Late Passengers Rush Tarmac to Flag Down Their Flight, Are Then Arrested

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expecting 360,000 fliers to travel this Thanksgiving period. It will be the busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years with more than 52,000 flights on Tuesday (November 25). The AAA said that 82 million Americans are projected to travel for Thanksgiving, and while 90% of them will take road trips, buses and trains might see a last-minute increase in bookings. 

Amtrak is also anticipating a record-setting volume of passengers this year, and the railway company is urging travelers to pack light because the trains will be full. It reminds people that the trains close two minutes before departure, so be on time to avoid last-minute hiccups. Moreover, book your tickets as soon as you finalize your plans, Amtrak’s president Roger Harris advised. 

Related: We Should All Be Embarrassed by This Train

Last week, the U.S. warned airlines of risks of flying over Venezuela. The FAA said in the notice that aircrafts at all altitudes are potentially at risk due to “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela.” It has not prohibited flights from flying over the airspace, but tells airlines to give 72-hour advanced notice for planned flights.

Since 2019, passenger and cargo flights from the U.S. to Venezuela have been suspended, and American Airlines and Delta don’t fly over the country anymore. Now several other international carriers, including TAP Air Portugal, Iberia, Avianca, and Gol have canceled flights to and from Venezuela after this notice.

A 73-year-old man from Melbourne, Australia, has died after jumping overboard a Disney cruise ship. Disney Wonder embarked on a five-day itinerary from Melbourne to Auckland on November 20. A passenger jumped from the cruise liner on November 22, at 4.30 a.m. Shortly after he was reported missing, the ship turned around in the Tasman Sea, and searched for him for five hours using thermal imaging and surveillance camera. However, the passenger could not be found and is said to have been lost at sea. 

The police are not treating this as a suspicious death. The cruise is expected to reach Auckland a day later than scheduled on November 25.

Related: What Happens if You Die on a Cruise Ship?

Two passengers breached security to catch their flight after missing the boarding call. The incident happened at Germany’s Cologne Bonn airport when two men, 47 and 28, ran on the tarmac towards a Wizz Air plane bound for Bucharest. The plane had already started the process for take-off, but they signaled to the pilot that they wanted to board the flight. Airport staff intervened and they were arrested.

In their bid to catch their flight after the gate was already closed, the men also broke an emergency glass and went to the tarmac through an emergency exit. The police have filed criminal charges against them. The airport operations were not impacted by this incident, and the flight landed ahead of schedule.

A pocket watch that belonged to businessman Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy’s, was sold for £1.78 million ($2.3 million) at an auction. It is the highest Titanic memorabilia has ever sold for, according to auctioneers.

His wife Ida gifted him the 18-carat timepiece in 1888. Both died when the doomed Titanic sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. But their story has been immortalized. It is known that Isidor was offered a seat on the lifeboat, but he let other men go before him, and Ida refused to leave his side. The couple died after the ship sank, and they were among the very few first-class passengers who lost their lives in the disaster. 

The pocket watch was found on his body—Ida’s body was never recovered—and it had stopped at 02.20. It was returned to the family and it passed through generations. It was sold at an auction along with other Titanic possessions, which altogether fetched £3 million ($3.92 million).