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 Vatican tells visitors not to click pictures and selfies with the Pope when paying their respects. Overtourism continues to be a problem for locals in Barcelona, who protested again and sprayed a tourist bus with water guns.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
VATICAN URGES VISITORS NOT TO TAKE PHOTOS
Late Pope Francis was buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on Saturday after a procession through the city of Rome. Before the funeral, his body was placed in a coffin at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, where mourners could come to pay their respects. Around 130,000 people came to say their last goodbye to the pope, a solemn occasion for many. However, many visitors also took photographs as they passed by the open casket with the pope resting in state.
People took selfies with the coffin on Wednesday and on Thursday, by Thursday, officials began instructing visitors to keep their phones away. A visitor told France 24, “There were grave faces, and most people sensibly put their phones away as they approached the casket. But in some cases it felt like unwelcome tourism. Some tried until the end to take a photo.”
It is forbidden to take pictures of the pontiff after death unless authorized.
Related: Read This if You’re Traveling to Italy Soon
NO.2
PASSENGER STRIPS AND POOPS ON PLANE
On a Southwest flight from Philadelphia to Chicago, a woman passenger stripped and defecated on her seat. A statement by the airline affirmed that the plane was met by law enforcement officers and medics, and the plane was taken out of commission for cleaning. The airline also said, “Our Teams are reaching out to those onboard to apologize for the situation and any delays to their travel plans.”
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NO.3
BARCELONA PROTESTORS SPRAY WATER ON TOURIST BUS
On Sunday, protestors again showed their fury at overtourism in Barcelona. They blocked a tourist bus brandishing water guns and sprayed tourists on board. They chanted “tourists go home” and put up a banner announcing June 15th as “the day of struggle against overtouristifiation.”
More protests are planned this summer in the city that struggles with relentless crowds and growing rents. Last summer, the photos of locals using spray guns on tourists went viral around the globe, but it didn’t deter travelers. Spain had a record-breaking year with 94 million international visitors.
Related: If You’re Traveling to Spain, Expect More Tourism Protests
NO.4
VIDEOS REVEAL HOW WOMAN BYPASSED AIRPORT SECURITY
Last year, a woman bypassed airport security and gate agents to board a plane to Paris from New York. Svetlana Dali was arrested after she was discovered by the crew and returned to New York. New video footage released shows how Dali went through security check — including a body scanner and pat down — but sneaked past the gate agents without showing her ID or boarding pass. She boarded with what seemed to be a family traveling together and walked onto the plane, sneaking past two gate agents.
On her first return flight from Paris, she became disruptive and was kicked off. She later returned to New York and while on release, attempted to flee to Canada. She was rearrested and is currently in federal jail. Her trial will begin on May 19.
Related: How Did a Passenger Fly to Paris From New York WITHOUT a Ticket?
NO.5
PASSENGERS EVACUATE AS DELTA FLIGHT CATCHES FIRE
A Delta plane was evacuated last week after one of the engines caught fire before it took off from Orlando International Airport. Scheduled for Atlanta, the plane was carrying 282 passengers, 10 crew members, and two pilots. Videos show fire and smoke rising from the plane and passengers exiting using activated inflatable slides. No one was injured.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident.
