Airport tips

Survivor meets The Truman Show. As a pretty clever marketing ploy, the Helsinki Airport invited Chinese actor and TV personality, Ryan Zhu, to live in the city’s airport for 30 days.

The new year may be right around the corner, but to foresee what it might have in store for travelers, it’s useful to take a look back. Some 2017 travel industry changes were short-lived—remember the infamous laptop ban that had business travelers in a furor for a few months? But other trends from travel 2017 could have a more lasting effect.

Airline trade sources are reporting that the founder of JetBlue, David Neeleman, is getting ready to launch a new low-cost domestic airline. Neeleman is by far the world’s most proficient and successful airline-starter. The proposed airline, originally named Moxy (which is likely to change), will reportedly fly 60 Bombardier C300 jets on routes connecting secondary airports near major U.S. cities. The service could begin as early as 2020.

The TSA is experimenting with new scanning cameras that can detect concealed explosives on travelers as they walk by. The TSA, along with local law enforcement, is testing the new devices at a busy metro station in Los Angeles and in railway hubs in Washington, D.C.

Some Global Entry applicants are reporting waits of six months or longer for a Global Entry interview. That’s a long time for conditionally approved travelers to wait for the speedy immigration-line benefit.

What’s the worst airline out there? The Wall Street Journal’s Airline Scorecard just made a surprising claim, ranking JetBlue as the country’s worst airline while Delta ranked first.

The Department of Homeland Security officially lifted the ban on large carry-on electronics for U.S.-bound flights. At the same time, new enhanced security measures are rolling out, leading airlines to warn travelers of new procedures around the globe.

In the airline business, bad ideas are a lot easier to find than good ones. But a recent development from Hungary’s Wizz Air is, surprisingly, one I’d like to see others copy.

Fees are now more or less an expected part of booking airline travel, especially bag fees. But as the practice grew over the past eight or nine years, consumer advocates have fought for, if nothing else, maximum transparency around what those fees are so that consumers can make informed buying decisions. Until now.

The last of Allegiant Air’s aging fleet of MD-80 planes took its final flight this week, hopefully putting an end to years of safety and reliability concerns swirling around the carrier’s use of an outdated aircraft. Early MD-80 models debuted about 40 years ago, and have been since retired by most other airlines.

Goodbye, Virgin America.

What if an airline refuses to let your “emotional support hamster” fly with you? That might seem like nothing more than a jokey headline, or downright clickbait, but for 21-year-old college student Belen Aldecosea, it was a real-world dilemma, with life-and-death implications for her emotional-support animal.

When the federal government shuts down, as it did over the weekend, the resulting uncertainty and confusion impinge on many areas of life, including travel. With hundreds of thousands of government workers thrown out of work, how will essential services be affected?

United Airlines is testing a new boarding procedure that it hopes will provide a better customer experience, with less crowding and more efficient boarding. According to the company’s website:

The Trump Administration is aiming to increase the TSA fees travelers pay as part of their airline tickets.

A lot of terrible things can happen on a plane: a runway crash, mid-flight mechanical issues, a medical emergency. An anxious mind might run through them before take off. But how often do you worry about a fellow passenger committing sexual assault?

A rising budget airline seems to have met its end. Primera Air, which recently expanded its routes to the U.S., announced that it’s suspending all operations as of October 2, 2018. Primera’s website promises “further updates,” but notes that it is no longer reachable by phone or email.

Expedia released its 2018 Airplane and Hotel Etiquette Study and wow, just reading it might get your blood pressure rising.

Out of vacation days but hoping to fit in some more travel destinations this year? Airfarewatchdog’s newest search tool, aptly named The Weekender, is aimed at helping travelers uncover hidden deals on a weekend getaway.

Overall, travel in 2019 will be a lot like it was in 2018 for most travelers. But a little change is inevitable, so you will see some new and emerging trends that could reshape both the industry and your travel experience. Here’s my take on the top four travel trends for 2019.

Most travelers adhere to a list unspoken rules and courtesies aboard commercial aircraft. Don’t kick the seat in front of you. Don’t bring a tuna fish sandwich aboard. Don’t elbow your seat mate off the armrest.