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Today’s Top Story
Comment forces evacuation of LAX terminal
An airline passenger was taken into FBI custody on Sunday after authorities said his “suspicious comment” forced a Los Angeles airport terminal to be evacuated for two hours. (AP)
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What’s New On Tripso
Travel agent quits, cruisers marooned
A group of 73 would-be cruise passengers feels cheated when their travel agent quits without warning and their cruise bill nearly doubles. What on earth happened? Anita Dunham-Potter tells a tale involving a travel agent, her bargain-hunting customers, discounts, rebates, card mills, legal threats and a booking agency dismissed by a major cruise line. (Anita Dunham-Potter)
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More travel news
US Airways planes clip wings at Reagan National Airport
Two US Airways planes were evacuated Sunday morning at Reagan National Airport after the planes’ wings clipped, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said. (The Washington Post)
Fliers now choose their security line at Salt Lake airport
Salt Lake City International Airport is trying to get travelers through security checkpoints faster. Travelers are being divided into three groups, depending on the number of carry-on bags, whether they’re with kids and other factors.
The Love Boat for policy wonks
On an Alaskan cruise organized by The Nation, vacationers scold Ralph Nader about his role in the 2000 election, flirt with Katrina vanden Heuvel and try to avoid being stuck with John Bolton. Oh, and party down. (The New York Times) (Registration required.)
Tips for cutting travel costs
The 2008 Global Business Travel Forecast by American Express predicts travel costs in 2008 will rise up to 10 percent for airfares and 8 percent for hotels. Factor in the extra time spent at airport security and for departure delays, and you have all the makings of a business-travel headache. (MarketWatch)
Drunken airline passenger makes plea bargain
A Victoria realtor whose drunken, belligerent behavior forced diversion of a U.S. flight to Denver has changed his plea to guilty of interfering with the flight attendants. (The Province)
Today’s Travel Blogs
US Airways new policy, by the numbers
The math shows more short flights will be required to earn awards when US Airways discontinues its 500-minimum mile policy. (SmarterTravel)
Treating passengers as baggage – by weight
After posting my musing about the new United Airlines excess baggage charges, I received several comments from readers who were either irate about the new fees or who were resigned to the inevitable. However, one letter proposed an intriguing solution. Tongue in cheek? I’ll bet the airlines have considered it. (Tripso Traveler)
Who else will oppose the coming wave of airline mergers?
It should come as absolutely no surprise that someone like Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) would take a stand against the latest round of airline mergers. After all, Oberstar is the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, and he’s spent his career officiating the failed marriages of air carriers. “Mergers may mean short-term profits for investors,” he says. “But they inevitably mean long-term losses for workers and consumers.” It may, however, come as a surprise who is not opposing the likely unions of United and Continental, Delta and Northwest, and perhaps even American and US Airways. (Elliott.org)
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