China State Railway Group announced that four high-speed rail segments will open on September 28: the Xiongan-Shangqiu section of the Beijing-Hong Kong HSR, the Xi'an-Ankang section of the Xi'an-Chongqing HSR, the Yichang-Xingshan HSR, and the Harbin-Yichun HSR. Travel times after opening: Xiongan-Shangqiu 2h27m, Xi'an East-Ankang West 45m, Yichang North-Xingshan 30m, Harbin-Yichun 1h46m.
Qantas announced plans to launch the first nonstop commercial service between Sydney and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in mid-2028, with tickets scheduled to go on sale in August 2027. Part of the carrier's ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise initiative, the route will be operated by Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft configured with 238 seats across four cabins and fitted with an additional fuel tank allowing up to 22 hours of nonstop flight. The new service will cut more than three hours from the current one-stop option, making the journey about 18 hours. Qantas has 12 of the planes on order, with the first scheduled for delivery in April. The first Project Sunrise route, Sydney-…
At the China Aeronautical Science and Technology Conference in Wuxi, Jiangsu, the 2026 major scientific and technological issues in aviation were released, with supersonic airliners in focus. NASA's X-59 has completed low-boom supersonic test flights, and China's Tianmushan Laboratory demonstrator plans a supersonic test flight by the end of this year, targeting a sonic boom under 80 decibels. Supersonic airliners face technical bottlenecks including long-duration supersonic endurance, engine fuel consumption, and sonic boom. Conventional airliners fly at about 900 km/h, while supersonic airliners need to reach 1.5 to 2.0 times the speed of sound. Industry estimates suggest at least 20 year…
American Express said it will open The Centurion Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Sept. 17, the 33rd in its Centurion Lounge network and the first in continental Europe. The nearly 6,000-square-foot lounge sits between Concourses E and F and will operate daily from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring a Blue Roast Coffee Bar, a full bar and a buffet inspired by Dutch and regional European flavors, plus a phone room, abundant power and USB access and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. Platinum card members get unlimited access; qualifying Centurion card members also get unlimited access with guests.
Recently, many passengers on China Eastern Airlines wide-body flights have enjoyed smooth internet service at 10,000 meters. A China Eastern expert said in-flight WiFi provided by major domestic airlines meets airworthiness safety standards, as modern civil aircraft avionics and passenger WiFi have strict frequency and physical isolation, and connecting after switching phones to airplane mode will not interfere with navigation or communication equipment. Aircraft connectivity mainly uses two technical paths: air-to-ground communication and satellite communication. Air-to-ground is mature, lower-cost, and lower-latency, with speeds close to ground 4G, but only works where ground base station…
BCD Travel highlights Cathay Pacific's Direct Air+Sea and Direct Air+Land intermodal solutions, which allow travelers to move seamlessly between Hong Kong International Airport and key Greater Bay Area cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao through a single connected journey. The Canton Fair venue, the China Import and Export Fair Complex, is easily accessible via Cathay Pacific's Direct Air+Sea service, which includes a codeshare ferry connection to Pazhou Ferry Port directly opposite the venue. Hong Kong, as an international MICE hub, provides a base for linking business events with trade opportunities such as the Canton Fair.
The State Council's Regulation on Exit-Entry Administration will take effect on September 15, 2026, comprising 19 articles. Responding to online claims that outbound travel would be comprehensively tightened and harder for ordinary people, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Public Security and National Immigration Administration clarified in a Q&A that such claims are misreadings. The regulation targets people deceived into going abroad, those using false grounds to illegally exit for cross-border gambling and telecom fraud, and those illegally transferring technology overseas. Citizens applying to travel, visit relatives, do business or study abroad with legitimate grounds and meeting le…
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Kosovo travel advice on 23 September 2026, noting that large gatherings are taking place in Pristina and other urban centres, including in the evenings, and could disrupt traffic and public transport. It advises keeping up to date with local developments, allowing extra time for travel, and staying away from large crowds or demonstrations. The FCDO also reiterates that no travel can be guaranteed safe and that travellers should research destinations and obtain appropriate travel insurance.
The US State Department lowered Madagascar's travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 2, urging increased caution, and added a new health risk indicator. The advisory cites crime, unrest, and limited medical infrastructure as key risks, and lists several areas where travel should be reconsidered, including around Tsaratanana, Betroka, sections of RN34 and RN13, and the Menabe Region south of Morondava.
The U.S. Department of State reissued its Poland travel advisory on June 5, 2025, keeping it at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The reissue follows a periodic review with minor edits. The advisory also points travelers to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Country Security Report for Poland, emergency planning, and CDC travel health information; it strongly recommends buying insurance before travel and checking with providers about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
The U.S. Department of State reissued its Australia travel advisory on May 30, 2025, keeping it at Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The reissue follows a periodic review with minor edits. The advisory also points travelers to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Country Security Report for Australia, emergency planning, and CDC travel health information; it strongly recommends buying insurance before travel and checking with providers about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
The U.S. Department of State updated its Brazil travel advisory, keeping it at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) and adding a kidnapping risk indicator. It cites crime and kidnapping, with higher-risk areas: anywhere within 160 km/100 miles of land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela; informal housing developments such as favelas; and Brasilia's satellite cities at night are all Level 4 (Do Not Travel). It also notes violent crime, gang activity, drink spiking, and dating-app scams targeting foreigners, and advises U.S. government employees not to use municipal buses.
SAP Concur, citing a mileage trends report from partner Motus, notes that business mileage activity has recovered to about 54% of pre-pandemic levels, and companies should revisit their vehicle programs. The article cites 2019 Motus Benchmark Study data: average vehicle program cost per mobile worker rose 5% year-over-year, 70% of organizations with vehicle allowance programs have not reviewed allowance amounts in the past 12 months, mileage reporting fraud cost U.S. organizations roughly $665 million in 2018, fuel accounted for 25% of vehicle ownership and operating costs in 2018, and 88% of organizations do not measure employee satisfaction with their business vehicle program. Traditional…
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Democratic Republic of the Congo travel advice on 16 September 2026, with the latest change being the removal of information about protests planned in Kinshasa on 15 September 2026. The advice maintains all-travel bans across eastern provinces including North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Haut-Uélé, Maniema, Tanganyika and Haut-Lomami, and all-travel bans for parts of Kinshasa Province, sections of the N1 road, within 50km of the Central African Republic border, and Kwamouth territory in Mai-Ndombe Province. M23 rebels and Rwanda Defence Forces have captured Goma and Bukavu, and Uvira was captured in December 2025 before withdr…