Travel Week in Review – August 5th, 2022

The Department of Transportation has proposed new rules to better protect travelers in case their flight is delayed, canceled or otherwise significantly changed — a response to the “flood of air travel service complaints” the department has received since the coronavirus pandemic began, it said in a news release. By defining when a flight can be considered canceled or significantly changed. Read More…

If you’ve visited a Global Entry kiosk in the last year or so, you may have noticed the technology is getting savvier. Kiosks can now verify your identity with a facial scan — no passport or fingerprint check necessary. Now, some U.S. airports are going a step further. Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Texas’ two largest international airports: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston would be the latest to also do away with paper receipts. Read More…

New ordinances passed in cities that are popular tourist spots are targeting what locals say is travelers’ bad behavior and inappropriate dress. The rules are prompting renewed discussions of responsible tourism among industry professionals and what it means to be a “good tourist.” Wearing bikinis and going shirtless may be fine when sunbathing at the beach, but it’s a no-no when walking the streets of Sorrento, Italy, and could cost offenders. Read More…

The fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been all bad for airline passengers. Early in the pandemic, travelers struggled to get airline refunds. More recently, the industry’s flat-footed handling of this summer’s travel resurgence has given passengers fits. But as the pandemic upended travel, some airlines started to offer passengers something missing for years: flexibility. Read More…

A sweltering heat wave has been sweeping through Europe in recent days, with extreme temperatures causing treacherous conditions, including everything from airport runway and railroad track damage to wildfires in mountains and surrounding cities. Record temperatures “have been broken in many places” in Europe, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Joe Curtis. “The new records set in the United Kingdom were particularly notable,” Curtis says, referring to Eastern England’s peak of 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit on July 19. Read More…