My 2026 accessibility in flying project continues! I want to hear your stories. Has an airline damaged or destroyed your mobility device? Have you not gotten the accommodations you need? Fill out the form or reach out at zwichter@usatoday.com www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
Doodle of an airplane. The grimacing face emoji is on the tail and a line mimicking an EKG readout runs the length of the middle of the fuselage.
Deeply personal Cruising Altitude this week, talking about how I went from a terrified traveler to a travel writer, with help from lots of therapy and my professional hero, Samantha Brown. I hope you'll give it a read www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
Job offer!!
Iβm helping a PBS series look for a social media manager/content creator for an upcoming promotional campaign. The start date is ASAP, and a project timeline that currently goes to July.
This is for a series on American Muslim history, so candidates with cultural familiarity preferred!
Incredible art of gritty playing fiddle on the roof of a west Philadelphia row home. In Yiddish it says Fidler Oyfn Fakh Χ€ΦΏΧΧΧΧ’Χ¨ ΧΧ±Χ€ΦΏΧ ΧΧΦ·Χ)
We put on an all-Yiddish community production of fiddler on the roof in Philadelphia and cast member and local artist Sofie Rose Seymour created the most amazing show poster that ever was
Two stick figure people at airport bag drop counters. On the left, a person has two blue wheeling suitcases, one standing upright and one on the ground. On the right, the person has two red suitcases. One upright one with wheels, and one small hatbox on the ground. Check in agents stand behind podums to help them, and a sign above says "BAG DROP"
Data suggest people are more ready to check bags these days. A combination of being used to paying bag fees, and credit cards or airline perks that help cover them, may be part of the reason. Cruising Altitude this week digs in. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
Two adjacent tombstones, both with Southwest Airlines yellow, red and blue hearts at the top. The left marker says OPEN SEATING 1967-2026 "A-1" and the right marker says FREE CHECKED BAGS 1967-2025
Itβs the end of an era at Southwest Airlines as the carrier started assigning seats on Jan. 27. The move drew little fuss in airports and onboard, but it says a lot about the current state of aviation in the U.S. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
LOUDER FOR THOSE IN THE BACK
The Star-Tribune is taking donations to help fund the purchase vital newsroom supplies and equipment, including protective and tactical gear for street reporters and photogs. If you live in MSP, pls subscribe. If you don't and want to help, here's a way -- www.startribunecompany.com/donate-payme....
You heard it here first: a new version of American Airlinesβ app will make it easier to navigate flight disruptions. Hereβs what to know. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
I wrote a whole column about the supremacy of day flights to Europe. Truly cannot be beaten
Stick figure people line up to board a doodled plane by stairs. One of the travelers appears as the handicap wheelchair symbol and is drawn in blue.
USA TODAY is doubling down this year on highlighting accessibility in travel. If have your mobility device damaged or destroyed by an airline, or trouble getting some other accommodation you need when you fly this year, please reach out -- I want to tell your story. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
This is Ollie. He found a perfectly placed carrot snack on his walk. Simply can't believe his luck. 13/10 best day ever (TT: maxime_aries)
I've been touched twice now by other passengers' feet on planes and I will never be the same.
People have genuinely forgotten how to act in public
I think itβs because the window latches seem to have had a manufacturing defect and many of them would not click shut. At least on the tandem buses, Iβve fair number of windows flailing open recently
Jason this is a family program
This is amazing
A stick figure family walks hand in hand through the airport. From right to left, there is a stick figure baby in a stroller wearing a purple pointed hat with a pom-pom. Pushing the stroller is a stick figure adult wearing a green pointed hat with a pom-pom. The first stick figure adult is holding hands with a stick figure child behind them, and the stick figure child is wearing a blue pointed hat with a pom-pom. Behind the child is another stick figure adult, who is also holding the child's hand. That final stick figure adult is wearing an orange pointed hat with a pom-pom, and is towing a roller suitcase with a red ribbon and bow across it.
Whether youβre flying with your own kids this winter or just dealing with other kids on your flight, thereβs plenty you can do to make the it less stressful. Cruising Altitude this week brings advice from the best source: a flight attendant who is also a mom. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
A stick figure person approaches a passport control station. The officer is a blue stick figure. The person is holding out a blue passport and towing a rolling suitcase with a red medical cross in the center.
I forgot to post the doodle this week! I spoke to Brittney Griner about her experience getting arrested for possession of medical marijuana in Russia, and what she hopes others can learn from her experience about the right ways to travel with prescription meds.
www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
Ooo this is good to know, thanks!
REI SoHo closing was literally keeping me awake the other night. Such a loss for the city. And it was always packed!
This showed up on my feed and I feel obligated to campaign on behalf of USA TODAY, my employer! Our website may be annoying to navigate, but our reporting is good!
The kicker is so good!
Ok, this is legitimately awesome
youtu.be/yvHT_VYVEvI?...
lol @ an in-uniform NYPD traffic cop boarding the same bus as me and not paying the fareβ¦
A line of people wait to enter an airport lounge. Across the top of the image are the words AIR LINE LOUNGE. "AIR" is written in red cursive text. "LINE" is written in blue serif text. "LOUNGE" is written in green sans-serif text, meant to look like the modular lines of a digital display. Under the words from left to right are: a stick figure man in a top hat holding a briefcase; a stick figure man holding a briefcase and wearing a red tie; a stick figure woman wearing a skirt and holding a circular hatbox; a stick figure child; a stick figure person wheeling a suitcase while wearing sunglasses and blue jeans; a stick figure person standing behind a reception desk facing the line of travelers.
Airport lounges have evolved from focusing on business travelers to appealing to a much broader array of flyers. Cruising Altitude this week looks at why, and what comes next for these more premium spaces. www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
It's going to be 75% irrelevant pitches, probably!
Dude this is awesome
βBusan is goodβ π
If you're flying in the next few days, keep an eye out for updates from your airline as Airbus A320s face a required technical fix before their next flights www.usatoday.com/story/travel...
