I had 21 hours of flight delays. Here's what I did wrong.
My ordeal was extreme but not unusual, especially this summer. Though trapped in an airport, airplane or customer service purgatory for the entire time, I was never alone. All around me, passengers were muddling through similar situations.
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Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ryanair sets monthly passenger record despite air traffic control strikes
Airline Ryanair said it carried a record high number of passenger last month despite French air traffic control (ATC) strikes. The Dublin-based carrier announced 20.7 million passengers travelled on its flights in July. That is up 3% from 20.2 million during the same month last year. Its load factor – which represents the average proportion of seat filled on its aircraft – was stable at 96%. Ryanair said it operated more than 113,000 flights in July and cancelled 680, mainly because of French controller strikes. French ATC staff took industrial action on July 3 and 4 in a dispute over working conditions. As well as disrupting flights to and from French airports, the walkouts affected flights scheduled to travel over French airspace. This meant many services to or from UK airports were delayed or cancelled. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis previously described the French strikes as 'very, very disruptive' as they forced the airline to cancel 660 flights and cost it £15 million. Around 70% of easyJet's flights either fly to or from a French airport, or over the country's airspace. European air traffic management body Eurocontrol estimated the strikes affected more than one million passengers. Meanwhile, a radar fault suffered by UK ATC provider Nats led to more than 100 UK flights being cancelled on July 30.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Las Vegas casino culture suffers rejection by gamblers of younger generations
The latest statistics confirm the social chatter that Las Vegas tourism has hit a dramatic low, with some even calling Vegas an experience of the past. Only 3.1 million people visited Sin City in June, down 11.3% compared to last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Social media users have called out the high prices of everything from dining to parking, citing these and other reasons for staying away. Robby Starbuck, conservative activist and host of "The Robby Starbuck Show," told Fox News Digital it is not just prices that are keeping people out of Vegas. "Now nearly everyone under 40 who bets seems to do it online," Starbuck said this week. "I don't know one person under 40 who goes to Vegas regularly to bet or play slots," he added. "This trend will continue with younger people because, honestly, our minds are wired differently." The U.S. online gambling market in 2024 was estimated at $12.68 billion, according to Grand View Research. "Young people have 40 options to gamble on their phones from the comfort of their own home." Tom Reeg, Caesars Entertainment CEO, said it would be a "soft summer" on a recent earnings call, according to local reports. Starbuck said generational differences also could be pushing down the popularity of visiting Las Vegas. "Another differentiator is that older generations focused on real-life interaction, while younger generations feel just as content with parasocial online experiences," he said. "The Vegas marketing image is one centered on slots and showgirls, two things young people have no interest in," said Starbuck. He added, "The typical casino feel and marketing just won't be as successful with young people who have 40 options to gamble on their phones from the comfort of their own home." An additional generational difference, Starbuck pointed out, is that younger generations are ditching the bottle. "Younger generations drink alcohol at lower rates than older generations did at their age. That's going to have a material impact on the Vegas business model if young people drink less," he said. Younger generations are also ditching the bottle. The number of people in their 20s who chose to abstain from alcohol more than doubled between 2001 and 2019, going from 9% to 22%, according to a 2019 National Drug Strategy Household survey. And a recent Gallup survey found that roughly 38% of adults under age 35 now identify as fully abstaining from alcohol. In addition, more than a quarter of Gen Z respondents felt "very concerned" about the potential health effects of drinking alcohol, according to Civic Science. The hotel industry is also feeling the burn of fewer visitors. Occupancy rates dropped 6.5%, while average daily room rates have lowered to $163.64 – down 6.6%, according to the LVCVA. Meanwhile, a 43-story hotel and casino has been put on an indefinite pause, SF Gate reported. The property has a prime location on the Vegas strip and will remain an empty lot for parking for now. Starbuck said he's been to Las Vegas a number of times in his life and doesn't see himself visiting again unless there is a change. "If it feels like a place where I can see the future and bring my whole family, then you'll see me in Vegas again," he said. "Without that kind of transformation, Vegas is in trouble in the coming decades," he predicted. "If Vegas wants to win with young people in the future, it's going to have to transition to a must-see destination that makes you feel like you have just entered the future."
Skift
an hour ago
- Skift
U.S. Tightens Visas, Oyo Enters Australia and Europe Flies Bigger and Farther
Today's pod looks at the U.S.'s latest attempt to scare away visitors, Oyo's latest acquisition, and Europe's longer flights. Skift Daily Briefing Podcast Listen to the day's top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday. Listen to the day's top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday. Skift Travel Podcasts Good morning from Skift. It's Tuesday, August 5. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. Some visitors to the U.S. might face a new financial challenge. The U.S. plans to require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program slated to start on August 20, reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden. The 12-month program would give U.S. consular officers the discretion to require bonds for travelers from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Registry notice published on Monday. The notice said the rule is a key part of the White House's efforts to tackle threats posed by visa overstays and deficient screening and vetting. The State Department estimates that 2,000 travelers will be required to post the bond. Officers are expected to set the bond at $10,000, but they can increase that figure to $15,000 if they don't believe it's enough to ensure a timely departure. Listen to This Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube | RSS Next, Indian hospitality company Oyo has bought Australian short-term rental platform MadeComfy in a deal valued at more than $50 million, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia. Oyo's acquisition represents its entry into the Australian and New Zealand markets. MadeComfy currently manages more than 1,300 properties with nearly 100 real estate agencies. Bhutia writes Oyo's goal is to expand MadeComfy across Australia and New Zealand and possibly into other countries where Oyo already operates. Finally, new data has revealed that flights in Europe are getting longer and planes on the continent are bigger, reports Airlines Editor Gordon Smith. The average flight distance in Europe hit just over 1,000 nautical miles last year, according to air traffic control organization Eurocontrol. Although the 2024 figure is a modest increase from the previous year, Smith notes it's part of a much larger structural shift as domestic and regional routes are in decline. In addition, the average maximum take-off weight of an aircraft jumped to just over 90 tonnes, up from both 2023 and 2018. Smith notes the increase is a sign of airlines emphasizing larger planes over regional jets.
