And other travel news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: the Federal Aviation Administration wants airlines to revise their safety guidelines to prevent passengers from grabbing their bags during evacuations; a newspaper report finds that restaurants in Paris are charging American tourists more than locals; and tourists in Thailand have been fined for urinating into the ocean.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
CYBERATTACK DISRUPTS EUROPEAN AIRPORTS
Passengers at several European airports faced headaches after a cyberattack paralyzed check-in systems. London Heathrow, Brussels Airport, and Berlin Brandenburg were hit hardest after Collins Aerospace, an American company providing check-in services worldwide, was targeted on Friday.
Through the weekend, flights were delayed or canceled, with many airlines resorting to manual check-in. Passengers faced long lines, and disruptions were reported across several hubs, including minor setbacks in Dublin and Cork, Ireland. Brussels Airport canceled half its flights on Monday with the system still down.
Other recent cyberattacks have also made headlines. The last major aviation incident was in July, when Australia’s Qantas suffered a massive data breach.
Related: Massive Data Breach Compromises Data of 6 Million Qantas Customers
NO.2
FRENCH RESTAURANTS CHARGE AMERICAN DINERS MORE
The French daily newspaper Le Parisien conducted an experiment this summer to see if Parisian restaurants charge tourists more after complaints on Reddit. Journalist Mathieu Hennequin, wearing an Eiffel Tower T-shirt, sunglasses, and a baseball cap, played an American tourist. His friend Marc Mazière acted as a French diner.
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Both ate at two places, and Hennequin was never served tap water—only bottled. In one case, he was told that service was not included and was asked to tip. The French diner was served free tap water and a smaller can of Coke. The experiment showed tourists paid more for the same experience: Hennequin’s bill was €9.50 higher at one restaurant and €10 higher at another.
Keep in mind: Service is included in your bill in France, and you are not expected to tip unless you receive exceptional service. Tap water is free, and restaurants are required to provide it.
NO.3
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TELLS PILOT TO GET OFF THE IPAD AND PAY ATTENTION
An air traffic controller reprimanded pilots of a Spirit Airlines flight last week, telling them to pay attention and get off the iPad.
The flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Boston was landing as Air Force One—carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump—was en route to the U.K. The controller told the pilots to turn 20 degrees left repeatedly. The incident was captured on a recording.
The two planes were eight miles apart and never at an unsafe distance. A spokesperson from the airline said, “Spirit Airlines flight 1300 followed procedures and Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions while en route to Boston and landed uneventfully (in Boston).” The FAA also confirmed the aircraft maintained the required separation.
NO.4
FAA TELLS AIRLINES TO EVALUATE SAFETY MESSAGES
After several incidents of passengers retrieving carry-on bags during emergency evacuations, the FAA has told airlines to address non-compliance. The notice explained that baggage retrieval delays can cause slips, damage to evacuation slides, and undermine emergency efficiency. “Any delay caused by retrieval of baggage can significantly affect survival rates in rapidly deteriorating conditions.”
Airlines are urged to ensure that passengers leave bags behind in emergencies by updating safety briefings and passenger outreach. “Establish and normalize expected behavior by promoting the idea that ‘everyone leaves bags behind.’”
NO.5
TOURISTS GET FINED FOR URINATING IN THAILAND
Another incident of bad behavior by tourists made headlines last week when two foreign visitors in Pattaya, Thailand, urinated in public. The men ignored locals who urged them to stop urinating into the sea from the shore, and even showed those residents the middle finger. They attempted to flee after authorities were called, but were eventually fined an undisclosed amount.
