Plus, four more travel stories you may have missed.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: multiple bomb threat hoaxes diverted flights across India and beyond; a Delta flight claims a T-shirt worn by a Marine Corps veteran was threatening; and the CDC gives failing grades to a few cruise lines.
Dive into these and more as we explore the week’s most intriguing travel news.
NO.1
DELTA FLIGHT ATTENDANT ASKS MARINE CORPS VET TO CHANGE T-SHIRT
A Marine Corps veteran was asked to deplane after a Delta flight attendant found her T-shirt to be threatening. Catherine Banks was flying from San Francisco when a flight attendant asked her to get off the plane. She complied, and he told her on the jet bridge that her T-shirt, which said, “Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide,” was threatening.
She explained that she had served in the Marine Corps for 15 years and was on her way to visit her sister, also a Marine, but the attendant didn’t relent. Banks told NBC, “He said, ‘I don’t care about your service, and I don’t care about her service. The only way you’re going to get back on the plane is if you take it off right now.’”
Banks put on a sweatshirt and was allowed to fly, but she had to sit at the back of the plane, foregoing the seat with extra legroom that she had paid for. Due to the delay, she ended up missing her connecting flight. She said that the T-shirt is a symbol of her work for veterans and that the experience was humiliating. “I feel like they just took my soul away.”
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Delta, however, has reached out to Banks. A spokesperson told the New York Post, “The matter with the customer has been resolved. We appreciate her patience as we continue to work to understand what occurred during this event. Most importantly, we are thankful for her service to our country.”
NO.2
MULTIPLE INDIAN AIRLINES RECEIVE BOMB THREATS
Several Indian airlines received 90 bomb threats in the past week—all of them hoaxes. Throughout the week, flights faced diversions and cancellations. Both international and domestic departures were affected, with Air India, Indigo, SpiceJet, and Vistara targeted the most, while JetBlue and American Airlines also received threats and were diverted.
The disruptions have been acutely felt by airlines and passengers. Flights have been forced to make emergency landings in other countries; in one instance, fighter jets escorted a plane in Singapore. Afghanistan refused to allow an Indian flight to land on its soil, so it was turned around. Miscreants used social media to post threats, and even after days, the culprits or the reasons have not been discovered.
NO.3
PASSENGER SUES ROYAL CARIBBEAN FOR HIDDEN CAMERA
A passenger, identified as Jane Doe, has filed a lawsuit in Florida against cruise company Royal Caribbean after former employee Arvin Joseph Mirasol filmed guests without their consent. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in August after pleading guilty. A guest discovered the hidden camera in February and informed ship security. An investigation revealed that he had been conducting such activities since December 2022, and many children were identified in the videos.
However, the lawsuit is seeking damages from the cruise company, stating that the plaintiff faced extreme emotional distress after this incident. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to provide training and security to prevent sexual assaults and didn’t offer any warnings to guests who could have been potential victims of sexual assault—the lawsuit mentioned that there could be up to 960 people who could have been filmed.
Related: Is There Anything You Can Do About Hidden Cameras at Your Airbnb?
NO.4
CDC RELEASES SANITATION SCORES FOR CRUISES
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inspects cruises to prevent and control the spread of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships through its Vessel Sanitation Program. Cruise ships are considered satisfactory if the have a minimum score of 86 (out of 100), and this year, two have failed to meet this mark.
German cruise liner Hapag-Lloyd Cruises scored 62 on inspection in September. Some of the issues listed in the report included soiled areas, improper food storage, and live maggots and insects found in various areas of the cruise liner. A spokesperson told USA Today that they were taking measures to rectify the situation. “We deeply regret that the HANSEATIC Inspiration did not achieve the required score for the first time. The result of this inspection in no way reflects our high standards.”
Margaritaville at Sea is another one that failed to meet the satisfactory mark. It scored 83 in May due to improper storage, incorrect salad preparation, and faulty equipment. However, another inspection in July improved the score to 92.
Among those that scored a perfect 100 this year were Carnival Spirit, Celebrity Equinox, Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas, and Norwegian Jewel.
NO.5
MOTHER-SON ATTACK ELDERLY PASSENGER ON CRUISE
In another cruise-related event, a mother-son duo attacked an elderly passenger on a cruise ship in October. Alabama resident Kelli Lyn Ryan, 49, and her 23-year-old son Dylan hit a woman who was 65 years or older. The son was removed from the ship, the MSC Seascape, in Jamaica, and the mother, who was allowed to remain on board, was arrested when the ship docked in Miami. It is not known what caused the altercation, and the whereabouts of the son are unknown.
