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):

=== Sunday, April 26 === 

Spirit Airlines’ Cash ‘Not Going to Last for Very Much Longer’
A lawyer for Spirit said the company needs access to existing cash or new funding in the next few days to continue operations. The budget airline is in talks with the Trump administration for a possible rescue package that could include $500 million from the U.S. government in exchange for a significant ownership stake. Trump confirmed the government is considering “bailing them out, or buying it.” (CNBC)

JetBlue Sued for Alleged Surveillance Pricing
A class-action lawsuit claims JetBlue used personal data to raise ticket prices, citing a now-deleted social media reply suggesting customers clear cookies or use incognito mode. JetBlue denies using personal data for pricing, saying fares change based on availability. (Morning Brew)

31 Sloths Died at Sloth World Orlando-Owned Warehouse: FWC Reports
An investigation found that 31 sloths died after being shipped to Florida from Guyana and Peru, with many reportedly suffering from cold exposure or arriving in poor condition, raising concerns ahead of the attraction’s opening. (FOX 35 Orlando)

Mid-Air Delivery: Baby Born on Delta Flight Minutes Before Landing at PDX
A Delta flight from Atlanta to Portland turned into an emergency delivery room when a baby was born about 30 minutes before landing, with the airline confirming the mid-air birth. (KOMO News)

California’s Jet Fuel Stockpile Hits Two-Year Low as War Strangles Oil Supplies
California’s jet fuel reserves have dropped more than 25% from last year’s peak due to global oil disruptions tied to conflict in Iran, raising concerns about supply heading into peak travel season. (LA Times)

Boy, 13, Accused in Tourist Death Had History of Throwing Objects, Prosecutors Say
A 13-year-old accused of killing a tourist in Italy by throwing a statue from a balcony allegedly had a known habit of tossing objects, with prosecutors claiming his parents failed to intervene. (NY Post)

Lufthansa Cuts 20,000 Flights as Fuel Prices Surge
The Lufthansa Group will cut 20,000 short-haul flights through October, focusing on less profitable routes as rising fuel costs tied to global conflict strain operations. (AP)

Communication Issues Linked to Fatal LaGuardia Crash, Report Finds
A preliminary report found multiple factors contributed to a deadly runway collision at LaGuardia, including strained air traffic control resources and overlapping instructions in the minutes before impact. (NBC News)

Philadelphia Secures Free Subway Rides for 2026 FIFA World Cup Fans
Philadelphia will offer free SEPTA subway rides home after World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field, thanks to a partnership with Airbnb aimed at easing transportation for fans. (CBS Philadelphia)

Hundreds of Tourists Stranded During Rio Police Operation
More than 200 tourists were stranded atop a Rio de Janeiro trail during a police raid targeting gang members, before being safely escorted down once the situation stabilized. (People)

JetBlue Accused Again of Using Customer Data to Set Prices
A separate lawsuit alleges JetBlue tracked customer data to influence airfare pricing, claiming such tactics could tailor fares based on browsing behavior and demographics. (CBS)

Two LAX Workers Arrested in Federal Drug Smuggling Probe
Two contract workers at Los Angeles International Airport were arrested in connection with a federal drug smuggling investigation, though details about their roles remain limited. (KTLA)

Qantas and Virgin Cancel Hundreds of Flights as Fuel Prices Soar
Australian carriers Qantas and Virgin are cutting hundreds of flights, particularly in regional areas, as rising fuel costs force airlines to scale back operations. (Daily Mail)

Influencer Apologizes for Leaving Baby Alone in Hotel Room
An influencer issued a public apology after leaving her six-month-old baby alone in a locked hotel room while getting a massage, acknowledging the situation was unsafe despite monitoring the child remotely. (People)

Tourist Charged for Damaging Historic Florence Fountain in Prank
A tourist faces charges after climbing a historic Neptune fountain in Florence and causing damage during a pre-wedding prank at the landmark in Piazza della Signoria. (The Guardian)

Hawaii Braces for Change as Larry Ellison Plans Lanai Expansion
New development plans on Lanai could expand resort areas by 85 acres, marking a significant shift for the quiet Hawaiian island owned largely by billionaire Larry Ellison. (SF Gate)

=== Wednesday, April 22 === 

Trump administration in advanced talks for Spirit Airlines rescue
The Trump administration is in advanced talks for a financing package for Spirit Airlines, according to a person familiar with the matter. Spirit had been facing a potentially imminent liquidation, people familiar with the matter told CNBC last week. The airline could receive around $500 million from the government, financing that could give the government an equity stake in the discounter. CNBC

US Warns It Will Run Out Of Money To Pay Airport Security Workers In Coming Weeks
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne ‌Mullin warned on ‌Tuesday that he will run out of money to pay for 50,000 Transportation Security Administration workers ‌in ⁠the coming weeks unless Congress acts to ⁠fund the department. President Donald Trump in late March directed DHS to use ‌emergency funds to pay TSA workers who had gone without paychecks for about six weeks ‌and had sparked massive disruptions at U.S. airports. ‌Mullin told “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday that the money would run out by ‌early May. Reuters

FAA Investigating Close Call At JFK Airport Between 2 Passenger Jets
Four commercial flights narrowly avoided collisions within a 48-hour span, including a close call Monday afternoon at John F. Kennedy International Airport in which an American Airlines jet veered into the path of an Air Canada plane on final approach. Air traffic control recordings captured the tense moments as controllers urgently directed both aircraft to climb and change course. The Air Canada flight, call sign “Jazz 554,” had been cleared to land when the American Airlines jet strayed off its assigned path. Yahoo

American Airlines And TSA Expand TSA PreCheck Touchless ID To All Of American’s Hub Airports
Customers traveling through Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK and LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX) and Washington, D.C. (DCA), can verify their identity using secure facial-matching technology without presenting a physical ID or boarding pass. In addition to American’s hubs, the program is available at 60 U.S. airports where the airline operates. American Airlines Newsroom

Canadian Tourist Killed In Shooting At Mexico’s Teotihuacán Pyramids
A Canadian tourist was shot and killed Monday while visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids in Mexico, according to local authorities. Mexico’s security officials said a gunman opened fire at the popular tourist spot, killing a Canadian woman and injuring at least 13 people, including seven Americans. The shooter is believed to have taken his own life, the Security Cabinet said. CBS News

Delta Air Lines Cuts Some Summer Flights Amid High Fuel Prices
Delta Air Lines is cutting some flights this summer as airlines adjust to quickly shifting economics. The Atlanta-based airline says the decision is based on a number of operational factors and did not specify fuel, but many airlines have been working to boost revenue and trim expenses amid surging fuel prices since the start of the war in Iran. USA Today

Did JetBlue Just Admit To Surveillance Pricing? Airline Now Says Viral Post About $230 Fare Hike Was An Error.
When a frustrated JetBlue customer took to social media to complain about a flight price jumping $230 in one day, the carrier responded with advice to clear their cache and use an incognito browser to find cheaper airfare. JetBlue has since deleted the post and called it an employee’s “error,” but not before the internet flagged the response as a quiet admission of surveillance pricing, which is the controversial practice of using personal data to set individualized prices. MarketWatch

Carnival Cruise Passenger Dies While Snorkeling In Australia
A Carnival Cruise Line guest died last week during an Australia voyage. The 67-year-old woman from Tasmania was reported to be “unresponsive” in the water near Moreton Island off the coast of Queensland on April 17, the Queensland Police Service told USA TODAY in a statement. “Attempts were made to revive the woman, however, she was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the statement continued. USA Today

Hawaiian Airlines Finally Joins Oneworld Alliance, An Exciting Milestone
Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines in the fall of 2024. We’ve known that the plan was for Hawaiian to eventually join the oneworld alliance, and that has now finally happened, as of April 22, 2026. The biggest implications of Hawaiian joining oneworld is for those who are loyal to other oneworld programs, given that Hawaiian already participates in the Atmos Rewards program (which “belongs” to oneworld, for all practical purposes). One Mile at a Time

Spain’s Santiago De Compostela Airport To Be Closed For Five Weeks Leading To Flight Cancellations
A Spanish airport is set to be closed for a whopping five weeks for renovations, leading to the cancellation of many flights. Located in north-west Spain, Santiago de Compostela Airport will shut down all operations from April 23 to May 27. During this time, no aircraft will land at or take off from the hub. Daily Mail

Ryanair Flight Leaves British Passengers Behind In Milan Due To Long EES Queues And Delays
British airline passengers were left behind in Milan after their flight departed without them as a result of EES delays. A Ryanair flight from Milan Bergamo to Manchester took off on 16 April without a number of its passengers on board. The introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which began rolling out on 10 April, means many UK passengers now need to register biometric details, such as fingerprints and facial recognition images, when entering the Schengen Area. Daily Mail

Blue Jays Bus From Phoenix To SoCal After Plane Is Grounded
A mechanical issue with their charter plane forced the Toronto Blue Jays to bus from Phoenix to Southern California on Sunday night, a six-hour drive on a dark desert highway that got the team to its Orange County hotel at around 12:30 a.m. “I felt like I was back in the Northwest League,” manager John Schneider said before Monday night’s series opener against the Los Angeles Angels, which the Blue Jays won 5-2. “But we made the best of it. We all got here safe, and we’re ready to go.” ESPN

Aer Lingus Cancels Some Flights From Summer Schedule
A number of Aer Lingus flights have been cancelled from its summer schedule due to what it has described as “mandatory maintenance on aircraft”. The airline said “a limited number” of adjustments have been made, adding that the “vast majority of customers” are being accommodated on same-day services. BBC

Edelweiss Air Cancels Seattle-Zurich Summer Flights
Edelweiss Air has discontinued its flights between Seattle and Zurich, effective immediately, as it makes adjustments in its summer flight schedule, the airline said Thursday. It joins other carriers making adjustments to offset rising jet fuel costs from the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Seattle Times

$13 Train Fare Spikes To $150 For World Cup Fans Attending Matches In New Jersey
Sky-high ticket prices won’t be the only thing emptying the wallets of soccer fans attending World Cup matches at some U.S. venues this spring. Fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City can expect to shell out $150 for a round-trip train fare for each match, transportation officials confirmed Friday. That’s nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare for the roughly 15-minute, 9-mile ride from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. On-site parking won’t be available for most fans, so New Jersey officials anticipate that around 40,000 fans will use mass transit for each match. AP

Couple Aghast When Sunny Cruise To Bermuda Is Unexpectedly Rerouted To Chilly Alternate Destination
India and Ian McCue’s Bermuda cruise was rerouted to Canada due to unsafe weather conditions along the original route. Virgin Voyages offered passengers onboard credit and future voyage incentives after notifying them of the itinerary change. The couple’s TikTok about the unexpected trip went viral as they praised Canadian hospitality and made the most of it. People

Two Southwest Airlines Planes Came Dangerously Close In Nashville And Had To Take Evasive Action
Two Southwest Airlines planes had to take evasive action to avoid colliding Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee, after an air traffic controller directed one pilot to turn into the path of the other plane. Last year, an American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft. That crash on Jan. 29, 2025, put the spotlight on midair collisions, which are rare in commercial flights where the planes are equipped with systems to alert pilots about a potential collision. AP

=== Sunday, April 19 === 

JetBlue founder Neeleman warns airline could face bankruptcy
David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU), said the airline may be heading toward bankruptcy, speaking during a discussion with pilots at Breeze Airways—his most recent aviation venture—on Thursday. Neeleman, a long-time airline entrepreneur who launched JetBlue in 1999 and led the company as CEO until 2007, outlined concerns about the carrier’s financial outlook in remarks that later circulated on X. Investors Hub

Spirit Airlines Could Liquidate As Early As This Week, Sources Say
Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, according to people familiar with the matter. The airline, which was trying to recover from its second bankruptcy in less than a year, is facing the added challenge of a spike in the price of fuel. Spirit said in February that it was set to exit bankruptcy as early as this spring. CNBC

United CEO Floated Idea of United-American Airlines Merger
United CEO Scott Kirby floated the idea to Trump administration officials of United merging with American Airlines, according to sources familiar with the situation. That conversation with officials is surfacing now after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hinted the Trump administration was open to further consolidation in the aviation industry, but United would have a challenging road to show such a combination would improve competition or not raise costs for flyers. CBS News

Europe Has ‘Maybe 6 Weeks of Jet Fuel Left’, Energy Boss Warns
Europe has “maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left”, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week. BBC

Germany’s Lufthansa to Shut Regional CityLine Unit Amid Fuel Costs and Strikes Pressure
German airline group Lufthansa said on Thursday that it will shut down its CityLine regional subsidiary, saying higher jet fuel prices and a series of labour strikes had forced an acceleration of its strategic plans. “As a first, immediately effective step, the 27 operational aircraft of Lufthansa CityLine will be permanently removed from the flight programme starting the day after tomorrow, in order to reduce further losses at the loss-making airline,” the group said. EuroNews

Train Tickets to 2026 World Cup at MetLife Stadium from NYC to Cost More Than $100
New Jersey’s NJ Transit is currently planning to charge more than $100 for return rail tickets from New York’s Pennsylvania Station to MetLife Stadium for FIFA World Cup games. According to people familiar with the plans, who asked to remain anonymous in order to protect relationships, a return ticket purchased via NJ Transit, New Jersey’s transportation provider, is currently modeled for more than a seven-fold increase from its usual prices during the World Cup this summer. The Athletic

The FAA Moves To Cut Flights At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport
How the turf war at O’Hare International Airport started is a matter of debate. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom blames his rival, United Airlines. “Where we were headed in Chicago, due to the reckless scheduling of our competitor, OK, was going to be gridlock,” Isom said at an investors conference in Washington, D.C., last month. NPR

Virgin Atlantic Raises Ticket Prices By Up To $488 As Jet Fuel Prices Soar
Virgin Atlantic has raised ticket prices by as much as £360 ($488 USD) as the war in Iran threatened jet fuel supplies. Sir Richard Branson’s airline has added a fuel surcharge of £50 to economy-class tickets, with premium economy increasing by £180 and business class by £360. The Telegraph

Delta Unveils First New Delta One Suite In Premium Cabin Arms Race
Delta is unveiling the first update to its Delta One suite in about a decade. The airline is logging a bigger portion of its revenue from premium seating compared with main cabin sales. CNBC

Southwest CEO signals lounges are coming soon in premium push
Southwest Airlines Co. said it’s pushing ahead with a plan to introduce lounges, highlighting how the company is committed to a corporate makeover even as it absorbs higher costs from surging fuel prices. The effort is a “near term” pursuit, Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan said, as the carrier moves to court higher-paying travelers and boost revenue. Bloomberg

American YouTuber sentenced to 6 months in South Korean prison
YouTuber Johnny Somali will have plenty of time to brush up on his Korean in the prison library … because he’s been sentenced to serve 6 months for his controversial acts. The Seoul Western District Court found Somali — government name Ramsey Khalid Ismael — guilty on multiple charges, including obstruction of business and distributing fabricated sexually explicit content. TMZ

California nurse wins huge payout from Carnival after drinking 14 tequila shots and suffering fall
A woman who took 14 shots of tequila aboard a Carnival cruise ship will receive $300,000 from the company after suing over injuries she sustained in a fall while intoxicated. Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse who lives in Vacaville, California, was a passenger on the Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024, when she was served the massive amount of liquor between 2:58pm and 11:37pm – roughly an eight-and-a-half-hour span, according to the lawsuit. Daily Mail