U.K. Joins U.S. Laptop Ban as Skepticism Mounts

I visited Banff, Canada, this past July and it is easily the most impressive place I've ever been.

“Hello, over there in Albania!”, my kayaking guide Gigo shouts across the water as he paddles along effortlessly. He doesn’t really need to shout, because although we’re in Montenegro, we’re only a few metres away from the Albanians. We’re on the Buna (Bunë) River, a 40km stretch of water which divides the countries and is so tranquil that every sound is amplified, from the dip of our paddles to the rousing tones of the Muslim call to prayer.

Imagine if your idyllic vacation to the Caribbean not only involved luxurious accommodations, pristine beaches and a lush tropical landscape, but also offered the one-of-a-kind opportunity to take part in a meaningful effort to save endangered sea turtles? Well, thanks to an incredible partnership between The Four Seasons Resort Nevis and the Sea Turtle Conservancy (with help from passionate members of the extraordinary Nevis Turtle Group), for a few days every summer, guests of the resort can take a hands-on role in saving sea turtles.

More than a dozen sweaty people in various states of undress giggled as a capoeira instructor directed us to crawl around on the floor. Make eye contact, he told us as we tried to follow the flow of one another’s bodies. But it was hard not to stare at the sparkling blue Ionian Sea.

When Tyler Branco thinks of luxury hotels in Bangkok, The Siam comes to mind. It's a 38-room boutique resort on the banks of the Chao Phraya River — and it's a place where nothing is left to chance.

According to the just-released Airline Quality Rating study, Virgin America is the country’s best airline. Of the 13 airlines ranked in the study, Alaska Airlines was rated fifth.

By traditional measures, Alaska Airlines is a carrier of decidedly modest size, even after its acquisition of Virgin America. Its own flight network is small, compared to those of American, Delta, and United. And it’s not a member of one of the three global airline alliances.

With multiple airlines (at the time of writing Delta, Alaska, and American) instituting a “smart luggage ban,” travelers have a right to be concerned if they travel with that pricey smart bag they bought. The part of the product in question is the suitcase’s battery, which with new regulations, must be removed in order to bring the bag onboard.

“Chaos at the airport!” You’ve seen those headlines and TV shots the last few days, and you know they’re accurate. You also know that, at least for now, the new immigration rules are under legal challenge, with an uncertain outcome.

If the European Parliament has its way, U.S. citizens will no longer be able to visit Europe with just a passport. The parliament has called for a requirement that U.S. citizens get visas to visit the European Union.

If this morning’s reports from the BBC and other sources have it right, the ban on in-cabin laptops will not be extended to include additional flights from Europe to the U.S.

Editor’s Note: For the latest version of this story, see The World’s Most and Least Expensive Cities, Ranked.