TSA under fire

by Charlie Leocha on September 3, 2010

Few federal agencies are coming under the withering fire that the TSA finds itself subjected to. Perhaps, they are simply incompetent as an organization, staffed by lots of smart and well-meaning people but hamstrung by their bureaucracy. Perhaps it is the total lack of control on the agency. Something is wrong.
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They’re loud. They smell bad. And their clothes would make Mr. Blackwell blush.

What is it about travel that makes people jettison their manners?

Whether it’s the Ugly American or the Entitled Elite, travel has no shortage of unflattering stereotypes. They’ve always been with us. They’ll always be with us. But are their numbers growing?
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The TSA deadline for “Secure Flight” is two months away — November 1, 2010.

In the past, some government deadlines for travelers have changed, most notably for passport rules. But airlines are already asking for the data, (full name, gender and date of birth), and tour operators have been calling our office all week to get the information for anyone booked to travel in November or later.
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Delta’s Comair announces major downsizing

Delta’s Comair will be retiring 49 of its CRJs and “realign our staffing.”

The Cincinnati-based carrier, which is DL’s only wholly owned regional subsidiary following the sales this summer of Mesaba and Compass Airlines (ATW Daily News, July 2), said it will operate a fleet of 44 aircraft by the end of 2012, fewer than half of its current fleet of 93. It will retire 19 CRJ100/200 aircraft in 2011 and another 30 in 2012, leaving it with just 16 50-seat jets. It will retain its 15 CRJ700s and 13 CRJ900s.

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DOT updates “Fly Rights” A Consumer Guide to Air Travel — DOT gets it kinda right

A helpful DOT pamphlet titled “Fly Rights” has been updated. Does it make sense of the crazy airline world that has emerged during the last decade in terms of security and during the last three years in terms of airline fees? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no.

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United begins 777 seat conversion process — an update and review

United passengers on international 777s have been dealing with the old-style business seats, which are a big step down, for example, from British Airways’ flat-bed seats, or even Lufthansa’s lie-flat angled seats. That is changing.

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Kicked off my flight for sleeping with my eyes open

This is one of the most bizarre cases I’ve ever come across. Gregory Machon says he was kicked off his flight because he was sleeping. With his eyes open. His condition, called nocturnal lagophthalmos, may affect somewhere between 4 and 20 percent of the population, so you would imagine the US Airways flight attendants who [...]

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What we’re reading: New Atlanta airport deal, same-sex wedding in the air, Air China changes 787 order

Atlanta, airlines reach deal on rent, SAS plans first same-sex wedding, Air China changes 787 order

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“We are now stuck in a communications abyss”

Technology can be a helpful tool for the traveler, or it can be the tool of the devil. In Cindy Lammert’s case, it’s definitely the latter. Her recent online booking at the Sofitel Munich Bayerpost through the Accor site got so screwed up that no phone calls or emails could fix it.

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Rental car prices are making airfares look affordable

Rental car rental prices appear to be going through the roof. Especially for short-term rentals. Ironically, while most travelers are complaining about airfare and fees, rental car prices are taking off.

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