And, a couple was caught engaged in a sexual act in the air.
Several airlines passengers found themselves in compromising positions this week. But recent travel news isn’t all salacious–there’s also more Boeing drama. Here’s the most unique, bizarre, and just plain scandalous news you might have missed in the travel world.
BOEING 737 SKIDS OFF RUNWAY
An Air Senegal flight from Blaise Diagne International airport in Senegal skid off the runway during take-off. It was heading to Bamko, Mali, with 85 people including two pilots and four crew members. In a video, passengers can be seen fleeing from the plane, which caught fire. At least 10 people were injured and taken to the hospital, including the pilot.
It is not known what caused the incident, but the plane was a Boeing 737. Boeing planes were involved in two other accidents last week, including a FedEx cargo plane that skidded off in Istanbul after its gears failed and a Corendon Airlines passenger plane that suffered a blown tire while landing.
FRENCH BAKERS MAKE THE WORLD’S LONGEST BAGUETTE
The baguette is synonymous with France, so much so that the bread is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. So it comes as no surprise that French bakers have broken a world record for baking the longest baguette in the world.
A team of 18 bakers in Suresnes presented a 140.53-meter (461 feet) baguette last week, surpassing the 2019 Italian record of 132.62 meters. A Guinness World Records judge inspected the baguette at the event.
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Dominique Anract, the president of the French National Confederation of Boulangerie and Patisserie, said that it required 10 hours of work. The bakers started preparing the dough at 3 a.m. and the baking process began at 5 a.m. in a special oven. After it was done, the loaf was cut and shared with the public with Nutella. A part of it was also distributed to the homeless.
France is particular about its baguette and a good one is made of a handful of ingredients: flour, yeast, water, and salt. There should be no preservatives added to this special loaf, so don’t try to bring one back as a souvenir—it’s meant to be savored fresh out of the oven.
PASSENGER FOUND NAPPING IN THE OVERHEAD BIN
Yes, Southwest offers open seating, but the airline probably didn’t have this in mind. In a bizarre incident, a flight attendant found a woman taking a nap in the overhead bin just before take-off on a flight from Albuquerque to Phoenix. It’s unknown how long the passenger chilled up there.
The video received 5 million views on TikTok, with passengers poking fun at the airline and trying to understand how the passenger got up there in the first place. The video has since been deleted.
COUPLE GETS AMOROUS ON A PLANE
On a British Airways flight from London to Dublin, a couple was filmed engaged in a sexual act. A woman was touching her partner under a scarf in full view of other passengers on the flight.
“It was one of the smaller planes, making it a lot closer than the bigger planes,” a passenger who was flying with her mother and brother told the Daily Mail. She filmed the incident and noted that it started shortly after take-off—the flight is just about an hour and a half—and it was shocking because there were kids running around.
The crew was not notified about the incident.
IBIZA AND MALLORCA CRACK DOWN ON DRINKING
More rules to remember for those heading to Spain this summer: The islands of Ibiza and Mallorca have banned drinking in the streets of popular areas. Violating these orders can get you a fine of between €500-€1,500. Terraces and licensed places are exempt, but party boats within one nautical mile of the included areas will also be prohibited to sell alcohol on board. Apart from that, you also can’t buy alcohol between 9.30 p.m. and 8 a.m. (restaurants and bars are allowed to serve).
Spain has been discouraging the rampant drinking and partying culture on its islands. The country has been trying to stop disruptive behavior and brawls by promoting responsible tourism. On the Balearic islands, all-inclusive resorts now have limits to how much alcohol they can serve to their guests. Restaurants and clubs have dress codes, so you will not be able to enter many in swimwear, tank tops, or without a shirt.
Related: Spanish City Targets This ‘Obscene’ Tourist Habit With New Law