An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.
Airlines vary from those with a single airplane carrying mail or cargo, through full-service international airlines operating hundreds of airplanes. Airline services can be categorized as being intercontinental, intra continental, domestic, or international and may be operated as scheduled services or charters.
DELAG, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft was the world's first airline. It was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by The Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt. (Note: Americans, such as Rufus Porter and Frederick Marriott, attempted to start airlines in the mid-19th century, focusing on the New York–California route. Those attempts foundered due to such mishaps as the aircraft catching fire and the aircraft being ripped apart by spectators.) The five oldest non-dirigible airlines that still exist are Australia's Qantas, Netherlands' KLM, Colombia's Avianca, Czech Republic's Czech Airlines and Mexico's Mexicana. KLM first flew in May 1920 while Qantas (for the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited) was founded in Queensland, Australia in late 1920.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE: DKS) is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel, and footwear in a specialty store environment. Headquartered in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dick's has 409 stores in 40 states as of August 1 2009, primarily in the eastern half of the United States. The Company also owns Golf Galaxy, Inc., a multi-channel golf specialty retailer, with 91 stores in 31 states.
At the age of 18, Richard Stack had worked at an Army/Navy store in his hometown of Binghamton, New York, after World War II. Military surplus stores were common start-ups in those days. "Dick" had the idea of expanding the product line to include more than just military surplus, but to also sell fishing and camping supplies- for which there was also developing a big demand. He presented his idea to his boss, the owner, but the idea was denigrated by him. He related his disappointment to his family later that night. After hearing his story, his grandmother decided to give him her savings of $300 and instructed him to "follow his dreams" with it. He rented a store-front and opened up the first Dick's as a small "bait & tackle" fishing supply store, on Court Street near Howard Avenue. His store was also called by the then-popular "Army/Navy".
The idea for Staples was created in 1985, while founder Thomas G. Stemberg was working on a proposal for a different business. He needed a ribbon for his printer, but was unable to obtain one because his local dealer was closed for the Independence Day holiday. A frustration with the reliance on small stores for critical supplies combined with Stemberg's background in the grocery business led to a vision for an office supply superstore. The first store was opened in Brighton, Massachusetts in 1986. The 500th store was opened in Vero Beach, Florida, in 1996.
On September 4, 1996, Staples and Office Depot announced plans to merge. The Federal Trade Commission decided that the superpower would unfairly increase office supply prices despite competition from OfficeMax, because OfficeMax did not have stores in many of the local markets that the merger would affect. Staples ultimately argued that chains such as Wal-Mart and Circuit City represented significant competition, but this argument did little to sway the FTC. Following the denial of the merger by the FTC, a rivalry has formed between the two companies.
Rooms To Go Incorporated is a chain of furniture stores based in the South Eastern United States, Puerto Rico, and Panama. It is the top-selling furniture store in the US with more than 150 showrooms. In September 2005, Cindy Crawford launched the "Cindy Crawford Home" furniture line exclusively with Rooms To Go.
When Rooms To Go opened its first set of doors in 1991, the way people bought furniture was changed forever. Since then, we’ve grown into America’s #1 independent furniture company with the nation’s largest furniture inventory. By offering stylish furniture at everyday low prices, original room packages, superior service and fast delivery, today Rooms To Go is America’s favorite place to buy furniture.
Every day at Rooms To Go, customers discover exclusive, stylish, quality furniture they can afford. Because our prices are low every day of the week and every month of the year, you’re not misled with phony sales or fake 50% discounts. Plus, just like your favorite clothing store, we’re constantly updating our inventory, offering the latest looks in home furniture fashions at great prices.
Along with the creation of this great furniture company, an exciting and innovative way to shop furniture was born. Rooms To Go introduced the concept of displaying and packaging furniture in complete room settings. Our designers coordinate each room’s colors, fabrics and accessories to the last detail, so customers don’t have to. This approach affords customers a simplified shopping experience and increased savings when buying an entire room.
In addition, trained, knowledgeable and courteous Rooms To Go sales associates create the hassle free, comfortable environment customers enjoy in our showrooms.
Rooms To Go’s incomparable delivery promise ensures customers receive their new furniture in days, not months. Our fast and easy furniture delivery is realized through state-of-the-art Rooms To Go distribution centers, housing hundreds of thousands of furniture pieces ready for delivery today.
Walk into any of our bright, stylish and friendly furniture showrooms and discover the ease of one-stop decorating. As the leading furniture company in America, millions of customers have enjoyed the entire Rooms To Go’s package and a more convenient, enjoyable and affordable way to shop furniture.
A ticket is a voucher to indicate that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has paid the fare. Also a ticket may be free, and serve as a proof of reservation.
The first known tickets were used in the Greek period for events such as theaters.
A ticket may be bought at a ticket window or counter, called box offices in the entertainment industry (this term is also used for the total receipts). The ticket check may also be there, or it may be separate. Tickets are also available from resellers. Resellers typically are commercial enterprises that purchase tickets in bulk, and resell them to members of the public, adding a surcharge. Consumers patronize resellers for reasons of convenience and availability. The convenience factor relates to being able to obtain tickets locally, and also being able to make alternate selections on the spot if the preferred performance is not available. The availability factor relates to the fact that all tickets may have been sold out at the box office, requiring the purchaser to either obtain tickets from the reseller, or not to see the show (or at least not see the particular performance of choice).
A ticket may be valid for any seat ("free seating") or for a specific one ("allocated seating"). Sometimes, e.g. for some train journeys, both are available, with an increased charge for a reserved seat. Free seating in a train means the risk that one has to stand, but in e.g. a cinema it means a seat is guaranteed, just not a specific one.
Paper or card is generally used, although plastic may be used instead for durability. Some have a barcode or magnetic stripe for keeping simple data stored on them, higher end ones use chips to store more data and prevent counterfeiting.
A paper ticket has often a perforation to separate it into two parts, one (the ticket stub) to be kept by the customer, and one to be kept by the ticket controller. Whether or not one can leave and reenter with the customer part only varies. It may not be allowed to avoid subsequent use of one ticket by multiple people, or even simultaneous use by giving the ticket to someone before the ticket check (if this is physically possible), but it may also be allowed, e.g. in a movie theater to buy, during a movie, a snack or drink before the ticket check and reenter.
Tickets may be printed in advance, or fully or partly printed when issued, or it may be a printed form that is completed in handwriting (e.g. by a train conductor who does not carry a ticket machine, but just a supply of forms and a pen).
