Grand Canyon fires. The fires continue to rage in the Grand Canyon and have grown into what’s called a “mega-fire” and the largest fire in the U.S. this year.
New Amtrak high-speed trains. The NextGen Acela high-speed trains will launch August 28th between Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston. They’ll have expanded schedules and 27% more seats.
Renovated United Airlines lounge. The United Club in Denver’s airport B West concourse has been renovated, and word is that the 33,000-square-foot space is impressive.
Venice Garden. The Convent Garden of the Redeemer on Venice’s Giudecca Island is open to the public for the first time in its 500-year history. You will need to get tickets in advance, and it can only be reached via water taxi.
Spirit Airlines going under? Apparently, the airline says its financial situation is so dire that it probably won’t make it another year.
U.S. to withdraw from UNESCO. The Trump Administration has announced that at the end of next year, it will withdraw from UNESCO, which means the 26 World Heritage sites in the U.S., such as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty, will no longer be on the list.
Worst airport for luggage handling. According to Arka, Miami International Airport is the worst airport in the world in terms of luggage handling. It loses 306 bags for every million flights.
Royal Caribbean accident. A glass panel broke off of a water slide early this month on a Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise liner. One passenger was apparently injured when they fell out of the slide.
No more passport stamps? Well, at least in nearly 30 countries within the EU when they do a gradual phase-in of biometric and electronic border entry starting October 12th of this year.
AI for flight pricing? Delta Air Lines has started using AI to determine some prices for flights and wants to do this more, but consumer groups are, justifiably, very concerned. We’ll watch this story carefully.
AI for car rental checks? Speaking of AI, some car rental companies are also using it to check for damage when rental cars are returned. At the same time, some are tacking on a charge to make renters pay for the AI “service.” Honestly, I’ve heard so many rental car horror stories that it seems wise to try to avoid it entirely if you can.
Another Airbnb nightmare story. An Airbnb guest in NYC alleges that her host manipulated photos of the property to make it look like the guest damaged the apartment. ALWAYS TAKE PHOTOS OF HOTEL ROOMS, RENTAL PROPERTIES, AND RENTAL CARS BEFORE YOU LEAVE OR TURN THEM IN!
TSA Pre-Check for families. Read about the new savings and perks for families who get TSA Pre-Check in the U.S.
Turnstiles in the Italian Dolomites? Local farmers in the mountains of Italy have become so fed up with the long lines of people wanting photos of Instagrammable spots that they’ve installed turnstiles in some places that charge 5 Euros per entry. These include the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges.
Airport staff strikes in Portugal may disrupt travel. If you’re traveling to Portugal in August, you might experience airline cancellations or delays due to an airport staff strike. Spain is bracing for the same.
Two planes clip wings on the ground in Manchester. Flights were suspended briefly in the Manchester, England airport when two easyJet planes collided and clipped wings on August 8th. Passengers were on board, but no one was injured.
New terminal in Miami airport. The company, Private Suite or PS, is restoring the former Pan Am building from the 1960s in Miami airport, turning it into a luxe lounge space. This could be fun!
Hotel employee tries to enter a teenager’s room. In South Carolina, a hotel employee was accused of putting a long wire under the door of a teen’s room to try to loop it around the door knob and enter. Always be sure to use the chain or latch on your hotel room doors!
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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