Booking.com cautions. A woman booked a stay in Montreal for the Grand Prix before the website updated its rates to reflect “event pricing.” Due to Booking.com’s terms of services, the hotel had the right to demand she pay the event price anyway, which meant an increase from about $4,000 to $17,000. When she refused, they cancelled her reservation entirely. So be careful out there!
Don’t try to fly with wrapped gifts! The TSA in the U.S. says it might have to unwrap your gifts if you travel with them. Either take the paper with you to wrap at your destination, use gift bags, or make it easy for TSA to open your gifts, if necessary.
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh sentenced to death. Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in Bangladesh by the country’s international crimes tribunal for crimes against humanity as a result of her orders to use lethal weapons against anti-government protesters. She was convicted in absentia while exiled in India, and reports say she will likely not be extradited to face her sentence.
Storm Claudia in Europe. Storm Claudia in mid-November caused severe weather in Portugal, Spain, Britain, and Ireland. Three people were killed and dozens injured in Portugal, where the storm produced at least one tornado. There was severe flooding in England and Wales.
Hefty fines in France for flight passenger misbehavior. According to the French government, there are 200-500 in-air incidents in Europe every month. That’s one per about every 395 flights. Now, they’re going to charge passengers big fines of 10,000-20,000 Euros. This can even include using an electronic device during restricted times in-flight.
Update on the Louvre heist. Four more people were recently detained in Paris in relation to the thefts at the Louvre, making the total eight people. But so far, no one has been formally charged, nor is there any word about what happened to the stolen jewels, which are estimated to be worth more than $100 million.
Chinese temple burns due to tourist’s carelessness. Officials believe a fire that damaged Wenchang Pavilion in China on November 12th was caused by a tourist’s “irresponsible” use of candles and incense. Most of the building in Jiangsu province was built in the 1990s, so at least it isn’t an ancient property. Reports say the fire was contained before it spread to the nearby forest, and no one was injured.
Bear attacks in Japan. The U.S. and some other countries have issued cautions to tourists traveling to certain regions of Japan due to an increase in attacks from bears. The affected areas include Sapporo, Hokkaido, and Akita prefecture. Authorities are blaming it on a smaller human population in these rural areas, while the bear population has increased at the same time that one of its key food sources has declined. So far, 13 people have been killed this year, which is a record.
New tourist tax in England. The government of England has given city mayors permission to add a small tourist tax to hotels and rentals, so overnight stays will probably soon cost more across the country.
Horrible fire in Hong Kong. A deadly fire through a high-rise estate has killed 146 people at the time of this writing, and many are still missing. The construction company’s bosses have been arrested in relation to the inferno.
Luxury train service in the U.S.? Well, in California and Colorado at least. A new company is launching two luxury dome train cars with private cabins, bedrooms, chef-prepared meals, and 360-degree views. They will roll out in mid-January on the Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and San Francisco and on the California Zephyr between San Francisco and Denver.
Hotel taxes increasing in some states. Some states are raising hotel taxes, which will make stays pricier. These include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, and New York.
Airline News
No more Delta to Gatwick. In 2026, Delta Air Lines will cease flying into London’s Gatwick Airport, focusing instead on Heathrow.
New JetBlue service from Boston. Meanwhile, JetBlue will offer flights from Boston to Barcelona, Spain and Milan, Italy starting in spring 2026.
American Airlines fumes. On November 23rd, an American Airlines flight from Orlando to Phoenix had to land in Houston when the crew smelled fumes in-flight. One passenger and four members of the crew were evaluated at the hospital afterwards.
Window seat or wall seat? Apparently, United Airlines think it’s a wall seat even though it wants to continue calling it a “window seat.” A recent class-action lawsuit brought by passengers against both United and Delta claims that they paid extra to sit next to a window only to find that there was often no window at all. Meanwhile, United is asking a federal judge to dismiss the suit, saying that should be perfectly fine. You might pay for a “window,” but you’re only entitled to a wall. We’ll keep following this debacle.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) changes its mind. Now, in the U.S., airlines will no longer have to automatically refund you if your flight is cancelled. In other words, rely on your travel insurance and credit card protections because the airline might not come through for you anymore because it doesn’t have to.
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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