Ever had a flight attendant surprise you from inside of a closed overhead bin? You may have if you were flying on Southwest Airlines. Twitter user Holly McNamara (@hollymac) captured a photo and video this evening of a flight attendant pranking a boarding passenger by hiding inside of an overhead bin and closing the lid. When the unknowing passenger opens the bin there's a noticeable stutter -- then he tries to close the bin again in confusion.

Southwest is known for its casual work environment and excellent relationship with its employees, which is why this particular flight attendant probably felt comfortable pulling off the prank. A video showing a rapping flight attendant on the same airline was was widely circulated back in 2009, and has since gathered hundreds of thousands of hits on Youtube.

As for this incident, Ms. McNamara reports that the prank was pulled off on a layover in LAX en route to Las Vegas. In the name of good fun, we tip our hats to the flight crew and the passengers who could take a good joke. Just don't tell Boeing that anyone is hiding in their overhead bins.

One of the best things about discovering a new destination is in the life of the street. Our features editor Don George is famously good at reflecting on the cafe culture across the planet, and the simple act of walking through the city can impart loads of culture onto a traveler.

Street performers, or buskers, could perhaps be the diplomats of city culture, bring new forms of local art to the always-curious visitor. Whether this is the accordion player on the Paris subway or the acrobats on Barcelona's Las Ramblas, the visual art that we experience tends to stick to a destination, and there's a great deal of emotion tied to many of the performances. In appreciation of the art, the team at Gadling Labs thus rounded up a few of our favorite street performers to display for the world.

Got a favorite of your own? Post it in the comments.



Soccer player Iya Traore performs amazing soccer stunts overlooking the sprawling beauty of Paris. Check out more at IyaTraore.com

Jin is waiting for me when I return from Yongsang, placidly sitting at the picnic table in the atrium and staring off into the distance. When I knock on the astroturf covered door he looks up and grins, then lopes over to the door to greet me.

It's only been one night at the MaMa guesthouse (46, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu) in Seoul, but I already feel like I belong. Between the Angok (Line 3) and Jeosan (Line 1) stops in the district parallel to Insadong, my discovery of the homestay was purely by accident. Walking toward my original hotel earlier the previous night, I saw the flashy sign of MaMa splashed across the traditionally-styled home and made a mental note: if things didn't work out with my current accommodations I'd return.

As usual, Jin Sung Jai was resting in his room when I first showed up, and through the front door window I could see his feet hanging out from the sliding doors of his room. He greeted me with enthusiasm – yes, there was a room available tonight, the "mother" room for only 60,000 Won – discounted 25% off of the normal rate.

It would be a traditional room, one not unlike those in a traditional Japanese household with a heated floor, a thin mattress in the center of the room and two linens on top. A sliding, rice paper door was the divider between the main atrium and my room, the same divider that went into Jin's and four other rooms around the perimeter of the atrium. For this and most other rooms here, the bathroom and living spaces would be shared.

In a way though, that's the sort of package that a solo traveler needs a foreign land – a small splash of traditional culture, a community space in which to reflect your thoughts and a shepherd to guide you through the process. In the morning I help Jin update his website as a meal of hard boiled eggs, toast and apples is delivered. He shows me through the stacks of paintings with a style that he's perfected with years of study across parts of Europe, North America and Korea. And with a handshake and a smile he sends me on my way to Incheon Airport. I would give a hundred stays in a big box western hotel in exchange for another night in a place like this.

Gallery: MaMa Guest House, Seoul Korea

Our dear graphic designer and occasional photographer Erin Drewitz had a busy 2011, romping between San Francisco, Dallas, China and the far reaches of the planet. Her most recent series, collected between Hong Kong, Shenzen, Changsha and Zhangjiajie captures some of the everyday life experienced among the country's working class, from the street workers in the central provinces to the schoolgirls bashfully commuting to class. Check out a portion of the collection below or view the full set over at erindrewitz.com.

Gallery: The People of China by Erin Drewitz

The Daily Mail reports this evening that cracks found in the wing sections of several Airbus A380 jumbo jets have led to deep concern among a group of Australian aircraft engineers. Calling for the grounding of all A380 aircraft, the group highlighted recent faults uncovered in the wing structures of several Singapore Airlines and Qantas jets in their complaint.

Acknowledging the cracks, the airlines and manufacturer claim that the faults are in non-critical sections of the wings and that an easy detection and repair method has been identified. None of the seven current carriers that operate the aircraft are planning on taking the equipment out of service.

Nevertheless, news of the cracks is a significant concern for Airbus, which has been struggling to compete in a market that's quickly moving towards smaller, more fuel efficient equipment. With the earliest delivery of their next generation aircraft slated for late 2013 2014, they need to rely on sales of the A380 to propel revenue. If technical difficulties keep plaguing the A380, it could significantly impact the future of the company.

[flickr image via Jlcwalker]

A combination of promotions on American Airlines makes January a particularly fruitful month for members who want to join their elite ranks. Usually, passengers need to fly at least 25,000 miles to reach gold status on the airline, but a double miles promotion (until the end of January) has reduced that to only 12,500. In addition to that, residents of Illinois, Texas and California can earn an additional round of double miles for flying select routes through the end of March, effectively earning some passengers triple miles.

This means that instead of the normal 3490 elite miles that one would accrue between Chicago and Los Angeles (round trip) a total of 10470 miles can be stacked up -- or 40% of the way to Gold Status. And once you reach gold status? A whole host of benefits are available.

For many, this elite status is what helps make traveling easier and justifies a full carriage of longer, more interesting travel in the years to come. Some even go out of their way to take a mileage run and accrue that status, though you should carefully consider your future travel plans (and balance sheet) before you make that commitment. For me, our Huffington Post offices and editors in California were worth making the trip to Los Angeles once or twice this month. And if it fits into the equation of your long term travels then it might be worth your time too.

Make sure you travel before the 31st of January for the global double miles promotion. You have until the end of March until the geographically based promotion runs out.

The last time I saw John DiScala – better known as Johnny Jet -- was at the JW Marriott tour in Chicago. Exhausted from a day long flight from Helsinki I wandered into a journalist's dinner at the freshly opened hotel and saw my old friend sitting among a group of eager young writers and polished senior management. As usual, he was lighting up the room and vivaciously engaging with the crowd. Sulking into my seat at the edge of the table I remember thinking to myself that this guy never stops.

The next evening as we quietly listened to the dulcet tones of Emmy Rossum at the opening reception I asked him about his travel schedule. "Something big" was all that he would reveal, something about a travel show that he had in the works and that had a big client behind it.

It turns out that that client was the Travel Channel, and the project was a special covering the hottest destinations for 2012. Airing on the 1st of January at 9PM Eastern, the special features Johnny hop scotching around the planet profiling some of the best upcoming destinations from Necker Island with Richard Branson to the adventure capital of the world in New Zealand.

Reached by phone late this week, Mr DiScala had only excitement to express about the show, suggesting that "some destinations for this feature you would definitely expect – but some might surprise you." Either way, we'll be tuning in at Gadling Labs for the premier. You can watch the special at 9PMEastern on the Travel Channel or scattered across the schedule thereafter.

Ever wonder what happens to your bag after you send it down the tunnel behind the gate agent at the airport? I was always under the impression that it was handled by a series of Oompa-Loompas who gently carry your bags from point A to point B on their heads, quietly singing the song of the baggage handler as glitter falls from the sky.

Apparently that's not the case. The kind folks over at Delta Air Lines just released a video detailing a bag's journey through the inner workings of Atlanta (ATL) and then over to New York City. To capture the film they strapped six cameras onto a package and sent it through the system, from the conveyor belts to the baggage trucks to the belly of the plane. Though the footage is ultimately an ad for their baggage tracking app, it's still an interesting perspective.

Slacklining is an extreme sport that's gained some traction over the last few years, no doubt bolstered by the growing climbing community and the ubiquitous Patagonia ads. Similar to tightrope walking, the activity involves balancing on a slightly-slack piece of webbing and crossing between two fixed objects. It requires an impressive amount of both balance and strength, and is something that's great for both active athletes and those looking to build strength.

Nursing a patella ligament injury late this summer, my physical therapist recommended something similar to the exercise found in slacklining and I briefly gave it a try. Just last month, in fact, I discovered my first slackline positioned inside of the climbing gym in Brooklyn.

But there's no way that I'm climbing onto a slackline any higher than three feet off the ground. The gentleman in this particular video has set up a line over 3200 feet high in Yosemite, and is willing to cross it without a shred of safety equipment. It's an impressive feat, but one that I wonder might be a bit risky.

Earlier this year, Oprah's OWN television network ran a contest soliciting video entries for hosts of a new television show. The contest earned 143 million votes and a multitude of entires, but one in particular went viral. Zack Anner, a Texas native with cerebral palsy submitted a wacky, light hearted video pitching a show about travel with his condition. His video was a mixture of self-deprecation, clever production and genuine, happy hosting, and as a result the votes poured in.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Anner won the competition, and his show, Rollin With Zach went into production. The OWN network just released a trailer of the series which features the host traveling across the United States covering the nation from a local's perspective. At large, the new travel show beings on the Oprah Network this week. The first episode airs Monday, December 12 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

If you want to check out the initial audition video, read on below.