Child Refuses to Wear Seatbelt, Forcing Flight to Be Canceled Overnight

And more of today's top travel news stories.Today in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: there’s a warning for eclipse travelers; there’s a warning for another U.S government shutdown; and there’s a warning to the parents of unruly children on flights. Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news. Some or all of this article was crafted with help from AI. An editor reviewed and vetted this article before publishing. 1 OF 5 Solar Eclipse Travelers Face Fire Restrictions in Spain and Record Cruise Crowds in Iceland Travelers converging on Spain and Iceland for Wednesday’s total solar eclipse will encounter heightened safety measures as authorities prepare for unusually large crowds.Spain expects about 460,000 international visitors specifically for the eclipse. The influx comes after mainland Spain recorded its driest July since records began in 1961, leaving vegetation particularly vulnerable to fire. The Valencia region has closed natural parks and restricted access to rural footpaths, while parking on road shoulders or near dry vegetation, barbecues, and fireworks have been prohibited in affected areas. Police expect roughly 1.5 million additional car journeys on Wednesday and are concerned congestion could impede emergency vehicles if fires break out.Iceland, meanwhile, is preparing for record cruise traffic. At least 31 ships carrying roughly 53,000 people are expected off the country’s west coast during the eclipse, while the Icelandic Tourist Board estimates another 73,000 to 75,000 tourists will be on land. The Icelandic Coast Guard has increased its readiness, with helicopters positioned in Reykjavík and the Snæfellsnes area and maritime resources deployed off West Iceland.Read more at The Guardian and RUV (in Icelandic). 2 OF 5 Reported ‘Take Over’ Threat Sends Alaska Airlines Flight Back to Miami Gate An Alaska Airlines flight from Miami to Seattle returned to its gate Sunday evening after two passengers became disruptive while the aircraft was taxiing and crew members reported receiving threats.Alaska Airlines Flight 305 had pushed back from Gate E6 shortly before the pilots told air traffic controllers that they were dealing with a passenger disturbance and initiating lockdown procedures. In subsequent radio communications, the pilots said flight attendants had reported threats from passengers, including a report that one customer had threatened to take over the aircraft.Law enforcement met the plane after it returned to the terminal, and passengers were temporarily taken off while authorities investigated. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office later said it found no credible threat. Two people involved in the incident were removed, the aircraft was cleared, and the remaining passengers were allowed to reboard. The flight then continued to Seattle.Read more at View From the Wing. 3 OF 5 Mount Etna Eruption Paralyzes Catania Airport as Ash Disrupts Flights A fresh eruption of Mount Etna severely disrupted operations at Sicily’s Catania Airport on Monday after volcanic ash drifted into nearby airspace.Airport operator SAC initially suspended all arriving flights until 5 p.m. local time after closing a section of airspace southwest of the volcano. Earlier in the day, arriving traffic had been restricted to a maximum of five landings per hour. Airlines including Ryanair, EasyJet, ITA, and Wizz Air were among those facing cancellations or diversions.The disruption continued beyond the initial deadline. At 5:41 p.m. local time, Italian news agency ANSA reported that Catania Airport remained effectively paralyzed, with no arrivals during the day and dozens of flights canceled or diverted.Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the latest eruptive activity was feeding several lava flows from high-altitude vents, while its aviation warning remained at the highest level, red. Palermo Airport, on Sicily’s northwest coast, appeared to be operating normally. Travelers using Catania should check directly with their airline before heading to the airport.Read more at The Independent. 4 OF 5 Travel Industry Warns of Flight Disruptions and Park Closures Ahead of Government Funding Deadline Major U.S. travel organizations are urging Congress to reach a funding agreement before the September 30 deadline, warning that another government shutdown could disrupt flights and complicate visits to federally operated attractions.The U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association sent a joint letter Monday calling on lawmakers to resolve differences between House and Senate funding measures. The organizations warned that a shutdown would require essential aviation workers such as air traffic controllers and TSA officers to continue working without pay, potentially contributing to staffing shortages, longer security lines, and flight disruptions. National parks, museums, and other federal attractions could also close or reduce services.The groups pointed to the partial federal shutdown earlier this year. According to U.S. Travel, that shutdown resulted in more than 9,000 delayed or canceled flights, affected roughly six million travelers, and caused an estimated $6.1 billion in losses across the travel industry and related sectors.The organizations are also pressing Congress to adopt longer-term protections that would ensure air traffic controllers and TSA officers continue receiving pay during future funding lapses.Read more at Travel Pulse. 5 OF 5 Porter Airlines Flight Canceled Overnight After Child Wouldn’t Stay Seated and Buckled A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto was canceled Thursday night after a young child would not remain seated with a fastened seatbelt.Porter said the child’s parent and members of the crew repeatedly attempted to secure the child before the aircraft returned to the terminal at Victoria International Airport. The parent and child were then removed from the flight along with their baggage.The process delayed the flight long enough that it missed the airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway closure, leaving the remaining passengers unable to depart that night. Porter apologized to the affected travelers and rebooked them on a flight the following day.Read more at the Associated Press.