12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today (This is a recurring post, updated daily with new information):Friday, March 29Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbersTSA officers screened 2,776,588 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, March 28. One year ago on the same day: 2,487,147. (TSA)Skytrain running again at Miami International Airport after six-month shutdownSkytrain will resume service at Miami International Airport on Friday morning, ending a closure that lasted six months and forced American Airlines passengers to catch shuttles or walk as much as a mile to get to their gates, Miami-Dade County announced on Thursday. While one Skytrain station remains out of service, repair crews made enough progress fixing cracks discovered under the tracks to allow trains to resume trips for most of the mile-long track that runs above Concourse D. Miami Herald Airbnb’s new policy allows cancellations due to ‘foreseeable weather’Airbnb said it’s updating its policy to make it easier for reservations to be canceled and refunded without consequences due to “foreseeable weather events.” The short-term vacation rental company announced Thursday that its existing extenuating circumstances policy would be renamed to the major disruptive events policy to better reflect the new cancellation and refund support guidelines. USA Today Carnival expects $10 million hit from Baltimore bridge collapseCarnival Cruise Line expects to be impacted to the tune of about $10 million due to the temporary closure of cruise operations in Baltimore. The cruise line has shifted its operations for Carnival Legend to Norfolk, Virginia while the clean continues after the catastrophic bridge collapse. A cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a complete collapse. Travelmole TSA expands PreCheck program with eight new airlinesOn Thursday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the expansion of its TSA PreCheck program with the addition of eight new airlines. TSA officials revealed that travelers flying on Air Premia, Air Tahiti Nui, Air Transat, Bahamasair, BermudAir, Iberia, La Compagnie and New Pacific Airlines flights will be eligible for the PreCheck expedited screening program. TravelPulse LAX’s long-promised rail link, the People Mover, likely delayed until late 2025When construction of the Automated People Mover at Los Angeles International Airport is finished, travelers will finally have an option to avoid the airport’s dreaded traffic loop that’s become the punchline of too many jokes. But recently it’s only added to the chaos. And now it’s completion date is being pushed back, one more delay in the $30-billion overhaul of the fifth-busiest airport in the world. LA Times Shark monitoring system pings California lifeguards. But lack of funds could end programHere’s something California beachgoers may not know: When some great white sharks get within about 100 yards of certain state beaches, lifeguards get a text alert. A Cal State Long Beach program developed this unique system about six years ago, and hundreds of juvenile white sharks have since been tagged for monitoring. LA Times U.S. Ambassador Garcetti wants more Americans traveling to IndiaThe first time that Eric Garcetti stayed at the U.S. Embassy in India was during his college years. A friend’s father had been appointed the U.S. Ambassador, and Garcetti was invited to join on a trip. He had no idea that the embassy would become his home years later. Garcetti, who was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to India in 2023, shared that story and more during a conversation with Skift CEO Rafat Ali at the Skift India Summit March 13. Garcetti served as the mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2022. Skift Inside the life of an Aussie flight attendant working for Emirates – from job perks to living in DubaiAnnabel Crofts is living the dream life as an Emirates flight attendant. The Australian cabin crew member, who is originally from a small town in NSW but who now lives in Dubai, has been working for one of the world’s most prestigious airlines since June 2022. “I think we have the best job in the world,” Annabel tells 7Life. People on this island in Italy live to 100—here’s a look at their diet for longevitySardinia, Italy is one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” — or places around the world where an unusually large number of people live to 100 or longer. For these vibrant Sardinian senior citizens, what they eat plays an important role in longevity. But you don’t need to live in Italy to get these culinary health benefits. CNBCThese Americans bought abandoned homes in Italy for as little as $1 and spent thousands renovating: Was it worth it?Picture this: A house with extensive mold, water damage, termites and a collapsed roof in a tiny town where you don’t speak the language. Not exactly a prime real estate opportunity, right? For Rubia Daniels, though, the dilapidated building in Sicily also served as an exciting chance to build the home of her dreams — and it cost her almost nothing to get started. CNBC The world’s best dumplingsHow to define a dumpling? In its most basic sense, it’s a pocket of dough filled with some form of savory or sweet stuffing. And the easy ideas are surely the best, because dumplings are a popular food across the globe: both simple and complex, local and global, adaptable yet fixed in their home regions as cheap, tasty staples to snack on. CNN Thursday, March 28Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbersTSA officers screened 2,456,768 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, March 27. One year ago on the same day: 2,210,676. (TSA) Human remains scattered on Disneyland ride prompts closure, horrorA popular Disneyland ride was temporarily shut down recently after cremated human remains were scattered on the ride, according to numerous social media posts. The typically glossy black floor of the “Rise of the Resistance” attraction was smeared with bone chips and dust. Orange County Patch United Airlines unveils flight filters for wheelchair usersUnited Airlines is officially rolling out new accessibility features Thursday that it says will make flying easier for wheelchair users. The updates, which the airline previously announced, include the ability to find flights that are the best equipped to handle their mobility equipment by inputting the dimensions of their wheelchair in a filter on the booking page both on the airline’s app and website. The flight results will then prioritize the itineraries with planes that are best able to carry the mobility device. USA Today Hotel excavation reveals medieval castle with moatAn excavation project in northwestern France has uncovered the ruins of a medieval castle with its moat still intact as well as jewelry and other artifacts, officials said. The castle, believed to be around 600 years old, was not unknown to archaeologist when they began a “preventative” dig on a hotel property in the city of Vannes early last year, where plans were underway to build a fine arts museum. CBS News A $15 toll to drive into part of Manhattan has been approved. That’s a first for US citiesNew York is on track to become the first U.S. city with congestion tolls on drivers entering its central business district after transit officials approved a $15 fee for most motorists headed into part of Manhattan. Members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board on Wednesday voted to greenlight the congestion pricing plan, expected to go into effect in June. The board approved only minor changes to a plan presented to the public months ago, and brushed off requests for exceptions by dozens of groups of commuters. AP Idaho tried to apologize for March Madness racism but a far-right agitator stepped inOfficials in Idaho tried to apologize Tuesday for the racism the University of Utah’s women’s basketball team faced in Coeur d’Alene before an NCAA tournament game at Gonzaga. Yes, but: They abruptly shut down the news conference when a far-right operative began shouting questions at a human rights advocate. Axios Passenger endures seven-hour flight with no headrest, exposed boltA British Airways passenger says he had to sit in a seat with no headrest for seven hours. The missing headrest left a one-inch bolt exposed in the seat, he said. British Airways initially offered him and his partner a £50 ($61) voucher as compensation. Business Insider A truck got stuck underneath an Emirates A380 at a Moscow airport and tore a hole in the fuselageAn Emirates Airbus A380 was damaged by a truck at a Moscow airport on Wednesday. Images show the water truck tore open the A380’s fuselage. Russian media reported that the truck driver had a stroke and was paralyzed. BI Italy races to stop leaning tower from collapsingIt’s become Italy’s other “leaning tower.” And now, after mounting concern that the Torre Garisenda in Bologna might be on the verge of collapse, a plan has been hatched to save it using the same equipment that shored up the Tower of Pisa. The 48-meter (158 feet) Garisenda tower was built in the 12th century, during a boom period of the northern city’s history, but two centuries later it had already begun to tilt. Today, it leans at an angle of four degrees, just a little more than the Pisa tower’s current 3.9-degree slant. CNN Visa, Mastercard reach $30 billion settlement over credit card feesVisa and Mastercard reached an estimated $30 billion settlement to limit credit and debit card fees for merchants, with some savings likely to be passed on to consumers through lower prices. The antitrust settlement announced on Tuesday is one of the largest in U.S. history, and if it received court approval would resolve most claims in nationwide litigation that began in 2005. Some opponents believe it may not go far enough. Reuters US airports with the longest and shortest walking distancesWhile travel disruptions and long security lines are things most travelers keep in mind when planning their arrival at the airport, many may not consider the distance from check-in to their gates. With some airport terminals spanning over a mile in length, the walk can take more than 20 minutes – which means some late arrivers may be in for a hurried jog. USA Today Thanda Island: How a $33,000-a-night private island inspired by the Kennedys became a beacon for sustainable tourismThanda Island, a speck of sand off the Tanzanian coast, has room for only a handful of guests, but space enough for many thousands of inhabitants. A luxury estate which must be rented in its entirety, where prices start at $33,000 per night, you’ll have to share this tropical hideaway with some of Mother Nature’s most majestic creatures, including the largest fish in the sea, the whale shark. CNN Wednesday, March 27Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbersTSA officers screened 2,229,271 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, March 26. One year ago on the same day: 2,039,138. (TSA)2 California airports lead nation in fare hikesLong Beach tops the nation with a 16% jump to an average $373 fare. Still, that’s the 20th-lowest cost for flights among the 143 tracked. The airport continues to struggle with the exit of the low-cost airline JetBlue. Passenger counts were up 11% last year but were 6% below pre-pandemic 2019. The No. 5 for fare-hike rankings was Hollywood Burbank, up 10.5% to $347 (No. 131). Passenger counts were up 2% last year, putting activity 1% above 2019 levels. Orange County Register Haiti’s Sunrise Airways said it will resume flights to Miami this weekHaiti’s Sunrise Airways, which launched services to Miami International Airport last October, said it will resume operations on Monday. The airline said they will operate flights three days this week out of Cap-Haïtien, a city north of Port-au-Prince. CBS Miami Tour group of 33 stranded kayakers, including children, rescued from cave on Tennessee lakeA group of 33 kayakers consisting of adults and children were saved after being stranded inside a cave on a Tennessee lake, according to authorities. The Haletown Volunteer Fire Department responded to the Nickajack Cave Wildlife Area near Chattanooga on Monday around 8:42 p.m. for “a mass water rescue,” the department said in a Facebook post. USA Today Boeing just pulled a classic corporate America move and promoted a woman to clean up its messBoeing named Stephanie Pope the new CEO of its commercial airlines division on Monday. The promotion is part of a gendered pattern researchers identified years ago: the “glass cliff.” When male leaders have led a company into a crisis, they’re often replaced by women. BI Boeing needs to be led by engineers, time is not on its side, Emirates Airline president says“To fix Boeing’s issues the company needs a strong engineering lead as its head coupled to a governance model which prioritizes safety and quality,” said Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline. Aviation analysts and former Boeing employees have criticized the company’s reported sidelining of engineers in its senior management ranks. CNBC Utah coach says team had to switch hotels after racist attacks in Idaho townCity officials in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, were outraged after learning the University of Utah’s women’s basketball coach said her team had to switch hotels after being racially harassed. The team was staying in town for the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Washington. NBC News Splendour in the Grass cancelled as Australia faces ‘serious crisis’“No one has any money,” another said. “That is why it was cancelled. Festivals like Splendour often have varied lineups so they bring in a wide crowd, but that model doesn’t work anymore, because people can’t afford to go to a festival to see three or four acts they like.” Yahoo Cruises canceled following Carnival Freedom fire during busy spring break seasonTwo cruises have been canceled this week during the busy spring break travel season, following a fire on the Carnival Freedom the second on the ship in less than two years. “Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral,” a Carnival spokesman told Fox Business. Fox Business Air India fined for pilot duty violationsIndia’s aviation regulator has hit Air India with a fine of more than $95,000. It adjudged the flag carrier breached pilot duty regulations. The airline violated Flight Time Limitations rules. The rules govern the allowable working hours for pilots and their minimum required rest periods between flights. Travelmole A Delta flight was cut short after a panel behind one of the engines fell off during takeoffA Delta Air Lines flight over the weekend was cut short and the plane returned to Salt Lake City after a panel behind one of the two engines fell off during takeoff. The Airbus A330neo jetliner left for Amsterdam on Sunday but got only as far as the Montana-North Dakota boundary before turning back and landing in Salt Lake City three hours later. AP Person killed after being shoved in front of New York City subway in unprovoked attack A 24-year-old man was arrested Monday night and charged with murder after pushing another man to his death on the subway tracks at a station in East Harlem, the police said. The attack by the man, Carlton McPherson, was unprovoked, officials said. It took place at the 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station at 6:48 p.m., when Mr. McPherson shoved the man in front of an oncoming No. 4 train, officials said. The conductor was unable to stop the train in time to save him, the police said. NBC Tuesday, March 26Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbersTSA officers screened 2,601,077 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, March 25. One year ago on the same day: 2,383,816. (TSA)Baltimore Key bridge collapse: Search on for at least 6 missingA cargo ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, destroying the span in a matter of seconds and plunging it into the river in a terrifying collapse that could disrupt a vital shipping port for months. Six people were missing. The ship’s crew issued a mayday call moments before the crash took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland’s governor said. AP News Is Canada’s Flair Airlines about to go bust?Just six weeks ago there were rumors that Canadian ultra low cost carrier Flair would be acquiring local rival Lynx. Lynx ceased operations a month ago. Soon Flair may not be around at all either? Flair operates 18 Boeing 737s and turns 20 next year. It operates to 10 Canadian destinations, along with destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States. There have been signs of trouble for awhile. They were sued for missing lease payments on their planes which were repossessed a year ago. They’re behind in taxes. View from the Wing United SFO flight delayed for 17+ hours, FAA increases oversightA United Airlines flight departing from San Francisco International Airport to Aspen, Colorado, was delayed for over 17 hours, according to the airline’s website. The United flight was initially scheduled to depart SFO to Aspen on Friday, March 23 at 4 p.m. The flight was then delayed for 15 hours due to unknown issues. After the initial 15-hour delay, the flight was then delayed for another two hours. NewsNation Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia will finally be completed in 2026The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will finally be finished in 2026, more than 140 years after construction started, officials have confirmed. The construction of the last of six towers will mark the completion of the structure of the basilica, the organization responsible for managing the site announced last week. CNN Mystery rise in infection with 30% fatality rate sweeps JapanThere has been a massive surge in cases of a life-threatening form of bacterial infection in Japan that has left officials investigating the cause of the increase. The nation’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) has recorded a significant rise in cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) predominantly caused by the bacteria that causes strep throat and impetigo—Group A Streptococcus. Newsweek 8-year-old girl found dead in Houston hotel pool pipe; autopsy, investigation underwayPolice in south Texas are investigating after a missing 8-year-old girl was found dead over the weekend in a pool pipe at a Houston-area hotel. A Houston Police Department spokesperson confirmed the girl’s death took place on Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel on the city’s northwest side. The business is on U.S. Highway 290 about 14 miles from downtown Houston. MSN Delta Air Lines sued after 13-year-old girl sexually assaultedA 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a Delta Air Lines flight in 2022. Passenger Brian Patrick Durning was sentenced to five years in prison in late September. A lawsuit filed last Monday says Delta didn’t restrain him and allowed him to roam around the cabin. Business Insider Plans for private San Francisco-Los Angeles overnight sleeping car service revivedThe company seeking to start a luxury sleeping car train between downtown San Francisco and Los Angeles Union station says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Union Pacific “formalizing the parties’ negotiations toward a comprehensive final agreement” to begin operations by 2025. TrainsWorkers at 34 Southern California hotels will see their pay rise by $10 an hour in new labor contractsWorkers at 34 Southern California hotels hailed new labor contracts Monday that will boost wages by $10 an hour over four years, ending months of protests and rallies for thousands of employees. The cooks, room attendants, dishwashers and others represented by Unite Here Local 11 were part of a massive labor strike that has seen more than 10,000 workers at 53 hotels stage walkouts, protests and picket lines since the labor action began on July 1, 2023. Daily News Hotel room shampoo bottles to be banned in Northern Ireland but not in the rest of the UKHotel room shampoo bottles could be banned in Northern Ireland but not in the rest of the UK as a result of a change in EU rules. Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit deal, the Windsor Framework, means it continues to follow some EU laws, including rules on packaging. From 2030 the EU intends to ban some single use plastics including miniature toiletry products provided by hotels. The Stormont Assembly could ask the government to veto the law change. BBC United becomes first airline to add new, larger overhead bins to Embraer E175 aircraftUnited Airlines announced today that it is installing new, larger overhead bins on its Skywest operated Embraer E175 fleet that will provide more room for passengers’ roll aboard carry-on bags. These new bins will be available on 50 aircraft with a 76-seat configuration by the end of this year. United may expand the E175 larger overhead bins offering to more than 150 aircraft by the end of 2026. United.com Monday, March 25Yesterday’s TSA checkpoint numbersTSA officers screened 2,744,927 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, March 24. One year ago on the same day: 2,522,600. (TSA)Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step downBoeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of the year, the company said in an announcement Monday. The move comes amid fallout from a high-profile safety failure onboard an Alaska Airlines flight in January, when a door plug blew out of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 aircraft while the plane was in flight. ABC News FAA warns of air travel disruptions in path of April 8 eclipseThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of disruptions in air travel before, during and after the total solar eclipse April 8. The unique total solar eclipse will bring a path of totality across 13 U.S. states when the moon “totally” blocks the sun, leaving the sun’s outermost layer — the corona — visible to the naked eye. The Hill France raises security risk to highest level months before OlympicsFrench Prime Minister Gabriel Attal increased the country’s official security threat designation Sunday evening to its highest level of “emergency attack.” The heightened security risk assessment came after President Emmanuel Macron convened a National Defense and Security Council meeting Sunday to discuss the Friday attack on a Moscow concert hall. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, and U.S. officials have drawn the same conclusion. The Hill Airbus says it’s ‘not happy’ about issues at rival BoeingAirbus CFO Thomas Toepfer told CNBC the French planemaker was “not happy” about the issues facing U.S. rival Boeing. Boeing is under huge scrutiny and facing a reputational crisis after a door plug blew out of one of its 737 Max aircraft mid-flight. Toepfer said the situation had made Airbus “obsessed by the thought” of ensuring it does not happen on one of its own aircraft. CNBC Delta eliminates Sky Club customer service desks in new 2-airport trialThe next time you need assistance in a Delta Sky Club, you may have to wait in the same line as everyone else. That’s because the Atlanta-based carrier is eliminating the customer service desks at two of its newest Sky Clubs as of March 25. This change will begin Monday at Delta’s lounges at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The Points Guy FAA says future United projects ‘may be delayed’ due to increased oversightThe Federal Aviation Administration warned Saturday its increased oversight of United Airlines — after a string of nearly a dozen incidents on flights this month — may mean the troubled airline will have to put some of its future plans on hold. “Due to recent safety events, the FAA is increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure that it is complying with safety regulations; identifying hazards and mitigating risk; and effectively managing safety,” an FAA spokesperson said in a statement. “Certification activities in process may be allowed to continue, but future projects may be delayed based on findings from oversight.” CNN Business Passenger on European cruise goes overboard, disappears after texting wife he felt seasickA 23-year-old passenger on a cruise around Northern Europe went overboard and is missing after reportedly sending his wife a message that he felt seasick. The man went missing from the MSC Euribia on March 17, two days after disembarking from the port city of Southampton on England’s south coast, a spokesperson for MSC Cruises told Fox News Digital in a statement. The cruise line believes the man intentionally went overboard. Fox Business Carnival Cruise ship catches fire while at seaThe Carnival Freedom ship caught fire on Saturday near the Bahamas after passengers reported a lightning strike on the boat during a thunderstorm. Carinal Cruise Line said the crew reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel around 3:15 p.m. Saturday. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, sailing to Freeport after being unable to dock at Princess Cay due to weather conditions. Fox Weather Boom’s first test flight could signal the return of supersonic air travelAviation startup Boom Supersonic took a major step today toward its goal of returning commercial supersonic aviation to the skies, after the company’s prototype aircraft, the XB-1, left the ground for the first time this week. The short, subsonic flight over the Mojave Desert came years later than expected, but it shows that Boom is at least still making progress. The XB-1 took off Thursday at 7:28AM PT, reached a maximum altitude of 7,120 feet, and a top speed of 246 knots (283 mph). It landed 12 minutes later at 7:40AM. The Verge Ready, steady, eau! Paris waiters race returns to French capitalTrays of coffee and croissants were held aloft around Paris today in a revival of one of the city’s traditional spectacles – a race involving waiters and waitresses from its famous cafes. Judges at the end check the amount of liquid that has spilled during the contest, which allows only brisk walking. The event began in 1914, but has not been held since 2011 due to lack of sponsors. It has been brought back in the run-up to the Paris 2024 summer Olympics. BBC Northern lights predicted in US and UK on Monday night in wake of solar stormsSolar eruptions are sending a stream of particles towards Earth, creating spectacular auroras in both hemispheres. The aurora borealis – in the northern hemisphere – will be potentially visible on Monday night in the US as far south as the midwest. The northern lights, more commonly associated with northern Europe, could also be visible in northern Britain. The Guardian 10 Things in Travel You Need to Know This Week (March 17-24)JetBlue cuts routes spanning LAX, South AmericaJetBlue is scaling back service in Los Angeles and cutting other routes. The carrier is charting a path after its failed acquisition of Spirit Airlines. The airline is under increased pressure to reduce expenses and return to profitability after activist investor Carl Icahn disclosed a nearly 10% stake last month and won two board seats. CNBC “commercial and industrial equipment.” NY Post