Travel news/2007

December

{{newsitem|Freer travel in Europe|21 Dec 2007|Border controls between Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and other countries in Europe's Schengen zone have been lifted, allowing easy travel between 24 European Union countries. The UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria remain outside Schengen.

November

• [[Travel news#Foreigners give Japan the finger|Foreigners give Japan the finger]] (20 Nov 2007)

{{newsitem|Eurostar moves to St. Pancras|14 Nov 2007|The Eurostar terminal in London moves across town from Waterloo International to the renovated and reconstructed St. Pancras International station. With the move, travel durations from London to Paris are quicker by 25 minutes.

• Flight delays across South Africa (11 Nov 2007)

{{newsitem|Pakistan shuts down|9 Nov 2007|Islamabad and the capital of Pakistan, and Rawalpindi were sealed off by police to prevent demonstrations against the emergency rule declared by (Pakistani) President Musharraf.

October

• Europe reverts (26 Oct 2007)

• The A380 takes off (25 Oct 2007)

{{newsitem|Wildfires burn in southern California|22 October 2007|Many communities in southern California, including Malibu and the metro area of San Diego, are under a state of emergency as brush fires force thousands to evacuate their homes, clogging roads with traffic and making hotel and motel rooms hard to find. People are being advised to stay indoors to avoid the smoke, and it is advised that you do not travel into the area.

{{newsitem|Transit strike Paralyzes Paris|18 Oct 2007|Metro and RER services in Paris ground to a halt after a 24 hour strike called by French Unions in response to proposed changes in retirement plans by the Sarkozy Government. The strike is expected to last upto 6pm October 18th but transit disruptions could take longer to clear out. Eurostar and TGV services are also affected.

September

{{newsitem|Violent crackdown in Burma|29 Sept 2007|The military government of Myanmar (Myanmar) is using automatic weapons and tear gas to quell pro-democracy protests in that country. While demonstrations are taking place all over the nation, Rangoon (Yangon) remains the key focus of the hardline response to the pro-democracy movement. Many monasteries have been closed and cordoned off by the junta.

{{newsitem|World Tourism Day| 27 September 2007|Be on the lookout for local events and special offers in celebration of World Tourism Day on the 27th. Sri Lanka will host the formal proceedings this year. The full program of events are available on the official Sri Lanka tourism website at A photo competition offers some great travel related prizes.

• [[Travel news#Magnitude 8.2 earthquake hits Indonesia|Magnitude 8.2 earthquake hits Indonesia]] (12 September 2007)

{{newsitem|Beggar banning|11 September 2007|A new law passed today in Jakarta, Indonesia banning people from giving to beggars. Those in violation can be fined up to $5000 and spend 6 months in jail. The new law also applies to freelance windshield washers and unauthorized traffic police.

August

{{newsitem|Curfew inBangladesh|23 Aug 2007|A curfew has been imposed on Dhaka and five other major cities in response to violent student-led protests. Mobile phone networks are also blocked.

{{newsitem|Swiss Federal Railroad main line washed out|14 August 2007|Flooding and a mudslide last week washed out a section of railroad track between Fribourg and Bern late last week, causing immediate delays and rerouting. After a preliminary assessment officials of The Swiss Federal Railway have today said that the line, a section of the Geneva - Lausanne - Bern - Zurich mainline will be closed for several months during repairs. Travelers from Geneva to points in Eastern Switzerland are advised to travel through Bienne/Biel.

Update: The railway now says that it will be six to nine months before the line can reopen. Rail traffic between French-speaking and German speaking Switzerland will be rerouted through Bienne/Biel for the duration of the outage.

Update: After conducting tests yesterday the railroad has announced that it will be able to reopen the route to nearly normal service this Saturday, 25 August.

{{newsitem|American Virgins|8 August 2007| Virgin America launched operations today, entering the United States|U.S. low-cost carrier market. San Francisco is its first hub, with fares to New York starting at $149, and to Los Angeles from $49. Flights to Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.|D.C. will be launched in the next couple months.

{{newsitem|South Asia flooding|8 August 2007|South Asia is experiencing some of the worst flooding in recent memory. Southern Pakistan and the states of Assam and Bihar in India have been heavily impacted, and more than 5 million people inBangladesh alone have been left homeless.

July

{{newsitem|MyAir difficulties|22 July 2007|Italian budget airline MyAir is currently experiencing major delays and flights cancellations due to insufficient aircrafts availability. Carrier's activities in Milan -Bergamo Airport (BGY) are heavily affected with 4 to 10 hours delays. MyAir says ongoing difficulties are expected to last until early August.

{{newsitem|Japan Earthquake|16 July 2007|A strong earthquake measuring 6.7 rocked the northwest, including Kashiwazaki where 500 were injured and 5 killed. Hundreds of buildings were flattened, and train service in the area was suspended. Travelers should assess the situation before heading to the northern area of the western coast.

{{newsitem|Boeing 787, Dreamliner|8 July 2007|Boeing unveiled its new "dreamliner" today (7-8-7), which flies longer distances, and uses 20% less fuel per passenger. Over 600 planes have already been sold, and should begin commercial flights in May 2008. The longest range variant is expected to reach up to 8500 nautical miles.

{{newsitem|New 7 Wonders|7 July 2007|The controversial New 7 Wonders of the World have been announced. They are the Great Wall of China | Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan and the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza in Mexico and the Colosseum in Rome and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Cairo/Giza | Great Pyramids in Egypt and the last of the remaining 7 Wonders from the ancient World has been given an honorary place.

{{newsitem|Future of old San Leandro ferry pier|6 July 2007|The former ferry pier at San Leandro Marina's shoreline faces an uncertain future. The old pier and building which has been out of service due to low ridership since 2002 is on the threat of demolition. The city's council has yet to decide if the pier will be demolished or not. Local residents are against the pier's demolition, stating that the pier was an important part of San Leandro history. Currently and there is no plan to open the pier or convert it into a museum or historic point. If the pier were to be demolished and the San Leandro Marina's southern shoreline will be closed one week in advanced and until 2 days after the pier is demolished and the closure will not affect sailing routes on the marina. As of July 7, 2007 and the pier and building have been red-tagged advising visitors to the Marina's southern shoreline to stay away from the structures until further notice.

June

• Glasgow airport closed (30 June 2007)

{{newsitem|US passport reprieve|8 June 2007|Due to excessive backlogs, Homeland Security has announced that Americans who have applied for passports may travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with only photo ID and proof of their application until September 30, 2007. Minors must also have a certified birth certificate.

May

• [[Travel news#Protests in Venezuela|Protests in Venezuela]] (29 May 2007)

{{newsitem|New Disneyland Attraction|25 May 2007|A new attraction has opened in Disneyland, Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. The attraction is located in Frontierland and is based on an old pirate fort. The new attraction is a play area for kids. The opening of this attraction is less than a month from the opening of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage on June 11 in Tomorrowland in Disneyland California.

{{newsitem|Purple People Bridge Climb closes|23 May 2007|The Purple People Bridge Climb and the only operation in the Northern Hemisphere to allow the general public to climb across the top of the Purple People Bridge, connecting Cincinnati with Newport (Kentucky)|Newport, Kentucky has closed. The closure was the result of poor demand and a lawsuit brought by an attorney claiming the idea as his own.

{{newsitem|Cutty Sark burned out|21 May 2007|Earlier today and the once fastest sailing-ship of the world and the Cutty Sark was devastated by fire. The exact amount of damage is unknown, since parts of the ship had been removed due to an on-going renovation project. Officials are hopeful the damage can be repaired, however, it's unclear whether the fire will further delay the projected 2009 reopening. The museum ship was part of Maritime Greenwich, a popular park-and-palace attraction, added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

{{newsitem|Bombings in Hyderabad|18 May 2007|The Indian city of Hyderabad experienced a bombing at a city mosque. The death toll stands at 16 and several large cities in India have been placed on high alert.

{{newsitem|Eurovision in Helsinki|10 May 2007|The Finnish capital Helsinki is hosting the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest until May 12th. Expect packed flights and hotels and security delays.

{{newsitem|Wikivoyage won a Webby|1 May 2007|Wikivoyage has been announced winner in the Travel Category for the 11th annual Webby awards. Comment in the Project:Travellers%27_pub#Webby|pub.

March

{{newsitem|Military airbase near Colombo airport bombed|25 March 2007|Using light aircraft, Tamil Tiger rebels have bombed a military airbase near Sri Lanka's main international airport in Colombo. Many Flights to and from the island have been suspended.

{{newsitem|Daylight savings in the U.S.|11 March 2007|Most American clocks will spring forward one hour at 02:00 AM on March 11, 2007 and will end November 4, 2007. The reason for the change recently openeder than in the past is because of changes in the federal law. From now on the U.S. will observe daylight savings time from the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday in November.

{{newsitem|Crash of Garuda Indonesia Flight GA200|7 March 2007|On a flight from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, Indonesia and the Boeing 737 crashed on landing at Adisucipto International Airport killing 22 of its 133 passengers and crew. The aircraft appears to have overrun the runway and come to a stop in a nearby Rice field. Following the crash the aircraft caught fire and this appears to be the cause of most of the fatalities. Eyewitness accounts report that the plane approached the runway at a high rate of speed, which could have led to the crash. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation. A number of Australians were on the flight and Australian authorities have asked to participate in the crash investigation. This is the third crash in as many months of an Indonesian commercial aircraft. Indonesian Authorities has come under increased criticism and scrutiny for the countries poor public transportation safety record.

{{newsitem|Flooding in Mozambique and Zambia|6 March 2007|Severe flooding due to weeks of rain in Zambia and central Mozambique as well as the effects of Cyclone Favio in southern Mozambique have left many roads and bridges damaged and large areas of the region under water. Vilanculos has been especially affected with around 90% of the population left homeless. Around 150 000 people have been displaced in Zambia. They UN, WHO, South Africa and Portugal is assisting Mozambique with food, medical supplies and transport helicopters. There is an increased risk of cholera in the region.

{{newsitem|Old Bangkok airport reopening|2 March 2007|Effective 25 March, Thai-Airways (domestic only), Nok Air, One-Two-Go and PB Air will shift their flights back to Bangkok's old Don Muang Airport. (Thai) will retain a few domestic services at Suvarnabhumi for easy connections to Phuket and Chiang Mai.

February

• Travelers sing the Jet Blues (19 February 2007)

{{newsitem|Bomb blasts on train in Northern India|19 February 2007|A series of bomb explosions occurred on the Lahore bound express train as it passed through the northern India|Indian state of Haryana during the early hours of February 19. More than 60 people have been reported killed by the blasts with many more injured. Continuation of the India to Pakistan service, which resumed only in 2004, is now in doubt.

• [[Travel news#Special visas for the Caribbean|Special visas for the Caribbean]] (13 February 2007)

{{newsitem|Jakarta hit by major floods|4 February 2007|Severe flooding has hit the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, killing 29 people and making around 400,000 homeless. With more rain forecast, outbreak of disease is feasible.

January

{{newsitem|World Heritage photo contest|30 January 2007|The United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation) is calling on travel lovers to enter the first World Heritage photo contest created by Friends of World Heritage. Submissions will be accepted through March 1.

• British Airways strike averted (30 January 2007)

{{newsitem|Bangkok's airport unsafe?|27 January 2007|Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok has been denied a safety certificate by the Department of Civil Aviation due to ongoing repairs of damaged runways and the airport has failed to set up a safety board as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The airport will continue to operate, since some international standards and requirements have not become law, yet. Travelers may experience some inconveniences.

{{newsitem|BA to cancel 1300 flights|25 January 2007|After failed talks between BA and T&G Union, industrial action by the union on January 30 and 31 is set to lead to the cancellation of 1300 BA flights. London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports will be worst affected.

• Part 1 of WHTI Goes Into Effect Today (23 January 2007)

• Power outages across South Africa (18 January 2007)

• Sihanoukville airport opens (16 January 2007)

• Taiwan High Speed Rail opens (5 January 2007)

• Bangkok hit by a series of bombs (1 January 2007)

{{newsitem|EU enlargement|1 January 2007|Bulgaria and Romania are now members of the European Union, and Slovenia has ditched its tolar for the euro.