Tagged: safety

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…

What Are the Safest Countries to Visit in South America Right Now?

In recent months several South American destinations have generated the sorts of international headlines that can unsettle tourists. Amid reports of gang violence in Ecuador, protests…

How to Fix Boeing, By an Industry Expert

There was a time when the Boeing Company was the pride of the United States. Not just of its aviation industry—for the entire country. Back when Americans built stuff domestically…

The U.S. Hasn't Fully Tested Airline Evacuations in Years. Experts are Alarmed.

This year of aviation started ominously on January 2 with the fiery runway collision between Japan Airlines Flight 516 and a military aircraft in Tokyo. Five died on the Coast Guard…

Countries That Drive on the Left Side of the Road: The Complete List

Ever wondered why some countries require driving on the left side of the road instead of the right? Only about 70 nations stick to the left these days—accounting for around 30% of the…

Planning a European Road Trip? The Safest and Most Dangerous Countries for Driving

The ease and affordability of train travel in Europe make a strong case for riding the rails to get around the continent as a tourist rather than renting a car. Plus, trains are better…

No, That Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Never Had Cholera Aboard

You might have seen headlines like this earlier in the week about Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn, which reported that some 20 passengers were feeling ill:"Thousands stranded on…

Why Digging Holes at the Beach Is So Dangerous, Especially for Kids

A 7-year-old girl was killed on a Florida beach this week when the sand hole she and her brother were playing in collapsed on the children, who were vacationing with their…

Flight Routes with the Most Turbulence, According to Global Data

Because in-flight turbulence can occur with little warning, predicting whether a ride in the sky will be bumpy or smooth is not easy—in fact, the most dependable weather models won't…

Can I Get a Turbulence Forecast for My Flight? Check This Free Online Map

Scientists have determined that flights are getting bumpier and that climate change could make the skies even choppier in years to come. If that prospect gives you the jitters about an…

Icon of the Seas Doesn't Have Enough Lifeboats—on Purpose

Megaship cruise line Royal Caribbean is getting a lot of hype this month as it begins sailings on its gargantuan new Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever built. And this ship…

Yes, You Can Survive a Plane Crash: Tips from a Longtime Safety Expert

By now, we’ve all seen coverage of the horrific runway collision at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on January 2. Five crew members on one aircraft were killed, but despite the conflagration…

What’s Behind the Uptick in Close Calls at U.S. Airports?

The headlines have been jarring. In February, a FedEx jet and a Southwest Airlines plane nearly collided in Austin, Texas. That close call followed a January near miss at New York…

This Emergency Alert App Saved a Skier’s Life. Make Your Phone a Rescue Locator, Too.

On a foggy day last winter at Idaho's Soldier Mountain resort (pictured above), a skier got separated from her party and wound up lost in an out-of-bounds area where neither chairlifts…

How to Avoid Bedbugs While Traveling

Bedbugs are once again making a creepy-crawly comeback in hotels and other spaces frequented by tourists. The pesky critters can induce itchy, red welts and enough anxiety to make…

Hot Pilot in a Cat Video Demonstrates Best Place to Sit on Airplanes

Fasten your seat belts. Today, we have something rare. Somehow, multiple aspects of our pop culture's all-consuming and relentless social media banality have collided to provide…

Scam Alert: Passengers Report Fake Airline Phone Numbers Are Listed by Google

Over the weekend, as airports in the northeastern U.S. endured another 1,300 flight cancellations, reports surfaced of a complex scam operation that has allegedly compromised Google…

Is the TSA's 3-1-1 Liquids Rule Ending Now That Technology Has Improved?

The days of bringing a full-sized bottle of water or shampoo in your carry-on bag for a flight are, by and large, a distant memory. In fact, some young travelers have never known such…

Pressure Mounts for Improving Accessibility for Air Travelers with Disabilities

Every time he boards a commercial aircraft, Lee Page fears being injured. Having used a wheelchair for more than four decades, Page says the airline boarding process requires…

How Dangerous Is Turbulence on Planes—and Is It Getting Worse?

UPDATE, March 31: After the below article was published on March 16, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board released findings that the severe movements of a…

Is Flying Damaging Your Hearing? 7 Ways to Reduce the Risk

From cancellations to Covid, air travel has given nervous flyers no shortage of things to worry about lately. At the risk of piling on, here’s something else experts say you should…

Peru’s Machu Picchu Reopens to Tourists—but Is It Safe to Go There?

Machu Picchu, the world-renowned Inca citadel in the Andes of southern Peru, reopened to tourists this week after a nearly monthlong closure due to antigovernment protests. Peruvian…

How Safe Are U.S. Airlines Compared with the Rest of the World? Safety Monitor Has Answers

The swarms of flight delays and cancellations plaguing airports were easily the worst parts of travel in 2022—and so far the same issues haven't exactly made 2023 a happy new year for…

Apple Is Making It Easier for Some iPhone Users to Get Help When Lost

Nowadays we tend to rely on our cell phones to get us out of any jam—getting lost, needing a ride, needing a distraction from the creeping existential dread that otherwise accompanies…