TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. This program is now available at more than 60 U.S. airports with hands-free security lanes that can save you time. I wouldn’t show up at the airport without a Real I.D. or passport, though. You never know when the system might be down.
Sending your luggage ahead using a shipping service? Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott just reported that a traveler used shipping service Luggage Forward to send his bags to France. The company guaranteed delivery and charged a high fee, but the luggage never arrived. It contained important medical equipment, so it was a bad situation. When he tried to get results from the company, they said it was the fault of Federal Express. It took Elliott getting involved for the customer to receive any satisfaction. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ll be shipping my luggage to my travel destinations anytime in the future.
Speaking of luggage, it’s getting stolen on Italian trains. A woman on Facebook reported that she and her companion placed their luggage in the cubby at the end of an Italian train car since there was no overhead storage. While they were stopped at a station, someone apparently climbed on and took their luggage off the train. Some people suggest using bike locks to attach your bag handle to a post in the luggage cubby. That sounds like a good idea to me!
Credit card cloning. Christopher Elliott also reports that credit cards are being cloned more often in countries throughout the world, and our RFID wallets don’t help. Criminals are putting skimmers on ATM machines and even cash registers in airports and city stores. His son bought a soda in a small convenience store in Paris, and the card was skimmed. They found a bogus charge the next day. Elliott says it’s best to use a mobile wallet on your phone and only use ATMs inside banks.
Paris airport train coming. Late March of next year, CDG airport in Paris will have a faster train that runs every 15 minutes to Gare de l’Est in Paris, taking just 20 minutes. This is great news considering how difficult it can be to get to and from that airport.
Air taxis to/from JFK? A company called Joby Aviation is currently testing flights between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy Airport in NYC. The small plane can carry up to four passengers and makes it to its destination in fewer than 10 minutes. Prices are expected to be similar to Uber Black, so it isn’t necessarily going to be crazy expensive. It would connect JFK to the Downtown Skyport in Lower Manhattan or heliports in Midtown at West 30th and East 34th Streets. The company hopes to get approval to offer this to travelers within the next year.
Shooting near Mexico City. The famous ancient pyramids near Mexico City called Teotihuacan are generally considered safe. I’ve been there twice! But earlier this month, a man opened fire on tourists, killing a Canadian woman and injuring more than a dozen other people. He carried materials related to the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School. The gunman shot himself after the incident. Afterwards, Mexico’s president vowed to increase security at tourist sites throughout the country.
German tourist dies of snake bite in Egypt. A 57-year-old man from Germany was watching a snake charmer show in Hurghada, Egypt on the Red Sea when a cobra crawled into his pants and bit him. He didn’t survive. Apparently, other cobras were draped around other audience members’ necks. It’s one thing to hold a constricting snake, which is usually safe, but a venomous one is ill-advised. Act accordingly on your travels!
Trump’s face on passports. Trump’s mug will now be on limited addition U.S. passports. I have nothing more to say about that.
Alaska Airlines to Rome. Alaska Airlines will now fly non-stop to Rome from Seattle. So if you live in the Pacific Northwest, this is great news.
Six Flags debacle. Superman: The Ride stalled at its highest point on April 24th at Six Flags New England, which meant people had to climb down a steep staircase to evacuate.
TSA staff. After the shutdown, which kept TSA staff unpaid for a month, 1,000 of its employees have quit.
Robot baggage handlers? Japan is testing them. I don’t know … what could go wrong?
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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