LAS VEGAS (AP) – The German company that owns Lufthansa Airlines and other European carriers said Tuesday that it would cut 20,000 short-haul flights through October as the Iran war drives up oil prices and deepens worries that some countries may run low on jet fuel.
As the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, travelers have valid reasons to worry about the cost and availability of flights as they plan their late spring and summer trips.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers. Air New Zealand will soon offer a solution that involves climbing into a triple-tier bunk bed wearing special socks.
A new reality is setting in for travelers worldwide: rising fees, fewer flight options and difficult decisions about whether a trip is worth the cost. The culprit is volatile oil and jet fuel prices, which have spiked sharply since the war in the Middle East began and fighting near the narrow Strait of Hormuz created a chokepoint for global oil supplies.
FUJIYOSHIDA, Japan (AP) – The trouble started with a beautiful photo. Social media was soon awash with the lovely view of Japan’s snow-capped Mount Fuji looming over a red pagoda and the short-lived cherry blossoms that herald the approach of spring. Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot of the mountain.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – If you’ve ever planned to motor west and take the highway that’s the best, this might be time: Route 66 turns 100 this year. The Mother Road, as author John Steinbeck dubbed it, has evolved to perhaps the quintessential American road trip that’s still delivering kicks.
Southwest Airlines is raising checked baggage fees by $10, less than a year after ending its “bags fly free” perk that long set it apart, as jet fuel costs have jumped since the start of the Iran war. Customers checking one bag will pay $45 starting on Thursday, while a second will now cost $55, according to Southwest.
Delta Air Lines announced Tuesday it is raising checked baggage fees, part of a broader wave of U.S. carriers responding to higher jet fuel prices tied to the war in the Middle East. Beginning Wednesday, most passengers on domestic and short-haul international routes will pay $10 more for their first and second checked bags, and $50 more to check a third.
Travelers will soon face restrictions on how many portable chargers they can carry on a flight as airlines continue to try to reduce the risk of another lithium battery fire aboard their jets.
°C
