Alaska Airlines: Safety, Service Enhancements, Fleet Ambitions, and Award Policy—A Complete 2024 Traveler Briefing

San Francisco flyers woke up to a fresh layer of uncertainty this week as the Department of Homeland Security quietly expanded its biometric data collection program at SFO and other major U.S. gateways.

The move, which civil-rights groups say mirrors earlier tactics used during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns, could subject both citizens and non-citizens to enhanced facial recognition and device searches before boarding or after landing.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A negligence lawsuit filed Aug. 6 in Union County Superior Court has put restroom privacy and cabin-crew vetting back on the radar for Charlotte-area flyers and anyone who regularly travels with children. The civil action alleges that American Airlines failed to protect an 11-year-old passenger who was secretly filmed inside a lavatory during an Orlando–to-Charlotte flight in August 2023.

MUMBAI, India — Discovering cockroaches at 35,000 feet is not on any traveler’s checklist, yet that is what unfolded aboard Air India’s long-haul Flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai, according to multiple passenger accounts and an airline statement. The episode, which unfolded during a scheduled refueling stop in Kolkata, adds a fresh wrinkle to the flag carrier’s recent safety and service headaches.

SAN FRANCISCO — Strolling past sea-lion docks and sourdough bread bowls, only to wonder why you came? You are not alone in the City by the Bay, nor on the prairies of South Dakota.

Golden State lodgings feel the pressure of new CALGreen standards

One year after California updated its Green Building Standards Code, the state’s hotel industry is in a full-scale dash to comply with tougher electric-vehicle charging requirements, according to a press release by Evolve Energy. As of July 1, 2024, all newly constructed hotels and motels must wire 40 percent of their parking spaces to be “EV-ready” and install Level 2 chargers for an additional 10 percent.

Travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) can now breathe a sigh of relief as the airport has introduced a series of Quiet Airport Policies aimed at creating a more serene environment for passengers. This initiative, which began in 2020, is gaining traction and is being recognized for its positive impact on the travel experience.