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E L L I O T T ' S TRAVEL NOTES
Travel news, opinion and analysis

December 3, 2004

Serial Thefts Plague Washington Hotels
Metropolitan Police are looking for a possible serial bandit who is robbing guests in some of the city's finest Northwest hotels. Detectives reported four similar robberies since early October, including one Tuesday night in which the bandit robbed three people in the foyer of the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel in Woodley Park. "Right now, we're not saying they are all connected," said police spokesman Officer Junis Fletcher. "There are some similarities to the crimes, but we can't definitively say they are all connected." (Times) Posted 6:35 a.m.
• Don't Get Into an Elevator Alone (Post)
• Ramsey: 'Pattern' Starting to Develop (Times)

This wouldn't be an issue if people listened to Terry Riley's advice and didn't take their valuables on a trip with them.

Airlines Tell Each Other: 'Drop Dead'
"Maybe you could do us all a favor and drop dead!" That old comic line may not sound very kind, but that's essentially what the major airlines are saying about one another as they struggle to survive brutal price wars and high fuel prices. Their hope is that the death of one of them will ease competition, allowing the survivors to pick up new routes, slots and gates at airports, and maybe a few extra airplanes at reduced costs. They might even be able to raise fares - bad news for consumers, but a badly needed boost for the carriers. (Newsday) Posted 6:45 a.m.

Travel is Safer, But Still Not Safe
Three years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is today's traveler safer? “That's the wrong question,” said former New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir, who now runs a corporate security consulting firm. “Yes, we are (safer), but are we safe? No.” Today's corporate travelers, he said, are still dwelling on the traditional security concerns— “everything from hijackings to emergency response in foreign countries to places to avoid, and teaching people awareness.” Although Safir is not sure airports are any safer from terrorism, security barriers there may have reduced theft. (Reuters) Posted 6:50 a.m.

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Saving Cypress Gardens
Florida's oldest theme park - where Elvis Presley learned how to water-ski, Esther Williams filmed "Easy to Love," and Southern Belles sashayed along trails dotted with towering topiaries - had sunken into obscurity during the 1990s. The park, which re-opens December 9th, is now actually two parks - a tribute to the old Cypress Gardens, complete with butterfly gardens, ornate landscaping, the water-ski show and, of course, the Belles. And the new Cypress Gardens, where guests are catapulted through the air on thrill-rides such as the Okeechobee Rampage, the Power Surge, or the appropriately-named Triple Hurricane. How long will it last? (Not2far.com) Posted 6:55 a.m.

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'Reporter Breaches Secure Heathrow Areas
Heathrow Airport was at the centre of a new security row today after an undercover reporter went unchallenged for four weeks. Armed with a hidden microphone and video camera, the man made his way on to the airport runway. He also discovered a British Airways security manual in an unlocked office, which included security plans and details of bomb threats. (Standard) Posted 7 a.m.

Want a Vacation? Don't Bring the Family
Last summer, I traveled to Denmark, England and Ireland with my sister, mother and grandmother to visit various relatives on both sides of the family. I envisioned it as a way of reconnecting with our European family and discovering our Danish roots — 3-1/2 weeks of hanging out, catching up and having lots of fun. It wasn't. (Seattle Times) Posted 7:05 a.m.

Pilot Gets Six Months For Flying Drunk
An airline captain has been jailed for six months after he was caught preparing to fly a packed holiday jet while drunk. Heikki Tallila: prepared to fly while drunk Heikki Tallila, 51, from Finland, was almost two and a half times the legal alcohol limit for a pilot when he was arrested in the cockpit of a Boeing 757 on August 23. (Telegraph) Posted 7:10 a.m.

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