Dead phone? No fly!

BRITISH Airways says passengers whose phones and electrical devices do not switch on before they board flights bound for the US will not be allowed to board the aircraft.

The airline says passengers who fail to turn on devices when asked will be bumped, even if they offer to leave the device behind, The Telegraph reports.

Any devices bought after passing through security will also have to be charged before the passengers are allowed to board.

Switching devices on will show

security officers that the laptops or phones are working devices and not bombs.

■ DOGS ON EUROSTAR

DOG owners in Britain are circulating a petition for their furry travelling companions to be allowed to ride the Eurostar. According to The Telegraph, the petitioners hope to get 100 000 signatures by September 30. The petition asks for dogs to be allowed to travel on the Eurostar in a designated carriage. The company currently only allows guide dogs to travel on the train.

Britain has an estimated 18 million pets, many of which go on holiday to Europe with their owners.

■ THE TRAVELLING SEAL

SELSO the elephant seal has reached Marion Island after a 169-day swim. Selso, who spent time at uShaka Marine World’s rehabilitation centre after he washed up in Southbroom in 2013, was released from the MSC Sinfonia on January 11, 25 nautical miles south of Port Elizabeth. His progress south is being monitored by a satellite tag, which will track

his movements for a year.

■ LONDON BRIDGE NOT FALLING DOWN

THE original London Bridge — which now spans a manmade lake in Lake Havasu City, Arizona — is not falling down. Responding to a story in the UK’s The Sun which claimed the bridge was cracking and would be bulldozed to make way for “drug tourism”, Lake Havasu City officials said

the report was a slap in the face since $600 000 in bridge improvements were planned for this summer, The Guardian reports. The British government sold the bridge to Lake Havasu City founder Robert P McCullough in 1968. It was then dismantled and transported to Arizona.

■ EU CUTS ROAMING CHARGES

THE EU has slashed roaming phone charges by half as of the beginning of this month, Travel Buyer reports. South Africans who buy local EU sim cards will now pay 50% less in roaming charges when travelling to another EU country. The EU has for some years been implementing various schemes to reduce roaming charges by capping charges from service providers. Roaming now costs à0.20 (R2.90), down from

à0.45 (R6.55) per megabyte, while call costs have dropped from

à0.24 (R3.50) to à0.19 (R2.76) per minute. Receiving calls drops from

à0.07 (R1) to à0.05 (R0.73) per minute. According to The Telegraph, roaming charges are due to be scrapped completely within the EU late next year.