TRAVEL NEWS
JetBlue news. Starting September 6, 2024, JetBlue will allow a free carry-on bag to those flying via Blue Basic fare. Good! It’s ridiculous to have to pay more for a carry-on.
Lufthansa Airlines news. Starting in 2025, the airline will charge an extra fee of up to 72 Euros to pay for sustainable fuels.
Delta lounge news. Delta has a new lounge at Kennedy Airport (JFK) in NYC – a Delta One lounge specifically for people flying in Delta One cabins, which are special First Class cabins available only on certain flights.
New airlines join TSA Precheck. Air New Zealand, Aer Lingus, Ethiopian Airlines, and Saudia Airlines are now a part of the TSA program to get through security faster.
Boeing news. Remember those 737 Max jets? There were crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed a lot of people. Well, Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to commit fraud against the U.S. government. That sounds very noble of them, but doing this actually gets them out of a high-profile trial. The court still has to approve the plea agreement, and Boeing still has to pay billions in payouts and penalties.
“Raw dogging” on a plane? Apparently, this is a new trend, and it means staring into space for the entire flight (meditating, I guess?) with no movies, no music, no reading, and no sleep. I don’t know about you, but I have no interest in this. The last place I want to meditate is on an airplane.
What’s the least expensive place to travel? According to Conde Nast Traveler, it’s Hoi An, Vietnam. Book your trip!
Uber isn’t just about cars anymore! Uber Boat and Uber Yacht allows you to rent a boat or yacht for short-term excursions in a couple of European hotspots.
Barcelona news. By 2028, Barcelona will ban short-term apartment rentals in an effort to stop escalating housing costs for residents. I don’t blame them.
Vatican City news. Vatican City will soon generate all of its electricity from renewable energy!
Dangerous national parks in the U.S. A personal injury firm studied accidents in national parks in the U.S. and discovered that the most dangerous is Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. Virgin Islands National Park is second, and New York’s Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (part of which is in Pennsylvania) came in third. Be careful out there!
Several beach closures. Due to bacteria in the water, several beaches have been closed this summer in Massachusetts, Suffolk County, New York, and Coronado, California in San Diego Bay. Be sure to check before you set out to visit a beach in these areas.
Want to fly between the Greek isles? A helicopter service can make that possible! Check it out.
Got $299,999 to spare? You could buy yourself lifetime access to an Oceanview Villa on a ship around the world.
TRAVEL ADVICE
Don’t fly at night in the summer! This meteorologist on TikTok explains why it’s risky.
Problem with an airline? Try Instagram. Twitter used to be the go-to social media for getting in touch with difficult-to-reach airline customer service, but now, apparently, it’s Instagram. So the next time you’re stuck, try reaching your airline through their Insta account.
Packing lists. I just discovered this blog that provides packing list advice for different kinds of trips.
Quick dry pants. I love visiting rainforests for birdwatching, and quick dry pants are my favorite thing to wear in places like that. I’ve just discovered these, and they’re terrific. The link is for women’s pants, but they also make them for men.
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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