* BREXIT COULD SOON MAKE IT HARDER FOR BRITS TO TRAVEL WITHIN EUROPE (Condé Nast Traveler). Thanks to Brexit—Britain's decision in June to leave the European Union—people from the U.K. may soon encounter new headaches when they travel within Europe.
At the moment, Brits can go anywhere in the E.U. as long as they've got valid passports. But Brexit puts Britain in the "third country" category referring to those who aren't from the place they're traveling to or passing through.
And as many European countries seek to beef up security following recent terror attacks in France, Belgium, and elsewhere, the smart money is on those nations subjecting third-country travelers to a visa application process.
On the other side of the Atlantic, meanwhile, Brexit has made traveling from the U.S. to the U.K. substantially easier. Airfares are the lowest they've been in three years, and the exchange rate is more favorable to the dollar vis-a-vis the pound than it's been since the days when Margaret Thatcher was in office.
* SPIRIT AIRLINES SHRINKING SIZE ALLOWED FOR CARRY-ON PERSONAL ITEM (Detroit Free Press). Air-travel horror-story generator Spirit Airlines has quietly reintroduced a policy it dropped last spring due to customer outrage.
* SPIRIT AIRLINES SHRINKING SIZE ALLOWED FOR CARRY-ON PERSONAL ITEM (Detroit Free Press). Air-travel horror-story generator Spirit Airlines has quietly reintroduced a policy it dropped last spring due to customer outrage.
Starting on April 1, the one personal item you're allowed to bring onboard for free must be no larger than 18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches—40 inches total—and that includes handle and wheels.
Up to now, that item, such as a purse or backpack you can fit underneath the seats, could be as big as 42 inches.
The reduction may not sound like much, but every millimeter counts on an airplane, especially given that Spirit charges passengers for both checked and carry-on baggage.
On the bright side, the carrier says it's working on a mobile upgrade. It currently has no smartphone app, and every passenger still has to print out boarding passes on paper.
Also, Spirit will join TSA's PreCheck program in November, allowing passengers with clearance to use speedy security lines at the airport.
* VIDEO SUGGESTS NOT ALL HOTELS WASH SHEETS BETWEEN GUESTS (Huffington Post).
And now for something completely disgusting for you to carry with you into the weekend.
* VIDEO SUGGESTS NOT ALL HOTELS WASH SHEETS BETWEEN GUESTS (Huffington Post).
And now for something completely disgusting for you to carry with you into the weekend.
Reporters from Inside Edition undertook an experiment recently at nine hotels to test whether sheets were being washed between guests.
At each property, they sprayed bed sheets with a harmless invisible paint that can only be seen under a black light. Then they checked back in the next day under a different name and scanned the sheets to see if the paint was still there.
Guess what.
In three cases it was, including at the Marriott-branded Residence Inn in New York City you'll see in the below clip.
Watch it and feel your skin crawl.
Sweet dreams!
Our Travel Briefing appears each weekday morning, Monday to Friday. Catch up on past installments by clicking here. For more updates, as well as vacation photos and travel tips, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Sweet dreams!
Our Travel Briefing appears each weekday morning, Monday to Friday. Catch up on past installments by clicking here. For more updates, as well as vacation photos and travel tips, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
