travel

Another air carrier has taken steps to weather the economic downturn and rising energy costs. Alaska Airlines has announced flight and staff reductions:
“…Many U.S. airlines are cutting both jobs and flights as they struggle with high fuel prices and a troubled economy. Alaska said Friday that it plans to cut 850 to 1,000 jobs, [...]

It is called the “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative” (WHTI) and its focus is border security. The travel site explains, in detail, what are the requirements of travelling across North American borders:
“…The goal of the WHTI is to facilitate entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors, while strengthening U.S. border security. Standard documentation will [...]

It comes as no surprise. The added prices for air travel will remain:
“FORT WORTH, Texas — U.S. airlines have no immediate plans to reduce fuel surcharges they tack onto the price of a ticket. That’s even with recent decreases of oil and fuel prices.
Most carriers have topped their fare hikes with increases in fuel [...]

There might be travel bargains on eBay if one does not become caught up in the bidding. JetBlue has started using eBay as a means to market specific travel products:
“…In an apparent first in the airline industry, JetBlue Airways Corp. yesterday started a weeklong auction on eBay for more than 300 round-trip flights and [...]

Continental Airlines resisted as long as possible. Now it will join other air carriers in charging for checked luggage:
“Continental Airlines, the nation’s fourth-largest airline, will join other carriers in charging some economy-class passengers a $15 fee for checking a first bag. The policy applies to tickets purchased as of Friday, Sept. 5 for travel [...]

It seems inevitable. The airlines are planning another fare increase. United Airlines, for example, will be increasing domestic tickets. The price hike may be as much as twenty dollars. Again, the increase is being justified by the price of fuel:
“…Executives acknowledge that despite the economic downturn, fares will rise, discounts currently [...]

In a move to trim its budget and adjust to the economic situation, Southwest Airlines is reducing the number of scheduled flights in its operating system by approximately two hundred:
“…The airline traditionally trims the number of flights it operates during the first quarter, when travel demand drops after the holidays. The cuts this year “are [...]

The recent dog incident involving Qantas highlights the perils of air travel with dogs. It is simply a risky venture with so many possibilities for problems. There are some air carriers who will no longer accommodate pets. For those airlines that still will allow pets in the cargo space, here are some [...]

American Airlines has added another income source. It is offering broadband service:
“…For $12.95, passengers on AA flights using its Boeing 767-200 will be able to surf the Net, check e-mail, instant message and access corporate VPN accounts using the system by Aircell LLC.
The ground-based system – called GoGo – won’t enable any voice-based [...]

There has been a change in security policy at American airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is allowing laptops to be left in specially manufactured laptop cases and x-rayed taken with the laptop in those cases:
“…Passengers who have what the Transportation Security Administration calls “checkpoint-friendly” laptop cases — so-called because X-ray machines can easily [...]