12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
(This is a recurring post, updated daily with new information):

=== Thursday, September 10 ===

=== Tuesday, September 8 ===

Hurricane Lowell menaces Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rain
Hurricane Lowell is bearing down on western Hawaii with sustained winds near 110 mph, prompting a hurricane warning for Kauai and Niihau and a tropical storm warning for Oahu. Unlike Hurricane Lala’s August brush with the state, Lowell’s track puts the western islands more directly in its path, according to Travel Weekly.

Gas prices hit a Labor Day record
Drivers faced some serious sticker shock over the holiday weekend, with the national average for regular gasoline reaching $4.15 a gallon — the highest ever recorded for Labor Day. The upcoming switch to cheaper winter-blend fuel could provide some relief if oil prices cooperate, according to CNBC.

Trump calls for Bombardier plane ban, drawing GOP pushback
President Donald Trump called for Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier to be barred from selling planes in the U.S., escalating trade tensions as new Canadian tariffs on American goods took effect. Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas pushed back on the proposal; Bombardier’s U.S. headquarters is in his state, according to NBC News.

Miami airport lacks safety system for planes that overrun runways
Miami International Airport does not have an Engineered Material Arresting System, which uses crushable material beyond a runway to rapidly slow aircraft that overrun or veer off course. The technology is designed to reduce the risk of serious accidents when planes can’t stop within the normal runway area, according to NBC 6 South Florida.

Widespread flight delays hit London airports, including Heathrow
A technical problem disrupted flight departures across the U.K., including at London Heathrow, with some flights temporarily grounded. Britain’s National Air Traffic Service said engineers were working to resolve the issue and restore normal operations, according to NBC News.

Royal Caribbean cancels Alaska cruise after passengers board
Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas got an unwelcome surprise when their Alaska cruise was canceled after they had already boarded in Vancouver. Guests spent about two days aboard the ship before the cruise line scrapped the voyage because of a mechanical problem, according to USA Today.

Eiffel Tower closes as workers strike over treatment of female staff
The Eiffel Tower closed Monday as employees went on strike following allegations that female staff members were told to stay out of sight during a visit by roughly 100 members of the Hindu organization BAPS. The allegations quickly drew criticism from French politicians, according to CNN.

Drone and weather balloon cause hundreds of San Diego flight delays
Labor Day weekend travel got messy at San Diego International Airport after a drone and weather balloon were spotted near the airport Friday afternoon. The FAA temporarily halted arrivals and departures, leaving hundreds of flights delayed and some travelers waiting about two hours, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

United flight attendant catches baby slipping from sleeping mom’s lap
A United Airlines flight attendant is being praised for quickly catching a baby who was about to fall from an exhausted mother’s lap during a flight from Newark to Grand Rapids. Fellow passengers applauded Monique Harris for spotting the danger and reacting just in time, according to the New York Post.

How ‘Ted Lasso’ turned a London suburb into a tourist hotspot
Richmond-upon-Thames has long drawn visitors with its sprawling park, historic buildings and quintessential English charm, but “Ted Lasso” has given the London suburb a whole new fan base. Tourists are now flocking to locations associated with the fictional AFC Richmond and its relentlessly upbeat American coach, according to CNN.

Budget travelers get creative as vacation costs climb
Higher gas prices and sharply more expensive airfare aren’t keeping budget-conscious travelers home — they’re just changing how people vacation. From hostels to “mystery vacations,” travelers are finding creative ways to stretch their dollars even as much of the industry chases higher-spending luxury customers, according to CNBC.

How cash-paying shoppers help subsidize credit card rewards
Credit card swipe fees can work their way into retail prices, meaning even shoppers who pay with cash may end up covering part of the cost of lucrative card rewards. The National Retail Federation estimates those fees add more than $1,200 a year to the average household’s costs, while rewards-card users can offset some of that expense through points, cash back and travel perks, according to NBC News.

=== Sunday, September 6 ===

TSA PreCheck’s New Gateside Program Lets Non-Travelers Go Through Security
Remember when friends and family could walk you all the way to the gate? TSA PreCheck is bringing a version of that experience back with a new program allowing eligible non-travelers to pass through security and accompany passengers to the gate. JohnnyJet.com

American Airlines Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat After Alleged Tirade
An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a 67-year-old passenger allegedly launched into a racist and homophobic tirade and became violent. Things got so out of hand that the passenger reportedly ended up duct-taped to his seat. JohnnyJet.com

Hurricane Lowell Threatens Hawaiian Islands With Life-Threatening Surf
Hurricane Lowell is expected to pass west of Hawaii’s major islands, but that doesn’t mean the state is in the clear. Forecasters are warning of life-threatening surf, heavy rain and possible mudslides, with Kauai potentially seeing as much as 10 inches of rain. NBC News

Southwest Airlines Sets Timeline for First-Ever Airport Lounges
Southwest’s transformation continues, and this time it’s heading into the airport lounge business. The airline plans to open its first-ever lounges beginning in 2027, another major departure from the no-frills model that defined Southwest for decades. Parade

Florida Man Learns Airport Gate Agents Don’t Appreciate Stand-Up Comedy About Explosives
Here’s another reminder that joking about explosives at an airport is never a good idea. A 33-year-old Florida man headed to Cuba reportedly ended up in police custody after making an ill-advised comment about a bomb to airline employees at the gate. Tampa Free Press

Princess Cruises Drops Princess Cays Calls
Princess Cruises is dropping calls at Princess Cays in the Bahamas beginning this fall, with most scheduled visits shifting to Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key instead. Princess Cays has also disappeared from Carnival’s Paradise Collection of private island destinations. Cruise Critic

JetBlue Pilot Refuses Air Traffic Control Instruction, Declares Emergency—“So You’re Gonna Make Us Go Through A Severe Thunderstorm?”
A JetBlue pilot departing Fort Lauderdale declared an emergency after refusing an air traffic control heading the crew believed would send their Airbus A320 through a severe thunderstorm. After ATC declined the crew’s requested turn because of other traffic, the pilots used their emergency authority to change course. View From The Wing

US Airlines Weigh Safety System to Prevent Midair Collisions Ahead of Legal Mandate
Some U.S. airlines are considering adding technology designed to help prevent midair collisions before they’re legally required to do so. Acron Technologies, which has already equipped American Airlines’ single-aisle Airbus fleet with ADS-B In technology, says it is talking with most U.S. carriers and could land another order by year’s end. Reuters

JetBlue’s BlueFirst Will Be an Instant Money Maker
JetBlue’s upcoming BlueFirst domestic first-class product could fill a big hole between its roomy economy seats and premium Mint cabins. Unlike Mint, BlueFirst can work across much more of JetBlue’s network, giving the airline another way to generate premium revenue on routes where lie-flat seats don’t make sense. Cranky Flier

Sydney Airport Near-Miss Involved Controllers Flagged as High-Fatigue Risk
Several air traffic controllers working when two Qantas aircraft nearly collided at Sydney Airport in July had reportedly been flagged as being at high risk of fatigue. Internal records reviewed by Reuters raise new questions about staffing and fatigue management surrounding the serious incident. Reuters

US Wants 100M Annual Foreign Visitors—but Numbers Keep Falling During ‘Trump Slump’
U.S. travel industry leaders are aiming for 100 million international visitors annually, but they left a White House meeting without a commitment from President Donald Trump to change policies or rhetoric that industry officials say are discouraging some overseas travelers. The push comes as the industry looks for ways to reverse declining international visitation. Forbes

Emergency Slide Activates on British Airways Plane While Catering Was Delivered
A British Airways Boeing 787 was hit with a major delay in Montreal after an emergency evacuation slide accidentally deployed while the aircraft was being catered for its return flight to London. The slide normally only makes an appearance during an evacuation—not while dinner is being loaded. Metro