Have a Safe and Fun Memorial Day Weekend!!
Travel + Law News From Around The World:
- Public safety vs. national security? – A whistleblower case (Dept. of Homeland Security vs. MacLean) was accepted for review in the U.S. Supreme Court. An air marshal who complained that the safety of airline passengers was being endangered by an agency policy got fired for exposing security secrets. More to come from travelblawg on this!
- U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes Additional Consumer Protections for Air Travelers. “Knowledge is power,” says DOT Sec. Anthony Foxx. DOT’s proposal would require the disclosure of fees for certain basic airline services such as checked baggage. This is a very interesting position to take as the “Transparent Airfares Act of 2014” Bill continues on in Congress (See Could Airfare Pricing Rules Change Again? Airlines Hope So!)
- Man admits pointing laser beam into cockpit of plane landing at PBI. Yes, this is a very serious issue and crime. Read more about why Laser Pointers and Aircraft Don’t Mix!
- Lincoln City hotel sues for defamation after anonymous person posts scathing TripAdvisor review. Last time I wrote on TripAdvisor in the courts, it was against the website (See TripAdvisor Wins “Dirtiest Lawsuit in America”). But this lawsuit goes after the actual reviewer “12Kelly” for defamation. See more from Running With Miles here.
OVERTIME
OT #1: American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality Mario Batali authored a cocktail recipe for the New York Times that calls for Havana Club rum, which just happens to be contraband in the U.S., as Havana Club is a rum made in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba. So, I suggest substituting out the legal alternative made in Puerto Rico and distributed by Bacardi.
OT #2: I had heard about prior incidents regarding the former CTA train operator who dozed off while driving and crashed into an escalator at ORD two months ago (sending 32 to the hospital and repair estimates of $6M), but records now confirm at least two prior incidents with the driver.
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Some of My Amazon Travel Favs (in order of my love):
Pacsafe Luggage Rfid-tec 150 Compact Organizer (various sizes, this one is perfect for me)
Monster Outlets To Go Travel Power Strip (suggest USB model!)
Tumi Luggage T-tech Network Lightweight International Carry-On (FREE Shipping/Returns)
eBags Packing Cubes – 3pc Set (Pick Colors)
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.
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I don’t see the justification for giving mere probation to a 26-year-old man who intentionally aims a laser at a landing commercial aircraft. A blinded pilot on final approach is likely to crash the plane with substantial loss of life, so it would be easy to characterize the laser crime as a terrorist act rather than merely having fun.