Travel

New video emerged showing the moment a UPS cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, this week, erupting into a massive fireball that killed at least 12 people, including three pilots onboard.The video, posted on Facebook on Wednesday, appears to show the plane on fire just before it crashed into a series of buildings just south of the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, destroying the surrounding area. Satellite images of the crash site show a large field of debris that extends more than a half-mile. Officials said Wednesday that the plane's left engine caught fire and immediately detached upon takeoff.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday that a young child is believed to be among the dead. He said that the number of fatalities could rise, and "there are a...

The Federal Aviation Administration will begin cutting the number of flights in the "high traffic" parts of the country as the government shutdown grinds on and local airports have reported staffing shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday.“There is going to be a 10 percent reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations,” Duffy said. “This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure.”He said the reduction in capacity would start Friday.The development comes as the shutdown has entered its second month and in the wake of a weekend during which dozens of American airports reported hundreds of delays.More than 5,000 flights traveling from and to U.S. airports were delayed on Sunday alone, and the Transportation Security Administration said it scree...

At least nine people are dead and more are injured after a UPS plane crashed on Tuesday as it was departing from Louisville, Kentucky, spurring a massive fireball and leaving a trail of destruction, officials said."Kentucky, more heartbreaking news out of Louisville. The number of those lost has now risen to at least 9, with the possibility of more," Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a Wednesday morning post on X. "Right now these families need prayers, love and support. Let’s wrap our arms around them during this unimaginable time."Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also confirmed in a Wednesday post on X that "responders have located 9 victims at the site of the UPS crash." In a statement, a spokesperson for Greenberg was unable to confirm how many people died on the plane and how ...

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that the U.S. might be forced to close parts of its airspace if staffing shortages amid the government shutdown continue.The shutdown, which is dragging into its second month, has meant that essential workers, including air traffic controllers, have been working without pay. This has led to a shortage of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 controllers, according to Duffy. "So if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos," Duffy said during a news briefing with the SEPTA rail system. "You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it, because we don’t have the air traffic controllers."Flight delays and cancellations ha...

As the government shutdown nears its second month, airports across the country are feeling its impact, with flight delays piling up because of staffing shortages.This weekend had the most difficult travel conditions yet at dozens of American airports, where lines of frustrated travelers appeared endless. More than 5,000 flights traveling from and to U.S. airports were delayed Sunday alone. As the shutdown drags on, more delays and cancellations can be expected, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Air traffic controllers, who are relied on to coordinate aircraft within the airspace and are required to work as essential workers during a government shutdown, have been working without pay. Duffy said he wants them to return to work, adding that those who do not will receive a ...

Travelers booking hotel reservations online may soon notice that the process increasingly mirrors what it’s like to buy airline tickets.Want early check-in or late check-out? More space, a higher floor or a garden view? Pool access or a “hydration station” (aka bottled water) in your room?Check “yes” before you book and the cost will be added to your basic room rate.How about milk and cookies for the kids or a gourmet snack box for your dog? Those bonus amenities can be waiting for you in your room, for an added, prepaid fee.Artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies are turning hotel operators into travel retailers, selling much more than just rooms.Individual properties can now creatively unbundle and repackage their room inventories, allowing guests to personalize thei...

As the government shutdown drags on, so do woes at airports — this time at Orlando International Airport in Florida. A ground delay was issued Thursday evening for Orlando MCO — the state's busiest airport — with departures to the airport delayed an average of 2.7 hours because of staffing issues. The delay is in effect from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory.Earlier in the evening, the FAA said the airport would be unable to land arriving flights for a period because no certified air traffic controllers were available at the hub. That was later remedied, with the FAA saying there has been an “increase in staffing” for the F11 Central Florida Tracon, which is staffed by controllers. A MCO spokesperson said the ground delay is over staffing issu...

As the government shutdown drags on, federal employees who support the country's airports, such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers, say they are still in the dark about when they will next be paid. On Tuesday, workers received their first zero-dollar paycheck, reflecting two weeks of unpaid work amid the ongoing government shutdown. During the nearly monthlong shutdown, these individuals, whose roles are deemed essential, have been required to show up for work without the promise of a paycheck at the end of a standard pay period. Their last payout was a partial paycheck that included funds for time worked in September before the shutdown that began Oct. 1. Also Tuesday, controllers took matters into their own hands, pushing back on the work the...

Four days into the government shutdown, Jack Criss, an air traffic control specialist at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, assumed a second role — driving for DoorDash.“My financial obligations were mounting. I wanted to get ahead of the situation. The writing was on the wall,” Criss told NBC News.That financial pressure is only expected to grow Friday, when Criss and other air traffic controllers are set to miss their first biweekly paycheck for work performed during what is now the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history. The expected $0 checks, to be delivered by Oct. 28, follow a check that paid only 90% of their total pay, reflecting work mostly done in September.While back pay has been promised, thanks to a 2018 law that requires compensation for workers who work during a shutdo...

A flight made an emergency landing Monday after its pilots lost a radio link with flight staff, prompting them to bang on the locked cockpit door and raising fears that someone was trying to break in.Flight 6569 set off from Omaha, Nebraska, to Los Angeles at 7:23 p.m. ET but turned around and landed back at Eppley Airfield just 36 minutes later, according to FlightRadar.The American Airlines flight was operated by regional carrier SkyWest. Both did not immediately respond to overnight requests for comment.The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the plane landed safely "after declaring an emergency when the pilot could not contact the cabin crew.""After landing, it was determined there was a problem with the inter-phone system and the flight crew was knocking on the...