And other travel news from the week.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: United loses a bag that’s obviously there; American dodges a mountain, literally; and Egypt is fighting with a U.S. travel blogger for some reason.
Dive into these and more as we explore the week’s five most intriguing, under-the-radar travel news.
NO.1
EGYPT HITS BACK AT TRAVEL BLOGGER OVER CRITICISM
One Mile at a Time blogger Ben Schlappig published a post on November 11 titled “Cairo Airport: Is There a Worse Major Airport?” In it, he delivered a scathing critique, stating that “everything sucks about the airport,” from its staff to its facilities.
In response, the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation released a detailed account of Schlappig’s visit to the airport and alleged that his intention was to harm the airport’s image. The report tracked his every move with CCTV footage, from his lounge visits to his arrival in the departure hall, where he took pictures, and even highlighted the fact that he spent 30 minutes standing at the gate entrance with no specific reason. “It is clear that these misleading claims are designed to harm both the airport’s image and the standing of its workers, without any factual support,” it said. The report concluded with the ministry planning to take legal action.
It didn’t end there. The blogger returned the punch with another blog post about the “disproportionate response” from the ministry and said, “What an absolutely shocking invasion of privacy. Like, it’s one thing to publish footage if someone committed an actual crime at an airport, but to publish footage of me and broadcast it on the national news in Egypt when I quite literally didn’t commit any crimes is just next level.”
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Now the story has become even bigger, with The New York Times weighing in on it. As for Schlappig, he won’t be returning to the country anytime soon.
NO.2
AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT AVOIDS HITTING MOUNTAIN
On a routine flight from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Los Angeles, an American Airlines plane had to make an expedited climb to avoid mountains. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that the crew did not make an assigned turn, prompting an air traffic controller to instruct it to make the sudden move. “The controller’s actions ensured the aircraft remained safely above nearby terrain.” The agency is currently investigating this incident, which occurred just after takeoff.
NO.3
AIRTAG ALERTS PASSENGER OF HIS BAG’S LOCATION; UNITED WON’T LISTEN
Passengers are taking proactive measures as airlines have gained a reputation for losing luggage. For Dan Adams, however, an AirTag proved ineffective during his recent flight to Barcelona, Spain. Although he had the Apple device in his bag and it indicated that his luggage had arrived when he checked its location at baggage claim, his bag never appeared on the belt.
The tracker indicated its location behind a door, but when Adams informed a United staff member, she said the airline used its own system to track baggage. The airline promised to find and deliver the bag, but it kept moving away from the city. “I knew at that point I would probably never see that bag again and all the stuff that was inside of it,” he said.
Adams is convinced that airport staff took his bag and that United didn’t help him. Now, United has declared the bag lost and reimbursed Adams $1,459, and the passenger regrets trusting the airline.
Related: Finally, Airlines Will Use Real Technology to Track Down Lost Luggage
NO.4
PASSENGER DUCT-TAPED FOR DISRUPTION
On an American Airlines flight from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Dallas, Texas, a passenger created a ruckus when he tried to leave the aircraft at 30,000 feet. The man attempted to open the exit door and then injured a flight attendant who tried to stop him. Nearby passengers stepped in to restrain the unruly man. One passenger pinned him to the ground and helped to restrain him using duct tape. Another passenger recounted the experience on Facebook, saying, “He was bound and determined that he was getting off the plane, and I was bound and determined that at 30,000 feet in the air and going 300+ mph he wasn’t going to open that door.”
After the flight landed in Dallas, FBI agents detained the disruptive passenger and took him for a mental evaluation.
NO.5
SPAIN FINES BUDGET AIRLINES $186 MILLION FOR ABUSIVE PRACTICES
Low-cost airlines in Europe—Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, Volotea, and Norwegian—were fined $186 million by Spain for abusive practices. Irish airline Ryanair received the largest fine of $113 million for violating consumer rights by charging for printing boarding passes, seat selection, and larger carry-on luggage.
Airlines are furious about the fines and plan to appeal. Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary called the charges baseless and said, “Ryanair has for many years used bag fees and airport check-in fees to change passenger behavior, and we pass on these cost savings in the form of lower fares to consumers.”
The Spanish ministry, however, wants airlines to stop these practices, and one of the issues raised was not allowing passengers to pay cash at airports. “It is an abuse to charge €20 for just printing the boarding card in the airport; [it’s] something no one wants,” Andrés Barragán, secretary general for consumer affairs and gambling, told the BBC.
