NYC outdoor dining sheds were a celebrated pandemic-era innovation. Now, there’s a new set of rules
NEW YORK — Outdoor dining was a part of the pandemic that many people actually liked — made possible by streetside dining sheds that popped up around New York City and allowed many restaurants to stay in business when they couldn’t have diners inside. Some sheds were simple — wooden...
Southwest Airlines promised better performance after meltdown. Has it delivered?
DALLAS — More than half a year has elapsed since Southwest Airlines ’ December meltdown displaced thousands of passengers and canceled flights for days across the country during the holidays. The airline promised passengers that it has put measures in place so something of this magnitude wouldn’t happen again. Southwest...
How Hawaiian wildfires might affect travelers from Western Pa.
Massive wildfires in the Hawaiian Islands have brought devastation and will continue to hurt the Aloha State, as the fires are sure to damage Hawaii’s tourism economy, its biggest source of revenue, said Pittsburgh-area travel agents. Officials confirmed Friday that at least 80 people have been killed in massive fires...
FAA warns of safety hazard from overheating engine housing on Boeing Max jets during anti-icing
U.S. regulators are warning airlines to limit the use of an anti-icing system on Boeing 737 Max jets in dry air to avoid overheating engine-housing parts, which could cause them to break away from the plane. The Federal Aviation Administration says the risk to the flying public is serious enough...
Daycation: Experience exotic animals at Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in West Virginia
Walk on the wild side with a Daycation Destination to Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in Kingwood, W.Va. Brenna Yokum was excited to view and interact with exotic furry and feathered animals during her inaugural zoo visit in July. “I’m enjoying everything. My boyfriend and I are animal enthusiasts and we’re like...
Millennial Money: Mystery travel lets you focus on the fun, not the details
Travel planning can be a real chore. Booking flights, deciding on the right hotel and building an itinerary might be fun for some, but others dread it. That’s why some travelers are opting for an unorthodox travel strategy that eliminates the planning stage altogether. It’s called “mystery” or “suprise” travel,...
This Ohio museum shows that TV is older than you might think
The history of television began long before millions of people gathered in front of their black-and-white sets and fiddled with the antenna and horizontal hold to watch Lucy, Uncle Miltie and Howdy Doodie. “Everybody thinks TV started in the ’50s or the late ’40s. Almost nobody knows it existed before...
Daycation: Charming riverside retreat Foxburg enchants
A tiny riverside borough big on tourism is rolling out the welcome mat for visitors from near and far along the Allegheny River in Clarion County. Foxburg, located less than 15 minutes off exit 45 on I-80 and about 85 miles from Pittsburgh, offers natural beauty, a nationally recognized public...
Here’s how to keep cool and stay safe during a heat wave
LAS VEGAS — Scorching heat across the U.S. already has caused more than a dozen deaths in Texas alone and led to mounting misery for millions of people from the Pacific Northwest to the South. And the official end of summer is still months away. Here’s a guide on how...
Hiroshima peace park, Pearl Harbor memorial park forge sister park deal to promote peace
TOKYO — Hiroshima and Pearl Harbor, two symbols of World War II animosity between Japan and the United States, are now promoting peace and friendship through a sister park arrangement. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui signed a sister park agreement on Thursday for Hiroshima’s...
Record travel numbers expected by air, roads for July 4 week
If you’re planning to travel during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, you will be far from alone. Whether by air or on the road, a record-number of people are expected to be on the move during the long weekend. The Automobile Association of America is projecting 50.7 million people...
Airline delays and cancellations are bad ahead of the holiday weekend and getting worse
Travelers are getting hit with delays at U.S. airports again early Wednesday, an ominous sign heading into the long July 4 holiday weekend, which is shaping up as the biggest test yet for airlines that are struggling to keep up with surging numbers of passengers. As of early morning, nearly...
Breeze Airways adds low-cost flights from Pittsburgh to Tampa
One of the newest airlines operating out of Pittsburgh International Airport plans to add flights to Tampa early this fall. Breeze Airways, which launched service in Pittsburgh in July 2021, announced that it will begin offering nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and Tampa International on Oct. 5. Round-trip flights will be...
Flight canceled amid bad weather? What you need to know
WASHINGTON — Amid peak summer travel, thousands of air travelers faced flight cancellations and delays this weekend and Monday as thunderstorms rolled in across the U.S. East Coast and Midwest. In addition to bad weather, a technology failing also contributed to to airline disruptions. The Federal Aviation Administration briefly paused...
Outer Banks makes Dr. Beach’s 2023 top 10 list
With the official start of summer just around the corner, many are getting their vacation plans together. The Outer Banks has long been a popular summer destination for Western Pennsylvania residents, and this year it made a spot on a special list. Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, more commonly known as...
Daycation: Go sky high with skydiving in Mercer
A high-flying adventure awaits those brave enough to jump out of an airplane in rural Mercer. Skydive Pennsylvania is the only full-service skydiving facility in Western Pennsylvania, located at the Grove City Airport. Owner Cecil Smith, 66, has logged more than 5,912 jumps in his 49 years of skydiving. Smith...
New Zealand airline is asking passengers to weigh in before their flights
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s national airline is asking passengers to step on the scales before they board international flights. Air New Zealand says it wants to weigh 10,000 passengers during a monthlong survey so pilots can better know the weight and balance of their planes before takeoff. But...
Flight cancellations, strikes raise fears of new summer travel chaos in Europe
LONDON — British Airways canceled dozens of flights Friday, blaming computer problems for disrupting plans for thousands of passengers at the start of a busy holiday weekend — a rocky kickoff to the summer travel season in Europe. The technical glitches and strikes by airport staff across Europe are stirring...
Back to normal: Spike in Memorial Day travel expected
A normal Memorial Day is finally on the horizon, including ceremonies honoring veterans, family vacations and maybe even some hot dogs doused in Heinz ketchup. With the end of the covid-19 public health emergency May 11, and the halting of most pandemic restrictions, Americans have big plans for Memorial Day,...
U.S. gay rights group issues Florida travel advisory for anti-LGBTQ+ laws
ORLANDO, Fla. — The largest LGBTQ+ rights organization in the U.S. joined other civil rights organizations Tuesday in issuing a travel advisory for Florida, warning that newly passed laws and policies may pose risks to minorities, immigrants and gay travelers. The Human Rights Campaign joined the NAACP, the League of...
3 ways to pay for your summer vacation
A summer vacation can feel like a seasonal rite of passage — a sacred time to break away from the demands of everyday life in favor of fun and relaxation. But summer can also be an expensive time to travel, which makes it hard to budget enough money for your...
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of ‘hostile’ laws
ORLANDO, Fla. — The NAACP over the weekend issued a travel advisory for Florida, joining two other civil rights groups in warning potential tourists that recent laws and policies championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.” The...
American Airlines and JetBlue must abandon their partnership in the Northeast, federal judge rules
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways must abandon their partnership in the northeast United States, a federal judge in Boston ruled Friday, saying that the government proved the deal reduces competition in the airline industry. The ruling is a major victory for the Biden administration, which has used aggressive enforcement of...
Are you who you say you are? TSA tests facial recognition technology to boost airport security
BALTIMORE — A passenger walks up to an airport security checkpoint, slips an ID card into a slot and looks into a camera atop a small screen. The screen flashes “Photo Complete” and the person walks through — all without having to hand over their identification to the TSA officer...
United pilots to picket; airline unions press for higher pay
DALLAS — Just ahead of what could be a record-breaking summer travel season, pilots from one of the nation’s biggest airlines are preparing to march in picket lines at major airports on Friday as they push for higher pay. The United Airlines pilots have been working without a raise for...
