And other travel news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: severe turbulence sends 25 people to the hospital; a woman stows her child in a suitcase in New Zealand; and parents abandon their 10-year-old in a Barcelona airport.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
PARENTS ALLEGEDLY ABANDON SON AT BARCELONA AIRPORT TO CATCH FLIGHT
A woman working at Barcelona’s El Prat International Airport posted a TikTok expressing amazement at a couple who allegedly abandoned their 10-year-old at the airport because the child didn’t have the right documentation to board the flight.
According to the woman, the young boy did not have the proper visa, and his passport had expired, so he was not allowed to board the flight. The parents, upon learning this, called a relative to pick him up and left the child alone at the terminal to wait while they boarded their flight to go on vacation to their home country. Their plans didn’t materialize because airport staff found the boy, who told them his parents were on the plane, and they were escorted to the police station. The claims of the woman who reported this via TikTok have not been verified, but the video has garnered more than 330,000 views.
@limasin41 Historias de aeropuerto surrealistas!! #aeropuerto #abandono #historytime #flightdispatcher #viralvideos #paratiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ♬ original sound – Limasin
NO.2
WOMAN STOWS TWO-YEAR-OLD IN SUITCASE WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUS
In another incident of neglect, a woman was arrested in New Zealand for allegedly stowing her two-year-old child in a suitcase while traveling on a bus. The incident came to light when a bus driver discovered a suitcase moving in the luggage compartment. He opened it to find a girl, who appeared hot but otherwise unharmed. Police were called, and the woman now faces charges of neglect and ill-treatment of a child. She was traveling from Whangārei to Auckland.
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NO.3
NEW ZEALAND TO CHARGE TOURISTS TO ENTER FAMOUS SITES
New Zealand is changing its conservation laws to promote growth and tourism. In a new development, it will begin charging tourists NZ$20-40 ($12-24) to access natural sites such as the Milford Track, Cathedral Cove, and Aoraki Mount Cook. The fee is slated to be imposed in 2027, and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the NZ$62 million ($37 million) generated each year would be reinvested in the sites.
The country is also loosening policies to allow more businesses to conduct activities on conservation land. This new approach is facing criticism from experts who worry about potential harm to the nation’s biodiversity.
NO.4
SEVERE TURBULENCE SENDS 25 PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL
A Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Amsterdam encountered severe turbulence en route. Passengers who were not wearing seatbelts went flying into the ceiling along with service carts. The plane was diverted to Minnesota, where medics were waiting. As many as 25 passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment.
A passenger told CNN they thought the plane was going down, and a seasoned flyer said it was the worst turbulence they had experienced in their life. The plane was carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew members. Delta said in a statement that its seven staff members had been released from the hospital. “All customers who were evaluated at the hospital and willing to share their status with Delta have also been released.”
Related: The Most Terrifying Part of Any Flight Is About to Get Worse
NO.5
INDIAN ARMY OFFICER ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTS GROUND STAFF AT AIRPORT
A passenger traveling from the Srinagar Airport in northern India allegedly turned violent toward ground staff after being asked to pay for excess baggage. In a video that went viral, he is seen viciously attacking a staff member with a metal stand.
The man, identified as Indian Army officer Ritesh Kumar Singh, was carrying cabin luggage that weighed twice as much as allowed. He was asked to pay for the excess baggage but refused and allegedly entered the aerobridge without permission to board the flight. He was escorted back to the terminal, where he allegedly assaulted four SpiceJet airline ground staff members. According to the airline, even after a staff member became unconscious due to the attack, Singh continued to kick him. Another was left bleeding from the mouth and nose from the assault. A police officer had to intervene to stop Singh.
SpiceJet also said one employee suffered spinal injuries from the assault. The airline is in the process of placing the man on the no-fly list. Police have registered a case against Singh, but he has accused the staff of provoking him and, in turn, filed a complaint against the airline.