12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today

I travel to 20+ countries a year sharing my firsthand knowledge of reward travel, travel credit card deals, travel tips and more.

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

July 27 through August 3

Magnitude 8.6 Earthquake Strikes Off Russia’s Kamchatka Sparks Tsunami Warnings USGS Says
A powerful magnitude 8.6 earthquake struck off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, sparking tsunami warnings, prompting evacuations and causing some damage, officials said. “Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app. He added that according to preliminary information there were no injuries but a kindergarten was damaged. Reuters

JetBlue United Partnership Gets Go-Ahead From U.S. Transportation Department
JetBlue and United Airlines have cleared a review of their planned Blue Sky partnership by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) allowing them to proceed with the implementation the companies said on Tuesday. The two companies in May unveiled a partnership that would allow travelers to book flights on both carriers’ websites while interchangeably earning and using points in their frequent flyer programs. Reuters

United Air Flight Attendants Reject Higher-Paying Contract
United Airlines Holdings Inc. flight attendants rejected a new contract that would have provided cumulative pay increases of as much as 45.6 percent over five years. The tentative agreement which also included a separate payout for years in which the workers received no raises was voted down by 71 percent of those casting ballots the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement Tuesday. The union represents 28,000 United employees. Bloomberg

How Much Are Southwest’s New Assigned Seats? It Depends
A roundtrip ticket in the “Choice” ticket class — the second cheapest type of ticket — between Denver International Airport and Orlando International Airport leaving Feb. 14 and returning Feb. 21, which coincides with Presidents Day, was going for $692 on Southwest’s website on Thursday. For seats the airline deems “preferred,” it would be $46 for a window or aisle seat in Rows 7 to 13, or $41 for a middle seat in those rows. Customers with elite frequent-flyer status on the airline or with Southwest Airlines credit cards will be exempt from some of the fees. CNBC

A Single Air Controller Oversaw Helicopters, Planes During Fatal DC Crash
A single air traffic controller was overseeing both planes and helicopters in the crowded airspace above Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport during the midair crash in January that killed 67 people, investigators said. The second day of an investigative hearing into the collision kicked off Thursday with the US National Transportation Safety Board focusing on how air traffic was managed and the control tower staffed at the busy hub serving the nation’s capital. Bloomberg

Delta Air Assures US Lawmakers It Will Not Personalize Fares Using AI
Delta Air Lines said on Friday it has not used artificial intelligence to set personalized ticket prices for passengers after facing sharp criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Last week, Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego, Mark Warner and Richard Blumenthal said they believed the Atlanta-based airline would use AI to set individual prices, which would “likely mean fare price increases up to each individual consumer’s personal ‘pain point.'” Reuters

American Airlines Eyes Canadian Partner With Porter Airlines Codeshare Deal
American Airlines and Porter Airlines are eyeing a codeshare partnership to enhance transborder connectivity between Canada and the United States. Both airlines applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) on July 25, 2025, to request approval to implement reciprocal blanket codeshare services. Simple Flying

American Airlines Deploys Boeing 777s on New York-LA Flights
American Airlines is bringing its wide-body Boeing 777 back to transcontinental flights out of New York. This fall, the carrier will launch 777-200ER service on one of its most premium routes between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the airline told TPG Friday. Among other things, that means you’ll be able to book its premium economy cabin on these domestic cross-country flights. The Points Guy

Dozens of Wildfires Burn in Greece and Turkey as Temperatures Soar
Wildfires are burning across Greece and Turkey as southern Europe confronts a series of heat waves that have scorched parts of the continent this summer. In Greece, evacuation orders were issued for several towns over the weekend including from a village near Athens. Officials said on Sunday that the fire had been contained but warned that swirling embers threatened to rekindle the blaze. Temperatures have soared reaching close to 111 degrees Fahrenheit or 44 degrees Celsius on parts of the Greek mainland on Saturday before cooling slightly on Sunday. The New York Times

Scientist Detained at SFO for Over a Week, Left Sleeping in Chair
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown appears to have kept a Texas scientist who was born in Korea locked inside San Francisco International Airport for over a week with little access to basic necessities, according to the man’s attorney. Tae Heung “Will” Kim, a 40-year-old who has permanent residency in the United States and has lived in the country since he was five, was detained at the airport on July 21 after returning from Korea, according to the Washington Post. Eric Lee, one of Kim’s attorneys, said the man has been denied access to an attorney. SF Gate

Spirit Airlines To Furlough 270 Pilots Demote More Than 100 Others as It Prepares To Cut Flights
Spirit will furlough 270 pilots effective Nov. 1 as it prepares for a smaller flight schedule. The carrier emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March but the industry is now facing weaker-than-expected demand for coach-class tickets. The airline furloughed hundreds of pilots last year. CNBC

Alaska Airlines Announces New Routes Connecting California And The Pacific Northwest
We’ll launch seven new city pairs starting in late October, including three in Burbank. New seasonal service from San Diego will take winter sports lovers to Idaho’s popular Sun Valley. With the addition of the Palm Springs service, we’ll add our eighth destination from Santa Rosa. Alaska Airlines News

Saturday, August 2

Minneapolis And Chicago Chokes Under Wildfire Smoke With Air Quality Among Global Worst
Chicago’s air quality is considered among the worst in the world right now, thanks to thick wildfire smoke drifting southward from Canada. The smoke is prompting health concerns, triggering air quality alerts and smothering outdoor events in a dangerous haze. Hazardous smoke is also blanketing Minneapolis, earning it a top spot in poor air quality rankings. Weather Channel

Man Charged With Taking N.Y. Airport Cart On ‘Joyride,’ Wrecking Moving Walkways
A man was arrested after officials said he took an airport cart and rammed it through the moving walkways at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York. Kevin J. Sinning, 29, of Wyoming, was arrested just before 1 a.m. Monday by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Department. NBC News

Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested At Seattle Airport Over Domestic Violence Incident
Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested Sunday following an alleged incident at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Richardson, 25, was arrested for alleged domestic violence after an altercation with her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman, The Athletic reported. The Olympic gold medalist reportedly got into a fiery argument with Coleman at a TSA security checkpoint, in which the arresting officer saw Richardson shove her boyfriend multiple times as he was walking away from footage caught on security camera, per The Athletic. NY Post

Airline Employee Who Survived Toronto Crash Claims Pilot Was ‘Inexperienced And Inadequately Trained’
A passenger on board the Delta Air Lines plane that crashed in Toronto is now suing the company. Vanessa Miles and her lawyers claim the company’s alleged negligence led to the violent crash. All 80 people on board survived the Feb. 17 incident, with 18 people transported to local hospitals. People

Disney World Ferry Boat Crashes Into Dock During Rough Weather: ‘A Lot Of People Screaming’
A ferry boat at Walt Disney World crashed into a dock during rough weather, officials said. Fire and rescue officials in Orange County, Florida, told FOX 35 that its crew had helped respond to a boat crash at Disney’s Transportation & Ticket Center on Wednesday night. Photos shared with the outlet show multiple people being treated by paramedics, with several of them being loaded onto stretchers for additional treatment. Fox Business

What’s The Best Budget Airline In Europe? We Tried 3.
Nothing puts the size of Europe into perspective for an American like traveling around the continent by plane (even if we’d rather get around by train). What do you mean you can fly over nine countries in a couple of hours? Take one of Europe’s many budget airlines, and it might even cost you less than a cab to the airport. Washington Post

Here’s How Restaurants Get Away With Scamming Customers: ‘It’s Incredibly Effective’
Another sneaky hack to get customers to rack up a hefty bill is by setting an extremely high price point for one item so that everything else in comparison seems cheaper. “It’s called anchoring, and it’s incredibly effective,” Harrington said. Have you ever read a menu and thought to yourself, ‘Wow, that sounds delicious?’ There’s a reason for that, too. “The more descriptive the name, the more value people assign to it,” said Harrington. “It’s not about what’s on the plate — it’s about how it sounds.” NY Post

Brits Urged To Check Boarding Pass For Crucial Detail – Or Risk Being Turned Away From Flight
Brits should be paying close attention to a code commonly displayed – and often ignored – on valid boarding cards, known as an ‘SEQ’. During overbooked flights – a common occurrence during peak periods – airlines may need to deny boarding to some passengers. In such cases, they use check-in order as a factor in deciding who gets turned away from the plane, with later check-ins often considered for denial. This is where a ‘SEQ’ number comes into play – essentially a three-digit number that indicates your ‘sequence’ or the order in which you checked in for your flight. Daily Mail

I Stayed With My Kids On An Active Volcanic Island In Italy. It Was The Best Trip Of Our Lives.
My family of five visited Stromboli, an island off the north coast of Sicily, in June. The sand around the island is black due to the island’s active volcano. We took a boat out to see the volcano erupt at night. Insider

Couple Engaged At Philadelphia Airport Where They Met
Do you have a memorable meet-cute and engagement story? One couple has a meet-cute and engagement straight out of a romcom. It began at the Philadelphia International Airport. In February 2023, Lesley Venella, from New Jersey, and Matthew Brenner, from Northeast Philadelphia, had their paths cross at the Philadelphia Airport when Lesley stopped to take a photo of a “Welcome to Philadelphia” sign, and Matthew offered to take a picture of her with it. WPHL

Friday, August 1
Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbers
TSA officers screened 2,882,789 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, July 31

Air Marshals, Reassigned From Commercial Flights, ‘Serve Sandwiches And Check Lice’ On ICE Deportation Flights
Roughly 200 Federal Air Marshals have reportedly been reassigned from their usual duties protecting the U.S. transit system to assist with Trump administration deportation flights alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Marshals, the main law enforcement arm of the Transportation Security Administration, better known for missions like protecting U.S. commercial flights, are instead carrying out tasks on deportation flights like providing security, handing out sandwiches to detainees, checking them for lice, and cleaning planes. CNN

Some Flights Still Canceled, Delayed After Storms Slam Northeast
Air travel is getting back on track in the Northeast after heavy rain and floods pounded the region on July 31, but some flights are still being impacted. More than 600 U.S. flights have been canceled and over 2,100 have been delayed as of 10 a.m on Aug. 1, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. USA Today

Boeing Sued By Flight Attendants Over MAX 9 Mid-Air Panel Blowout
Four flight attendants on the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 plane that experienced a mid-air cabin panel blowout in January last year are suing Boeing for physical and emotional injuries. In separate lawsuits, they are seeking compensation for past and future economic damages, citing physical and mental injuries, emotional distress and other financial costs. Reuters

Jet2 Has Seen The White House Deportation Meme
The brand that accidentally created the summer’s favorite social media audio is not on board with the Trump administration hopping on the trend. Jet2, a British budget airline, has recently found itself the subject of virality, as users post their vacation and life mishaps online to the soundtrack of a 2024 ad promoting the company’s discounted flights. The White House, however, may have spoiled the fun. USA Today

The Full List Of Countries That Have Updated Their Travel Advisories For The US
The US is projected to lose $12.5 billion in international traveler spending this year, according to a report from the The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released in May, citing a 22.5% decrease from peak international traveler spending, falling to $169 billion from $181 billion last year. International arrivals data is already showing a sharp decline. Overall visitation was down 14% in March 2025 compared to the previous year, with a 17% decline in visits from Western Europe, the first downward trend since 2021. Inbound tourism from Asia is still 25% below 2019 levels, according to the US Travel Association. Condé Nast Traveler

Fed-Up Italian Farmers Set Up Mountain Turnstiles To Charge Access To Instagram Hot Spots
If Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, had his way, travel influencers would be banned from the Dolomites. He blames them for the latest Italian social media trend, which has lured hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles, where tourists must pay 5 euros (nearly $6) to access several “Instagrammable” spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. CNN

You Can Cruise With The Cast Of The Love Boat In November
Princess Cruises has announced a special sailing this November where you can cruise with the cast of the beloved TV show, The Love Boat. The Love Boat Celebration at Sea will take place on Regal Princess, a week-long cruise to the Western Caribbean that will depart from Galveston on November 16, 2025. The cruise will visit Roatan and have an overnight stay in Cozumel, Mexico. Cruise Fever

Female Pilot Killed In Indiana Plane Crash Was Attempting Solo Trip Around The World
A pilot trying to become the first Vietnamese woman to fly solo around the world was killed when her small plane crashed in Indiana. Anh-Thu Nguyen, a Vietnamese-born flight instructor, had just taken off from the Indy South Greenwood Airport bound for Pennsylvania on the second leg of her global flight when her 2005 Lancair IV-P spiraled out of the sky and crashed behind a gas station in Greenwood, according to the Indianapolis Star. NY Post

Fairground Ride Snaps Mid-Air, Injuring 23, State Media Reports
At least 23 people were injured, three of them critically, when a fairground ride buckled in Saudi Arabia, sending passengers crashing to the ground, state media reported Thursday. Videos verified by CNN showed the “360 Big Pendulum” ride collapse while in use, causing the passenger-bearing circular carousel to smash into the other end of the pendulum before hitting the floor. CNN

Stingray Injuries Spike At Popular Southern California Beach
As summer crowds flock to Southern California’s coastline, lifeguards are reporting a sharp increase in stingray injuries, particularly in Seal Beach. According to Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey, lifeguards typically treat about one stingray sting per day. Recently, however, that number has climbed to around a dozen daily, with some days reaching as many as 20 reported cases, he says. KTLA

Thursday, July 31
Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbers
TSA officers screened 2,574,460 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, July 30

Delta Flight From Salt Lake City to Amsterdam Hit by Severe Turbulence, 25 Hospitalized
Last night a Delta Air Lines flight (DL56) from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam experienced severe turbulence. It diverted to Minneapolis (MSP). And there’s video of the aftermath. JohnnyJet.com

I’m Calling It: Southwest’s New Seat Policy Is Just a Money Grab
Southwest is officially just another airline. The transformation of the nation’s largest domestic carrier by passengers, the one that ridiculed rivals’ fees for years, began when it added bag fees in late May. Its new status was cemented on Tuesday when it started selling flights with assigned seats for travel beginning Jan. 27. WSJ

Protestors Block Cruise Ship in Amsterdam
Climate activists were out in force again earlier this week, blocking a cruise ship’s arrival in Amsterdam. Around 30 people blocked the passage of the Celebrity Eclipse on a scheduled port call in the city. Members of Extinction Rebellion took to canoes and inflatables to bar the way for the ship as it prepared to dock. Travelmole

United Flight From London to San Francisco Turns Back Mid-Air After Emergency
A United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was forced to return to London Heathrow on Wednesday after the crew declared an in-flight emergency shortly after takeoff, citing a technical issue. Flight UA949, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER registered as N229UA, departed from Heathrow’s runway 27L at 12:45 p.m. local time. The aircraft stopped its ascent at 15,000 feet over Milton Keynes before making a swift U-turn back toward London. SF Chronicle

Millions Told to Stay Out of Water at Great Lakes
More than 9 million people have been warned to stay out of the water on Wednesday as large waves and strong currents made for dangerous conditions at multiple lakes across the Upper Midwest. The Great Lakes is a popular recreation destination for millions in the Midwest, especially during the summer months. This week’s warnings come as there have been 45 drownings at the Great Lakes so far this year, according to statistics from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. MSN

Outdoor Work in Southern Europe’s Tourist Hot Spots Is Becoming Hellish
Cruel heat is baking southern Europe as the continent slips deeper into summer. In homes and offices, air conditioning is sweet relief. But under the scorching sun, outdoor labor can be grueling, brutal, occasionally even deadly. A street sweeper died in Barcelona during a heat wave last month and, according to a labor union, 12 other city cleaners have suffered heatstroke since. Some of Europe’s powerful unions are pushing for tougher regulations to protect the aging workforce from climate change on the world’s fastest-warming continent. AP

British Airways Has Become a National Embarrassment
British Airways’ descent from a beacon of national excellence and pride into something of a national disgrace seems to have reached rock bottom. Just this past month, chess Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi publicly detailed the “worst experience” with British Airways – an involuntary downgrade and a critical baggage delay en route to a major tournament. He declared they’d lost a customer. From what I could find, the airline apparently hasn’t even bothered to reply. Metro

More Flights, Smaller Planes: A Deeper Look at How Transcon Has Evolved
There is no market more important in the United States than the New York/JFK – Los Angeles route. It’s a huge market connecting two of the country’s most important cities. It is also a remarkably premium market that has the ability to generate incredible revenue. How much? In Q1 of this year, it took in over $101 million. In second place was Newark – San Francisco with shy of $70 million. The top four markets are JFK/Newark to LAX/San Francisco and were worth $280 million. In fifth place was LaGuardia – Miami with a paltry $36 million. (Long Beach – Oakland, if you were wondering, came in 883rd place with just under $3.5 million.) Cranky Flier

Waikiki Beach Tops Global List of Most Complained About Beaches
Waikiki Beach is the most complained about beach in the world, according to a study by Cloudwards. Waikiki Beach received the highest complaint score of 100 out of 100. No other beach on the list scored 100. “At Cloudwards, we wanted to uncover the truth behind postcard-worthy locations by analyzing what real travelers are saying,” said Cloudwards, a cloud storage specialist. “We meticulously examined TripAdvisor reviews for 200 of the world’s most popular beaches to determine which sandy shores are leaving visitors feeling salty.” Travel Weekly

You No Longer Need to Turn the Lights Off When You Leave the Room
Household rules vary quite a bit from home to home, but there’s one that most of us grew up hearing over and over again: “Turn off the lights when you leave the room!” If you had parents who were at all concerned with conserving energy, or, more likely, lowering the number on their energy bills, then you probably heard them frequently repeat this rule—and maybe even scold you when you left your bedroom light on. However, times change, technology improves, and the rules that applied back then don’t always apply today. With modern intel from the Department of Energy, we’re rethinking everything we thought we knew about leaving the lights on and “wasting energy.” Here’s what you need to know and how much you really need to worry about turning off the lights. Real Simple

‘Avoid Late Night Swims’: Woman Seriously Injured After New Zealand Shark Attack in Knee-Deep Water
A woman was seriously injured after authorities said she was attacked by a shark early Monday in shallow New Zealand waters. Southland Police reported the attack took place about 2 a.m. in an estuary in Riverton, a coastal town in the country’s southeast section. According to a Facebook post from the department, a 21-year-old woman was walking in knee-deep water when a shark bit her causing a severe laceration to her leg requiring medical treatment. USA Today

Wednesday, July 30
Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbers
TSA officers screened 2,438,709 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, July 29

Hawaiian Alaska Airlines Flights to Hawaii Resume After Tsunami Arrival
At around 9 p.m. Tuesday, Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines issued the following statement: “Hawaiian Airlines is safely resuming flight operations this evening as airports reopen. We appreciate our guests’ patience and understanding while we adjusted operations in Hawai’i. Guests with travel to from or within the Hawaiian Islands should continue to check the status of their flight.” Earlier Tuesday, the company issued this statement: “We are monitoring a tsunami warning for the Hawaiian Islands and portions of the state of Alaska and assessing our flight operations. We are holding flight departures to the Islands on Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.” Hawaii News Now

Air Canada Faces Potential Strike as Flight Attendants Vote
The union’s bargaining committee is seeking a strike mandate to secure an industry-leading contract for its members. In a message they emphasized that their strength lies in collective power stating this is how we will show the company that we are united serious and will accept nothing less than the contract we deserve. Daily Mail

Police and Protesters Clash as Israeli Cruise Ship Docks on Tourist Island
Demonstrators calling for an end to the Gaza war protested the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship on the Greek island of Crete on Tuesday. It was the third such protest on Greek islands in the past week. On the southern Greek island protesters at the port of Agios Nikolaos unfurled a huge Palestinian flag. The Independent

US Travel Bookings Rebound for August Boosting Companies’ Revenue Outlook
US travel companies including air carriers United Airlines and Southwest Airlines and hotel operators Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Hotels have issued a collective sigh of relief as budget-conscious Americans have started booking travel again after many put vacation plans on pause earlier this year. Reuters

Russian Tourists Flock Back to Europe
Russian tourists are returning to Europe in growing numbers despite the war in Ukraine with France Italy and Spain their favored holiday destinations. The three travel hotspots are all NATO and EU members and have imposed sanctions on Moscow. Hotel stays by Russians in Italy and France surged by more than 19 percent in the past year which Ukrainian diplomats branded disturbing and a security risk. The Telegraph

Anchorage Warns Hikers After 2 Bear Attacks in a Week
Authorities are warning hikers to steer clear of streams and rivers where salmon are running and to take precautions after bears mauled hikers on two different occasions within a week in Anchorage. Both unidentified hikers survived the attacks in separate parts of the municipality of Anchorage a sprawling urban-wildlife interface that spreads across 1,961 square miles an area slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. AP

‘I Flew From Florida Just for This’
Disappointed fans have spoken to the BBC following Canadian rapper Drake’s cancellation of his concert in Manchester on Monday due to travel logistics. Monday’s concert was called off due to unforeseen ferry and travel logistics and has been rescheduled for next week according to a statement issued by the Co-op Live arena. Nina 24 bought tickets for Monday night’s show in June from her home in Orlando Florida and decided to plan a European road trip around the concert date culminating in seeing her favorite artist in Manchester on 28 July. “I made a big sacrifice just to make this concert but I knew it would be the highlight of my trip” she said. BBC

Shooting at Reno Casino Grand Sierra Resort Leaves 3 Dead and 3 Hurt Authorities Say
At least three people were killed and three others were injured by a gunman at the Grand Sierra Resort casino in Reno Nevada on Monday authorities said. Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance and Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawforth were among a number of officials who held an afternoon press conference to provide an update on the shooting which happened shortly before 7:30 a.m. CBS News

Montreal Over Miami Canadians Continue to Change Their Summer Vacation Plans Because of Trump
Canadians are trading their annual vacations south of the border for domestic road trips exploring Ottawa the Yukon’s midnight sun Nova Scotia’s whale watching or hiking in Banff. This newfound desire to stay local began earlier this year when US President Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada and imposed tariffs on Canadian goods spurring a Buy Canadian movement to boycott US businesses and avoid US travel. The Independent

Southwest Airlines CEO Teases Lounges as a Possibility
Against the backdrop of lower than expected earnings Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan hinted that the carrier will be doing more in the future to change its business model and become more like its US competitors. Southwest reported earnings of $7.24 billion in the second quarter though analysts previously expected the figure to be closer to $7.29 billion. USA Today

Tuesday, July 29
Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbers
TSA officers screened 2,929,234 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, July 28

Thousands of Flights Were Delayed at Newark Airport Investigators Want To Know If Moving This FAA Facility Caused It
The Department of Transportation’s inspector general has opened an audit into the relocation of the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control facility responsible for flights approaching or departing Newark Liberty International Airport. The relocation which stirred much controversy among controllers and their union occurred last July when controllers monitoring flights landing at or departing from Newark were relocated from Long Island New York to Philadelphia. The move has faced repeated questions since April when the facility experienced a series of radar and communication systems outages. The memorandum outlining the audit mentions two 90-second blackouts at the facility in the spring. CNN

Delta Pilot Who Faces Child Assault Charges After Arrest Identified
A Delta Air Lines pilot that was taken into custody after landing at San Francisco International Airport was arrested on child sexual assault charges authorities said. Rustom Bhagwagar 34 was booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age according to a statement provided to USA TODAY by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office on July 28. USA Today

Southwest Assigned Seats Bookings Now Open
After more than 50 years Southwest Airlines is phasing out its iconic open-seating policy and “bags fly free” perk. Starting Tuesday the airline began selling tickets for flights with assigned seating the new boarding and cabin structure is set to launch Jan. 27. The shift marks the end of a practice dating back to Southwest’s first flight in 1971. In its place a more traditional boarding process with eight boarding groups replaces the long-used A-B-C method. NewsNation

US Airlines Oppose New Limits on Facial Recognition at Airport Checkpoints
Groups representing major U.S. airlines travel companies and airports on Monday urged the Senate to reject a bill that would limit the ability of the Transportation Security Administration to use facial recognition software at security checkpoints. Reuters

JetBlue Posts Smaller-Than-Expected Loss as Demand Improved
JetBlue Airways Corp. posted a smaller-than-expected loss in the second quarter as demand rebounded and efforts to turn around the struggling carrier gained traction. The airline’s adjusted loss was 16 cents a share the company said in a statement on Tuesday. That compares with the 33-cent average deficit expected by analysts according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Demand improved as the second quarter progressed and the carrier said it’s seeing strong bookings from customers within two weeks of departure. Bloomberg

Toxic Algae Are Turning South Australia’s Coral Reefs Into Underwater Graveyards
What struck Scott Bennett most were the razor clams. The long saltwater clams resembling old-fashioned razors normally burrow into sand to avoid predators. But when Bennett an ecologist visited South Australia’s Great Southern Reef last month he saw thousands of them rotting on the sea floor. “100% of them were dead and wasting away on the bottom” Bennett told CNN. CNN

‘He’s Showing Up’ Things Are Getting Better at Boeing Under CEO Ortberg Can He Keep It Going?
Boeing has been on an upswing since CEO Kelly Ortberg took over the top job a year ago. Wall Street analysts expect the aircraft manufacturer to halve its second-quarter losses from a year ago when it reports earnings this week. But Ortberg still has challenges ahead of him including ramping up production of jets which will require FAA approval and in company’s defense unit. CNBC

How Hawaii Pushed Out Native Hawaiians
Sara Kehaulani Goo was 8 years old when she learned a secret. Deep in a swath of her family’s ancestral land on the isolated eastern tip of Maui stood a 13th-century temple known as a heiau perhaps the largest anywhere in Polynesia. Even as a girl she understood the spiritual weight of this Hawaiian place of worship. At first sight she was astonished by the “tidal wave of black” before her eyes. Washington Post

Delta Air Lines Pilot Arrested After Failing Breathalyzer Test in Stockholm
Swedish police took a pilot into custody at Arlanda Airport (ARN) near Stockholm city who was above the legal blood-alcohol content just before takeoff. Delta flight 205 was canceled as a result of the intoxicated pilot’s arrest. Simple Flying

Norwegian To Extend Cruise Schedule From Philadelphia
Even before its first ship has left Philadelphia a major cruise line is extending their service schedule from the City of Brotherly Love. Norwegian Cruise Line is starting service from Philadelphia’s Southport Marine Terminal Complex at the site of the former Navy Yard in April 2026 but now a spring/summer 2027 schedule has been announced. WDEL

Monday, July 28
Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbers
TSA officers screened 3,017,408 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, July 27

Russia’s Aeroflot Cancels Dozens of Flights After Information Failure
Russian airline Aeroflot cancelled dozens of flights on Monday after what it called a failure in its information systems. The national carrier did not provide further details about the cause of the problem or how long it would take to resolve. Since Russia launched the war in Ukraine in February 2022, travellers in Russia have become accustomed to flight disruptions. However, those delays have usually been caused by temporary airport closures after drone attacks. Reuters

Southwest Sees Bag Fees Beat Expectations Trims Full-Year Guidance
Revenue from new Southwest Airlines checked bag fees has surpassed the company’s expectations and the carrier says it has observed no “book-away” resulting from the change. “At this early stage we’re already trending at the higher end of the bag-revenue-per-passenger rate of our larger peers…” Aviation Week Network

Where Did All the Las Vegas Tippers Go?
Workers in Las Vegas have a problem and it is one that “no tax on tips” can’t fix: the tourism sector is struggling. A tattoo artist in downtown Vegas told the Wall Street Journal that his tip income has been cut in half recently, attributing some of the drop in business to fewer Canadian customers, many of whom are boycotting the US for geopolitical reasons. WSJ

Delta Co-Pilot Arrested on Flight From Minneapolis on Child Porn Charges
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin, citing a senior federal source, reports that the co-pilot was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations agents on charges of child sexual abuse materials. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

Quishing Scams Dupe Millions of Americans as Hackers Turn QR Code Bad
Almost three-quarters of Americans (73%) scan QR codes without verification and more than 26 million have already been directed to malicious sites, according to NordVPN. The FTC warned earlier this year about scanning QR codes on unexpected packages. New York City’s Department of Transportation issued a warning that scammers are posting QR codes on parking meters that are not legitimate payment links. CNBC

FBI Investigates ‘Suspicious’ Death on Board Carnival Cruise Ship in Texas
Multiple federal agencies are investigating a death on board a Texas-based Carnival Dream cruise ship, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An unidentified person died on the Galveston-based Dream on Wednesday, the FBI Houston office confirmed to the Post. NY Post

9-Year-Old Died After Wave Pool Incident at Hersheypark There Were 10 Lifeguards Present
Hersheypark is sharing more information about the death of a 9-year-old child following an incident at their water park in Pennsylvania. The child, who has not yet been identified, was visiting The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday, July 24, when they became “in distress” in the water, John Lawn, CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resort previously said in a statement. People

Beloved Peacocks Reported Stolen From Historic California Hotel
The Ryde Hotel staff are desperately missing their favorite occupants — the gorgeous peacocks known to fawn about on the orchard-lined banks of the Sacramento River and mischievously wander through the hotel’s banquet hall. A guest reported seeing two men shoving a peacock into a cage and loading it into a pick-up truck on Saturday, said hotel manager David Nielsen. Los Angeles Times

Connecting in the US Just Got Easier… On One Route on American
Any of you who have flown into the US from another country and had to connect know the pain involved in that process. You are required to follow the local passengers down into the bowels of the terminal, go through immigration, claim your checked bags, and go through customs. Then, you have to find a baggage re-check counter if you’re eligible and finally go back through security to get to your connecting gate. The US is one of the only places that makes life this miserable for these types of connections. For some foreign nationals that is simply not worth it. Cranky Flier

89 Comments On "12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today"

David R. Miller|
August 3, 2025 at 5:08 pm | Reply

Johnny – it appears that you have overdosed on the Kool-Aid. Every day President Trump shows “what kind of man he is”. I read on the internet what President Trump said on the Stern show and if YOU took the time to read/view the content you would see that he spoke about 24 year old and younger women – your post here contends that the phrase “younger women” implies women younger than legal aged young women. Time to grow up Johnny and face the facts – and not the lies of CNN, MSNBC and the other proven lying media sources.
1. Johnny Jet|
  August 3, 2025 at 6:08 pm | Reply
  
  You’re only going to believe what you want to believe. We all know Trump was best friends with Epstein and that they preyed on underage women.
Janet Seltzer|
July 18, 2025 at 3:07 am | Reply

Why can’t I access 12 items of the day from previous days anymore?
1. Johnny Jet|
  July 19, 2025 at 1:07 pm | Reply
  
  Hi! We changed the format on the page since it wasn’t loading fast enough and people were complaining too many ads. So the stories are only live for 24 hours
Jnaoh|
June 13, 2025 at 8:06 am | Reply

What a thorough roundup, Johnny! The mix of urgent updates—like the Air India crash survivor, TSA checkpoint stats, and mobile passport news—is incredibly useful for both frequent flyers and travel planners. I especially appreciated the deep dive into airline pesticide spraying and the safety concerns around phenothrin exposure. Your practical travel tips, such as staying up-to-date on REAL ID rules and digital credentials, always keep me a step ahead. Thanks for keeping us informed with facts, not panic. Looking forward to tomorrow’s edition!
Sherrie|
June 12, 2025 at 8:06 pm | Reply

I’ve been a long-time reader and often share your newsletter with others because of the great travel insights you provide. That’s why I get super disappointed to see political jabs included—especially when it seemed dismissive of serious events, like the fires in LA and the impact on local small businesses. (ie Not all of LA is burning!)
It’s concerning to see such issues minimized. What if it was happening in Manhattan Beach—or to people close to you—I imagine the tone might be different. The destruction of a jewelry shop and the many losses of people’s livelihood deserve attention, regardless of where it happens.
Also, while everyone is entitled to their views, I find the political jabs—especially those targeting Trump supporters—off-putting. Many readers, myself included, come to your newsletter for engaging travel content, not political commentary. I’ve recommended your work to others, and it’s tough when I have to brace for a partisan slant.
For context, I now live in Billings, MT after leaving LA because of the out of control crime and homelessness. When Trump’s plane broke down here last summer, I can say with confidence—through family connections in aviation—that he absolutely didn’t fly on Epstein’s plane. The Secret Service only uses pre-cleared aircraft, and my brother-in-law was nearly involved in that backup flight with his own private plane.
All I ask is that you consider your audience. We turn to your newsletter for your strength—informative, inspiring travel content. I’d love to see you stay focused on what you do best and not obvious articles poking at Trump and a good portion of the nation that support him.
1. Johnny Jet|
  June 12, 2025 at 9:06 pm | Reply
  
  Keep drinking the Kool-Aid if you think he wasn’t on Epstein’s plane and much worse sleeping with young girls. I guess you never listened to him on Howard Stern where he admitted to it. Did you miss this Tweet from Musk? “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Please. We all know — including you what kind of man he is.