Air travel safety record is good! This may come as a surprise, but the International Air Transport Association report on plane safety in 2023 says the number of accidents last year was the lowest in a decade – one accident for every 1.26 million flights. Strap in, and get going!
Bunk beds in the air? In September, Air New Zealand will have SkyNest bunk beds for premium and regular economy passengers. There will be six bunk beds lying flat, which can be booked for four hours from $400-$600. They will be available on Boeing 787 Dreamliners on their longest routes, including flights from New York and Chicago. I assume these will have their own belts, as I wouldn’t want to go tumbling out from the top bunk during turbulence.
Ancient city discovered in Ecuador. The oldest known city in the Amazon was recently discovered in Ecuador. Built 2,500 years ago, people lived in the city for possibly as long as a thousand years.
Holland America cruise to all 7 continents! The line will start the Grand World Voyages in 2026, which will take 132 days. It will start and end in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and head down South America to Antarctica, then toward Australia, Singapore, the Maldives, Egypt, the Mediterranean, and northern Europe – 47 ports in 39 countries.
Frankfurt, Germany’s changing skyline. Frankfurt is going to add 50 skyscrapers to its buildings. Not sure how long it will take to build them all, but they’ll start next year. it will change the face of the city!
Global Entry Enrollment from Washington, D.C. If you’re taking an international flight from Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., you can now sign up for Global Entry right before your journey. The office is open in B concourse at gate B41 from noon to 8:00 p.m. each day. You don’t need an appointment! Hopefully, this will be done in other airports in the near future.
New Centurion Lounge in Atlanta! American Express has opened a new Centurion Lounge at Atlanta Airport, and I’m told it’s spectacular. Hope to experience it at some point! It’s in Concourse E near gate 11.
Mexico Alert during spring break. The U.S. has issued an alert for travelers to Mexico during spring break due to crime. In other words, just be careful out there.
Tourist fees keep piling on. Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia is now charging 25 Euros for entry, and Seville, Spain’s gorgeous Plaza de España complex will soon start charging a fee, although we don’t yet know how much. These fees are usually to finance restoration, so I’m happy to pay them.
American Airlines standby restrictions. If you want to standby on an American Airlines flight, you will now have to join their Advantage frequent flyer program. It isn’t such a big deal since it’s free to join, but it’s still not exactly customer-friendly.
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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