A British Airways plane was damaged when it tipped on to its nose at Heathrow Airport. It happened while the aircraft was parked on tarmac at the west London airport earlier. The airline said it was a freight aircraft and there were no passengers on board. Images on social media showed more than a dozen emergency service vehicles in attendance. A BA spokesman said: “Safety is always our highest priority and we are investigating the matter.” Continue reading Just in: BA plane damaged after tipping forward at Heathrow

India’s iconic Taj Mahal has reopened to the public as the country, still reeling from a disastrous second wave of the pandemic, rushes to lift restrictions in a bid to revitalise its economy. The 17th-century monument, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the northern city of Agra, was closed in early April as India introduced strict lockdown measures in an effort to contain a surge in Covid-19 infections that is still killing thousands every day. Only 650 tourists will be allowed inside the premises of the Taj Mahal at any point in time, Prabhu Singh, the district magistrate of … Continue reading Taj Mahal reopens for tourists as India eases curbs

United Airlines announced on Monday that it is giving travelers a chance to win a year of free flights to anywhere in the world it flies in exchange for getting vaccinated against Covid-19. As part of United’s “Your Shot to Fly” sweepstakes, frequent fliers in the airline’s MileagePlus program can upload their vaccination records to a mobile app or website until June 22. On July 1, the airline will announce the five MileagePlus members who won a year of travel for themselves and a companion, in any class of service, to anywhere United flies. United will also give away 30 pairs … Continue reading WOW: United Airlines offering free travel for a year to promote vaccinations

Spain has said it is officially lifting restrictions for UK travellers from Monday, when a decree takes effect. The government says the UK and Japan will be on a list of countries whose residents are not affected by restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU. They will not need a PCR test. The EU is currently deciding on an expanded “white list” of countries whose citizens can enter the EU freely. Only seven, with very low Covid-19 infection rates, are on the list now. The BBC has been told a final decision has been delayed for another two weeks. The … Continue reading Spain to lift restrictions for UK and Japanese travellers

Airline passengers may have to reveal their own cabin size before boarding, a new report claims. Citing an FAA advisory, travel site View from the Wing reports that because Americans are getting heavier, airlines may have to revisit estimates on how much cargo each plane is carrying for the sake of safety. According to that report, when it comes to planes that carry more than 70 passengers, estimates based on standard weights published by the CDC will suffice. But new considerations are being given for smaller airliners where passenger and baggage weights need to be more accurate. Being weighed or … Continue reading What???: Airline passengers may have to get weighed before boarding

Reporting results fully seven and a half months after the fact, Hongkong Disneyland Resort said that it lost nearly $1 million per day last year. For the financial year to September 2020, theme park and hotel revenues were $185 million. Net losses reached $341 million (HK$2.66 billion). The global coronavirus pandemic meant that the theme park was closed for some 60% of the financial year. The park’s hotels were open longer, but operated at minimum safe levels. Management described the turmoil as: “a year of unprecedented uncertainty and challenges to the global tourism industry.” “These numbers do not provide a meaningful … Continue reading Losses deepen at Hong Kong Disneyland

A man at a tourist resort in northeast China was trapped on a glass-bottomed foot bridge standing nearly 330 feet (100 meters) high after the structure was partially shattered by gale force winds, according to the city government. Several glass panes of the Piyanshan Glass Footbridge in the city of Longjing were damaged by extreme weather in the Piyan Mountain tourist area, according to a statement posted on the city’s official Weibo social media account. Glass panels beneath the tourist’s feet were reported to have cracked and crashed toward the cliffs below the bridge. The man reportedly clung onto the … Continue reading Chinese glass bridge breaks leaving tourist clinging on 330ft above the ground

Visitors to Dracula’s castle are being jabbed with needles rather than fangs after a Covid-19 vaccine centre has been set up at the Transylvanian site. Medics with fang stickers on their scrubs are offering Pfizer shots to everyone who visits the 14th-century Bran Castle in central Romania. It is part of a government drive to encourage more Romanians to get jabbed, some believe the castle inspired the vampire’s lair in Bram Stoker’s iconic novel Dracula. Romania has recorded just over a million infections since the pandemic began, and nearly 29,000 deaths. The country’s government says it wants to vaccinate 10 … Continue reading Dracula’s castle in Romania offers tourists vaccine

Singapore and Hong Kong have agreed to start quarantine-free travel between the two cities from 26 May. The long delayed travel bubble was first slated to begin in November, but was suspended after a sudden spike of Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong. If it goes ahead, this travel bubble will be the second major air route in the region to open after Australia and New Zealand resumed flights last week. It is expected to provide a boost to the tourism sectors of both cities. “I am happy that Hong Kong got the Covid-19 situation under control. It has been a … Continue reading Singapore and Hong Kong to open travel bubble

A drunk holidaymaker who racially abused and threatened passengers on an EasyJet flight has been jailed. David Nolan, 23, was the “type of passenger that all air travellers dread” during a five-hour flight from Egypt to London Gatwick in January 2020, a court heard. A witness said watching Nolan’s behaviour on the plane was “like being at the zoo”. Nolan, of Northolt, London, was jailed for 16 months at Lewes Crown Court. As cabin crew prepared the plane to land, Nolan began moving around and made threats against his partner, who was looking after their two children. He was racially … Continue reading Drunk man who racially abused passengers on plane jailed

A group has been arrested in Dubai accused of public debauchery after an outdoor nude photoshoot. Video footage posted online on Saturday shows a group of naked women having their photo taken on a balcony. Eleven Ukrainian women are among those detained, the Ukrainian consulate said. A Russian was also detained, according to Russian media. Public debauchery carries a sentence of up to six months in prison and a 5,000 dirham fine (£981). Many of the UAE’s laws are based on Sharia law, and people have been jailed in the past for public displays of affection and homosexual relationships. Roughly … Continue reading Dubai police arrest group over nude balcony shoot

Italian authorities have approved a ban on cruise ships entering the historic centre of Venice. The country’s culture minister said on Wednesday that the decision came in response to a request from UN cultural body Unesco. Large ships will now have to dock at the city’s industrial port until a permanent solution is found. Critics argue the ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city, which suffers from regular flooding. On Wednesday, Italian ministers agreed that large cruise and container ships would no longer be able to enter the city’s Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic St … Continue reading Venice bans cruise ships from historic centre