Airline files for bankruptcy

Regular readers might remember Indian airline Go First as the company that left 50 passengers stranded on a shuttle bus and allowed a flight to take off regardless earlier this year.

Now the budget carrier has grounded all its flights and filed for airline bankruptcy.

It said full refunds will be issued to all affected customers "shortly".

Go First says the grounding will last for three days - although it is not clear what will happen after that.

The airline has blamed long running problems with engines for its demise, saying nearly half its fleet was grounded at one stage due to engine issues, Travel Mole reports.

The airline has an all Airbus A320 fleet.

“We had to take this step due to the ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney,” an airline statement said.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said: “The Government of India has been assisting the airline in every possible manner.”

Stay tuned.

Moo Brew's new Hobart taphouse also offers stunning food options

Hobart's waterfront Salamanca precinct has a new watering hole with the opening of Manky Sally's taphouse.

The bar is the brainchild of the team behind the oldest and largest craft brewery in Tasmania, Moo Brew, which is part of the empire of MONA boss David Walsh.

Moo Brew managing director Lauren Sheppard, head brewer Jack Viney and head chef Sam Bray are at the helm and Manky Sally’s features its own nano brewery.

The taphouse has over a dozen Moo brew offerings on tap - rotating seasonally - along with a guest Tasmanian brewery offering. 

MONA's design team are behind the concept.

The front bar has retro vibes with its wooden veneer panelling, sheer pinstripe curtaining, tiled bar frontage and vinyl menus. 

It is connected via a mirrored walkway to a cosy back lounge where there’s more than 3000 of Moo Brew’s amber bottles - each containing a glowing LED - that make up an interior wall and false ceiling in a quirky corner of the venue.

Dinner is on offer seven days a week, with lunch available Friday-Sunday, featuring seasonal, shareable and affordable snacks, which pair with Viney's experimental brews.

Menu highlights include crispy and delicious báhn mì sliders filled with pate and pickles ($10); chilli and lime whitebait with vinegar salt and chilli mayo ($17); and Xinjiang spiced wallaby on a stick with Sichuan chilli crisp (terrific! for $10). 

There is also an ale and chocolate ice-cream sandwich using Moo Brew’s Dark Ale, which I have not yet tried. 

Other dishes I did sample included a vibrant fish ceviche ($21), an Australian take on the Japanese pancake dish okonomiyaki (with wild-shot venison - $18), and a daily special: a tangy/spicy venison larb with prawn crackers and salad that would be perfect pairing with several of the Moo Bew beers.   

Chef Bray, who has worked at several top eateries, has created a menu that is both fun and very far away from standard pub grub.  

Manky Sally’s is at 25 Salamanca Place, Hobart. Open seven days, 11am--11pm. See 

https://moobrew.com.au/ 

The writer was a guest of Moo Brew

Fitou wine region tired of being overlooked

The Fitou AOC wine region in southern France is something of a well-kept secret - which is a source of some local angst.

The appellation in the Aude department produces stylish reds, sometimes with a rustic edge, usually made from a blend of carignan and grenache grapes.

But the grape growers and winemakers of Fitou have just thrown a wobbly by walking out on the Languedoc regional wine trade body (the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc or CIVL).

The Fitou producers say they have been overlooked by the CIVL when it comes to marketing and will formally leave the CIVL on December 31.

French wine news website Vitisphere.com, reported the vote to leave was held at a general meeting of the Fitou winegrowers' union last month with 34 votes in favour of leaving the CIVL, 20 votes against, and one abstention.

So not exactly an overwhelming majority in the secret ballot.

"Despite holding two conciliation commissions our demands haven't been met,” the head of the Fitou union, Alain Gleyzes, told Vitisphere.com.

"I don't want to fork out for petrol for a car I'm not getting a ride in," he said earlier. "I think I'd rather stab a tyre and tip sugar in the tank."

Among other grievances are the CIVL's reluctance to increase regional promotions in China.

“All promotional efforts go towards a flagship appellation - Languedoc - which, in the hierarchy of our appellations, is basically a lower-end denomination, a fallback if our wines are not at Fitou level," said Gleyzes.

This is not the first time Fitou has left the CIVL: it also dropped out of the regional body for five years between 2007 and 2012.

Under the Coca-Cola sign: a new beginning

It has been the location of the Diamant Hotel, the Millennium Hotel and, more recently, the Larmont by Lancemore.

Now 2-14 Kings Cross Road, Potts Point will be home to the Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point.

New owners Pro-Invest have signed a franchise agreement with IHG Hotels & Resorts and an extensive renovation is planned to bring the hotel in one of Sydney's liveliest neighbourhoods back to to life.

Set to reopen late this year, the multi-million-dollar transformation of the former Larmont Sydney by Lancemore into a Hotel Indigo marks a new chapter in the property's history - and will be the brand's debut in the city.

The 105-room hotel is in walking distance of the CBD - although it is an uphill climb on the way back - and is situated behind the famous Kings Cross Coca-Cola sign.

The revamped hotel will feature Art Deco nuances.

With 262 open or or in the pipeline globally, the Hotel Indigo brand is one of the world's fastest-growing boutique brands

Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point will be the fourth Hotel Indigo in Australia, and third Hotel Indigo in the Pro-invest portfolio. 

Jan Smits, CEO, Asia Pacific, for Pro-invest Group, said: “We purchased this property knowing we had the opportunity to bring it to life in a whole new way for guests and the local community.

"With our multi-million-dollar renovation, and rebrand to Hotel Indigo, the next chapter of this hotel's history is being written.

“The hotel's location puts it front and centre of Sydney City Council's revitalisation program and the re-energising of the area's 24-hour economy. The resurgence of this neighbourhood promises to revive the energy it's been so famous for, and our team can't wait to be a part of that.”

IHG is enjoying a major period of growth in the region, with numerous openings under brands including InterContinental, Kimpton, Vignette Collection, voco, Crowne Plaza and the Holiday Inn brand family.

No you cannot bring your gun onto the plane

In the good old US of A, many people regard it as their God-given right to travel everywhere with their gun/s. Even on planes.

It was revealed recently that the Transportation Security Administration has seized more than 1,500 guns at airports since the beginning of the year.

A total of 1,508 firearms were found by TSA officers at airport security checks during the first quarter of 2023 - a 10.3% increase over the same period last year, Travel Mole reported.

Even more remarkably, more than 93% of the weapons were loaded.

“Firearms at TSA security checkpoints present an unacceptable safety risk to other passengers and I am deeply concerned that the majority of these firearms our TSOs catch are loaded,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a brilliant example of stating the obvious.

“If you carry a firearm, our TSOs will see it and there will be significant penalties.”

The civil penalty for firearms violations was recently increased to nearly $US15,000 but is apparently having little effect as a deterrent to these freedom-loving folk.

Officers confiscated 6,542 firearms at 262 different US airports last year.

Even the politicians are at it.

Just last year Republican (of course!) Madison Cawthorn from North Carolina was cited at a South Carolina airport for bringing a loaded gun through a checkpoint.

Image: Haymar Santibanez, Scop.io

Exploring the Cape winelands in style

Regular readers will know that Gourmet on the Road is a huge fan of the myriad wine tourism offerings in the Western Cape region of South Africa, centred on Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

And now there is a new item to add to your "must do "list when visiting: a chauffeured sidecar journey through the winelands.

The Stellenbosch Tourism team reports that Stellenbosch-based Cape Sidecar Tours offers sidecar charters, point-to-point transfers, excursions and tours.

"From breakfast to sunset, it's always a good moment to ride in a vintage-styled sidecar," the operators say. "You decide the route and area you want to explore. Discover tradition, beauty, culture, wine, good food and it's 100% non-stop fun."



Visitors are offered the chance to explore the historic village of Stellenbosch, maybe Franschhoek with its gobsmacking views, or a even a trip around beautiful Cape Town in one of the vintage-style sidecars.

Each bike takes one driver and two passengers.

Guests are provided with a jet helmet and bottled water in summer, and raincoat and blanket in winter.

For details see https://www.capesidecartours.co.za/