And other travel news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we have uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: a human foot washed up on the shore of a beach in Ibiza; amid the shutdown, Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo have closed their doors; and a new campaign in London is urging commuters to stand up against harassment and abuse.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
AIR CANADA TO SERVE FREE BOOZE
Canada’s flagship carrier Air Canada announced it will serve free wine and beer to all passengers, including economy class. The change will make it the first North American legacy airline to offer free alcohol to passengers on all flights.
Scott O’Leary, vice president of loyalty and product, said, “Food and beverage just tend to have a disproportionate impact on customer satisfaction, more than any other attribute of our products and services.”
The airline is trying to woo passengers after its baggage policy change last year added extra baggage costs to tickets. But it’s easier and more cost-effective to serve alcohol than cut baggage fees, O’Leary said. “That’s just not something that’s easily waived or given to everybody without having to have some impact on ticket price.”
Related: Another Airline Wants Passengers to Pay Baggage Fees
NO.2
SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS SHUTS DOWN
The government shutdown has entered its third week. After 11 days, the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo closed. The group of 21 museums, the zoo and its research centers had kept their doors open using budgets from previous years. The Smithsonian’s X account announced it will not share updates other than its operating status, and the animal cameras will not be operating.
Due to the government shutdown, Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with our research centers and the National Zoo.
We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other… pic.twitter.com/qdWi8gSGmY
— Smithsonian (@smithsonian) October 10, 2025
The shutdown has also affected travel across the U.S. Some national parks are closed, but most have remained open with skeleton crews and minimal services. Air traffic controllers have also started calling in sick, leading to delays and disruptions across the country.
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NO.3
CAMPAIGN ASKS LONDON COMMUTERS TO STAND UP TO HARASSMENT
Transport for London, the agency that runs the Underground, buses and trams in the capital, launched a new campaign asking commuters to step in if they see someone being harassed.
“For National Hate Crime Awareness Week and beyond, we’re sharing real stories of people who made a difference by being active bystanders and acting like a friend by stepping in, showing kindness, and helping to defuse difficult situations,” TfL explained.
The video depicts different situations on public transportation where people have been victims of hate crimes and harassment. It urges people to act like a friend and “only intervene if you feel safe,” the ad notes.
Last year, sexual harassment on public transportation in London increased more than 10% year over year, TfL said. The transport authority launched a poster campaign asking people to intervene and report offenses.
NO.4
HUMAN FOOT WASHES UP ON BEACH
A beachgoer found a human foot on Playa d’en Bossa, a popular Ibiza beach, last week. The person was taking a morning walk when they spotted the foot and alerted authorities. The person also held it back with a stick to ensure it was not carried back into the water. Police and forensics arrived on Plata d’en Bossa beach and closed the area for investigation. It is possible the foot washed ashore after Storm Alice made landfall in Spain.
Related: 10 Extremely Weird Things That Have Washed up on the World’s Beaches
NO.5
HELICOPTER CRASHES IN HUNTINGTON BEACH
A helicopter crashed in Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday. It happened near a parking lot between Beach Boulevard and Twin Dolphins Drive. The chopper hit a pedestrian bridge before coming down among trees in front of the Hyatt Regency hotel. Five people, including two passengers, were taken to hospitals after being pulled from the wreckage. Police closed the area to investigate.
Videos posted on social media captured the helicopter spinning before going down. The chopper was part of the event Cars ‘N Copters, which was held on Sunday. An eyewitness told ABC, “This could have been a lot worse, a lot worse. There were hundreds of people lined up. It could have been a lot worse.”
