Some people need to travel overseas for family – and we need to respect them

A global pandemic may still be raging, but those who must travel abroad to help suffering loved ones should be shown empathy and understanding, writes Rebecca Howard for BusinessDesk. We pat ourselves on the back for dodging the Covid-19 bullet. We are vaguely smug as we head to the beach, to restaurants, summer barbecues and … Read more

I miss the mile-high book club

Silhouette of person standing watching passenger jet take off into sunset

Grounded in the UK, Scarlett Cayford is nostalgic for a very specific reading experience.  In order to qualify as an “airport book” a novel must meet a very specific set of requirements. The first, unsurprisingly, is that it must be purchased at an airport. But this is far from being the only defining characteristic of … Read more

It’s time to get angry about excess baggage fees 

After hearing how much Jetstar charges if you try to travel with a heavy carry-on bag, Stewart Sowman-Lund gets good and mad on behalf of those who have been forced to fork out. There’s nothing more satisfying than beating the system at its own game. Not paying for parking and not getting a ticket, not … Read more

The Spinoff guide to air travel etiquette

You may not be punching strangers’ seats, but there’s plenty of other behaviour that is guaranteed to make your fellow passengers seethe with rage. Here’s how to travel by plane without making people hate you. You’ve probably seen the video: a woman leans back in her reclined seat as a man punches the back of … Read more

Wanted: A real climate change conversation

Covering Climate Now: Saying climate change is important is one thing. So why are we so incapable of having a real conversation about what actually addressing it will mean? Sam McGlennon investigates.  The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! Up until a week ago, I often wondered … Read more

Should you choose to offset your emissions, and where does the money go?

Covering Climate Now: ‘Click here to offset your emissions.’ It’s an appealing, guilt-assuaging idea. But what does it really amount to, asks Mirjam Guesgen. New Zealanders travel overseas a lot, with trips totalling close to 3 million a year. And every time a Kiwi takes flight, tonnes of earth-heating gases spew into the atmosphere. One … Read more