Airplane cabin designs that could change the way we fly
In travel news this week: award-winning aircraft interior designs and the world's best airports for 2025. Plus, what it's like to live in a US town completely surrounded by Canada.
An in-flight entertainment system that can project content on tray tables, windows or wherever passengers want to watch. A fully recyclable overhead storage bin that could advance sustainable travel. An in-seat interface that allows you to check lavatory availability without getting up.
These are some of the seven innovative airplane interior concepts to have been honored by the Crystal Cabin Awards this week in Hamburg at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025.
The entries range from ready-to-launch, airline-backed designs, to experimental and as-yet-unrealized projects.
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Germany's Diehl Aviation were both double winners, with Diehl impressing with its smart design for an accessible airplane lavatory with wide doors and foldable sinks. See the full list here.
Also getting their flowers this week were the aviation hubs honored in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2025. Singapore Changi, renowned for its indoor waterfall, dinosaur theme park, butterfly garden and copious other delights, won for the 13th time.
Paris Charles de Gaulle was named Best Airport in Europe, Vancouver International was Best in North America and Cape Town was Best in Africa.
Some US citizens are worried about traveling abroad during the Trump administration. 'It feels terrifying,' said one travel blogger who is afraid of a hostile reception internationally.
The US trade war and anti-Europe rhetoric have some Europeans choosing to skip US travel. 'It's like our friend started a fist fight with us,' one Copenhagen resident told CNN.
For the people of Point Roberts, a 4.9-square-mile peninsula in Washington state that belongs to the US but is only accessible by land through Canada, growing anti-American sentiment is a concern. Here's what it's like to live there.
Meanwhile, many Americans planning to travel domestically are anxious and confused about the REAL ID deadline looming on May 7. Here's what you need to know in order to meet the new identification standards for US air travel.
Finally, a Nigerian woman who was attempting to break the world record for the fastest time to visit every continent was thwarted in her mission by flight delays and visa issues. She succeeded in her other goal, however, which she says was to highlight 'passport privilege.' She says there were 'access and options' denied her on her journey and extra checks she faced because of her 'low-mobility' passport.
Xiaohongshu, China's answer to Instagram, is transforming the travel industry for younger adventurers. Locations that offer unique photo ops, such as basketball courts with great views of the Hong Kong skyline or paintwork on a wall in Seoul, have become huge tourist draws because of the app.
On the opposite end of the scale, an American game streamer and his YouTuber buddy are ditching the smartphones that are the staple of their generation and attempting to cross Japan by motorbike without so much as a guidebook. They're relying on basic Japanese and asking directions from locals.
For an easier way to do old-school travel, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this round-up of the best vintage-inspired luggage and accessories.
Florida's Universal Orlando Resort will open its third and newest theme park, Epic Universal, on May 22 and it's one of the largest, most expensive theme parks ever made.
CNN got a sneak peek inside the first major theme park to open in the state in 26 years.
Jonestown, Guyana, was the site of an infamous 1970s mass murder and suicide. CNN was among the first visitors to be taken there by tour guides.
A 76-year-woman and her parrot, Plucky, were denied boarding on a Frontier Airlines flight. Here's how Plucky got unlucky.
She couldn't stop thinking about the man she'd glimpsed when her ship visited a remote island. Then he wrote her a letter.
Passover begins April 12 and the Thai New Year begins April 13. Here's what you need to know about the Passover Seder meal and Songkran water celebrations.
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Miami Herald
28 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
‘Everything is uncertain now': Venezuelan travelers blindsided by travel ban
For Venezuelan travelers the past few days have been filled with uncertainty, fear and confusion — not to mention the financial toll. Since the Trump administration issued a travel ban barring nationals from 12 countries including Venezuela, Venezuelans both in and outside the U.S. have scrambled to reschedule flights — some moved them earlier, others delaying plans. Some wanted to arrive before the ban kicked in on Monday. Others wanted to waitto travel out of fear that Customs and Border Protections would be revoking visas. And for families that were hoping for reunification pending an upcoming appointment to get a visa, plans have been canceled. Among those who changed plans to beat the travel ban was José Malave and his family. READ MORE: What you need to know about Trump's travel ban on Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela Malave had booked a flight with his wife, Estefanía Ramírez, their 10-month-old baby, and his mother-in-law from Mexico City, where they currently reside, to New York City. The trip was meant to reunite his wife with her brothers, whom she hadn't seen in over a decade. The family had scheduled the trip six months in advance for June 12 — just three days after the travel ban was set to take effect. But on June 4, when the White House proclamation was made public, their plans were thrown into chaos. 'We moved our flight to June 8, a day before the travel ban took effect, terrified that once it started we wouldn't be allowed into the U.S.,' Malave said. 'We were scared and distressed, but luckily, we were able to enter without any issues at customs, though the financial impact has been huge.' The family had to spend an extra $800 to change the flights. Malave, 33, and Ramírez, 32, both computer programmers, are naturalized Mexican citizens. However, they travel using their U.S. tourist visas, which are stamped in their Venezuelan passports. Their 10-month-old son is a born Mexican citizen with a U.S. visa in his Mexican passport, while Ramírez's mother holds only Venezuelan citizenship. Malave expressed deep frustration with the abruptness of the travel ban — and he takes great offense to the implications it makes about Venezuelans. Trump's proclamation states that the measure is a way to protect the United States from terrorism and crime, and that the designated countries lack screening and vetting information for travelers. 'This proclamation affects everyone, no matter their background. It should've taken effect with more notice,' he said. 'People are interpreting it differently, and Venezuelans are caught in the middle.' He feels heartbroken, unsure of how to plan for the future. 'Everything is uncertain now. We had planned to spend Christmas in New York, maybe take our son to Disney — but those dreams are shattered. We don't even know if we'll be able to travel again on our Venezuelan passports.' 'We don't know when, or if, we'll see our family again. This is the reality Venezuelans face, even outside of Venezuela.' While Malave's family was able to reschedule their flights and reunite with their relatives, many others may never get the chance to reunite with their loved ones in the U.S. Karla Flores is a Venezuelan who has has lived in Woodbridge, Va., for the past three years. She planned to take her mother, Mercedes, from Venezuela to Spain in order to apply for a U.S. tourist visa, where the application process is faster than in Colombia. Since the Nicolás Maduro regime severed diplomatic relations with the United States in 2019 after President Trump, during his first term, recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's interim president, the U.S. consular office for Venezuelan visa applications now operates out of Bogotá, Colombia. But it has a year-long backlog. Flores said her mother is living alone and struggling with health issues. Flores left Venezuela eight years ago—that was the last time she saw her mother, who is 75. Now the hope for a reunion seems lost. 'We have uncertainty and profound sadness,' Flores said. 'We don't understand why we have to go through this.' Fear of having visas revoked The U.S. State Department clarified on Sunday that the travel ban does not apply to individuals holding valid visas issued before June 9. However, for many Venezuelans with current tourist, business, or student visas, and flights scheduled just days away, the clarification came too late to ease their fears. Confusion and anxiety had already set in, with travelers uncertain about whether they would be denied entry at the border — or worse, have their visas revoked. Venezuelans living in Maracaibo, in the western state of Zulia—about 700 kilometers from Caracas—often travel overland for more than three hours to reach Colombian border cities before flying from Bogotá to U.S. destinations like Miami. There have been no direct flights between Venezuela and the United States since 2019, when the Trump administration suspended air service. As a result, what was once a three-hour flight from Caracas to Miami has become a costly and time-consuming journey, often taking longer than a flight to Europe. On Monday, Venezuelan passengers at Bogotá's airport reported unusually slow and thorough security screenings. Aleika Áñez, co-owner of Kunana Travel, a Venezuelan travel agency with 34 years of experience said her clients reported that there were delays leaving Colombian airports. 'A customer who traveled on Monday said the check-in process was more rigorous at the airline counter because they held Venezuelan passports,' she said but despite the uncertainty, many Venezuelans flying from Colombia to Miami have been able to enter the U.S. 'without incident.' Many are waiting to see how Venezuelans are treated at immigration checkpoints this week, she said. Entry to the U.S. ultimately depends on the discretion of customs officers. Eduardo, a 36-year-old Venezuelan living in Mexico since 2015, has postponed his July trip to Los Angeles. Fearing it could jeopardize his chances of entering the U.S., he asked the Herald to withhold his full name. Eduardo had hoped to reunite with his brother, whom he hasn't seen in years since both fled Venezuela, but now worries that traveling on his Venezuelan passport is too risky. 'I suspended my trip because of all the uncertainty surrounding this situation,' he said. Another Venezuelan, Carlos, a 40-year-old lawyer who has a tourism and business visa, decided to postpone his flight from Maracaibo to Atlanta after hearing the news. 'It cost $1,900, and I wasn't willing to risk both my money and my visa,' he told the Herald. Carlos, who requested to not use his full name as well, plans to consult his travel agency later this week and buy his ticket if the situation stabilizes. 'If everything calms down, I'll go ahead and purchase it,' he said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Washington AG exploring potential challenge to new federal travel restrictions
Jun. 10—Washington is "taking a careful look" at where it has standing to challenge President Donald Trump's recent proclamation restricting travel from 12 countries, Attorney General Nick Brown said during a news conference Tuesday. "The president says his travel ban is about national security, but this racist order will not make anyone safer," Brown said. The restrictions, Brown said, have stalled medical care, "struck fear" into Afghan refugees who previously aided the United States military and could hinder international students looking to study at American universities. "We are actively looking at ways to challenge this ban, but it will be difficult," Brown said, adding that the Supreme Court has upheld other travel bans in recent years. Trump last Wednesday announced that citizens from 12 countries — Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — would be barred from entering the United States. The president also partially banned citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. In a video posted on social media, Trump said the "strength of the restrictions we're applying depends on the threat posed" and said countries could be added or removed from the list. "But we will not allow people who enter our country who wish to do us harm," Trump said. "And nothing will stop us from keeping America safe." The restrictions continue a trend by Trump, who issued several bans on international travel during his first administration. The first, which barred travel from seven majority-Muslim countries, faced swift backlash and was challenged within days by then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson. "I'll always be proud that Washington state was indeed the first state to take on that first travel ban, the first state to take on Donald Trump, and the first state to defeat Donald Trump in court," Ferguson said. "It is a little difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that we are back here again on another travel ban." Ferguson said that Washington will lead other states on standing up against Trump's orders. "And I want all Washingtonians to know that," Ferguson said. "We have a new attorney general, but guess what? The good news is he is as deeply connected to this issue, and as resolved to stand up against it, as we were eight years ago." Among those feeling the impact of the travel ban is Katia Jasmin, founder and executive director of Creole Resources in Spokane. During an interview Tuesday, Jasmin said the inclusion of Haiti caught her by surprise. Jasmin said the ban could have wide-ranging effects on Spokane's Haitian community, including deepening the existing trauma that many have experienced. Jasmin said the ban could also result in family separation, as many permanent residents or citizens still have family abroad — something she knows firsthand. "I have my brother that lives in Haiti, and he comes to see us, and now he won't be able to come and see us," Jasmin said. Katia's brother, Jay, was set to serve as the best man in an upcoming wedding — plans that seem to be in doubt. "My brother won't be able to see us, so I don't know how long we'll have to wait to be able to see him," Jasmin said. The restrictions, Jasmin said, will ultimately have minimal impact on safety. "If you people are scared of gang members coming to the States, I don't know how we are scared of the gang members; they don't have visas, they don't have anything. I don't think a gang member from Haiti will come here to the United States to do anything," Jasmin said. "So whatever they try to say that it's for, the security or stuff, it's not true."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
David Frost is wrong about the Elgin Marbles
Dull is the eye that will not weep to seeThy walls defaced, thy mouldering shrines removedBy British hands… The campaign for the return of the Elgin Marbles began almost from the moment of their removal. Byron's lines have been quoted for two centuries by restitutionists. If there were a way to restore the mouldering shrines to the Parthenon itself, it would surely have happened by now. Who could resist making whole the Temple of Athena? There would be no need for long-term loans. My colleagues Lord Frost and Baroness Debbonaire would not be insisting that their surrender would be 'good diplomacy'. But there is no way to restore them to the original structure. All sides agree that those magnificent metopes and pediments – bleached and numinous yet, at the same time, eerily realistic with their flowing robes and flared horses' nostrils – need to be preserved indoors. A few carvings have found their way into collections in Paris, Copenhagen, Munich, Vienna and Würzburg. But most are housed either at the Acropolis Museum, which opened in 2009, or at the British Museum. The argument is therefore whether to move them from one museum to another, which raises the question of what makes a successful museum. I would set the following tests. Where will any given artefact be most carefully looked after? Where can we best appreciate its cultural impact? Where is it most accessible to specialists and scholars? Where will the largest number of people get the greatest pleasure from seeing it? The Greeks unquestionably have a great location. To admire those white Pentallic stones on the slopes of the Acropolis, glimpsing its heights through the windows, is quite an experience. But the British Museum is the most visited museum in the world (at least if we count the Louvre as a gallery rather than a museum). Museums, as the etymology implies, are secular temples to the muses, those ancient goddesses who inspired sublime feelings in mortals. They were designed to raise the spirits of the masses, not only to spread knowledge, but also to elevate artistic sensibility. The British Museum has been carrying out that function since the mid-18th century, and in a remarkably universalist spirit. It was the first public institution to call itself 'British', yet it never saw its vocation as national. It was intended from the start to be encyclopaedic, a place to display curios from every culture. This universality is rarer than people realise. Most museums have a national or ethnic focus. In Washington DC, for example, you will find the National Museum of the American Indian, the Chinese American Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But the British Museum, as its former director Neil MacGregor put it, 'remains a unique repository of the achievements of human endeavour, and there is no culture, past or present, that is not represented within its walls. It is truly the memory of mankind.' If our aim is the greatest happiness for the greatest number, there is a good case for keeping the stones divided, and using modern technology to fill in the gaps with exact replicas (the Acropolis Museum currently represents the missing stones with deliberately rough plaster casts so as to emphasise its grievance). But this is not really about aesthetics. It is about nationalism, and the desire of successive Greek administrations to claim a direct link to the ancient city states. And here, I part ways with my House of Lords colleagues. For demands that rest on collective racial entitlements are incompatible with freedom, property and the rights of the individual. Commentators are often conflicted about these ethnic claims. The kinds of people who insist on performing indigenous land recognition ceremonies in Canada and Australia would be horrified at the idea that second-generation immigrants to Britain were here contingently. Yet free contract rules out ancestral claims. If my grandfather sold his house to yours, I have no right to turf you out. There is no question that the British Museum purchased the collection legally from Lord Elgin, who had acquired it with the full permission of the authorities. Elgin had not at first intended to remove the carvings. He wanted to sketch and measure them, but changed his mind when he saw passers-by carting them off. 'The Turkish government attached no importance to them,' he told a parliamentary committee. 'Every traveller coming added to the general defacement of the statuary in his reach.' Elgin saved the stones. Free contract and private property trump the superstitious idea that being descended from someone, or at least living in the same part of the world, establishes some kind of ownership right. If the Acropolis Museum wants the collection, it should put in an offer. Frankly, the way Britain is going, we might soon need the money. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. 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