows the success of the inaugural contest launched in October 2008. Some 2,350 students from over 80 countries took part with the multinational team COz from the University of Queensland, Australia, judged eventual winners at Le Bourget 2009. Their project focused on the use of a pioneering natural fibre composite – made from castor plants – in aircraft cabins.

Benjamin Lindenberger (27), who was part of the FYI 2009 winning team “COz”, added: “Winning the FYI challenge 2009 was a great experience. But the opportunity to work with Airbus experts, gain industry insight and develop transferable skills was just as valuable.”

To enter FYI 2011 students must register as a team of three to five members on the competition website by 30 November 2010. For further information and to register visit: www.airbus-fyi.com

Registration closes November 30, 2010. Project proposals must be submitted by December 10, 2010. Those shortlisted for Round 2 will develop their ideas into more detailed submissions with support from Airbus staff. Five finalist teams will win a VIP trip to Paris in June 2011 and make presentations to an independent jury – including industry experts – who will announce their decision at the FYI 2011 awards ceremony.