Six of the strangest things that happened in Travel in 2024. Photo / Getty Images
Six of the strangest things that happened in Travel in 2024. Photo / Getty Images
Travel takes a look back at some of its most unusual news stories from around the world in 2024.
A venomous snake makes its way onto an AirAsia plane
At the very beginning of the year, travellers on an AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Phuket were alarmed to spot a snake slithering through the overhead storage. The service erupted into chaos with some passengers rushing to get away from the snake, while others were eager for a closer look. The incident which occurred on January 13, involved a juvenile Golden Tree Snake, often found in the region around Bangkok and Pattaya. The snakes are mildly venomous but considered harmless to humans. Although no one is sure how the serpent managed to board the aircraft, a passenger is said to have alerted AirAsia crew to the slithery guest before landing. The airline later confirmed its crew is trained to handle wildlife and snakes found onboard, and its first step was to relocate passengers away from the unwanted flier. A video shared to TikTok at the time showed some passengers cowering behind plane seats while others crowded over a high-vis-clad worker who finally managed to contain the stowaway.
While most airline passengers pass the time by watching movies or listening to music, Texas resident and home bakery owner, Maria Barradell prefers to make bread. Sourdough bread in particular. On August 22, Barradell took to Instagram to unveil a bowl of what looked like raw dough before panning her phone camera to a window. Through it, her audience could see a plane wing and clouds. She captioned the reel: “Making sourdough bread in [sic] my flight to Spain” – complete with bowl, spatula and raw ingredients. Unfortunately, the backlash against Barradell’s video on social media was swift and unforgiving with many viewers claiming it was unhygienic, inconsiderate to other passengers – namely those with gluten and wheat sensitivities – and overall, a little absurd. Barradell responded to the criticism via Instagram on August 26, saying she was “trying to be creative” and commenters had helped her see that it “was not a great idea”.
England-based auctioneers unearth an eerie article from 112 years ago
Also in August, a chilling newspaper excerpt detailing the aftermath of the Titanic’s sinking, days after the vessel hit disaster, was found in a cupboard in Staffordshire, UK.
Just four days into its maiden voyage, the Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 14, 1912, and the vessel – the world’s largest ship at the time – sank less than three hours later. The front cover of the Daily Mirror, published on April 20, 1912, included a photograph of two women in Southampton, waiting for a list of survivors to be issued. The article explains that many of the male crew serving onboard the Titanic resided in Southampton. Inside, there is a double-page spread featuring a selection of photographs of the ship’s victims. It would later be confirmed that a total of 1517 lives had been lost. The newspaper clipping, which is 112 years old, was discovered by Hansons Auctioneers following a house clearance and later sold for £34 ($72) on Tuesday, August 20.
The terrible suffering of British families with loved ones on the Titanic has been brought home by the discovery of a newspaper published after the disaster in 1912. Photo / Hansons Auctioneers provided by Daily Mirror archive
Plane passenger climbs into overhead bin for a nap
It’s no secret that flying can be uncomfortable, whether you’re lumped with the middle seat or you’re sitting next to an inconsiderate armrest hogger, we’ve all taken steps to make the journey a little more bearable. For one passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight in the United States in May, this – seemingly – meant climbing into the overhead bin for a nap. The unusual incident was captured on video and shared on TikTok, showing the unidentified traveller comfortably stretched out in the overhead locker, appearing as though she’s settled in for a few zeds. As the surreal moment unfolds, fellow passengers and crew members can be seen looking on in disbelief. The reason behind this peculiar choice of resting places remains a mystery.
Passengers climbing into the plane's overhead bin for a nap is not unheard of. Photo / 123rf
China zoo paints dogs to look like pandas
What to do when your zoo lacks pandas – but the masses expect pandas? Why, you paint some dogs black and white of course.
In May, Taizhou Zoo in China’s Jiangsu Province came under fire for painting dogs to look like pandas after not having a real one to show its visitors. Using Chow Chow dogs – the big, fluffy, and friendly dog breed from Northern China – zoo officials trimmed their manes and dyed them black, leaving their whiter bits exposed. A zoo rep later explained that the dye was natural and safe, ensuring a cruelty-free makeover to satisfy visitors’ need to see pandas. While some zoo-goers seemed unfazed by the con, when the dupe was exposed not everyone was happy about being deceived – not least the dogs themselves.
The trend of going without any of the usual in-flight comforts really took off in June. Controversially coined “rawdogging” the activity (or lack of) sees airline passengers committing to an entire flight with no headphones, no movies, no blanket – not even sleep. Perhaps most disturbing, some devotees refuse to let themselves drink water, much to the anguish of medical professionals. It also extends to clothing – ideally, this is as bland as possible (a solid-coloured hoodie and beige pants would do) and it’s exclusive to economy class passengers – business class passengers aren’t invited to play. So what can passengers do instead? Optimum choices include watching the flight map, reading then re-reading the flight safety instructions, and falling into deep thought. The point is to push your mental and physical limits. For others, it provides an otherwise rare opportunity to shut off from the busyness of modern life and simply reflect.
Raw dogging is easily one of 2024's oddest travel trends. Photo / Hanson Lu on Unsplash
