What We’re Reading: Would You Pay $10 to Sit Next to a Vegan on Your Flight?

It’s been a crazy week in travel. Dick Cheney—a man who once shot another person in the face—is afraid to visit Canada. And a group of doctors wants airlines to charge passengers for seats next to slender vegan flyers. Truth is certainly stranger than fiction, as evidenced in our weekly roundup of noteworthy travel stories.   

Why Canada Is Too Dangerous for Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney canceled a trip to Toronto due to safety concerns, reports the Los Angeles Times. According to the head of the promotions company that had scheduled the former U.S. Vice President’s appearance, Cheney and his daughter Elizabeth “decided it was better for their personal safety [that] they stay out of Canada.” Apparently, Cheney is still upset about the less-than-enthusiastic reception he received on a visit to Vancouver during his book tour last fall. Violence broke out, police in riot gear were called to handle out-of-control demonstrators, and, since no secret underground bunker was available, Cheney retreated inside a building for several hours. Now he must know how the wolves feel when Sarah Palin is shooting at them from a helicopter.

The Prettiest Travel Photos Under the Sun

Seeing the sun rise or sink below the horizon in a new destination can be the highlight of a trip. Plus, it makes for some bewitching travel photos. Browse through Conde Nast Traveler’s slideshow of fiery, golden dawn and dusk destination shots to see for yourself. Want to ride off into the sunset too? Conde Nast is giving away a $25,000 customized trip to anywhere in the world, so be sure to enter by submitting your own photos after viewing the slideshow.

We Love a Good Scandal

In this roundup, we’re linking to … another roundup. But bear with us. Budget Travel put together a list of its four most controversial blog posts so far this year. It’s only March, yet the travel site offers a healthy collection of juicy posts, from a debate on traveling to North Korea to an item on a now-closed, ill-advised Walt Disney World attraction. Looking for more hot-button topics? Don’t miss our provocative op-ed about seat reclining.

Pay $10, Sit Next to a Vegan on Your Flight

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a non-profit organization, wrote an open letter to American Airlines suggesting that the bankrupt carrier make some fast cash by charging passengers $10 for a seat next to a vegan. Says the PCRM, “Studies have found that vegans tend to have a lower body fat and typically weigh less than those who eat meat and cheese.” A super slim vegan seatmate would allow for more surrounding space, so claims the PCRM. The satirical letter is complimented by a TV ad featuring a svelte blonde vegan passenger and the guy who sacrificed 10 bucks to sit next to her. But we have to wonder: What’s in it for the vegan? Check out the commercial and see for yourself: