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Israel’s air force has reportedly taken out both the Damascus and Aleppo airports in Syria. This follows Hezbollah claiming responsibility for firing anti-tank guided missiles into Israel yesterday, as well as missiles fired from Syria that Hamas claims credit for.
British Airways flight 165 from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv turned around while on final approach on Wednesday, as Hamas launched a rocket attack at the city. The carrier had been operating a single daytime flight, allowing crew to immediately return to London, however has now decided to suspend operations to Israel.
Passengers on the flight took a 9 hour 47 minute flight to nowhere, and options to fly into the country are increasingly limited.
Hamas gone to war, sending thousands of rockets into Israel. They’ve kidnapped Israelis and brought them into Gaza for use as human shields – including some as young as 10 and other reports of younger still. The photos they’ve promoted show the children having been beaten.
Hawaii has awarded a new tourism marketing contract for a campaign that lays out what kind of travel they want to attract. In particular, as they’re desperate to drive a resurgence in Maui visits, they want Europeans to be more respectful and spend more.
Devastated by fires, the island’s economy is 80% dependent on tourism. They’ve been asking tourists to come back but too many people are shaming people not to do so, calling tourists ‘exploitive’ when the locals are now facing unemployment as a result.
A New Yorker flying to Israel ran into extra security screenings and delays flying to Israel and she says that, as a Palestinian, she’s a victim of the Jewish state. Is she?
Noor Fawaz was booked through Chase travel to fly El Al from New York to Tel Aviv. El Al’s security processes are more rigorous and extreme than most airlines. They profile! Ms. Fawaz got extra questioning, and this was acknowledged to her.
Last week I wrote that Maui’s mayor said it was time for tourists to return to the island. Just stay away from the western part. They need visitors to Wailea. They need visitors to Kihei.
And many of you slammed me, calling me insensitive to the tragedy that had occurred on the island. Now the Governor is asking for people to return, locals are asking him for a state of emergency, and local unemployment has increased ten-fold.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and International Civil Aviation Organisation conducted a “pre-audit” in June, to prepare for next year’s formal Universal Safety Oversight Audit, to give them a chance to rectify problems first. They identified two issues, both problems in the United States, but it’s the details here that are scary.
At least 16 students were deported from the Atlanta airport in one day after arriving from Delhi on a Delta flight. They all had valid F1 visas to study at St. Louis University.
A week ago United Airlines made an announcement about its flights to China that is not true. They said they would add 10 weekly flights between the U.S. and China. They will not do so.
Delta announced that it would add six weekly flights between the U.S. and China. It probably won’t do this either.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
