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: A United Airlines employee threatened to call ICE on a family at San Francisco airport; an airline pilot wrote “I’m bored” while flying over the England-Wales border; the State Department has issued a worldwide caution for American travelers to exercise increased caution; and an 11-year-old girl died in Italy after her hair got stuck in a swimming pool.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
Related: Have You Met Eugene, Fodor’s New AI Travel Assistant?
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United Employee Allegedly Threatens to Call ICE on Family
A United Airlines ground staff member was recorded in a disturbing altercation with a passenger at San Francisco airport. On July 14, Julio Varela was traveling with his family to Canada when the employee allegedly threatened to call ICE on them.
Varela is a Mexico-born naturalized U.S. citizen, and he said this happened after his wife accidentally entered their daughter’s middle name as the last name on the reservation. They tried to correct the mistake over the phone, but they were advised to arrive early at the airport to get it fixed. However, the United employee dismissed them, and when asked to give her name, she refused. Varela had his phone out to record, and the employee started recording the interaction, too, and told him, “Maybe we should call ICE on you.” In the video shared on Reddit, she is recorded telling him that he doesn’t act like a citizen, while he calls her out for being racist. The altercation also turned physical when the employee reached for Varela’s camera, he alleged.
United said in a statement, “We’re looking into the interaction in this video, but don’t have anything additional to share at this time.”
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Pilot Skywrites ‘I’m Bored’ in England
A Ravenair pilot shared his feelings about flying a plane by writing “I’m bored” in the sky. The Liverpool-based airline had replaced a part in its Piper Tomahawk, and the pilot in his 20s took it out for a test flight. It was a two-hour journey over England and North Wales, and the pilot spent 20 minutes tracing the message at about 1,100 feet.
Operations manager Wayne Barrett told the BBC that the pilot was not in trouble for this. “I think the pilot was literally a bit bored as it was just a test flight. Mind you, it was pretty skillful flying.”
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State Department Issues ‘Worldwide Caution’ to American Travelers
The U.S. Department of State advised Americans to exercise increased caution due to tensions in the Middle East. The advisory was issued on July 18 after peace talks fell through between the U.S. and Iran in early July and airstrikes resumed. Today marks the ninth consecutive day of attacks.
The State Department recommends that Americans keep an eye on new developments. “Americans abroad should follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted. Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan released a security alert to warn Americans to avoid the international airport and seaport in the city of Aqaba. “U.S. Embassy Amman continues to advise all Americans to avoid travel to military bases in Jordan.”
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11-Year-Old Girl Dies After Hair Gets Caught in Swimming Pool in Italy
An 11-year-old girl tragically died while on vacation in the Italian town of Sestri Levante after her hair got stuck in a suction pipe of a resort pool. The accident happened on July 14 at the Bagni Segesta beach resort. Onlookers noticed that Alice, from Milan, was struggling in the pool and rushed to help her. They attempted to pull her out. Paramedics arrived on scene and performed CPR, and she was later transferred to the Gaslini Pediatric Hospital in Genoa. She died later.
The police are investigating the incident as possible manslaughter.
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American Couple’s Boat Capsizes in Blue Grotto, Italy
A couple from Texas celebrating their 25th anniversary with a Mediterranean cruise experienced a nightmare in Italy’s Blue Grotto. Sherina Welch posted a video on TikTok of them in a small boat entering the cavern when the scene turns dramatic, and their boat capsizes. “As the boat was going through and we’re lying down, all of a sudden, when the water came in so quickly and it slammed the boat into the opening of the cavern. It immediately filled with water,” they told Good Morning America.
They transferred to another boat and made it out safely. Later, the tour guide apologized to the couple and even took them shopping to get dry clothes, she said in her video.
The Blue Grotto is a sea cave on Italy’s island of Capri. It’s a popular tourist attraction, but it can only be accessed when the water is calm and the tides are low. Passengers lie flat on the boat while a skipper rows the boat inside the cavern opening to see the glowing blue waters.