United Airlines has found installation defects in the door plugs of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets, including loose bolts. This discovery comes after United grounded its MAX 9 fleet following a decompression accident aboard an Alaska Airlines flight, which involved a door plug being blown away from the aircraft body during ascent.

Federal officials have mandated the immediate grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners for inspections following an incident where an Alaska Airlines plane suffered a blowout, leaving a gaping hole in the fuselage. The required inspections, taking approximately four to eight hours per aircraft, affect about 171 airplanes worldwide. As of Saturday morning, more than a quarter of the fleet had been inspected with no concerning findings reported.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, en route from Portland to California, was forced to make an abrupt turnaround on Friday afternoon due to a depressurization issue. This emergency situation occurred after a window and part of the fuselage appeared to tear off the aircraft, a Boeing 737-9 MAX.

In response to this alarming incident, Alaska Airlines has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 MAX planes to conduct comprehensive safety and maintenance inspections.

Turkey has announced a significant change in its visa policy, removing the requirement for North American travelers to obtain visas for entry into the country. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism confirmed that visitors from North America, including the United States and Canada, will no longer need to purchase E-visas, which were previously available online for $51.50.

China has marked a significant milestone in the cruise industry with the inaugural voyage of its first domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City. Operated by Adora Cruises, the 135,000-gross-ton vessel embarked on its maiden journey on January 1 from Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Port. The six-day voyage includes stops in Jeju, South Korea, and Fukuoka and Nagasaki in Japan.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (January 3, 2023) – The Forbes Five-Star Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay invites travelers to embark on a personalized wellness journey in the new year. The resort's exclusive Resort Retreat package offers guests a $100 daily credit to customize their self-care experience, ranging from expert-led workshops and spa treatments to nourishing meals and fitness activities.

Curated Fitness & Recreation Sessions

Starbucks is set to broaden its presence in airports by introducing more mobile order and pickup locations in 2024. This expansion will include new Starbucks Pickup stores at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as announced by airport concessionaire OTG.

Boeing has issued a recommendation to operators of its 737 Max airplanes to inspect for a loose bolt in the rudder control system. This advisory comes after an unnamed airline discovered a bolt with a missing nut during routine maintenance of a 737. Additionally, Boeing found a similar issue in an undelivered 737 Max, where a nut was not properly tightened.

U.S. airlines have been effectively handling the holiday travel season, experiencing relatively few disruptions, thanks in part to generally favorable weather conditions. However, Southwest Airlines faced some difficulties over the Christmas weekend, though these issues were not as severe as the operational collapse the carrier experienced the previous year.

The TSA PreCheck program, a cornerstone of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's efforts to streamline airport security, has recently expanded its network. This expansion includes the addition of four new airlines: Norse Atlantic Airways, Lynx Air, Starlux Airlines, and Fiji Airways. With these airlines now part of the program, TSA PreCheck's reach extends to a total of 94 domestic and international carriers.