Friday Travel Ticker: Dreamliner puzzle continues

The Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, shown here, will be accessible with rafting permits being offered starting today.

By Chris Erskine

Feb. 1, 2013 12 AM PT

Dreamliners began their third week on the ground Thursday as investigators continued to study lithium-battery systems that burned on two 787s. The Wall Street Journal reports that investigators have not found any problems with the design, manufacture or installation of the batteries or with circuitry that is supposed to forestall danger of fire. Boeing is continuing to build 787s, but will not deliver them until the investigation is over. . . . . The lowest international winter fares are up only 2% compared with a year ago, TransAtlanticReport.com says. But low fares for April and May are up at least 6% . . . . John Wayne Airport says passenger traffic in 2012 increased 2.9% compared with 2011. Officials credit the addition of three new destinations in Mexico by AirTran and Interjet for helping boost the numbers . . . . The National Park Service begins accepting applications today (Friday) for noncommercial river trip permits to raft the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park. The 450 permits will be for specific launch dates within 2014. To access the website, start from the park’s main page at www.nps.gov/grca and select “River Trips/Permits” then “Weighted Lottery.” Applications will be accepted through noon Feb. 26 . . . . The Big Bear Cycling Assn. has scheduled the 4th Tour de Big Bear for Aug. 3, a Saturday . . . . Wynn Las Vegas is now featuring the sculpture “Tulips” by Jeff Koons, a piece that will illuminate the Wynn Theater rotunda. The sculpture was acquired at auction last year for $33.7 million . . . . In more Vegas art news, Imagine Exhibitions Gallery at the Venetian will welcome 50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic to Las Vegas Feb. 14. The traveling exhibition showcases some of National Geographic’s celebrated photographs from its 125-year-old history, including Nick Nichols’ iconic image of Jane Goodall and a chimpanzee . . . . Travel quote of the day: “It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.” (Diane Ackerman)

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Chris Erskine

Chris Erskine is a nationally known humor columnist and editor who retired from the Los Angeles Times in 2020. Previously he wrote for the Sports, Travel and Saturday sections and edited with the paper’s features staff. As an editor, he has been a part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams at The Times (for his graphics work on the Northridge quake and the North Hollywood bank robbery). He is best known to readers for his weekly humor pieces on life in suburban Los Angeles. His latest book, “Daditude,” released in 2018, is a collection of his favorite Times columns on fatherhood. He has written two other books, “Man of the House” and “Surviving Suburbia,” which reached the Los Angeles Times bestseller list. The Chicago native has also worked for papers in New Orleans and Miami.

Friday Travel Ticker: Dreamliner puzzle continues

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