Travel Week in Review – November 19th, 2021

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sent a special information bulletin on Tuesday alerting manufacturers, operators, and pilots to the potential dangers of 5G telecommunications. In the bulletin, the FAA explained, “there have not yet been proven reports of harmful interference due to wireless broadband operations internationally,” however, it added, officials may need to take action to address potential interference with aircraft electronics due to the rise of 5G. Read More…

Due to a huge influx of requests as the world reopens, travelers who need to renew (either in person or via mail) will have to allow extra time to do so. The best advice? Check your passport expiration date now—whether you have a trip planned or are just dreaming of one—and don’t forget many international destinations require your passport to be valid for six months from your planned return date to the United States. We tapped travel experts to answer common questions about U.S. passport renewal right now. Read More…

This holiday travel season is poised to be a busy one as more Americans opt to leave home after a year that was heavily impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. TSA screened more than 2.1 million passengers at airports nationwide on Sunday, November 14, up significantly from just over 978,000 on the same day last year and not far off the pre-pandemic figure of nearly 2.4 million in 2019. The influx of travelers is compounding staffing shortages being faced by the industry. Read More…

Travelers are ready to get out and explore — and 2022 could be even more popular for trips than before the pandemic, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). When it comes to getaways, domestic travel growth has “significantly” outpaced global tourism as a whole and is expected to rise even more in 2022. This year, the United States travel sector is anticipating a 35.6% bump, compared to 2020. Read More…

Delta and TSA’s new bag-drop program rolled out for testing at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at the end of October. (A similar pilot program is also at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.) Travelers will go to a dedicated bag drop area on the lower floor of the South Terminal. At the screen, the attached camera will automatically snap their photo and send it to the Travel Verification Service database. Read More…