Upgraded: Unemployment
Unsure if you’re keeping your job, but want to book a vacation? British carrier FlyBe is “offering to refund the cost of a holiday if it has to be cancelled because someone in the group is made redundant.” (Love the euphemistic “made redundant.”) If you book in January 2009, for travel before October 24, you can cancel your trip if you show evidence of losing your job. But only if you were employed two or more years at the same place. Points for creativity!

Upgraded: Biofuels
Air New Zealand tested the use of biofuels last week. This week, it’s Continental’s turn to burn a mix of jet fuel, algae, and jatropha weed extract. (Perhaps it should be renamed jetropha weed, har har har.) Anyway, Japan Air Lines is next in line. Flights testing these experimental fuels are unmanned, so don’t worry about what’s in the tanks on your next flight.

Downgraded: Sitting near the restroom
I would not have wanted to be a passenger (or a flight attendant… or a cleaning person…) on this flight to Houston. The headline: “Man Covered In Feces Attacks Flight Attendant.”

Upgraded: Airport welcomes
Improv Everywhere went to JFK to welcome a random person whom they didn’t know back. What a lovely — if somewhat disconcerting — way to arrive! Thanks to FD and Victor for sending this along!

Upgraded: Hotel lobbies
Luxury lockdown! “Why should they be leaving the hotel and hanging out at the nearby Starbucks?” So Starwood and others hope to tempt you to stay within the compound by creating “internet lobby lounges.”

Upgraded: Japanese wine; Downgraded?: JAL wine lists
JAL, aka Japan Air Lines, is bringing a Japanese wine to the sky. Aruga Branca Clareza 2005, made from the indigenous Japanese Koshu grape, will be available in business class. Interesting, to be sure, but has anyone ever had it? Is it any good? Reviews are pretty sparse.

Upgraded: Flying Squirrels
Paging Rocky and Bullwinkle! Stowaway squirrel causes emergency landing on an American Airlines 777 bound from Tokyo to Dallas.

Upgraded: Ease of booking a private jet
Paging Charles Dickens! It may be the worst of times for many coach travelers, but it’s never been easier to book a private jet. There have been discounted (but not cheap) private jet repositioning flights for some time, but aggregator SideStep is now offering a search function for private jets.

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