Kick back for a few minutes and see what’s making the travel headlines around the world.
The merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian appears to be firmly on, with the US Justice Department giving it the all-clear.
The $1.9 billion deal will see Alaska become the fifth largest airline in the US. The merger comes with conditions, including that the airlines must maintain the same flight and route frequency and continue subsidized flights to remote communities in Alaska and Hawaii.
The principal partner, Alaska Airlines, plans to preserve the Hawaiian Airlines brand, and seek to conclude the deal before the end of the year.
Gastrointestinal illness has laid low several guests and crew on the P&O Arcadia cruise ship sailing on a transatlantic round-trip from Southampton, UK, to the US and Canada.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said they reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, although the CDC hasn’t yet confirmed it to be norovirus. CDC officials boarded the ship when it docked in New York.
“Upon embarkation, all guests were provided with an advisory notice with precautionary health measures for onboard and onshore, as is standard procedure across our fleet,” a P&O Cruises spokesperson said. “P&O Cruises swiftly implemented enhanced sanitation protocols to uphold the wellbeing of everyone onboard.”
Qantas passengers may face potential travel disruption amid plans by the airline’s engineers’ industrial action at Melbourne. Other airport strikes are planned across Australia on October 2 and 4.
Qantas Engineers’ Alliance said the strike is ‘highly likely’ to impact flights as engineers continue fighting for an initial 15% pay rise this year and 5% annually. The union says its members have gone without pay increases for nearly four years.
Qantas says it has made contingency plans and doesn’t believe there will be widespread disruption. However, passengers have been offered the option to change to earlier flights before the strike action begins.
Thailand is considering bringing a planned THB300 tourist tax back into play, says new Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong.
The minister said: “This fee is crucial for the growth of our tourism sector. It will fund better infrastructure, enhance attractions, and ensure the safety of tourists.” The tourist tax, which had been shelved in previous years, could be launched by the end of 2024.
He added that the “Ignite Tourism Thailand” initiative will continue to develop entertainment zones to improve air hubs and further promote second-tier cities.
“We’re determined to support new attractions and boost secondary cities. We’ll offer incentives like tax breaks to attract private investment,” he said.
New India airline startup, Shankh Air has been launched after approval from the Aviation Ministry. Owned by Shankh Aviation, the new India airline plans to operate from Lucknow and Noida, operating flights to major cities across the country.
“Shankh Air is inviting aviation professionals and aspiring professionals to apply for the most interesting full-service airline startup from the heartland of Uttar Pradesh, connecting India,” it said on its website.
Shankh Air is apparently in talks to lease Boeing 737narrow-body jets.
That reclining seat row has raised its head again, this time with Cathay Pacific banning a couple from flying with it again after an argument erupted.
A Chinese woman posted her story on social media, claiming she was harassed by the couple sitting behind her for reclining her seat. The post has gone viral and showed footage of the altercation.
The airline responded by banning the couple for their behavior, with Cathay saying it has a ‘strict zero-tolerance policy’ towards threatening behavior and harassment.
The incident occurred on a London-bound flight from Hong Kong, with the woman complaining she was subjected to derogatory comments and gestures.
Andy Probert is an independent journalist and PR writer. He writes about travel, aviation, new tech and business. His work has appeared on the BBC, in The Daily Telegraph, Hurriyet Daily News and other newspapers worldwide.
