Couple forced to sit next to dead body on airline flight to Italy
After a passenger died midway through a Qatar Airways flight, an Australian couple was forced to sit next to the corpse for the remainder of the trip. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on their way to Venice, Italy, from Melbourne when a woman onboard their flight walked out of...
‘Puppy Mountain’ photo draws onlookers to a Chinese riverside
When Shanghai-based designer Guo Qingshan posted a vacation photo on Valentine’s Day and captioned it “Puppy Mountain,” it became a sensation in China and even created a tourist destination. Guo had gone on a hike while visiting his hometown of Yichang in central China’s Hubei province in late January. When...
Smoother rides ahead: Pa. takes step toward revamping Breezewood interchange
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has taken a first step in redesigning the Breezewood interchange to provide a direct link for motorists who want to exit the turnpike and head south to Maryland on Interstate 70. Turnpike officials this week announced Alfred Benesch and Company, which has offices in Cranberry and...
Americans’ confidence in air travel safety dips slightly after Washington plane crash: AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON — Americans’ confidence in air travel and the federal agencies tasked with maintaining air safety has slipped a little from last year, following a recent crash in Washington, according to a new poll, but most still believe air transportation is generally safe. The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center...
What to know about the airplane that crashed while landing at Toronto’s airport
A passenger jet made a hard landing before it lost a wing, burst into flames and flipped onto its roof at Toronto’s airport, the fourth major aviation accident in North America in the past three weeks. Although 21 people were injured, all 80 people on board the Delta Air Lines...
Spirit plans for return of daily flights to Myrtle Beach from Arnold Palmer Regional
Spirit Airlines plans to resume daily flights from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity to Myrtle Beach, S.C., in May, an airport official said Tuesday. The daily flights from the county airport to Myrtle Beach International Airport will resume May 7, said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County...
U.S. government sues Southwest Airlines and fines Frontier for chronically delayed flights
The Transportation Department is stepping up enforcement of persistent flight delays with a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines and a fine against Frontier Airlines. The agency said the U.S. District Court lawsuit it filed in California on Wednesday alleges that Southwest illegally operated chronically delayed flights and disrupted passengers’ travel plans....
JetBlue passenger suddenly opens exit door as flight is taxiing for takeoff at Boston airport
BOSTON — A person on board a plane at Boston Logan International Airport that was taxiing for takeoff suddenly opened an exit door and was quickly restrained by other passengers, authorities said. The JetBlue passenger was expected to face charges and be arraigned Wednesday, Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Tim McGuirk...
Driving into Manhattan? That’ll cost you, as new congestion toll starts Sunday
NEW YORK — New York’s new toll for drivers entering the center of Manhattan debuted Sunday, meaning many people will pay $9 to access the busiest part of the Big Apple during peak hours. The toll, known as congestion pricing, is meant to reduce traffic gridlock in the densely packed...
U.S. fines JetBlue $2M for ‘chronic’ flight delays on several East Coast routes
The Transportation Department said Friday it will hit JetBlue Airways with a $2 million penalty for chronically late flights along the East Coast, and half the money will go to passengers who were delayed. The agency said it’s the first time it has fined an airline for chronic delays on...
A data company has figured out which airlines fly on time most often
Mexican airline Aeromexico had the world’s best record for on-time arrivals in 2024, according to an annual ranking released Thursday. Delta Air Lines scored the highest among U.S. carriers despite a computer outage that caused thousands of flight cancellations in July. Aviation-data provider Cirium said in a report that nearly...
Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain reopens after renovation work in time for the Jubilee Holy Year
ROME — Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain reopened on Sunday ahead of the inauguration of the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year, following the completion of extraordinary maintenance. The three-month renovation work included removing dirt, pollution and limescale from the 18th-century monument, one of the main attractions for tourists visiting the Italian capital....
International students urged to return to U.S. campuses before Trump inauguration
CONCORD, N.H. — A growing number of U.S. colleges and universities are advising international students to return to campus before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, over concerns that he might impose travel bans like he did during his first administration. More than a dozen schools have issued advisories, even though...
It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel
Drivers and airline passengers without reindeer and sleighs better make a dash for it: it’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel in the U.S. The auto club AAA predicts that more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New...
FBI investigates passenger’s death on L.A.-docked Royal Caribbean cruise ship
LOS ANGELES — A 35-year-old man’s death is being investigated by the FBI after he was reportedly bound by crew members while aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that docked in Los Angeles. According to a passenger who spoke with Fox 11, the man was bound with zip ties and...
Digital authorization required for Americans to travel to U.K. in 2025
Planning a trip to the United Kingdom in 2025? If so, you’ll need more than just a passport. Starting Jan. 8, American citizens will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization in order to enter the U.K., Time Magazine reported. “U.S. citizens transiting through or traveling to the United...
About 3 dozen high-rise buildings in South Florida are sinking
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. — Almost three dozen high-rise condos and luxury hotels along the beach in South Florida are sinking or settling in unexpected ways, in some cases because of nearby construction, according to a new study. The 35 buildings surveyed along an almost 12-mile stretch from Miami Beach...
American Airlines to add daily nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and L.A.
American Airlines is bringing back a key link between Pittsburgh and the West Coast. Starting April 4, the Fort Worth-based carrier will offer nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International and Los Angeles International airports, the Allegheny County Airport Authority announced Monday. The move revives a route last flown in 2017. Daily...
Tourism grants awarded to Westmoreland businesses, attractions
Since Julia Taneja and her husband opened a luxury boutique hotel at a renovated coal baron mansion in Greensburg nearly two years ago, they’ve attracted visitors from throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A $19,000 grant from revenue generated by Westmoreland County’s 5% hotel room tax will...
A ‘flying’ electric ferry could get visitors across Lake Tahoe in 30 minutes
LOS ANGELES — Lake Tahoe visitors and locals may one day be able to avoid the area’s congested and winding roads and opt instead to glide across the lake on a “flying” electric ferry. FlyTahoe and Sweden-based Candela are working to build this type of electric vessel in the U.S.,...
Notre Dame Cathedral 5 years later: World gets first look of renovations after devastating fire
PARIS — Five years after a catastrophic fire reduced Notre Dame Cathedral to a smoldering shell, The Associated Press entered the Gothic masterpiece for a first glimpse of its fully restored interiors during a visit with French President Emmanuel Macron that was broadcast to the public. The transformation is nothing...
Record number of travelers expected to take to skies, roads over Thanksgiving holiday
Annette Santilli was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport early Tuesday. With some forecasts calling for a record number of travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday, Santilli, 62, of Clarksburg, W.Va., had expected to see long lines at the Findlay airport. Instead, Santilli and her 20-year-old daughter, Stephanie...
‘Busiest Thanksgiving ever’: How the TSA plans to handle record air travel
DALLAS — Just as there are good odds the turkey will taste dry, airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end in another record day for air travel in the United States. The people responsible for keeping security lines, boarding areas...
Hydrate. Make lists. Leave yourself time. And other tips for reducing holiday travel stress
Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it’s clear that travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves. Travel pros say there is plenty you can do ahead of time to make...
Travelogue: Penn Township man, son meet neighbor while hiking Canadian Rockies
(Editor’s Note: Penn Township resident Robert Szypulski and his son, Scott Szypulski of Oakland, share their latest trip to Canada. They are regular visitors to our nation’s national parks.) Sooner or later, those who enjoy epic Rocky Mountain hikes in the awesome American national parks of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana...
