Australia’s Qantas Airline completed a first 10,000-mile passenger flight of 19 hours and 16 minutes. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner departed in the evening with just 50 passengers so that the fuel usage could be monitored, as well as physical reactions of the crew and passengers.

In-flight tests included measuring pilot brain waves, melatonin levels and alertness to exercise classes for passengers. Project Sunrise will continue to operate regular, non-stop commercial flights from Australia’s east coast cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to London and New York. More research flights are scheduled: London to Sydney in November and another New York to Sydney in December. apnews.com/d6545469f97842e8b1c908397812a39d

How many times have you boarded and found the space above your cheap seat was jammed full, and no room for your carry-ons? Now, Delta will guarantee it won’t happen again. All you need to do is pay an annual fee of $59 and your stuff is in. www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2019/10/17/delta-offers-59-annual-subscription-buys-you-overhead-bin-space

The Gateway Foundation hopes to create a commercial space station with passenger suites, orbiting the Earth. The California company is planning a cruise ship-style hotel floating among the stars.

The aim is to start test runs by 2025 and open for business in 2027. When space tourism happens, it will be only for the very daring and very rich. Concurrently, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic also plans to launch sub-orbital space stations in the near future, costing $250,000 per person, per trip. Of course, it includes all meals and booze. And maybe some spectacular sightseeing. www.cnn.com/travel/article/space-hotel-designs-von-braun-station-scn

Will it be Double Dutch? Next time you visit this favorite foreign city of your travel4seniors.com editor, be aware. Politicians there will be taking more cash out of your travel pocket.

The charming city already has the highest hotel tax rates in Europe. And they will go higher. Of course, as in many world cities, that’s just the tip of the extra charges. So, when you see ads touting hotels for $99.99 a night, whether in the Dutch or other tourist city, that’s just the start of the real cost. With add-ons of local taxes, resort fees and other hits, consider your advertised room rate may be actually only about half of what you’ll really have to pay. www.cnn.com/travel/article/amsterdam-tourist-tax-increase