Travel news in brief
Free New York nights
Tourists who book and pay for two nights at a range of New York hotels will get a third night free until the end of next month. Details are at nycgo.com/thirdnight. New York has become the most popular tourist destination in the US for the first time since 1990, with more than 45 million visitors in 2009 and an extra million expected to visit in 2010.
Sleeping flyers robbed
A pickpocket on an Air France flight from Tokyo to Paris stole thousands of euro from business-class passengers as they slept. Cabin crew did not spot the thief at work as he picked his way through wallets and handbags on the 12-hour night-time flight. When passengers awoke to find cash missing, the captain alerted police, who met the Boeing 777 as it landed on Tuesday. They were unable to identify the thief, who is thought to have stolen up to €3,500 from one passenger alone. Air France said that, as a general rule, a passenger’s belongings in the cabin are their own responsibility.
2,000
The number of listings for private accommodation in New York through AirBnB.com. Options include a futon in a one-bedroom near Gramercy Park ($65/¤45) and a bedroom with private bath and separate entrance in Hell’s Kitchen ($150/€105).