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And other news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: A major tourist site in Australia is introducing an entry fee; U.S. airports are seeing the impact of a partial shutdown; and a tourist has stolen and abused a flamingo in Las Vegas.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
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Tourist Steals and Tortures Flamingos in Las Vegas
In a disturbing incident, a Canadian tourist stole a flamingo from a Las Vegas hotel and took the bird into his room. The tourist, identified as 33-year-old Mitchell Fairbarn, entered the wildlife habitat at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino at 5 a.m. on March 3. Surveillance footage shows him cornering and injuring multiple birds, dragging them while they are heard crying. He then picked up one bird, named Peachy, and brought it to his hotel room.
Police found videos of him with Peachy on his phone, and animal control reported that he pulled a wing from its body. Fairbarn told officers he was rescuing the bird after it was in distress and was “popping the wing back in.” A judge set his bail at $12,000 and ordered him to stay away from the Strip.
Caesars Entertainment, the owner of the hotel, released a statement assuring that Peachy and the other birds are being cared for and that it hopes for a full recovery. “The safety and well-being of our iconic flock are of the utmost importance to us, and we will be pursuing charges against this individual to the fullest extent possible.”
Fairbarn faces animal cruelty charges in Nevada, which strengthened penalties for animal abuse last year. He surrendered his passport and faces up to four years in prison.
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U.S. Airports Face Long Lines Amid DHS Shutdown
On Sunday, travelers experienced long lines at airports in New Orleans and Houston as the Department of Homeland Security faces a partial government shutdown. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers—considered essential—are again working without pay. With staff shortages, Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport saw extended waits at security lanes as Americans began spring travel.
Hobby Airport advised travelers to arrive four to five hours in advance because wait times exceeded 180 minutes. Select lanes were open and TSA PreCheck was unavailable.
Louis Armstrong Airport also updated travelers on X, warning that wait times were up to two hours and delays could continue all week.
If you’re traveling this week, plan ahead. A shortage of TSA workers may affect your travel as airports get busier and the shutdown continues.
@jcmack03 A drunk lady on an American Airlines flight from Miami to Tampa refused to use headphones and was loudly playing videos from her phone. The flight attendants politely asked her to use headphones before we even left the gate, and the lady immediately got angry, rude and belligerent. She was shouting and cursing at employees and other passengers. It continued until law enforcement finally came and thankfully removed her. The American Airlines employees handled it very well and were respectful the entire time. Just a wild situation. Never in my life did I think I’d witness this. #airplane #drunk #americanairlines #miami #florida ♬ original sound – jcmack03
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American Airlines Boots Passenger for Playing Music on Phone
Airlines are cracking down on barebeaters. Last month, a video on TikTok showed a woman being removed from a flight for playing a video for “30 seconds.” The passenger is seen yelling at the crew, emphasizing that she only played the video briefly and stopped after the second warning. However, authorities were called, and she was escorted off the plane before the flight left for Tampa from Miami. The passenger shouted expletives and expressed anger at other passengers recording her.
Recently, United Airlines updated its contract of carriage: any passenger who plays a video or audio without headphones on a flight may be removed.
Related: United Airlines Will Kick You Off Your Flight if You Don’t Use Headphones
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Popular Australian Tourist Attraction to Charge Entry Fee
The Twelve Apostles in Victoria, Australia, will soon start charging tourists an entry fee. The Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Center, set to open by the end of this year, will introduce a booking system. Almost three million tourists visit the attraction annually, with numbers expected to reach four million. The government plans to use the funds generated from entry fees to protect the natural wonder and maintain the Great Ocean Road’s infrastructure.
The booking system is also designed to help manage congestion and limit tourist numbers. Victoria’s environment minister, Steve Dimopoulos, emphasized that the funds will support the Great Ocean Road, which is under stress from tourism, climate change, and coastal erosion. “We want to make sure the Great Ocean Road is there for the next 100 years. We cannot be the generation that lets it fall away,” he said.
The entry amount will be decided after consultation with stakeholders, tour operators, and locals. It will not apply to local residents and the Eastern Maar Indigenous community.
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Man Dies After Airlift From Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A 33-year-old man who was airlifted from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has died. The National Park Service (NPS) confirmed that the Hawaii resident entered a restricted area on the east side of Kīlauea caldera on Feb. 26, which has been under an alert since 2024. The volcano was not erupting, but the terrain is hazardous, and the cliffs are unstable.
“Search and rescue personnel conducted operations overnight in steep and hazardous terrain. On Feb. 27, responders located the individual and airlifted him from the area. He was transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased,” NPS said in a press release.
The park has not released his identity and is investigating the incident. The agency also reminded visitors to follow rules and remain in open areas.