THE FRIENDLY SKIES OF AIR CANADA...

Maybe it was just one person, but I noticed a distinctly friendly tone to the Air Canada crew on my flight back from the Caribbean on Tuesday.

Air Canada upper echelon types have been harping on employees to be a little more customer0-friendly, and sure enough the woman making the flight announcements couldn't have been more chatty. She asked if people could please find loonies or toonies to help buy their drinks onboard or sandwiches as "change is a little hard to come by at 36,000 feet."

When they announced what time they'd be serving coffee and soft drinks, she told passengers that the crew was "looking forward to serving you."

Small things, but all part of the greater battle. I'd like a free sandwich, but at least they don't charge for blankets or pillows these days. And they kept the movies/television shows going until the plane was at the gate instead of shutting it off a few minutes before landing. (They said we had to use the small, in-ear "bud style" ear phones and not larger ones while we were on the ground, and I'm not sure why. Still, it was good to be able to finish watching To Kill A Mockingbird.)

As I said, maybe it was just one flight. But it does seem I've noticed a change in attitude on the part of many Air Canada folks, and let's hope it lasts.

Not only that, my suitcase arrived at Pearson's baggage pickup area in record time. Quite the day.

ALL CARRY-ON, ALL THE TIME?

After musing about pay toilets on board, the folks at Ryanair now are talking about eliminating checked luggage as a way of saving money.

I have no idea how this would work for folks with golf clubs or skis, but they're talking about an "unlimited" amount of carry-on luggage (all within normal size limits, of course) to go with the ban on checked suitcases. The airline says it would save some $36 million a year.

"This isn't the end of civilization as we know it," said CEO Michael O'Leary. "It only sounds revolutionary. I can assure you it's not."

Apparently, if overhead compartments get full (gee, you think that might happen?), they'd open up the cargo hold for overflow carry-on bags.

Can't you just imagine slogging around the airport with carry-on stuff for a two-week trip? The baggage cart rental people will make a killing.

MIAMI NICE

Through Labour Day, Miami has a deal with dozens of hotels, restaurants and other attractions where you can buy three and get one free.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach, for example, gives you four spa treatments for the price of three. The Miami Seaquarium allows you to buy three general admission tickets and get a fourth of equal or lesser value for free.

Go to www.Miami443.com.

DALI WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME

Fifteen drawings by Salvador Dali will be exhibited in Buffalo for the first time.

Dali apparently did the work as payment for years of work by the late dermatologist, Edmund Kelin. Klein's widow revealed their existence last summer. And now they'll be displayed this summer at the University of Buffalo's Anderson Gallery.

The drawings were made on pages from sketchpads, art books and a paper Klein had written.