As tourism brightens, Times Square hopes to regain luster
NEW YORK — David Cohen has been yearning for a return to the days when business boomed at his family’s souvenir shop in Times Square. While tourists have begun returning, foot traffic into Grand Slam souvenirs is still not what it was before the coronavirus pandemic, when hordes of global...
TSA makes travel safer, though security remains imperfect 20 years later, experts say
Since the Transportation Security Administration was created in the wake of 9/11, terrorists haven’t carried out any large-scale attacks involving commercial airliners or U.S. airports. Some say that’s a testament to the TSA and proof that its security measures are working. But some aviation security experts say the TSA, created...
AAA predicts more than 53 million people will travel for Thanksgiving
AAA Travel is predicting that 53.4 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, an increase of 13% from 2020. According to AAA Travel’s latest data, the combination of 6.4 million more people traveling for the holiday this year and the reopening of the U.S. borders to fully vaccinated international...
Disney now requiring cruise guests 5 and older to be vaxxed
Disney Cruise Line will require all guests ages 5 and up to be fully vaccinated against covid-19 before setting sail starting early next year, the company announced. In a statement posted on its website on Wednesday, Disney announced the new rules will begin on Jan. 13, 2022. The vaccine was...
Times Square is back open on New Year’s Eve — with vax proof
Crowds will once again fill New York’s Times Square this New Year’s Eve, with proof of covid-19 vaccination required for revelers who want to watch the ball drop in person, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. “Yes, we are proud to announce that Times Square, wonderful celebration in Times Square,...
Despite reopening, the U.S. is still closed to many in the world
NEW YORK — The U.S. says that it’s inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult — if not impossible — for much of the globe to enter the country and...
Ligonier Borough to receive award recognizing its scenic appeal
Ligonier Borough’s scenic appeals include its reconstructed 18th- century fort and its green spaces — in particular, its central Diamond Park and iconic bandstand. Because of those attractive assets, nonprofit Scenic Pittsburgh is set to present its Community Scenic Achievement Award to the borough on Saturday. The award is given...
Egypt says 47 tourists got food poisoning at Red Sea resort
CAIRO — Egypt’s chief prosecutor has ordered the detention of three hotel workers pending an investigation into the food poisoning suffered by about 50 foreign tourists at a hotel in a popular Red Sea resort. Public Prosecutor Hamada el-Sawy said in a statement late Sunday that the workers, including the...
Flooding in Venice worsens off-season amid climate change
After Venice suffered the second-worst flood in its history in November 2019, it was inundated with four more exceptional tides within six weeks, shocking Venetians and triggering fears about the worsening impact of climate change. The repeated invasion of brackish lagoon water into St. Mark’s Basilica this summer is a...
Sun Country Airlines to add nonstop service between Pittsburgh International, Minneapolis
Pittsburgh International Airport will add another budget airline to its stable of carriers beginning next year when Sun Country Airlines adds a nonstop flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul, airport officials announced this week. “We’re thrilled to have Sun Country’s low-cost service for Pittsburgh travelers heading to the Twin Cities,” said Bryan...
Thai riverside restaurant finds silver lining in floods
NONTHABURI, Thailand (AP) — A flood-hit riverside restaurant in Thailand has become an unlikely dining hotspot after fun-loving foodies began flocking to its water-logged deck to eat amid the lapping tide. Now, instead of empty chairs and vacant tables, the Chaopraya Antique Café is as full as ever, offering an...
Disney World opened 50 years ago; these workers never left
Applying to be one of the first workers at Walt Disney World, high school graduate George Kalogridis made a split-second decision that set the course for his life: he picked a room where prospective hotel workers were being hired. Chuck Milam got a tip about a job opening from a...
U.S. easing foreign travel restrictions; vaccinations required
In a major easing of pandemic travel restrictions, the U.S. said Monday it will allow foreigners to fly into the country this fall if they have vaccination proof and a negative covid-19 test — changes replacing a hodgepodge of rules that had kept out many non-citizens and irritated allies in...
Civilian Conservation Corps legacy lives on in state parks
America’s 20th-century “tree army” brought generations of citizens closer to nature’s wonders while enduring the nation’s greatest economic plight. If the political winds are favorable, new recruits might get the chance to repeat that effort during the current health crisis. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and the National Wildlife Federation...
Forecast: Pennsylvania’s fall foliage expected to bring vibrant colors in 2021
Vibrant fall foliage — even overachieving colors — can be expected this year in Pennsylvania, although the peak of the leaf-peeping season could be a week later than normal, according to the annual fall forecast from Accuweather. In Pennsylvania, the northern mid-Atlantic, southern New England and the Ohio Valley, “rainfall...
Macy’s Thanksgiving parade returns to New York City streets
NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return to New York City’s streets this year with covid-19 protocols including a vaccination requirement for parade volunteers, Macy’s and city officials announced Wednesday. The Nov. 25 parade will be broadcast on NBC and will feature the traditional giant balloons, celebrity...
How 9/11 changed air travel: more security, less privacy
DALLAS — Ask anyone old enough to remember travel before Sept. 11, 2001, and you’re likely to get a gauzy recollection of what flying was like. There was security screening, but it wasn’t anywhere near as intrusive. There were no long checkpoint lines. Passengers and their families could walk right...
5 things to know before traveling this Labor Day weekend
A three-day holiday weekend might entice some people to get in one more road trip before summer comes to an end. Officials are urging travelers to exercise caution as they travel this Labor Day. “As Labor Day weekend is a popular time for travel and celebrating, PennDOT is urging drivers...
Disney World will resume selling annual passes again Sept. 8
Walt Disney World will resume selling annual passes for its theme parks Sept. 8. Expect new names for the passes — which have increased in price — as well as strengthened ties to park reservations, which are staying around, the company announced Monday. The number of reservations that a passholder...
Universal Studios sets opening for 1st theme park in China
BEIJING — Universal Studios announced Monday that its first theme park in China will open in the country’s capital in September. The company set the opening date for Sept. 20, according to a statement and video posted on the Chinese social media site WeChat. Under construction since 2016, the theme...
27 people aboard Carnival cruise test positive for covid-19
Twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for covid-19 just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week, according to the Belize Tourism Board. The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which is carrying over 1,400 crew and...
Spirit Airlines cancellations, delays continue Tuesday for 3rd straight day
Flights on Spirit Airlines continued to be canceled and delayed Tuesday at Arnold Palmer Regional and Pittsburgh International airports. The “proactive cancellations” are a result of “overlapping operational challenges including weather, system outages and staffing shortages,” Spirit spokesman Field Sutton said. It was unclear when the issues might be resolved....
Majority of Spirit flights canceled Monday at Westmoreland, Pittsburgh airports
Numerous Spirit Airlines flights at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport were canceled Monday, mirroring problems at other airports the low-cost carrier serves. The Florida-based airline issued a statement indicating the problem was triggered by a series of “weather and operational challenges” over the weekend. It said rumors...
Air travel hits another pandemic high, flight delays grow
Air travel in the U.S. is hitting new pandemic-era highs, and airlines are scrambling to keep up with the summer-vacation crowds. Despite rising numbers of coronavirus infections fueled by the delta variant, the U.S. set another recent high mark for air travel Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people going...
Arnold Palmer airport offers 2 round-trip tickets in Steelers Week promotion
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority will be giving two travelers a free ticket for a southern trip as part of a Steelers Week promotion beginning Monday in Unity and Latrobe. Visitors to the authority’s Arnold Palmer Regional Airport may enter for a chance to win a round-trip ticket to any...
