European Headlines for Travelers
What's happening in Europe? Check this page every weekday for links to news of special interest to travelers...
Monday, January 3
- Winter weather causes more power chaos in Moscow (New York Times)
- Spain's strict new anti-smoking rules take effect (BBC)
- Italy bans plastic shopping bags (ANSA)
- London commuters face staggering New Year fare rises (BBC)
- Istanbul named top place to travel by New York Times' readers (New York Times)
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Miss a day? Check out this week's archived headlines
...and here's a summary of recent European and travel news...
Tube Strike Set for Monday
December 22 — London Tube drivers will go on strike on Monday, December 27 (Boxing Day) in a dispute over pay. The 24-hour walkout is set to begin at midnight December 26. London Underground, which operates the subway system, says it will attempt to bring in back-up drivers but travelers should expect delays and cancellations.
European Airports Dig Out From Storm
December 22 — Airports and airlines across Europe are trying to dig themselves out from a backlog of passengers as a series of winter storms subsides. More flights are getting in and out of London's Heathrow Airport, but it is still operating on a reduced flight schedule. Disruptions are still being felt at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, which is also struggling to sort out a huge amount of baggage that became separated from passengers when flights were cancelled. Germany's Frankfurt airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France report that operations are returning to normal, while delays and cancellations are still reported at airports in Berlin, Germany and Vienna, Austria.
American Airlines, Orbitz Part Ways
December 21 — Travelers searching the website Orbitz will no longer see airfares for American Airlines after the airline pulled out of the travel website. American will continue to honor tickets previously sold on Orbitz, and will continue to provide its fare information to other travel websites. American also sells tickets on its own website. The airline decided to pull out of Orbitz after a dispute over whether Orbitz should get fare information from a third-party distribution company or directly from American. In a similar move, Delta Airlines has pulled its fare information from CheapOAir, OneTravel, and BookIt travel websites.
Snow Disrupts European Travel
December 20 — New winter storms today worsened travel delays and disruptions in Europe, where thousands of flights have been cancelled and officials are calling for travelers to forgo trips over the holidays if possible. Two days of snow over the weekend brought air travel to a standstill at London's Heathrow Airport, a major hub, causing repercussions across the Continent and in the US. Delta Airlines is warning American passengers flying to Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, and Paris for the holidays that their flights may be disrupted. Forecasts are calling for more icy, cold weather tomorrow.
Snow and Ice Return to UK
December 16 — Travelers in the United Kingdom should expect isruptions this weekend as snow and ice return. Up to 10 inches of snow are expected to fall across the northern part of the country on Saturday, where the wintry conditions were already blamed for several car crashes on Thursday. Some flights were delayed at Heathrow, Aberdeen, and Kirkwall airports, and some trains were cancelled in Scotland.
EU Court Approves Dutch Ban on Pot for Tourists
December 16 — A European Union court has found that the Dutch city of Maastricht can legally bar tourists from coffee shops that sell marijuana. Maastricht's law was targeted at "drug tourists" who drive to the Netherlands from Germany and Belgium strictly to buy drugs that are illegal in their home countries. Netherlands government officials have announced plans to turn the country's 300-some marijuana-selling coffee shops into private clubs, barring tourists from entering and purchasing drugs.
Avoiding Germs in the Air
December 15 — Budget Travel has released its list of the top places where germs breed on passenger airplanes. The top offender: drinking water from onboard tanks (and coffee and tea made with tank water) which can harbor E. coli. Advice: stick to bottled water and avoid ice. Other germ zones to avoid or disinfect before using: seat pockets (where people tend to store dirty napkins and tissues), tray tables (60 percent test positive for the MRSA superbug), airplane food (bring your own), airplane pillows and blankets (rarely washed), and last but not least, the airplane bathroom (use a napkin to open the door and close the toilet lid; use hand sanitizer instead of water to wash up).
One Dead, Two Injured in Stockholm Attack
December 13 — A man suspected of being a suicide bomber was killed and two people injured in two explosions in downtown Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday. The deceased man was identified as an Iraqi-born Swedish citizen who was educated in Britain. The bombs — two strapped to the suspect and another in a car — detonated near the pedestrian-only shopping street of Drottninggatan. Police are continuing to search for accomplices both in Stockholm and in London, and are investigating links to threatening messages received by a Swedish news organization earlier that day.
Glastonbury Thorn Tree Chopped Down
December 11 — A famous tree near England's Glastonbury Abbey has been chopped down, with most of its limbs cut off in what police there are calling an incident of vandalism. The thorn tree was thought to have been at least 100 years old. According to legend, it was a descendent of a thorn tree first planted in Glastonbury by St. Joseph of Arimathea over 2,000 years ago. Sprigs from the tree are traditionally placed on the Queen's dining table at Christmas time. Officials hope the tree will recover and put out new shoots in the spring.
Milan Cathedral Lit From Inside Out
December 9 — The stained glass windows at the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy, are now permanently illuminated from the inside. A ceremony was held on December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, to turn on the permanent light installation. The windows will be illuminated through January 10, after which the lights will be turned on for religious holidays and on Saturdays and Sundays year-round
Paris Crippled by Heavy Snow
December 8 — The Eiffel Tower closed today and thousands of drivers and air passengers were stranded by heavy snowfall in Paris, France. Four inches of snow fell in Paris — the most seen in France's capital city since 1987. Some flights were cancelled at Charles de Gaulle airport due to icing and slick conditions on the runways, but TGV train service was uninterrupted.
Travelex Offers Chip-and-Pin Debit Card
December 8 — US travelers frustrated by European tollbooths and ticket machines that won't accept our magnetic-stripe debit or credit cards may be interested in a new product from Travelex: preloaded debit cards with European "chip-and-pin" technology. In Europe, many automated kiosks — and an increasing number of retail shops — won't accept debit or credit cards that don't have both a microchip and pin number. Travelex's Cash Passport cards have both the US-style magnetic-stripe and the European-style chip-and-pin, are available pre-loaded with euros or pounds, and carry no separate fee (but be aware that a fee is built into the exchange rate when you load the card).
Twentieth-Century Art Museum Opens in Milan
December 7 — The new Museo del Novecento, Milan's museum of 20th-century art, has opened to the public and is free to visit through the end of February. Designed around a spiraling ramp, the museum's exhibits include works by Picasso, Braque, Klee, Kandisky, Modigliani, Boccioni, and De Chirico, with one room dedicated to Lucio Fontana of slashed-canvases fame. The Museo del Novecento is located on Milan's Piazza del Duomo.
Venice Under Water
December 3 — The first major high-water of the season has hit Venice, with more than half of the lagoon city under water. Called the "acqua alta," the water reached 136 centimeters (4.4 feet) above sea level and a system of raised pontoons was deployed to act as walkways. The highest acqua alta was in 1966, when water levels reached 194 centimeters (6.3 feet).
Plastic Bags Banned in Italy
December 3 — Italy is poised to ban plastic shopping bags as of January 1, 2011 — implementing a ban first approved in 2007. The ban had been scheduled to roll out in 2010, ending the production and distribution of plastic shopping bags, but was delayed by one year thanks to lobbying from the plastics industry. More than 73 percent of Italians support the ban.
Global Entry Program Helps Travelers
December 2 — The New York Times blog "In Transit" reports that the US Customs and Border Patrol's frequent-flier program, Global Entry, actually does help travelers get through the airport faster. The program allows Global Entry members returning to one of 20 US airports from international destinations to clear customs and border security on their own, at a kiosk that scans a traveler's passport and fingerprints (skipping the wait in line for a staffer). The program is open to tourists as well as business travelers. To sign up, you must pay $100 (good for 5 years), complete an online application, and have an in-person interview. The New York Times found Global Entry to be useful for those who travel internationally several times a year or who pass through especially crowded US airports.
UNESCO Inspects Pompeii Wall Damage
December 2 — Inspectors from the UN cultural organization UNESCO are in Pompeii, Italy, investigating the collapse of several walls at the ancient site. Three walls have collapsed this week, following the collapse of the House of Gladiators last month. Italian officials blame the collapses on heavy rain but UNESCO has said it is concerned that inadequate measures are being taken to protect the ruins.
Winter Weather Disrupts Travel Across Europe
December 2 — Extremely cold temperatures, high winds, and heavy snow are causing travel disruptions across Europe and have led to several deaths. People are being advised to allow extra time for journeys or avoid traveling if possible. Airports in Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom have reported flight delays and cancellations, with Prague airport closing. Eurostar service from France was delayed due to heavy snow and commuter trains was cancelled in parts of Germany. Thousands of drivers were trapped in their cars on icy roads in Belgium and France, while in Denmark the Danish army was called out to help stranded motorists.
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum Opens
December 1 — The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum has opened in Alloway, Ayrshire, and is dedicated to the man known as "Scotland's national poet," who died in 1796. The official "grand opening" is set for January 22, when Alloway celebrates its Burns Weekend festival. The museum holds 5,000 artifacts, including some of Burn's original manuscripts, and links several sights in Alloway. Alloway is about 40 miles southwest of Galloway.