Maine Might Be Closed to Out-Of-State Visitors This Summer
Posted on 04/30/2020, 1:00 AM
On Tuesday, Maine's governor, Janet Mills, announced a phased reopening plan that has many in the tourist industry up in arms. While some businesses will reopen in May, and hotels and campgrounds will be allowed to reopen in June, the required 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors will remain in place until August. "[The quarantine requirement] has the potential not only to kill off the tou...
In Acapulco and Worldwide, Bioluminescent Waters Are Back
Posted on 04/29/2020, 10:45 AM
One of the fascinating lessons from this odd era is how quickly nature can regenerate when humans get out of the way. So when the bay in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco started glowing in a way that hasn't been seen for 60 years (pictured), many assumed that this, too, might be a result of the long pause humanity has been taking. Acapulco's event seemed to be echoed by the unusually bright bi...
Duck Boats Are Not Safe, Government Agency Warns
Posted on 04/29/2020, 10:00 AM
The deadly sinking of a duck boat on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri, could have been avoided, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded. The accident occurred in July 2018 when an amphibious sightseeing vehicle operated by Ride the Ducks (part of Ripley Entertainment Inc.) went down during a severe storm. Seventeen people died, including nine members of the same family...
Argentina Suspends Commercial Flights Until September
Posted on 04/29/2020, 7:45 AM
While a number of countries have banned international flights for the near future, Argentina has imposed what may be the most severe ban on the planet. Until September 1, not only will all international commercial flights cease, but the government has also announced that domestic flights will be grounded as well. Only cargo flights and repatriation missions will be allowed to take off. The decr...
Look at the PPE Suits AirAsia Is Testing for Flight Attendants
Posted on 04/29/2020, 6:00 AM
Sure, you all laughed in early March when Naomi Campbell showed up at the airport in a hazmat suit. Turns out the supermodel was, as usual, ahead of the fashion curve. Malaysia-based low-cost carrier AirAsia is reportedly testing the use of head-to-toe PPE (personal protective equipment) suits for cabin crews on certain flights in the Philippines. The airline has not officially announced that...
Our Travel Podcasts This Week: Safaris and Nomads
Posted on 04/28/2020, 4:30 PM
Listen to us anytime! Each week, Frommer's brings you two fresh podcasts stuffed with travel tips, news, and inspiration. Recordings are made from our weekly call-in show on WABC in New York and our nationally syndicated radio program. First up, cohosts Pauline Frommer and Jason Cochran discuss some of their favorite animal-centric adventures, from going on safari to swimming with whale shar...
Changing Course, JetBlue Now Requires Masks; Delta and American to Offer Them
Posted on 04/27/2020, 9:15 PM
On Monday, JetBlue finally became the first U.S. airline to insist all passengers wear face masks during flights. The new rule takes effect on Monday, May 4. Canada led the way—Air Canada issued the same decree a week ago. JetBlue isn't precisely phrasing the change as a mandate, but by leaning on state and local guidelines to give the new rule some muscle, the company is implying that in many ca...
Aloha Also Means Goodbye: Hawaii Extends Stay-at-Home Order
Posted on 04/27/2020, 7:00 AM
Several U.S. states, including Florida and Georgia, have begun lifting lockdown restrictions in spite of the global pandemic. Not Hawaii, though. On Saturday, Gov. David Ige extended that state's stay-at-home order through May 31. The same goes for the mandatory two-week quarantine every visitor to Hawaii must undergo after arrival. “This was not an easy decision," Ige said in a statement. "I ...
Rent a Car for a One-Way Road Trip for $20 a Day with No Drop-Off Fees
Posted on 04/26/2020, 8:00 PM
Every spring, the major rental car companies need to spread their cars from warm-weather cities, where vacationers tend to go in the winter, to locations across the country where the vehicles can be rented for the summer. This year, the need to shift inventory will fall exactly when lockdowns are tentatively being eased. Though not impossible, a 2020 road trip will take more effort than in previ...
Flight Attendants Call for Halting Leisure Travel
Posted on 04/26/2020, 8:00 PM
There's a headline I never thought I'd write. But because these frontline workers feel that their lives are being put in danger, the Association of Flight Attendants, a union representing employees of 20 carriers, wrote an open letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. In the letter, the union requests that the government disallow le...
