Tagged: safety

America's Air Traffic Control Needs Fixing—Here's What to Do (and Not to Do)

About the author: William J. McGee is the Senior Fellow for Aviation & Travel at American Economic Liberties Project. An FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he spent seven years in…

Amid Measles Outbreak, Is a Vaccine Booster a Good Idea for Travelers?

An alarming outbreak of measles in West Texas and New Mexico continues to spread, and public health officials say the rise in cases could continue for several more months. As of this…

U.S. Aviation Safety is Under Fire

About the author: William J. McGee is the Senior Fellow for Aviation & Travel at American Economic Liberties Project. An FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he spent seven years in…

The State Department's LGBTQ+ Travel Info Is Inadequate. Here's Where to Turn Instead.

The United States government has made several moves in recent weeks affecting LGBTQ+ citizens, with trans folks thrown into an especially precarious situation. On the same day he took…

Monkey Attacks on the Rise at Tourism Hotspots—How to Stay Safe

Something has changed the natural behavior of the monkeys living around the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. The APSARA National Authority, which manages the famed archaeological…

How to Avoid Getting Norovirus on a Cruise Ship

First of all, the good news: Norovirus is rarely deadly. It's more like a rotten toilet-based hangover marked by a few days of nausea and, for some people, vomiting. Its biggest risk,…

Dangerous Travel Destinations—and Where Risks Are Lower

As you plan international travel in 2025, it's wise to take into account the unusually high degree of volatility around the world right now. In addition to ongoing crime, armed…

Can I Take [Name Any Item] Through TSA Airport Security? 4 Ways to Ask from Home

The AAA, which tracks travel patterns, predicts nearly 8 million people will fly this upcoming holiday season. And 7.99 million of them will be in front of you, slowing down the…

Why Experts Warn Visiting Spain Now Poses a Huge Risk of Identity Theft

The Spanish government calls it Royal Decree 933/2021, but the tourism industry calls it something more sinister: Tourism Big Brother.On December 2, 2024, a new law took effect in…

American Airlines Makes It Harder to Remove Passengers for Body Odor or Attire

This post, originally published Nov. 8, 2024, has been updated with new information.American Airlines has reportedly made it more difficult for flight attendants to remove…

What Not to Bring on a Cruise: Surprising Prohibited Items

Going on a cruise sometimes feels like entering a parallel universe—after all, where else is it considered socially acceptable to have soft-serve ice cream and a beer for…

Flying with a Nut Allergy? You Might Be Freaking Out About the Wrong Thing

A team of scientists from the U.K. has released a new study debunking a widespread belief about how nut allergies work on airplanes. The common perception is that air travelers with…

Can You Really Fly with a Gun in the USA? Or Bring a Toy Gun on an Airplane? We Hate to Tell You...

In the first 9 months of 2024, the Transportation Security Administration intercepted more than 5,000 firearms at airport security checkpoints across the United States, the federal…

iPhone's Satellite Feature Can Help Travelers with No Power or Signal

As part of its standard software, an iPhone can already perform all kinds of handy tricks that are invaluable to travelers—we round up more than 15 useful iPhone travel tools…

Unplugged! Royal Caribbean Bans a Popular Item That Many Cruisers Pack

Royal Caribbean has revised its list of forbidden items to ban a useful travel tool that many cruisers pack as an essential item. Even though the change "was not communicated to…

The First-Time Cruiser's Packing List: 20 Things Your Cabin Won't Have

A recent Reddit discussion among fans of Carnival Cruise Line answered a simple question crucial to any kind of travel: What stuff should I bring? The ideas they came up with were…

Mpox Is Now a Global Health Emergency. Should Travelers Worry?

On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally declared mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). PHEIC declarations…

How to Get Scuba Diving Certification: Should You Take the Plunge?

Updated July 15, 2024 Like seatbelts and slaughterhouse inspections, scuba diving certification arose as a way of regulating an industry that had previously operated with…

Beach Safety Tips for Avoiding Rip Currents

The most dangerous thing about swimming in the ocean isn't sharks, jellyfish, toxic red tides, or, despite what your mom might say, getting in the water too soon after eating. Going by…

Airplanes Don’t Like Extreme Heat: Tips for Avoiding Flight Delays in Summer's Hot Weather

Flying in the summer always presents challenges. But flying this summer promises to be particularly challenging. Airlines are already dealing with tremendous stress, including pent-up…

5 Idiotic Viral Travel Hacks You Shouldn’t Bother Trying When You Fly

Some days, “air travel” feels like a shorter way of saying “global conspiracy to leave me bankrupt and bewildered.” So it’s no wonder internet users go in search of travel hacks to…

Not All Kids' Car Seats Are Approved for Airplanes: Know the Rules

Whether or not you can strap your kids into their car seats on an airplane depends upon the type of seats, the point during the flight you use them, and what’s practical for your…

You’re Not Going to Like What Drinking Alcohol on Flights Does to Your Body, Per New Research

For the many travelers out there whose strategy for getting through long-haul flights is a one-two punch of boozing and snoozing, some German scientists have some bad news. A new…

The 10 Safest Countries in Africa to Visit in 2024

Among travelers interested in visiting Africa, some of the top safety concerns often cited include crime, political unrest, and the targeting of LGBTQ+ people. While it’s true that…

What Is the Legal Drinking Age in Spain? (And Other Alcohol Laws Tourists Should Know)

Studies show that young people are drinking less alcohol than previous generations did, suggesting that the hedonistic heyday of debauched spring breaks and other booze-fueled youthful…