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Here are this week’s travel news headlines from around the web and interweb I found the most interesting. Take a look:
Starting April 20, Southwest passengers are limited to one external battery per flight and you can no longer charge those power banks using the seat outlets onboard. The International Civil Aviation Organization had recommended a limit of two per traveler; Southwest went stricter. Worth keeping in mind before your next trip.
Delta removed its pledge to use sustainable aviation fuel for 10% of its jet fuel by 2030 and quietly reworded its 2050 net-zero goal from a “goal” to an “aspiration.” The airline says it still believes in SAF, but supply is way behind demand and costs are high. Delta isn’t alone here; the whole industry is quietly retreating on green commitments.
MSC is bumping its daily hotel service charge by $1 per guest for standard staterooms (now $17) and a full $3 for MSC Yacht Club guests (now $23), effective May 11. If you’ve already prepaid your gratuities, you’re locked in at the old rate. Carnival, Holland America, and Margaritaville at Sea have all made similar moves recently. The gratuity creep across cruise lines is real.
This one is a doozy. A couple traveling from Evansville, Indiana to Phoenix says a gate agent denied boarding over a carry-on bag size dispute, then called airport police instead of resolving it through normal customer service channels. The husband was allegedly thrown to the ground, restrained, and tasered. The criminal charges were later dismissed, but American permanently banned them both anyway. They’ve now filed lawsuits against the airline and Dallas-Fort Worth airport. A lot to unpack here.
Holland America’s new “Evolution” project will retrofit six ships (four Vista Class and two Signature Class vessels) with new dining venues, redesigned public spaces, and brand new Solo Verandah staterooms. The solo cabins are 200 square feet and come with a private balcony, a huge step up from the cramped interior studios most lines offer solo travelers. Oosterdam goes first, debuting in fall 2027. Solo cruising is genuinely a growth segment and it’s good to see a major line taking it seriously.
Spanish budget carrier Volotea has been emailing already-ticketed passengers demanding an extra fuel surcharge of $8 to $11 before their flights, warning that non-payment could mean denied boarding. The airline is citing a “Fair Travel Promise” clause in its conditions of carriage tied to the Strait of Hormuz closure and skyrocketing jet fuel prices. For now, Volotea is the only airline doing this to existing bookings. Let’s hope it stays that way.
Fincantieri officially launched Norwegian Aura at its Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, kicking off the final outfitting phase before a spring 2027 delivery. The ship weighs in at about 170,000 gross tons, stretches 344 meters, and will hold around 3,880 passengers. Think water park, suspended adventure course, climbing wall, and a 360-degree outdoor promenade called Ocean Boulevard. It’s about 10% larger than NCL’s Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Luna and Norwegian Viva (my review here).
Boom CEO Blake Scholl went on Fox Business recently and said they’re roughly two years away from starting production of the Overture supersonic passenger jet. The company is also currently assembling its first Symphony engine at its Colorado facility. Airlines like United, American, and Japan Airlines have orders in. Supersonic commercial travel has been “two years away” for a while now, but at least they’re still moving.
Were there any crazy or interesting travel news stories you found interesting that I missed? If so please drop a comment below and include a link to the story! – René
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and and may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
