Travel Advice
Beware phone scams! It turns out that even on Google, you might do a search and get a bogus phone number for an airline or other business. So to avoid being scammed, go to official websites to get phone numbers!
Watch upgrade prices! Word is that upgrading your already-booked flight may cost you more than cancelling your original flight and rebooking the upgraded seat. Always check before you upgrade!
Airline and Airport News
Air Canada strike. Ten thousand Air Canada personnel walked off the job on August 16th, disrupting flights for several days. A tentative agreement has been reached.
Flames shoot from plane engine. On August 16th, a Condor Airlines flight from Corfu to Dusseldorf had to make an emergency landing in Italy when flames shot from its engine. Luckily, there were no injuries.
Condor and JetBlue. Speaking of Condor, you can now use your TrueBlue points on flights with the airline, which gives you more international options than JetBlue.
TSA bans new items. TSA in the U.S. just banned a few more items in checked bags because they’re a fire risk. In carry-ons, it’s easier for flight attendants to quickly take action. The items are: (1) curling irons or flat irons that contain lithium metal or lithium ion batteries; (2) curling irons or flat irons that are gas- or butane-fueled; and (3) gas refills or spare cartridges for curling irons or flat irons.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. This faster service using facial recognition technology is now available in 15 U.S. airports – Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Harry Reid in Las Vegas, Atlanta, JFK and LGA in NYC, LAX, Newark Liberty, Portland Oregon, Reagan in DC, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle-Tacoma.
TSA eGates. Speaking of TSA, they’re rolling out eGates in Atlanta, Seattle, and Washington DC. If you’ve traveled internationally, you might have already experienced these in other countries. You just have to scan your boarding pass. if you have a Clear+ membership, it will be especially easy to use these, as you won’t have to be escorted by Clear personnel anymore.
American Airlines removes some seatback screens. While retrofitting its A319 planes, American Airlines has decided to cut costs by removing seatback screens. So much for customer service!
Virgin Australia flight mishap. On August 28th, a Virgin Australia flight from Bali to Brisbane on a Boeing 737 apparently lost function in all of its toilets during the 6-hour flight. Passengers say flight attendants told them to urinate in bottles. OMG!
Nuclear-powered airport? Denver International Airport is starting a study to determine the wisdom of adding a small modular nuclear reactor. The claim is that this power source is safe and cost-effective.
Qatar Airways to move into JFK’s new terminal. In 2026, when NYC’s JFK airport opens its new Terminal One, Qatar Airways, which is often named the best airline in the world, will move in, along with its first lounge in the U.S. That lounge will be about 15,000 square feet, and passengers might even be able to walk straight to their gate from inside. But I can’t verify that yet, so we’ll see. If it’s true, it will be pretty cool!
Class-action lawsuits against airlines. Passengers have filed two class-action lawsuits against United and Delta for booking “window seats” with no windows. I agree this is terrible! Choosing a window seat isn’t just about sitting against the side of the plane. If you’ve been promised a window, you should get a window.
Delta flight attendant slaps passenger. A passenger on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresco, California on July 29th has filed a $20 million lawsuit against the carrier, alleging that a flight attendant refused to serve he and his family water, whispered a “vulgar word” in his ear, and then slapped him when he responded with expletives. The passenger believes it happened because his wife was wearing a Palestine t-shirt. Delta is investigating.
General Travel News
Fines in Italy can cost you a pretty penny! In Venice, you might be charged as much as $234 for eating or drinking while sitting on the ground or steps or near monuments and bridges. You’ll pay $292 for wearing a swimsuit or going bare-chested on the street and more than $400 for swimming in canals or littering. You’ll also be fined (not sure how much) for biking, camping, or feeding seagulls. if you think that’s bad, try hiking certain areas in Cinque Terre wearing just flip flops and lose $3,000 to fines. Other parts of the country have also banned snacking on the street or wearing swimsuits anywhere but the beach.
Orient Express expands to sailing. The famous luxury train will lend its name to two sailing yachts launching soon. The Orient Express Corinthian will set sail n 2006, while the Orient Express Olympian will begin in 2027. The Corinthian will have 54 suites spanning from almost 500 to almost 2,500 square feet, and it will have 5 restaurants, 2 swimming pools, a cabaret, and a recording studio. The yachts will sail the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and the Adriatic. Sounds divine!
What are the world’s safest countries? According to Conde Nast Traveler, the top 10 (from 1 to 10) are: Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, and Finland.
New Spain luxury train route. The luxury Belle Epoque-inspired Al Andalus train in Spain will launch a new route in the spring of 2026 from Seville to Madrid, stopping on Cordoba, Cadiz, Merida, and Toledo. If you try this, please report back!
Business class on a bus? Yep! It looks like the Swiss company, Twiliner, is starting a night bus network this November with beds, stopping through Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Luxembourg. Report back on this one, too!
Severe weather in Phoenix. On August 25th, Phoenix, Arizona was hit by a haboob, a wall of dust that removed almost all visibility in the city. Afterwards, there were severe thunderstorms with 70 mph wind gusts, one of which destroyed a bridge at the airport.
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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