Travel voucher for a canceled flight? Christopher Elliott says no way! The Department of Transportation in the U.S. says airlines must give you a refund for a flight they’ve canceled or substantially changed. But airlines will try to get you to take a voucher instead, and once you’ve said yes, you’re bound by that and can no longer get your refund. The airlines count on you never getting a chance to use the voucher before it expires, so just don’t do it!
New CLEAR arrivals service. CLEAR is starting a new service that meets you at the gate and takes you to your connection or your ride home, including help with baggage. It costs $199 for up to eight people in a group, but right now, there’s a special at half off. Unfortunately, it’s only operating in seven airports so far: Boston, Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Northwest Arkansas, Palm Springs, and Seattle. You also have to already be a CLEAR member to take advantage.
Earthquake in Hawaii. A 6.0 earthquake struck the Big Island of Hawaii on May 22nd, causing some structural damage. While there was no tsunami threat, officials believe the Kilauea volcano may erupt soon.
Sinkhole at LaGuardia Airport. A sinkhole appeared on a runway at New York’s LGA airport on May 20th. Only about 20 flights were delayed while repairs were made, but yikes!
European Union short-term rental crackdown. A new EU regulation requires that short-term rentals go through a registration process before they can be advertised. This means a lot of unregistered properties will have to be swept from websites like Airbnb and VRBO.
United Airlines under fire for stranding adolescent. Christopher Elliott has reported that a travel agent booked connecting flights for a 13-year-old traveling solo because an airline representative supposedly overrode the policy that anyone under age 14 must fly non-stop. The teen’s mother even paid an additional $300 fee for this override, but when the girl got to the airport, she wasn’t allowed to board. United then said overriding the policy wasn’t possible, while the travel agent said the flight wouldn’t have gone through the system without the override by a United representative. Plus, the family paid the extra fee. After many attempts to get a refund, it took Elliott’s team to get satisfaction for the family.
Hikers killed in Indonesia. Three people died and five were injured early this month when Mount Dukono erupted on a remote island in Indonesia’s archipelago. They were hiking in a restricted area.
Divers die in underwater cave in the Maldives. Five Italian cave divers died in an atoll in the Maldives. They were diving in the innermost part of the cave and are believed to have succumbed to underwater decompression sickness.
Thailand Tourist Visa Changes. Thailand has had a 60-day visa-free policy for quite some time, but since many people have abused it, the country is now only allowing visitors to stay for 30 days without a visa. Besides tourists, the new rule also applies to students and digital nomads.
New rule on California’s Laguna Beach. Beach-goers will be fined up to $500 if they violate a new city ordinance that no longer allows tents, canopies, or any other covering that’s larger than a standard beach umbrella. Larger shade coverings impede lifeguard visibility, causing a safety hazard.
Ebola outbreak. By now, you’ve probably heard about the outbreak of a deadly strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Currently, Africa’s CDC has named 10 countries that have a high risk of exposure to the virus: The Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia. This is very concerning. I have friends in Kenya and South Africa, which is quite close to Zambia, and I was just in Kenya last fall. I hope this doesn’t turn into something widespread.
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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