Travel Tonic

Travel news – March 30th 2012 to March 31st 2012:

• That’s Ridiculous! Who’s Really to Blame for these Absurd Luggage Rules? | Frommers.com –
  frommers.com
  - <a href="http://www.frommers.com/community/persona.html?UID=813340&plckUserId=813340">Carrie Havranek</a>
  

  A traveler's luggage woes are just the beginning of her frustrating airline experience. Should we blame the airlines or should we blame the passengers for putting up with the extra fees?
• An Inside Look at Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner Flight Simulator | Airline Reporter | Blogging on the airline business –
  airlinereporter.com
  - David Parker Brown
  

  The enterance to the Boeing Flight Services in Seattle, WA. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.com
  Boeing Flight Services (BFS) offers eight locations around the world that provides pilot, maintenance, composite and cabin crew training.  Around the world, Boeing offers 80 flight simulators (eight are for the 787). The locations for the 787 training facilities are located in London, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo and of course Seattle. We recently had the opportunity to take a behind the s…  show all text
• That’s Ridiculous! Who’s Really to Blame for these Absurd Luggage Rules? – posted this over on Frommer's : A traveler's luggage woes are just the beginning of her frustrating airline experience. Should we blame the airlines or should we blame the passengers for putting up with the extra fees?
• Things To Do In New Orleans During the Final Four – Michelle Baran recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Doreen's Jazz Band onboard the Natchez Steamboat (Courtesy Michelle Baran)
• #A330Day | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.
• Tips On When To Book Summer Flights Amid Rising Fares – Michelle Baran recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Southwest Airlines (Courtesy TXphotoblog/Flickr)
• 7 Questions to Ask Before You Book an All–Inclusive Vacation – Laura Michonski recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  A gorgeous view of the Caribbean from an all–inclusive resort in Cozumel. (Courtesy strackfamily/myBudgetTravel)

Travel news – March 28th 2012 to March 29th 2012:

• TSA Body Scanners’ Apparent Flaw Raises Airport Security Concerns – posted this over on Frommer's : A blogger figures out a way to fool TSA's full-body scanners, reigniting debates about the effectiveness of the TSA.
• Lufthansa to debut 747-8 Intercontinental on Washington route – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer Christoph Franz said today that the airline would fly its first 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet from Frankurt …
• Lufthansa pegs Dulles as first 747-8 destination – FlightBlogger – Aviation News, Commentary and Analysis –
  flightglobal.com
  Lufthansa has announced Washington, DC's Dulles International Airport will be the German airline's first destination for its 747-8 Intercontinental, which will be delivered on April 23.The company did not specify a date for the aircraft's planned daily operation from…
• America’s Newest Airport Terminals to Speed Up Travel – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  LAX's new Terminal 3 (Courtesy Alaska Air)
• BlueTales » JetBlue » Flight 191 Update –
  blog.jetblue.com
  - JetBlue
  There are lots of questions and comments about the incident onboard Flight 191 yesterday (the details of which are now a matter of FBI investigation) and what protocol we have in place for such scenarios. Here are the top 10 questions we’re getting and the facts as we know them:
  1. You’re saying it’s a “medical situation” but isn’t it a security issue? Initial reports indicated that Flight 191 was diverting to Amarillo due to a medical situation. As the events unfolded, it became clear that sec…  show all text
• READERS’ CHOICE: What’s Your Favorite Tour Company? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• 4 Most Controversial Blog Posts of 2012 (So Far) – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  No matter what topics we've covered this year—from the appearance of Gourmet Wendy's in Japan to people getting in trouble for bringing cupcakes and bagels through TSA checkpoints—you've had an opinion. Of course, some stories inspire more conversation than others. Just for fun, we decided to round up some of the most thought-provoking blog posts we've published so far—and your reactions to them.

Travel news – March 27th 2012 to March 28th 2012:

• BlueTales » JetBlue » Flight 191 –
  blog.jetblue.com
  - JetBlue
  Update: 8:50 p.m. ET
  Flight 191 landed in Las Vegas at 4:13pm local where customers deplaned at their original destination after the diversion to Amarillo, Texas.
  We’re aware of a number of stories of what transpired today. We’re working to verify what details we can and will only report what we know is accurate.
  While we don’t what led to the incident, what we can verify is that the pilot in command elected to divert to Amarillo to ensure the Captain received proper medical attention and we kn…  show all text
• Travel Troubleshooter: Where’s My Ticket Refund? – posted this over on Frommer's : Does an airline ever owe you a full refund for a canceled flight? Find out how to avoid getting stuck with the bill.
• Revealed: The Most Searched for Destinations for Summer 2012 – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  Surfing in Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii (Courtesy Knoal/Flickr)
• #TTOT Topic for… | Facebook –
  facebook.com
  Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.
• Spectacular viewing platforms – Bing Travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  Are you one of those people who would rather face down a grizzly than venture out, a quarter-mile above Chicago, onto the glass floor of the Will Tower’s Skydeck? Or do you get a little thrill out of heights? I confess to belonging to the former group; the first time I visited the Grand Canyon and got a little too close to the edge, I got dizzy and lightheaded and had to take a quick step backward.

• Stunning sculpture gardens – HeidiS recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  When Seattle opened its Olympic Sculpture Park in 2007, the appeal of the park was clear. The setting was carefully selected: right on Elliott Bay, with pocket beaches, bike paths and easy access to downtown and the waterfront, and front-row seats to the sun setting over the Olympic mountains. Then there's the art: Massive installations like the "Eagle," benches shaped like eyes, and the typewriter eraser, to name a few. The marriage of art and nature has made the park a favorite stop for locals (sunset weddings are popular here) as well as tourists to the Emerald City.

• Eight Nights in Rome, Venice, and Florence, from $1,399 With Air | Frommers.com –
  frommers.com
  - <a href="http://www.frommers.com/community/persona.html?UID=813340&plckUserId=813340">Carrie Havranek</a>
  

  See the best of Rome, Florence, and Venice with this fall package, and you'll save more than $500 per person.

Travel news – March 25th 2012 to March 26th 2012:

• Eight Nights in Rome, Venice, and Florence, from $1,399 With Air – posted this over on Frommer's : See the best of Rome, Florence, and Venice with this fall package, and you'll save more than $500 per person.
• How to Identify Any Blossom – Valerie Rains recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy RSchatz/myBudgetTravel)
• INTERIORS EXCLUSIVE: Panasonic acquires majority stake in AeroMobile | APEX Editor’s Blog –
  blog.apex.aero
  - Mary Kirby
  

  Inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) giant Panasonic Avionics has acquired a majority stake in AeroMobile, the APEX editor’s blog can exclusively reveal.
  Panasonic has been a partner to AeroMobile for at least three years, having branded its mobile connectivity hardware as eXPhone, and selling it as part of its Global Communications Suite.
  “We have worked together in many areas, both on the safety side but also on the technical side and installation side. Just before Christmas, Panaso…  show all text
• Paris: Time Out Launches English Listings Website – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  Paris (Courtesy wlappe/Flickr)
• APEX News Digest 25th March 2012 –
  myemail.constantcontact.com
• INTERIORS: Mango aircraft fitted with inflight connectivity as Row 44 celebrates 250th install | APEX Editor’s Blog –
  blog.apex.aero
  - Mary Kirby
  

  A “handful” of aircraft operated by South African carrier Mango have been fitted with Row 44’s inflight connectivity system, reveals Row 44, which is celebrating its 250th install across three continents – North America, Europe and Africa.
  In 2010 Mango tapped South African company G Connect for inflight Wi-Fi. G Connect said Row 44’s Ku-band satellite-based connectivity system would support the service for the Boeing 737-800 operator.
  Mango is Row 44’s third publicised customer; Row 44 has also  show all text
• The Journey –
  youtube.com

Travel news – March 22nd 2012 to March 23rd 2012:

• Save 20% on U.K. Rail Tickets – Smarter Travel has posted some info about england scotland: Rail Europe's Queen's Jubilee sale promises 20 percent discounts on individual point-to-point tickets in England, Scotland, and Wales.

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

• READERS’ CHOICE: What’s Your Favorite National Park? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• Picking Planes Wired for Wi-Fi – WSJ.com –
  online.wsj.com
  

  About 1,700 planes in the U.S. now offer Internet access for passengers in-flight, but some are grumbling about the price.
• From Twitter – (Where to stay in Paris – travel tips and articles – Lonely Planet) http://t.co/qBhYAtjh
• That’s Ridiculous! Are Airlines Cheating On Their Taxes? – posted this over on Frommer's : A traveler discovers that his domestic plane ticket has international taxes and customs fees bundled into the price. Is it a system error or are airlines tacking on extra taxes?
• Press Releases – Mar 2012 | APEX Editor’s Blog –
  blog.apex.aero
    22.03.12 | Latest Blockbusters on BoardConnect from Lufthansa Systems Airlines deploying BoardConnect, the innovative IFE solution from Lufthansa Systems, will now be able to entertain their passengers with the latest …
• A Handful of America’s Nicest Easter Egg Events – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  The Easter holiday is only about two weeks away on Sunday, April 8. More than 100 communities are making final preparations for their Easter egg events, which include parades, egg decorating, egg rolling, and egg hunts.

Travel news – March 21st 2012

• From Twitter – (U.S. travelers to Olympics may bring home measles, CDC warns) http://t.co/gDPoVDNx
• Little Rock airport to be renamed for Bill and Hillary Clinton – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  Arkansas' busiest airport will soon bear the name of one of the state's most famous couples: Bill and Hillary Clinton.
• BackBid Promises a Better Hotel Deal, but At What Price? – posted this over on Frommer's : A new site lets hotels bid for your business. How will travelers benefit from all the competition?
• Where in the world are you: Disney – Bing Travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:

  My fascination with Disneyland started when I was about six, the first time my parents made the drive to Los Angeles from Seattle to visit friends and stopped in Anaheim along the way. The spinning teacups (which I always insisted on riding first thing) with Alice in Wonderland’s caterpillars beetling along behind, the creepy corniness of the Haunted Mansion, the sense that something amazing was just around the corner – I loved it all.

• $11.99 for a Lift Ticket? To Ski in Colorado? Yes, and Yes – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  It may feel like summer in much of the country. But the time is ripe for spring skiing (and springtime deals) at North American resorts.

• Boeing Sky Interior | Flickr – Photo Sharing! –
  flickr.com
  
• Longer Vacations Don’t Harm Economy, Say Studies – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  A beach of smart people? Or lazy people? (Courtesy of Bermuda Department of Tourism)

Travel news – March 19th 2012 to March 21st 2012:

• READERS’ CHOICE: What’s Your Favorite Island Getaway? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• US carriers aim to broaden their high margin ancillary business | APEX Editor’s Blog –
  blog.apex.aero
  - Lori Ranson
  

  US carriers are seeking ways to expand their lucrative ancillary product offerings as the margins produced from the sale of non-ticket products – everything from baggage allowances to extra legroom – are incentivising carriers to create new merchandising platforms.
  Delta Air Lines aims to significantly grow its ancillary revenue between 2011 and 2013 from $200 million to $1 billion. Company president Ed Bastian recently stressed to investors that ancillary revenues are “an important source of c…  show all text
• Travel Troubleshooter: Insurance Doesn’t Cover My Trip Cancellation – posted this over on Frommer's : Is it ever a good idea to buy flight insurance through the airline's site? This traveler learns this lesson the hard way after her vacation is canceled and rescheduled.
• Cracks on ANZ’s eight 72-500s do not compromise aircraft safety: ATR –
  flightglobal.com
  Cracks have been found on eight of Air New Zealand's fleet of 11 ATR 72-500 turboprops."These cracks can appear after a high number of cycles and can…
• READERS’ CHOICE: What’s Your Favorite Up-And-Coming-Foodie-Destination? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• 63 Years Flying, From Glamour to Days of Gray –
  nytimes.com
  - By MICHELLE HIGGINS
  

  Though no one tracks seniority across all airlines, Ron Akana is widely believed to be the longest-serving flight attendant in the United States, clocking some 20 million miles along the way.
• Best New Travel Apps for Kindle Fire and the Nook – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Apple products receive lots of free publicity, but other tablet devices are popular, too—especially among budget-minded travelers. Since September, Amazon has shipped more than 4.7 million Kindle Fires, the tablet devices that costs half the price ($199) of the cheapest iPad. Rival bookstore Barnes & Noble also sold a record number of its Nook Tablets, according to a study by market research firm IDC.

Travel news – March 17th 2012 to March 19th 2012:

• Air Canada recovering from apparent pilot sick out – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  Air Canada's operations appear to be close to normal this morning following an apparent "sick out" by pilots snarled flights over the weekend, …
• READERS’ CHOICE: Which Airline Has The Best In-Flight Entertainment System? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• First time seeing one of these in the flesh. Southwest 737 MAX 8 model. #ISTAT12 | Flickr – Photo Sharing! –
  flickr.com
  
• You Think You’re a Frequent Flyer – NYTimes.com –
  rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com
  - By MARCUS MABRY
  

  Ron Akana has been a flight attendant at United Airlines for 63 years, logging some 20 million miles, the equivalent of circling the globe 800 times or flying 40 times to the moon and back. Beat that.
• Favorite Low Tech Travel Gear for an Around the World Trip | Uncornered Market –
  uncorneredmarket.com
  

  Sharing our favorite low tech travel gear – tea tree oil to tupperware – from four years of traveling around the world.
• Norma Heape, Continental’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant, Speaks (VIDEO) –
  huffingtonpost.com
  

  Meet Norma Heape: Continental's longest-serving flight attendant. She's been on-board for 53 years, since 1957, back when they were called hostesses, and required to be single and slender — she even recalls being weighed-in by the airline.
• Retraction | This American Life –
  thisamericanlife.org
  

  Regrettably, we have discovered that one of our most popular episodes was partially fabricated. This week, we devote the entire hour to detailing the errors in "Mr. Daisey Goes to the Apple Factory," Mike Daisey’s story about visiting Foxconn, an Apple supplier factory in China.

Travel news – March 16th 2012 to March 17th 2012:

• That’s Ridiculous! Pay a Seat Reservation Fee — or Your Kids Don’t Fly With You | Frommers.com –
  frommers.com
  - <a href="http://www.frommers.com/community/persona.html?UID=826400">Christopher Elliott</a>
  

  Afraid that his three kids will be moved to another flight, a traveler pays extra for premium seats — and peace of mind. Have airlines gone too far to earn extra money from seat reservations?
• Four All-inclusive Nights in Cancun, from $729 With Air – posted this over on Frommer's : Hit the beach at this all-inclusive resort in Cancun, and save $198 per person.
• Widebody freighters could be piloted remotely within 15 years –
  flightglobal.com
  Civil freight aircraft will be flown by either a single pilot on board with a remote co-pilot on the ground, or no on-board crew at all within 10 to 15…
• One Year Later, Japan Tourism Slowly Recovers – Michelle Baran recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Tokyo (Courtesy Japan National Tourism Organization)
• A Sailable Feast: What’s New in Cruise Food – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy fallbrook50/myBudgetTravel)
• READERS’ CHOICE: Which Destination Is The Most Romantic? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• JAL preps to be Boeing’s second 787 customer as delivery nears – FlightBlogger – Aviation News, Commentary and Analysis –
  flightglobal.com
  Japan Airlines is preparing to become the second 787 customer, as Boeing nears imminent certification of GEnx-1B engines and a restart of deliveries that were stalled in early February by required repairs following improper shim installation in its aft…

Travel news – March 14th 2012 to March 15th 2012:

• http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/commercial_aviation/ThingsW… –
  aviationweek.com
  Aviation, Defense and Space News, Jobs, Conferences by AVIATION WEEK the premier provider of aviation news, information, and data tools for the global aerospace and defense industry
• Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the Caribbean – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  Montserrat, "The Other Emerald Isle." (Courtesy rachel_thecat/Flickr)
• River Cruises Return to the Mississippi – Sean O'Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  
  

  Jazz performance onboard a Mississippi River cruise (Courtesy y entonces/Flickr)
• New Airline Rules Yet to be Enforced – posted this over on Frommer's : Even as the Department of Transportation levies record fines on airlines, the new airline rules to protect travelers aren't being enforced. What was the point of those rules again?
• Vote: Which long-distance route would you pick for D.C. Reagan? – USATODAY.com –
  travel.usatoday.com
  

  Seven airlines have applied for the four new long-distance flights being added at Washington's Reagan National Airport. (See that story here). The decision is now in the hands of the Department of Transportation. But, if it were up to you, which routes would you pick? Vote below.
• READERS’ CHOICE: What’s Your Favorite Theme Park? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  We get to share our travel picks with you all year long. Now it’s your turn.

• BA drops codeshare with troubled Kingfisher –
  flightglobal.com
  Oneworld alliance member British Airways has suspended its codeshare agreement with India's embattled Kingfisher Airlines.It says the suspension took…