They made us laugh, roll our eyes and some even made us cringe. Wrap up your work week with some of the funniest, random travel news stories we could find.
1. ‘Sorry, there’s no toilet paper on this flight’
If you have a small bladder, then this would have been one tough flight for you.
Ryanair passengers onboard a three-hour flight from Murcia to London were surprised after being told the aircraft had no toilet paper.
The announcement was made by crew during the safety demonstration, along with a notice that there would be no milk available.
One passenger, Shaun O’dea, told The Sun that everyone had ‘horrified looks’ on their faces and said ‘it was really appalling’.
A Ryanair spokesperson assured that it is ‘very rare’ for the airline to have a stock shortage, which was “caused by the failure of our handling agents in Murcia to deliver toilet rolls and milk sachets that had been ordered on the turnaround in Murcia”.
2. Next gen luggage – it checks itself in
Imagine travelling internationally without having to drag your luggage or check it in.
Samsonite is reportedly currently working with Samsung to make this a reality with next generation luggage that not only moves on its own, but is capable of checking itself in.
The line of ‘smart suitcases’ would be equipped with GPS systems to give travellers real-time updates on their bags’ location.
It will also send an alert when it appears on the baggage carousel.
But that’s not the best part.
Ramesh Tainwala, the CEO of Samsonite said he also working with airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Air France, to develop a bag that could identify itself at the airport after being programmed with the owners’ travel information.
Then the bag would wheel itself over to the conveyor belt, while the passenger heads straight to security.
Sounds like a great idea, but we’re not sure how airport security will feel about passengers letting their luggage roam around airports on their own.
3. NTK Extra: Tourists learn that selfies can be shattering
Cringe!
A couple of tourists are facing criminal charges (and probably a hefty fine) after they shattered a priceless Italian statue while attempting to take a selfie.
The pair caused the damage when they climbed onto the marble statue of Hercules at Loggie dei Milititi palace in Cremona.
Once they were on top, a piece of the statue’s crown fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.
The Statue of the Two Hercules depicts two Hercules figures holding the Cremona emblem. It is considered a ‘symbol of the city’, according to the Daily Mail.
Local police are believed to have identified the two men.
Meanwhile, experts have been brought in to assess the damage and determine whether it can be repaired.
The statue survived almost 315 years despite being moved from city to city before finally finding a home at Loggia dei Militi in 1962.
