Hello friends and Fortune readers,
If you’re reading this in your office, good for you. You didn’t play hooky, you didn’t extend your weekend, you didn’t call in sick. You’re keeping the gears of commerce turning, at least until mid-afternoon. So whether you’re sitting in a cube, or reclining in a beach chair, here are four things you need to know in business today.
1. There’s a new fee on airline tickets.
Traveling by plane this summer? You’ll notice some additional fees on your airline ticket. The Wall Street Journal reports that starting July 21, the September 11 security fee will more than double to $11.20 for non-stop round trip tickets, and will be $5.60 for one-way tickets. The $10 per trip cap has also been dropped, so trips with stops of four hours or more could see fees pile up. Other add-ons, such as airport facility fees, could also go up soon. You’ll still have to take your shoes off, though.
2. Hurricane Arthur could hurt beach business over the holiday.
Those of us on the East Coast are not only preparing for the weekend, we’re also preparing for a potential downpour in the form of Hurricane Arthur, currently making its way up the coast. Of course, this won’t just affect fireworks shows — businesses at the beach have to deal with it too. A surf shop in South Carolina is already working to reschedule lessons it had planned. The impact isn’t expected to be too bad, though, as at least one hotel told Reuters most of the calls he’s receiving aren’t cancellations, but people making sure they could still come.
3. Thomas the Tank Engine pulls into Japan.
Those of you who were children in the 1980s and 90s likely have fond memories of Thomas the Tank Engine, lovingly narrated by former Beatle Ringo Starr. Well get ready to make a pilgrimage to Japan, because there is now a full-size replica of the anthropomorphic locomotive in the Shizuoka prefecture. Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine’s time never passed in Japan, where he remains popular on television.
4. World Cup continues this weekend.
Just because the U.S. lost to Belgium on Tuesday doesn’t mean you have to stop watching soccer. This weekend you can watch all four quarterfinal matches from the comfort of your home rather than wasting time in the office! There are two matches Friday and two matches Saturday.
Be safe, and have fun.
