Busy spring break travel causing long lines at airports
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Long lines, stacks of bags and packed parking lots – it's the start of spring break travel.
'We got dropped off but was actually surprised how busy it's been. I've never seen it this way ever,' stated Gerald Roque, Kapolei resident.
'Safety is nonpartisan': Despite aircraft incidents, experts say flying is still safe
TSA estimates a 5% increase in the number of spring break travelers compared to last year. It's advising travelers to arrive early to find parking and go through security.
'There was like no parking, though. It was really crowded. Be prepared for the long lines. It is very long and you might be late to your flight,' said Madison Gapol, a spring break traveler.Hotels in Hawaii are preparing to handle the incoming masses, especially from increasing tourism from Japan.
'Multigenerational travel is definitely a trend we're seeing, and it's a very exciting time for families to come,' said Christine Judson, The Ritz Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay Director of Sales & Marketing. 'We've noticed that our clicks to the website have increased from Japanese URLs. We've also built recently a Japanese website to attract those customers.'
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USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
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Travelers do all kinds of things on vacation that they later regret. A recent survey found that, like Rulfs, almost one-third of tourists (32%) have done something similar, like posing inappropriately with a statue. And 42% admit to breaking the law. Check out Elliott Confidential, the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone! "Breaking the law in other countries carries important consequences," said Alex Thompson, CEO of Legaroo, a company that offers international legal assistance plans to travelers. "You can't defend yourself by claiming that you're a foreigner." Of course, the list of tourist misdeeds is long. You can see visitors spray-painting tourist attractions in the Canary Islands, mocking local customs in Dubai and carving their initials into the side of Japanese shrines. 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A few weeks later, he got an $80 fine in the mail. "I couldn't help but regret not having done my homework on the local driving regulations," said Little, who runs a lighting company. Not all lawbreaking results in fines, said Alex Andreichuk, the CEO of Altezza Travel, a tour operator based in Tanzania. "Some tourists engage in behaviors that may seem more innocent, such as sitting on monuments or changing clothes in public spaces," he said. "These acts reflect a lack of social and cultural education." It's surprising how often people use the "I'm a tourist!" excuse – and when that doesn't work, it's, "I demand to speak with the embassy." (FYI, the embassy can't break you out of jail. It will send you a list of overpriced attorneys and contact your family. But you'll need to talk to someone like Thompson over at Legaroo if you want help.) Why is this happening? There's a reason why tourists are doing unspeakably terrible things when they travel. 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In my defense, the traffic lights are a little wacky and in some cases, there isn't enough time to cross the street even if you wait for a green light. But still, I probably shouldn't have done that. Sorry. It's easy to break the law, but it's a bad idea It's easy to violate rules and customs when you're out of the country. Heck, it's even easier when you stay in your own country. Your loud music at the beach could violate local noise ordinances. The trash you leave behind could break waste management laws. And that new string bikini you can't wait to try out just might be a violation of decency laws. And if I have to tell you that carving your initials into the side of a shrine or spray-painting a monument is wrong, there's not much this column can do to fix that. John Gobbels, chief operating officer of Medjet, says you have to understand the law, and the legal process in whatever country you're visiting. For example, chewing gum in Singapore is against the law. 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If you're on vacation somewhere and are thinking of doing something illegal – or that could be illegal – take a moment. Do you really want to end up as an anecdote in one of my stories? Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@
CNBC
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Fox News
19 hours ago
- Fox News
Controversial airport watchlist program terminated by DHS amid weaponization concerns
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