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

December 14, 2004

Passenger in Real-Life 'Terminal'
A Kenyan-born British national has lived at Nairobi airport for six months after being refused entry to Britain and Kenya, marooning him in a bureaucratic twilight zone. Sanjai Shah, 42, has a small mattress, sheets, a blanket and daily rations of food from immigration officials to sustain him as he wanders the lounges of Jomo Kenyatta airport, the news agency AFP reported yesterday. The case echoes the recent Steven Spielberg film The Terminal, with Tom Hanks as a man stuck for months at New York's JFK airport because of wrangling over his nationality. (Guardian) Posted 5:35 a.m.
• Airport Employees Call Him 'Man in Limbo' (Standard)
• Immigration Fears Behind Government Actions (AFP)

Bad movie. Even worse in real life.

Airline Blacklists Are Expanding
At a time when the federal Transportation Security Administration's "no fly" list is coming under intense public scrutiny, a growing number of air travelers have found themselves trapped on another kind of blacklist - one kept by an airline. Most commercial carriers maintain a small but, by some accounts, growing list of passengers they refuse to transport. The reasons for being blacklisted can include disorderly conduct, refusal to comply with a crew member's instructions or abusive behavior toward an airline employee. (The New York Times) Posted 5:45 a.m.

US Airways Attendants Authorize Strike
US Airways' 5,200 flight attendants voted yesterday to authorize a strike if a bankruptcy judge throws out their contract next month. The nation's seventh-largest airline maintains that a strike would not only be illegal but also would ground the airline and send all flight attendants to the "unemployment line," said company spokeswoman Amy Kudwa. "That option would not be in anyone's best interest." (Post Gazette) Posted 5:50 a.m.

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Deplane Truth
Are you frustrated by the boarding and deplaning torture the airlines put you through? The airlines are trying to cut costs while trying to be your carrier of choice. I don't have a problem with that, but it's when the airlines spend a bundle of money only to piss off their passengers that I have to step in and say something. Many carriers have researched, tinkered with, and spent millions on the most effective way to board an aircraft. The turnaround times for flights are decreasing, so speed is of the essence. (Travelcomment.com) Posted 5:55 a.m.

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Americans Abroad Suffer Sticker Shock
Across Europe, the weak dollar is hitting Americans where it counts — in the wallet — at a time when thousands usually take advantage of December travel deals. Both the British pound and the euro are stronger against the dollar than they have ever been, and museums, restaurants and traditional holiday shopping are practically off limits for American visitors. (NBC) Posted 6:05 a.m.

Couple Arraigned in Travel Scam
Advertisements in some of the nation's largest newspapers offered the travel deals: Vacation packages to Hawaii, Las Vegas and other exotic locations, along with car rentals, gift certificates and lodging in well-known hotel chains like Hilton and Holiday Inn. Eager vacationers sent their checks and money orders to private mail boxes -- more than $202,000 in all. It was all a scam, federal authorities said Monday. (AP) Posted 6:10 a.m.

Family of Woman Who Fell Off Ship Plans Memorial
The family of a Waukesha woman believed to have gone overboard on a cruise ship said they're giving up hope of recovering her body. It's believed that Annette Mizener went overboard on the Carnival cruise ship Pride at around 10 p.m. on Dec. 4. The ship was making its way back from Mexico and nearing the San Diego coast. (Milwaukee Channel) Posted 6:15 a.m.

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