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☆ How AirTags and luggage trackers became the hottest travel accessory
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

That’s right: compact, portable and potentially snatching your perfect vacation from the jaws of lost luggage disaster, the travel accessory of the moment is the humble luggage tracker. “There remain significant problems with lost luggage this year, and this is likely to be worse still in the peak travel period this summer. Possibly because he was one of many: “At one point the agent I was emailing with told me that the building had thousands of lost bags,” he said. Elliot SharodElliot Sharod was one of the first to go viral for tracking his lost luggage through its AirTag. Both Lufthansa and Air New Zealand seemingly banned bag trackers in the hold last year – before swiftly reversing the ban in both cases.

Persons: ” Thomas Romig, Rory Boland, That’s, you’ve, Kate Bevan, it’s, you’ll, you’re, ”, Boland, Jai Rawat, Jai Rawat Jai Rawat, “, –, Virgin, – Rawat, he’d, Rawat, James D, Morgan, Emily McNutt, ” Boland, ’ Elliot Sharod's, Elliot Sharod Elliot Sharod, Sharod, they’re, Bevan, Andrew Kelly, SITA, David Lavorel, Jonas Walzberg, It’s, Boland – Organizations: CNN, Airports, International, SITA, Virgin Atlantic, London Heathrow, Heathrow, Rawat, ‘ Airlines, Samsung Galaxy, “ Passengers, Aer Lingus, Google, Samsung, Apple, Lufthansa, Air New, FAA, Airlines, Reuters, Delta, Twitter, “ Locations: –, London, San Francisco, California, South Africa, Air New Zealand

☆ A flight attendant needed surgery and 4 others were also injured by severe turbulence on a flight from Singapore to London
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A British Airways flight turned around after encountering severe turbulence, The Sun reported. A source told Insider a crew member needed surgery on her ankle after the turbulence. The airline said the flight returned to Singapore as a precaution. The Sun first reported that BA flight 12 from Singapore Changi to London Heathrow Airport on Friday encountered severe turbulence over the Bay of Bengal, injuring five flight attendants. A person familiar with the incident told Insider that the flight returned to Singapore because of the turbulence.

Persons: We've Organizations: British Airways, Sun, London Heathrow Airport, Boeing, Pilots Locations: Singapore, Singapore Changi, London, Bengal

☆ A flight attendant accidentally activated an emergency slide just before takeoff, delaying departure by 6 hours
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A British Airways flight was delayed for hours after its emergency slide was accidentally inflated. The Sun reported that it was deployed by a flight attendant on her first trip on an Airbus A350. A similar incident affected another British Airways plane at Heathrow in January. A British Airways cabin crew member accidentally activated an emergency slide as the plane was heading for the runway, delaying passengers for hours. It's the second such incident affecting British Airways this year.

Persons: It's, British Airways repesentative Organizations: British Airways, Sun, Airbus, Morning, The, Boeing, Heathrow, Evening Locations: Heathrow, London, Austin , Texas, Lagos, Nigeria

☆ I tested a private jet simulator. It was like playing a video game — but way more stressful.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I tried out a private jet simulator at a BAE Systems location in England. I tested its latest head-up display (HUD) technology, which is designed to make flying easier. I visited a BAE Systems base to try out its latest private jet simulator and experience what it's like to fly celebrities or the superrich around the world. My visit also gave me the opportunity to use one of BAE's most powerful tools — its head-up display (HUD). According to Charles, BAE is working on proposals for airlines, private jet operators, and prospective military clients to use the equipment.

☆ How Close Is Too Close for a Flight Connection?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Dawn Gilbertson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Another record summer travel season looms, and with it the ultimate airport endurance test: sprinting to the gate for your connecting flight. Stefanie Plumley, a high-school theater teacher in Claremont, Calif., isn’t flying to Europe until mid-June. She’s already sweating her 90-minute layover at London Heathrow. She says she worked herself into a tizzy asking other travelers if that was enough time. The conflicting answers left her shrugging her shoulders.

☆ Half of the 10 busiest airports in the world are in the US, with Atlanta topping the chart once again
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Atlanta's airport is the busiest hub in the world for 2022 with 93 million passengers. In third place, Denver is one of the only airports to have caught up with pre-pandemic levels. Five of the busiest airports in the world are in the US, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport topping the list for the second year in a row. Last year, US airports accounted for eight of the 10 busiest airports. Take a closer look at the top 10 busiest airports in the world.

☆ JetBlue is going after traditional airlines serving the transatlantic market with a new route to Paris starting at $479, undercutting both Delta and American
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JetBlue is launching a new New York to Paris route in June, with tickets starting at $479. Two years after launching its service to London, the airline has announced tickets starting at $479 from New York to Paris, round-trip. Fares at the of June 2023, when JetBlue will start flying to Paris, currently start at $1082 across all other airlines. When JetBlue debuted its new New York-London Heathrow flights in August 2021, fares started at $202, while they currently cost around $559 roundtrip, according to Expedia. The lower Paris fares will likely follow a similar path.

☆ We tried the AI-powered version of Microsoft Bing. Its huge, user-friendly search box and detailed responses make it so much better than Google.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Microsoft announced the integration of an AI language tool into its search engine Bing. It accounts for around 93% of the global search engine market, compared with around 3% for Bing, according to Statcounter, a web analytics service. But if Microsoft's multi-billion bet in OpenAI pays off, the new Bing search engine could knock Google from its perch. Bing gave us three destinations, which was the perfect amount of suggestions as it didn't require us to do a lot of sifting through the options. Microsoft's search engine felt like we had our own personal assistant somehow.

☆ Heathrow Airport CEO to Step Down After Turbulent Summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Benjamin Katz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

John Holland-Kaye has served in the post for nine years. LONDON—London Heathrow Airport said its longtime chief executive, John Holland-Kaye , would step down this year after helming the hub during one of the most turbulent summers in its history. The rapid recovery in passenger numbers as the Covid-19 pandemic eased resulted in disruption across the aviation industry last year, though Heathrow appeared to suffer more than most. A lack of staff contributed to long lines through security, overwhelmed check-in counters, mounds of lost baggage and persistent flight delays and cancellations.

You may also access Centurion Lounges if you've got one of the following Delta credit cards:You can only access the Amex Centurion lounges when you're flying Delta, and you'll need to pay $50 per guest. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Concourse E) — coming soonCharlotte Douglas International Airport (between Concourse D and E)Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Terminal D)Denver International Airport (Concourse C)Intercontinental Houston Airport (Terminal D)Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Concourse D)Los Angeles International Airport (Tom Bradley International Terminal)Miami International Airport (Concourse D)John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)Newark Liberty International Airport (Terminal A) — not yet openNew York LaGuardia Airport (Terminal B, pre-security)Philadelphia International Airport (Terminal A)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminal 4)San Francisco International Airport (Terminal 3)Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Concourse B)Washington, DC Ronald Reagan National Airport (Terminal B) — coming soonLondon Heathrow (Terminal 3)Hong Kong International (Terminal 1)International locations Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hong Kong International Airport (Terminal 1)London Heathrow Airport (Terminal 3)Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Terminal 5)Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Terminal 2)Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3)Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Terminal B)Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (Terminal 3)Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)Mexico City International Airport (Terminals 1 and 2)Monterrey General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (Terminals A and B)Sydney Airport (Terminal 1)Centurion Studios (Escape Lounges) Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hartford Bradley International Airport (Terminal A)Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (Concourse B)John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Concourse B)Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Terminal 3)Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Concourse B)Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (Terminal 1)Oakland International Airport (Terminal 1)Palm Beach International Airport (Concourse B)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminals 3 and 4)Rhode Island T.F. With these cards, you can enter 1,300+ lounges from networks such as: Amex Centurion Lounges (widely considered to be the best airport lounges in the US)Priority Pass** (access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide)Delta Sky Club lounges (only when you have a same-day Delta boarding pass)Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio PartnerPlaza Premium loungesLufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)Can Amex Gold cardholders use Centurion Lounges?

☆ I checked my bag because staff told me the plane was 'full', but it got lost and I had to spend hundreds on new clothes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I flew British Airways from London Heathrow to Basel, Switzerland a few days before Christmas. Staff at the airport asked me to check my cabin bag because the flight was "full". I know now how that Air Canada passenger must have felt after flying British Airways from Heathrow to Basel, Switzerland on December 20. Having previously reported on passengers' woes, I was wary when asked to check in my carry-on bag as well. A spokesperson for British Airways told Insider: "We always do everything we can to reunite our customers with their delayed baggage as soon as possible.

☆ British Airways accidentally flew a pet dog to Saudi Arabia instead of Nashville, leaving it traumatized, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

British Airways flew a pet dog to Saudi Arabia instead of Nashville by accident, per the Mirror. Bluebell was instead placed by IAG Cargo — BA's luggage handlers under the same owner — on a flight to Saudi Arabia, 7,000 miles from her intended location. Since her return, James told the Mirror that Bluebell had been left traumatized by the incident, and has caused thousands of dollars' worth of damage to their home since. "We simply cannot leave her alone," James told the Mirror. An IAG Cargo spokesperson told the Mirror: "We are very sorry for the recent error that occurred during Bluebell's trip to Nashville.

☆ Brits told to rethink Christmas plans with strikes set to hit flights and train travel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A train makes its way through the snow in Penistone, South Yorkshire, in March 2022. Passengers face Christmas travel disruption as workers strike over pay and working conditions. LONDON — Passengers traveling into or around the U.K. over the holiday period face significant disruption due to strikes, with the government urging people to reconsider their plans. Airport staff working for the U.K. Border Force are due to walk out from Dec. 23 to 26, and again from Dec. 28 to New Year's Eve. It will impact services at the U.K.'s busiest airport, London Heathrow, as well as London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow.

☆ A Lufthansa Airbus A350 was forced to emergency land in Angola leaving some passengers stranded in the country for days
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Lufthansa Airbus A350 diverted to Luanda, Angola, after suffering an engine issue on Saturday. Passengers were stuck on the plane for hours after landing, and their passports were confiscated. Lufthansa told Insider it sent a team of technicians to inspect the aircraft. The airline told Insider the passengers were given a hotel room, where they "were looked after around the clock by Lufthansa staff." However, NTV reported some passengers were offered flights for days or even weeks later, but Lufthansa told Insider that all passengers will have left by Monday — three days after the diversion to Luanda.

Thomas Pallini/InsiderThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership. But late last week, Capital One quietly updated the Priority Pass lounge access rules for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Now, instead of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card as the undisputed king of Priority Pass credit cards, your Priority Pass-conferring airport credit card will take a bit more deliberation. The Ritz Carlton Credit Card, while not publicly available, is still the best credit card for Priority Pass lounges because: It comes with a Priority Pass Select membership that gives you access to Priority Pass restaurants and non-lounge experiences. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the first Visa credit card to drop access to discounts at participating Priority Pass restaurants and other non-lounge experiences.

☆ From Teslas to BMWs, cars are piling up on land and at sea in German port of Bremerhaven
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Port of Bremerhaven, the main roll on/roll off port in Germany and one of the largest automobile hubs in the world, is experiencing gridlock. He said car imports into Bremerhaven from the U.S. and Mexico are operating on a timeline of months. Bremerhaven is Europe's fourth-largest containership port, with annual capacity over 5 million TEU [twenty-foot equivalent unit] containers. Another UK strike nearsAt the Port of Liverpool in the U.K., a fourth strike is set for November 14-21 if no deal with port management is reached. Braun told CNBC that since these strikes are well organized there is time in advance to plan and circumvent the port, diverting trade elsewhere.

☆ London Heathrow Airport Needs 12,500 More Staff to Cope With Peak Periods
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Benjamin Katz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON—Heathrow Airport said businesses operating at the international hub need to train and recruit about 12,500 additional staff to meet demand during peak-travel periods and to avoid the travel chaos seen in recent months. The airport, Europe’s biggest before the Covid-19 pandemic, said it is establishing a recruitment task force to fill the vacancies and avoid the delays and long lines that disrupted passengers during the summer. One of the biggest challenges in that recruitment drive, it said: New hires need to undergo time-consuming background checks to gain access to part of the airport normally restricted to staff and passengers.

☆ London Heathrow Needs 12,500 More Staff to Cope With Peak Periods
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Benjamin Katz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ The World’s Best Airport Lounges Will Cost You. Are the Perks Worth It?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Barbara Peterson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

IN THE 1963 MOVIE “The VIPs,” a well-heeled group of travelers, portrayed by an all-star cast featuring Richard Burton and a bejeweled Liz Taylor, gets stranded at a fogged-in London Heathrow Airport. But the flick’s real star is the airport lounge where the swells hole up. This was an era when airport lounges were posh simply because they were invitation-only. Today, lounges are ubiquitous, and you don’t need an engraved invitation to get in, just the right kind of ticket, paid membership or credit card. An estimated 3,000 lounges now populate major airports worldwide, according to LoungeReview.com.

☆ The world's busiest international flight route carried more than 3.2 million passengers in the last year. See which other routes made the top 10.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Stephen Jones | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cairo International Airport, Egypt to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, Saudi ArabiaSeats: 1,913,9918. Mumbai International Airport, India to Dubai International Airport, UAESeats: 1,977,5377. Orlando International Airport, USA to San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, Puerto RicoSeats: 2,099,2346. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia to Singapore Changi AirportSeats: 2,443,176Dubai International Airport, UAE to London Heathrow Airport, UKSeats: 2,697,5933. Dubai International Airport, UAE to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, Saudi ArabiaSeats: 3,191,0901.

☆ United adds new trans-Atlantic flights for summer 2023 in bet on travel recovery
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

United Airlines is planning another big schedule increase for trans-Atlantic travel, in a bet that consumers will continue to shell out for international trips, some of which they had put off for years. Next summer, United says it will fly to 37 cities in Europe, Africa, India and the Middle East, a total it said is more than other U.S. airlines combined. London's Heathrow Airport warned Tuesday that travel demand is "uncertain." It will also offer flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Berlin on a Boeing 767, starting May 25. Its additions include a nonstop from to Geneva, more London service and a resumption of daily Berlin flights, all from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

☆ United announced 7 new international routes for summer 2023 as post-pandemic demand to Europe continues to soar — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

United Airlines announced three new destinations and four new city pairs coming to its network in summer 2023. The Chicago-based carrier announced its summer 2023 network on Wednesday, revealing three new destinations in Europe and four new city pairs not flown in 2022. Of the five long-haul routes announced last October, only Newark to Bergen will not return in summer 2023, Quayle told reporters. Captured Blinks Photography/Getty ImagesUnited will fly year-round between Newark and Dubai starting on March 25 using a Boeing 777-200ER. Between Washington, DC and BerlinUnited will fly between Washington DC and Berlin starting on May 25 using a Boeing 767-400ER.

☆ Europe's busiest airport, London Heathrow, says the demand for air travel remains uncertain
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The biggest airport in Europe by passenger numbers, London's Heathrow, is not expecting to come into profit this financial year. LONDON — Europe's busiest airport, London Heathrow, gave a downbeat assessment of the industry on Tuesday, saying the "demand outlook remains uncertain" as economic turbulence, a new wave of Covid-19 and the escalating crisis in Ukraine could cause disruption to the barely-recovered aviation sector. Heathrow said Tuesday that it would finally be lifting that daily passenger cap at the end of October. Almost 5.8 million passengers traveled through the airport in September, which is 15% below 2019 levels. Holland-Kaye said in a July press release that the aviation sector had been "deeply scarred" by Covid.

☆ Cathay Pacific is facing ‘unprecedented staffing’ shortages, warns top union in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN Business —Hong Kong’s flagship airline Cathay Pacific is facing “unprecedented” staff shortages and may not be ready to handle a surge in demand, as the city winds up its strict Covid policy and reopens for international travel. Hong Kong’s flagship airline is “facing unprecedented staffing and training shortages,” and “stands unprepared to fully resume its operations, failing to meet demand in a resurgent travel market,” the HKAOA said. But, this month Hong Kong ended its two and a half years of quarantine measures, leading to a surge in demand for outbound travel. On Wednesday, Virgin Atlantic announced it is closing its Hong Kong office and not resuming services between the Asian hub and London’s Heathrow Airport. Wayne Chang in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

☆ These are the 20 best airlines in the world, according to one survey of travelers: See the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Qatar also won titles for having the world's best business class, the best business class seat, and the best business class lounge dining, according to the Skytrax survey. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines earned two titles, including the best low-cost airline in both North America and the US. Here's a closer look at the world's Top 20 best carriers for 2022, according to Skytrax's survey of travelers. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty ImageTurkish Airlines is based in Istanbul and flies routes throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Qatar AirwaysDoha-based Qatar Airways is the world's best airline, according to survey data collected by Skytrax.

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