Today may be Good Friday, but no one’s been on good behavior this week. Yes, we have the typical roundup of badly behaving travelers and badly behaving travel professionals, but we also have some Easter-themed mayhem. See this week’s five nominees and vote for the worst Easter offender.
No Tourists to be Crucified
The Philippines is drawing attention for their Good Friday observation, but the country is not so welcoming to foreigners trying to join in. The observation in question in the norther province of Pampanga has nine Catholic devotees reenacting the crucifix by driving real nails through the hands and feet. Onlookers often dress as Roman centurions. Both the Catholic church and the country’s health officials oppose the tradition. Organizer object to the event become a tourist attraction and foreigners have been forbidden from participation.
Coffee Talk
Early in the morning this week at John F. Kennedy airport a conversation between a TSA screener and an American Airlines pilot got quite heated. The TSA employee Lateisha El was talking with her colleagues when pilot Steven Trivett overheard the N-word and other profanity. Compelled to speak up, Trivett chastised El and coworkers to have better conduct in uniform. The conversation got heated and El poured a hot cup of coffee on Trivett. Trivett didn’t sustain serious injuries, but El was given a ticket for a desk-appearance on harassment and misdemeanor assault.
Double Contraband
Not all TSA agents in New York’s Kennedy Airport are getting into trouble. Earlier this week screeners identified a man trying to smuggle knife in his carry-on in a tub of mayonnaise. Mayonnaise might not be the best conduit for smuggling since liquids and gels over 3.4 ounces are also considered contraband. The knife and the mayonnaise were confiscated, but the condiment caper was allowed to catch his flight to Mexico City.
Cruise Suit
Another day, another negative headline for the cruise industry. This time a teenager is suing Carnival Cruise Lines, claiming she was strip-searched by the cruise line. The incident in question happened aboard the Carnival Sensation following a score excursion in Nassau, where the then 17-year-old J.G was detained when security suspected she possessed marijuana. The lawsuit is still pending, but cruise line has publicly denied the girl’s account stating, “The claim [was]… obviously made in retaliation for the cruise line disembarking the plaintiff and her mother part-way through the voyage in Nassau where the plaintiff was taken into custody by the Bahamian police.”
Cost-Cutting Cookies
Frontier Airlines have been cutting costs and reducing services left and right and now cookies have become the latest budget casualty. As of May 1, the airline will no longer serve free, but perishable cookies. Instead, non-perishable and prepackaged goldfish and animal crackers will be served to select passengers.
Vegas or Bust won last week’s Icarus Award. See all the winners and losers in our Icarus Award section and vote for this week’s nominee.
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By Lily J. Kosner for PeterGreenberg.com
Related links: New York Post, USA Today, Washington Post, MSNBC, Gadling
