Pompeii museum is reborn; Sun Country Airlines has new routes

Decades after suffering bombing in World War II and earthquake damage in 1980, Pompeii's museum has been reborn, showing off exquisite finds from excavations of the ancient Roman city. Officials of the archaeological park of the ruins of the city destroyed in 79 A.D. by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius recently inaugurated the museum, known as the Antiquarium. Visitors can see sections of frescoed walls from the sprawling city's unearthed villas, examples of some of the graffiti dug up by archaeologists as well as household objects ranging from silver spoons to a bronze food-warmer, items of the everyday life that was snuffed out by the volcanic explosion. Pompeii is one of Italy's top tourist attractions, and when mass tourism eventually resumes, entrance tickets to the ruins will also include a visit to the Antiquarium.

Associated Press

All travelers to the U.S. now must test negative for COVID-19 within three days before their flights, even if the country they are flying from has low testing capacity. In a last-minute switch to the rule first announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Jan. 12, airlines will not be allowed to apply for a waiver for countries where it is difficult or impossible for their passengers to get a negative test result within three days. CDC spokesperson Caitlin Shockey said passengers who are unable to secure a test result within the three-day window should contact their airline about testing options and, if necessary, rerouting flights to transit through countries with higher capacity. "I'm convinced that the implication of all of this is in pursuance of a 'no travel' strategy without coming out, outright, to say so," said Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett. Miami Herald

Sun Country Airlines believes a travel rebound is in sight, announcing last Monday more than a dozen new routes for the summer. Beginning in May, Sun Country is giving Minneapolis-St. Paul travelers a new option for flying nonstop to Orange County, Calif., Houston, Cincinnati, Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Kalispell, Mont., Jackson Hole, Wyo., Indianapolis, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hartford, Conn. Some of the new summer destinations reflect an American population increasingly interested in vacationing in nature and near national parks. Sun Country said fliers would earn double the rewards points on the new routes, if booked by this Monday.

Staff Report