Travel news/2006

December

{{newsitem|Large earthquake hits Taiwan|27 December 2006|A powerful earthquake and series of aftershocks hit Taiwan early Dec 27th. The damage included two deaths and over 40 injuries as well as structural damage and the loss of Internet access for Taiwan and China. Transportation and communications have also been disrupted. Travellers should allow extra time for travel and try to confirm the status of their hotels and any transportation they plan to use See Wikinews for more info.

{{newsitem|Ethiopian military attacks targets inside Somalia|23 December 2006|The Ethiopian government has acknowledged that its troops are inside Somalia's borders supporting the fragile coalition government against Islamic militants. Air attacks by Ethiopian jets have targeted towns loyal to the Islamic Courts Union. Somalia's dismal prospects for all sorts of travelers have descended to further depths; casual travelers should make other plans, and aid and government workers should consult their agencies for details. See Wikinews for more info.

{{newsitem|Denver airport closed by blizzard|22 December 2006|Denver's international airport has been shut down due to a massive snowfall in the Mile High City. With over 2 feet of snow during the storm, more than 2500 flights have been canceled. Passengers traveling through DIA, a hub for both United and Frontier Airlines, are trapped in the building, since the highways going in and out of the remote facility are also closed. The Red Cross has provided food and blankets for some but not all passengers, many of whom were traveling for the high Christmas season. With London Heathrow Airport also out of order, two of the world's ten biggest airports are now inoperable. See Wikinews for more info.

• Dense fog cripples Heathrow airport (22 December 2006)

{{newsitem|Pinochet's death sparks riots in Chile|10 December 2006|The death of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet has sparked protests and riots in Santiago de Chile and throughout Chile. Clashes between between police have been reported.

• Military Stages Coup in Fiji (5 December 2006)

{{newsitem|Daylight savings affecting flight times|3 December 2006|The introduction of daylight saving time to Western Australia has affected some of the flight times at Perth (Australia)|Perth Airport by an hour. Passengers have been advised to confirm departure times with airlines.

November

{{newsitem|Fiji military commander not engaging|10 November 2006|Media reportsJanuary 2017|August 2018 from Fiji indicate the military commander is not engaging with the Great Council of Chiefs' attempts to avert a coup. Mediators from the Council went to see the Commander after he did not show up at a Council meeting called to resolve the dispute between the Commander and Fiji's Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, announced amendments to proposed legislation that partly met the Commander's demands.

{{newsitem|New carry-on rules in EU|6 November 2006|Effective today, all flights within and from the European Union limit liquids, gels and creams in hand baggage to 100 mL/container, carried in a transparent, zip-lock plastic bag (1L or less). The bag must be presented during security checks and only one bag per passenger is permitted.

{{newsitem|Military coup threat in Fiji|4 November 2006|The British Foreign Office strongly advises against all but crucial travel to Fiji due to tensions between the Fiji government and military. The Fiji Military Commander issued an ultimatum to the government demanding that they resign by the start of November. He is currently out of the nation but is expected to return in the first week of November, when the situation is expected to deteriorate rapidly.

October

{{newsitem|London-Hong Kong £75|27 October 2006|Hong Kong -based Oasis airline has started low fare flight to London -Gatwick for only £75/HK$1,000one-way. Other low fare routes to Milan, Berlin, Cologne, Oakland and Chicago will soon be opened.

{{newsitem|Earthquakes in Hawaii|15 October 2006|A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the moment magnitude scale shook Hawaii at 18:07 (UTC). Structural damage to buildings, power outage, and plumbing problems have all been reported. Honolulu International Airport canceled departing flights, however, was still accepting incoming flights. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is reporting there is not a threat of a tsunami to strike the area.

• [[Travel news#Haze in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore|Haze in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore]] (7 October 2006)

{{newsitem|Another SAS strike feasible|04 October 2006|The Swedish unions and SAS have made an agreement, however it only lasts until february 2007.But the Danish unions and SAS are still arguing. If both parts haven't come to an agreement until Tuesday 10/10, a strike will break out that will disturb especially the traffic on Copenhagen Kastrup and the largest(in terms of passenger-volume) airport in Northern Europe.

September

• [[Travel news#All Flights to new Bangkok airport|All Flights to new Bangkok airport]] (28 September 2006)

{{newsitem|Carry-on limits relaxed|25 September 2006|The United States|US now allow toiletries (3 oz max), lip gloss and hand lotion, as well as bringing on board items bought at the airport. while UK airports allow standard-size cabin bags again.

{{newsitem|Islamic holiday of Ramadan begins|23 September 2006|Muslims' annual month of fasting and prayer has begun. Travellers in Islamic countries should note the training of fasting between sunrise and sunset, limited office hours and transportation jams towards the end of the month.

{{newsitem|Coup in Thailand|19 September 2006|An army faction has staged a coup in Thailand. No blood has been shed so far and most basic services continue to function, but banks and government offices are to remain closed on the 20th. Avoid demonstrations, military units and government buildings.

{{newsitem|New Bangkok airport opens|15 September 2006|Starting today, Jetstar and some (Thai) domestic flights will move to Bangkok's long-awaited new Suvarnabhumi Airport, which will take over all flights to and from the Thailand|Thai capital by Sept 28. Expect chaos as operations settle in.

August

• Kinshasa situation easing (24 Aug 2006)

• Chaos in Kinshasa (22 Aug 2006)

• UK carry-on rules eased (15 August 2006)

• Airport chaos in the UK (10 August 2006)

{{newsitem|Philippine volcano warning|7 August 2006|Mount Mayon, Philippines' biggest volcano, is predicted to erupt in the next few days and Philippine authorities have evacuated around 35000 people living within 8km of the crater. Travel is not advised to the immediate area.

{{newsitem|BimanBangladesh in trouble|1 Aug 2006|Bangladesh's flag carrier Biman is in serious financial trouble. Flights to New York (city)|New York have been suspended and routes to Paris, Frankfurt and Yangon will be terminated in October. All international routes are under review and, with ancient aircraft and mounting debts and the airline's future is uncertain.

July

{{newsitem|Middle East unrest|27 July 2006|Fighting in Lebanon and Palestine continues to disrupt travel in the region. Lebanese flag carrier MEA is now flying again, but has temporarily shifted to use Damascus, Syria as its hub.

• Serial blasts in Mumbai (11 July 2006)

{{newsitem|Tibet railway opens|2 July 2006|The 1140-km Qinghai -Tibet railway, connecting Lhasa to Golmud and hence all the way to Beijing, has opened. The highest point of the line is at over 5000 meters, and cabins will be oxygen supplied to help passengers cope. Tickets start from ¥789 from Beijing to Lhasa.

{{newsitem|Shanghai South Station opens|1 July 2006|Shanghai's new South Railway Station has opened for business. The station will handles services to the south of the city, including Hangzhou and Hong Kong, but services will be in flux until the entire complex is operational so check carefully. The station can be visited on subway line 1 and 3.

June

• Train disruption in Thailand (10 June 2006)

{{newsitem|Terminal shuffle at Tokyo|2 June 2006|The reopening of Tokyo Narita's Terminal 1 shifts many airlines around: in a nutshell, Star Alliance airlines will move to T1, oneworld airlines move to T2, and other airlines may stay put or move so check carefully.

May

• [[Travel news#New Berlin station opens|New Berlin station opens]] (28 May 2006)

{{newsitem|Fighting in East Timor|26 May 2006|The East Timorese capital Dili has been wracked by gun battles as disgruntled soldiers protest against layoffs. Australian troops have moved in to quell the fighting, but most countries are advising tourists to steer clear.

• Gang violence in São Paulo (16 May 2006)

{{newsitem|Volcano eruption near Yogyakarta|14 May 2006|Mount Merapi, a volcano about 30 kilometers from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, has started to erupt, with pyroclastic flows reaching 4 kilometers from the crater. The eruption is not presently menacing Yogyakarta directly, but the region around the volcano has been evacuated and is closed to visits. Travelers to Yogyakarta should monitor the Smithsonian Institution's

weekly update of volcanic activity via the Global Volcanism Program for current information. 

• Tourism industry boom in Brazil (11 May 2006)

{{newsitem|Varig near collapse|3 May 2006|Brazil's flag carrier Varig is near financial collapse, with many flights cancelled in recent weeks and the government promising not to intervene if the airline goes bankrupt. The UK FCO] has issued a warning advising avoiding travel.

April

{{newsitem|Volcanic eruption near Yogyakarta|18 April 2006|Mount Merapi, a volcano about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is showing signs of an impending eruption. Climbing the mountain, a common activity for the visitor, is prohibited for the time being, and contingency plans are being prepared for evacuation of villages close to the volcano if the eruption intensifies, but the eruption is not threatening Yogyakarta itself at the present time. The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program web site has more details.

• Demonstrations in Nepal (14 April 2006)

{{newsitem|Albuquerque's Tricentennial|13 April 2006|April marks the 300th anniversary of the founding of the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. A city-wide celebration is in progress and will continue through the month of April, with several special events on April 23, recognized as the date of the founding.

March

{{newsitem|Silent New Year in Bali|30 March 2006|Nyepi and the Hindu New Year, is one Balinese festival best avoided — the entire island shuts down for a day and all Muslims are confined to their hotel rooms to hide from the angry demons that are said to roam the earth.

{{newsitem|Budget terminals at Sing, KL|23 March 2006|New airport terminals built for low-cost carriers open in Kuala Lumpur on March 23 and in Singapore in March 26. Flights by Air Asia, Malaysia's sole low cost carrier, will operate from the new terminal which is located 15km from the main terminal, while Tiger-Airways will move to Singapore's Budget Terminal. Both are connected to the main terminal by free shuttle buses.

{{newsitem|EU publishes blacklist of banned airlines|22 March 2006|The European Transport Commission publishes a of nearly 100 unsecure airlines that will be banned from EU skies in the future.

• New Kitakyushu Airport opens (16 March 2006)

• Ryanair charges for luggage (16 March 2006)

{{newsitem|Serial Bomb blasts in Varanasi|7 March 2006|There have been multiple bomb blasts many places in Varanasi, including the Sankat mochan temple. Many deaths have been reported. While details are awaited, it has been clarified in the news channels that no idols have been harmed. Varanasi is Hinduism's holiest place and Islamic militants have already been suspected. India has had a history of such blasts, and often this has led to rioting between Hindus and Muslims. Visitors planning trips to India should keep an eye on the news to see how this turns out and how it affects their travel plans. But keep in mind that India is a big country and any local disturbances will not necessarily mean that the place you are going to is affected.

{{newsitem|Bus strike in Finland|5 March 2006|Most local and long-distance bus services in Finland have been halted by a strike since Sunday at 6 PM. Trains and planes are operating normally, as are HKL's inner-city services in Helsinki. Details at Helsingin SanomatJanuary 2017|August 2018 (in English).

February

{{newsitem|Carnivale!|28 February 2006|[[:WikiPedia:Fat Tuesday|Fat Tuesday and the last day before :WikiPedia:Lent|Lent, is celebrated in many countries with a final blowout bacchanalian festival -- alternately known as Mardi Gras, Carnaval, or just Fat Tuesday. Carnaval is different around the world, but common factors include wild costumes, street parties, parades, flirtation, dancing, and lots of drinks. Famous carnival centers include Rio de Janeiro (city)|Rio de Janeiro, Venice, Prague, and New Orleans, which is struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

• Cape Town Power failure (19 February 2006)

{{newsitem|Kobe Airport opens|16 February 2006|Visitors to Kansai|western Japan now have an additional option as Kobe's new airport opens. Build on reclaimed land, 16 min by train from the downtown and the airport handles only domestic flights.

{{newsitem|Danish, Norwegian embassies in Syria set on fire|4 February 2006|The embassies of Denmark and Norway in Damascus, Syria have been set on fire by mobs in response to controversial caricatures of Muhammad published in Denmark and other newspapers throughout Europe. Denmark and Norway have advised citizens to leave Syria immediately.

January

{{newsitem|Travel communities spread online|27 January 2006|Social networking sites have been exploding across the Internet, with myspace.com and facebook.com leading the pack. In 2005 and the trend spread into the travel space, with the launch of a number of travel community sites. Prominent among these sites is TravBuddy.com , which launched in November and now has nearly 1000 users – and 500 travelogues and reviews. TravBuddy.com was listed as the most innovative Web 2.0 site of 2005 by Articledashboard.com. The effects of travel networking sites is not yet clear, but it seems likely that users will have access to higher quality information resulting from the diverse set of writers and editors, all with different perspectives.

• [[Travel news#Northern Italy under massive snowing|Northern Italy under massive snowing]] (27 January 2006)

{{newsitem|SAS strike over|26 January 2006|A three-day wildcat strike that has paralyzed SAS flights within and from Denmark and Norway has ended. Flights are returning to normal, but the backlog may take time to clear.

{{newsitem|Caracas airport bridge closure|11 January 2006|Due to signs of impending bridge collapse and the main highway between Venezuelan capital Caracas and its international airport has been closed. Land travel via alternative routes may take up to five hours, although business travellers in a hurry may opt for a helicopter transfer instead. A replacement bridge will not be ready until mid-2007 at the earliest.

{{newsitem|Harbin Ice Festival opens|05 January 2006|The 22nd International Snow and Ice Festival in the Chinese city of Harbin has kicked off. The festival continues until February 5.

{{newsitem|Ukrainian gas dispute|04 January 2006|The Ukraine may experience a signuficant decrease in natural gas supplies from the Russian owned Gazprom company. The dispute started as four-fold increase in the price of natural gas from the Ukraine's natural gas suppliers. The Ukraine has protested that rate increase and supplies were cut off. The dispute affected reserves and prices in several West European nations and could affect heating prices and various other prices in the Ukraine.

{{newsitem|New passport policy for U.S. travel|01 September 2005|By 2008, all travelers, including U.S citizens, to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico and Central America|Central and South America, will be required to have a passport to enter or re-enter the United States. The aim, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is to strengthen border security. By December 31, 2006 and the requirement will be applied to air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and Bermuda. One year later, it will be extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.