CBS News
How to behave on an airplane during the “beast” of summer travel
A veteran flight attendant and union leader has a message for passengers this summer: Air travel is going to be a “beast,” so please behave!
Airplanes are expected to be packed to the gills this summer as Americans engage in “revenge travel” — taking the domestic and international trips they may have put off during the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions and mask mandates made flying difficult or even impossible.
Sarah Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, urged passengers to consider not just themselves, but their fellow passengers as well as the flight crew as they prepare to board fuller-than-usual planes. Flight attendants’ chief concern is keeping everyone safe in the air, she added.
“We have a set of strict rules because we need to be safe first and foremost and we’re bringing all of humanity into a cramped space, and summer flying has always been a beast,” she told CBS News.
She added, “Flight attendants are there to ensure you have a safe, secure flight and to respond to any health emergencies. That is primarily our job on board — to keep everyone safe. We also want you to have a good time.”
She also highlighted that staffing shortages are making flight attendants’ job even more challenging, particularly when dealing with testy passengers.
“There’s fewer of us than there ever have been and summer travel usually means airplanes are full to the brim,” she said. “So every flight will be very full and we’re going to try to keep order and keep everyone following the rules so we can all get from point A to point B without incident.”
Passenger etiquette tips
Amid the minimal personal space on airplanes, tempers can flare, and violent outbursts among passengers, as well as attacks on crew members, are still rampant in the skies, she added.
On behalf of flight attendants trying to keep order in cabins, she urged passengers to follow these tips:
- Acknowledge and greet your flight attendants
- Leave space for others in the overhead bins
- Don’t bring food aboard with strong or pungent scents
- Let the middle seat passenger user the shared armrest
Some experts are also advising passengers to avoid reclining their seats, noting that it can raise tensions with the passengers around you, even potentially injuring someone seated in the row behind yours or leading to wine or food being spilled.
“Of course, keep your hands to yourself, make sure you are not causing a problem,” Nelson said. She added to be “aware that you’re not just flying for yourself; you’re flying with everyone around you.”
If an altercation between passengers takes place, seek out a flight attendant immediately because they are trained to de-escalate tense situations, Nelson said.
“If you see a problem starting to arise, don’t jump in yourself,” Nelson said.
Another word of advice for passengers?
“It really takes a lot of patience and we encourage people to pack their patience,” Nelson said.
She added, “Chocolate never hurts either.”
CBS News
Colsen tabletop fire pits sold nationwide recalled after 19 people burned, some quite seriously
Nearly 90,000 Colsen-branded tabletop fire pits sold by major retailers nationwide are being recalled after dozens of alarming incidents left 19 people with burn injuries, some requiring surgery and others permanently disfigured.
The products are a burn and fire hazard in that alcohol flames can be invisible and lead to flame jetting when the pit reservoirs are filled, causing fire to flash back to the alcohol containers, unleashing burning alcohol onto people nearby, according to a notice posted on Thursday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Use of the recalled fire pits can lead to injury quickly and unexpectedly, causing burns in less than one second that can be serious and deadly,” CPSC stated.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The federal agency said it has received 31 reports of flame jetting and flames escaping from the product’s concrete container, burning 19 people. Two of those cases involved third-degree burns to more than 40% of the victims’ bodies, and at least six incidents involved surgery, prolonged medical treatment, admission to burn treatment facilities, short-term disability, loss of function, physical therapy or permanent disfigurement, it stated.
The recall involves about 89,500 Colsen-branded indoor/outdoor tabletop fire pits manufactured by Colsen Fire Pitts of Miami, Florida, as well as Colsen-branded fire pits previously made by another company.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Sold online by Colsen Fire Pits and Amazon.com, the recalled fire pits were also offered by FlipShop, Grommet, Meta, Sharper Image, TikTok, Walmart and Wayfair from January 2020 to July 2024 for between $40 and $90.
People who own the recalled fire pits should stop using them and throw them away, as the “firm stopped selling Colsen-branded fire pits less than one year after it acquired the product business and does not have the financial resources to offer a remedy to consumers,” the federal agency stated.
The fire pits should not be resold or donated, the agency stressed.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The recalled products consist of a concrete, open reservoir to hold burning liquid alcohol, and came in seven models varying in size from 5 to 18 inches wide. Gray or black in color, the fire pits are round, rectangular, hexagonal, square or skull-shaped.
Consumers can contact Colsen by email at: info@colsenfirepits.com or online at colsenfirepits.com.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Getty Images
Gold investing has long been a smart way to protect your money. And, in recent years, it’s become an essential one.
With inflation high and interest rates elevated, many turned to gold to protect their portfolio as other assets appeared uneven. Investing in the precious metal subsequently hit an 11-year high in 2023. However, the interest has remained strong throughout 2024, as evidenced by numerous price records shattered. Gold was priced at $2,063.73 per ounce on January 1 but has since soared past $2,600 – with many expecting that price to soon hit $3,000.
Against this backdrop, both beginner investors and veterans who have yet to add gold to their portfolio may want to get started now. But they should do so before this November, in particular. Below, we’ll explain why.
Start exploring your top gold investment options here.
Why you should invest in gold before November
With the start of the new month just weeks away, it makes sense to get invested in gold now. Here’s why:
Geopolitical tensions could increase buyer demand
Gold demand typically increases when geopolitical tensions are high, as they have been for much of the last two years. If you combine those concerns with a looming U.S. presidential election and the fallout from that, it adds up to what is likely to be increased buyer interest. This has already been demonstrated, in part, with gold bars selling out at retailers like Costco. So you’ll want to get invested before more buyers enter a competitive market. Just be sure to do so in a moderate amount as most experts recommend limiting gold to a maximum of 10% of your overall portfolio.
Get started with gold online today.
The price could rise again
Amid the aforementioned concerns and economic factors like inflation and interest rates, it’s easy to see the price of gold rising yet again. And with it already approaching $2,700, waiting too long to act could cause the precious metal to become out of reach for many. Buying in now, then, before November makes sense. While gold could come down in price slightly post-purchase it’s important to remember that, overall, the price of gold only rises. So act now before that rise makes an investment prohibitive.
It’s never too early to protect your portfolio
Gold is a great portfolio diversifier, offering protection and steadiness when other assets are volatile. And it’s never too early to add that protection into your asset mix. By maintaining and often rising in value when other assets underperform, gold can offer a buffer that stocks, bonds and even real estate simply cannot. And while recent economic developments surrounding rate cuts, unemployment and inflation have all been encouraging, it will still take some time for this news to reverberate through the wider economic climate. You’ll want to have gold as a protector when it does.
The bottom line
Now is a great time to invest in gold if you haven’t already taken advantage of the precious metal. By investing before this November you’ll position your money for protection against the volatility caused by geopolitical and domestic tensions. But you’ll also get in before the price has a chance to rise yet again. And remember that, no matter the timing, it’s never premature to protect your portfolio. Gold can help provide that security both now and in the months and years to come.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings