Travellers' Checks | Hyatt Regency returns to Xian; ride-on suitcases for grown-ups coming soon

Easy riders In the works since 2014, and due for delivery early next year, the Modobag ride-on suitcase (modobag.com) has already raised its target investment several times over at crowd-funding website Indiegogo. With a maximum speed of almost 13km/h and a range of about 10km on one battery charge, it’s designed to carry its owner around the airport with ease.

There are, however, a couple of drawbacks to this motorised carry-on case. First, it weighs 8.6kg when empty, which is close to, or more than, most airlines’ economy-class allowance for carry-on luggage. Second, it looks like something one can imagine French comedian Jacques Tati driving around Paris Orly Airport in the 1960s.

While the Movpak is aimed more at commuters than travellers, both bags claim to be airline-friendly and will offer similar tech features, such as phone and tablet charging. Early-bird deals are available for both, but I wouldn’t put my money in either at this point, as there are no refunds if they never actually go into production after their fundraising campaigns have ended. (Movpak tried and failed on Kickstarter a couple of years ago.)

Full retail prices will be about US$1,495 for the Modobag and US$1,200 for the Movpak.

New route Hong Kong Airlines has opened up a few air links with second-tier Japanese cities over the past year or so. The carrier began scheduled flights to Miyazaki in April 2015, to Kumamoto in December (sadly suspended following the Kumamoto earthquakes in April 2016) and to Okayama in March this year. In September the airline will launch a twice-weekly service to Yonago, on the northern coast of western Honshu.