And more of this week’s top news.
This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: passengers onboard a flight had to restrain a pilot after he suffered a medical emergency; European cities experienced a record-breaking heat wave last week and more than 1,300 people have died; wildlife conservationists want cruises to slow down after a Royal Caribbean ship docked with a dead whale on its bow; and World Cup tourists have discovered ranch dressing, with the TSA requesting they keep it in check.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
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Passengers Threatened With Arrest After Baggage Delayed at Orlando Airport
Last Saturday, passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Orlando experienced multiple delays. When they finally landed in the U.S., it took many hours for their baggage to be retrieved due to the weather. Here’s the kicker: hundreds of passengers were told they would be arrested if they left without collecting their bags.
Carol Wick, who was on the flight with her husband, told the Orlando Sentinel that they wanted to go home after a two-week vacation in Croatia when they were met with these delays. More than 800 passengers from two other Virgin flights also got stuck at the airport, and one person collapsed, prompting emergency services to respond. “I can’t even imagine somebody who just arrived in the United States in the environment we have right now being threatened if you leave your baggage,” she said, and wondered if a passenger who left would have been sent to a detention center.
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More Than 1,300 Die in Europe Due to Heat
Europe has recorded more than 1,300 excess deaths since a heat wave gripped the continent on June 21. Temperatures in France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Spain crossed 104 degrees Fahrenheit last weekend, while the U.K. and the Netherlands also saw temperatures above 98.6 degrees. Nearly 150 million people across the continent suffered through temperatures of at least 95 degrees for several days, trying to cool off in parks, lakes, and beaches. In Germany, at least 15 people died in swimming accidents, while the toll was much higher in France, at 55.
Due to these conditions, public events were canceled, train schedules were trimmed, and authorities advised people to stay hydrated. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre have been closing early, and the Pride Parade was postponed. Officials also banned public drinking. Governments encouraged people to avoid outdoor activities and unnecessary travel.
Related: Europe’s Extreme Heat Is Now Shutting Down Train Routes
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Pilot Suffers Apparent Seizure Mid-Flight
An Air Canada flight from Newark to Halifax faced an emergency when the pilot became incapacitated. Passengers said he appeared to suffer a seizure while flying and had to be restrained as the first officer took charge and diverted the plane safely to Boston.
The incident happened on Wednesday, and the aircraft was carrying 61 people. Passengers reported that the plane swerved several times. A crew member then rushed into the cockpit and dragged the pilot out. Passengers assisted in restraining him as the seizures continued, with help from a registered nurse. Passenger Rodney McDonald praised the flight crew, who remained calm throughout.
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World Cup Tourists Have Discovered Ranch Dressing
European tourists are having a good time in the U.S. After a fan named Freddy from Germany went viral for his wide-eyed wonder at American attractions, there’s another celebrity spotted: ranch dressing. The Transportation Security Administration posted cheeky messages on Instagram, asking travelers to carry ranch dressing back home in their checked luggage. The carry-on liquid limit is 3.4 ounces, which also applies to salad dressing.
“If you’re visiting for a very large sporting event & you happen to discover RANCH while you’re here…pls pack it in your CHECKED BAG on the way home,” one post said.
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Experts Urge Cruises to Slow Down After Death of a Pregnant Whale
On June 19, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked in Alaska with a 61-foot dead whale on its bow. The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity has written a letter to Royal Caribbean urging it to slow its cruise ships to protect fin and blue whales from getting struck by ships.
The endangered fin whale was pregnant, and a preliminary report found that the whale suffered “blunt force trauma to the jaw, spine, and ribs consistent with a ship strike,” the letter says. It asks the company to adopt a policy of going slower than 10 knots while navigating through whale habitats, as it is the most effective way to prevent strikes. “Adopting 10 knots as a mandatory speed limit for your cruise ships will therefore better protect large whales from suffering deadly ship strikes, help prevent your company from committing violations of federal law, and better enable your company to live up to its promise of achieving ‘a higher standard of sustainability.’”
Royal Caribbean acknowledged that its ship had struck the whale, and the company reported the incident to the authorities. “We are saddened to hear that one of our ships struck a whale while on its way to Seward. We take any impact to marine ecosystems very seriously.”
Related: Can a Cruise Change Your Perspective on Travel?