Margies Miles

Weigh to go: Airlines could start weighing passengers before flights Passengers may soon have to join their checked bags and be weighed before boarding a flight. The data airlines use for weight and balance checks before departure could be outdated due to rising rates of obesity in the US.... According to an advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration airlines may have to conduct surveys to set 'standard average passenger weights' for crew members and passengers. This would mean a random sampling of passengers being weighed. "Regardless of the sampling method used, an operator has the option of surveying each passenger and bag abroad the aircraft and should give a passenger the right to decline to participate in any passenger or weight survey," the guidance says, according to AirInsightGroup. It would have to be conducted on a voluntary basis. In the circular, the FAA recommends airlines complete the surveys every three years. The weight of any passenger being recorded must remain confidential.

If you have thought of a trip to NYC, now is the time: De Blasio pauses hotel tax for summer, hoping to boost recovery By Patrick Adcroft New York City PUBLISHED 4:58 PM ET May. 19, 2021... Mayor Bill de Blasio Wednesday announced that the city will pause its hotel room occupancy tax rate for a three-month period beginning June 1, 2021, in an effort to resurrect the tourism industry, which has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the city, the leisure and hospitality sector lost an estimated 257,000 jobs from March through Dec. 2020. Eliminating the hotel room occupancy tax, the city said, might incentivize hotels to lower room rates, thereby increasing demand and helping to spur on an economic recovery. As our COVID rates continue to plummet and we continue to drive a recovery for all of us, tourists will be coming back to New York City in droves. We’re ready for them, said Mayor Bill de Blasio in statement after signing the executive order. By eliminating the hotel room occupancy tax for this summer, we’re accelerating our economic recovery, saving jobs and providing relief for one of our hardest-hit industries. The hotel occupancy tax rate currently sits at 5.875% According to the city, revenue from the hotel room occupancy tax is down about 89% when compared to the last fiscal year.

MAY 20, 2021 United States President Joe Biden and his administration are reportedly considering sweeping changes to international travel restrictions put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. According to Reuters.com, the White House has held a series of meetings over the last month about when and how they could begin to rescind the travel restrictions barring most non-essential travelers from entering the country.... Biden and his team are working with industry officials to develop a plan to possibly allow vaccinated Europeans to enter the U.S., but they have reached no decisions. A White House spokesman told Reuters there were no changes in travel restrictions planned at the moment. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that lifting travel restrictions is a public health decision and there is an interagency process and obviously the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking a leading role. There are two ways of looking at this - one is to look at countries, the other is to look at travelers, Buttigieg continued. On Wednesday, European Union ambassadors approved the ruling that tourists from outside the bloc who have been fully vaccinated would be allowed in and restrictions on which countries are considered safe would be eased. EU Commission spokesman Christian Wigand told The AP the European Council will now recommend that member states ease some of the current restrictions for those who have been vaccinated.

News for those kids we want to entertain...and us adults seeking some fun!! The long awaited official opening of LEGOLAND New York Resort is nearing. It is open for previews beginning 29 May 2021, welcoming fans to share in the next step in the theme park's much-anticipated opening this summer.... During this stage of LEGOLAND New York's phased opening, Annual Pass and single-day ticket holders will be able to enjoy six of the Resort's seven themed lands: Brick Street, Bricktopia, LEGO City, LEGO Castle, LEGO NINJAGO World and MINILAND. The final land, LEGO Pirates, will open later this summer, as will LEGOLAND Hotel. Annual pass holders can reserve a day to visit. Reservations will open for all other guests on 21 May. The park is located just 60 miles north of New York City in the Hudson Valley. LEGOLAND New York Resort is opening in phases, gradually increasing capacity in order to encourage social distancing. The Park welcomed First to Play Pass Holders earlier in May and is now welcoming all guests during the preview period with single-day tickets being sold at a reduced price of $49.99. "As the first theme park to open in the Northeast in decades, this preview period is our chance to welcome families who have been patiently waiting, giving them a chance to experience LEGOLAND New York in its final stages of completion," said LEGOLAND New York Resort Divisional Director Stephanie Johnson. "After the challenges of the past year, we know families are eager to get out, ride, build, play, learn and spend time together" Pass and ticket holders will experience the world-premiere of LEGO Factory Adventure Ride. Young ones can also expand their imaginations and earn their very own LEGOLAND Driver's License at Driving School, team up to save the day at Fire Rescue Academy, and catch blockbusters in 4D at Palace Cinema. To reserve dates for the preview period, guests can visit LEGOLAND New York Resort's online reservation system, Booking Portal. During he preview period, guests will be able to reserve only one date at a time on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure all pass and ticket holders receive the opportunity to visit the Park while complying with state and local guidelines. More information about the final phase of the Resort's opening, including the 250-room LEGOLAND Hotel, will be released in the coming weeks.

Europe to Reopen for Travel, Easing Rules for American Tourists By Nikos Chrysoloras May 19, 2021, 6:24 AM EDT Updated on May 19, 2021, 9:17 AM EDT European Union governments agreed to allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinated tourists and visitors from countries deemed safe, paving the way for the resumption of hassle-free trans-Atlantic flights.... Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states backed a proposal to waive quarantine for those with coronavirus inoculations approved by its drug regulator, including shots from Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. The approval could be finalized this week and implemented soon after. Unvaccinated travelers can also avoid quarantine if they come from countries that have controlled the Covid-19 outbreak, meaning a 14-day new-case rate of less than 75 per 100,000, according to two officials familiar with the decision. This would likely land the U.S. on a white list which is due to be adopted later this week. But with so many Americans already vaccinated, the designation may be less important to the travel industry than whether American officials reciprocate and loosen rules for European visitors. The EU move highlights the importance of trans-Atlantic travel to getting its economies restarted after the decimation of the global coronavirus crisis -- especially in tourist dependent nations such as Greece, Spain and Italy. Opening their doors will give EU countries access to a powerful U.S. travel rebound, while validating a gamble on vaccination that the American and European officials have emphasized over the reliance on strict lockdowns prevalent in Asia. For airlines, it partially unlocks the most lucrative niche in the global industry, catering to well-heeled travelers who often pay premium fares. While Europe’s vaccine effort has lagged behind the U.S. and the U.K., it’s starting to hit its stride, giving officials confidence even as they wrestle with how to prevent a highly transmissible Indian variant from derailing their recoveries. The new rules will replace a blanket ban on non-essential travel from most countries outside the EU. Some member states, such as Greece, already permit tourists to visit without quarantine requirements if they have been inoculated. The new rules include a so-called emergency brake, which would allow member states to restore travel bans on countries where risky new variants emerge or contagion rates spike. The European Commission -- the EU’s executive arm -- has already demanded that such brake is applied for all travel from India.