• What's elliott?
• About elliott
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Business
• Commentary
• Destinations
• Help
• Leisure
• Technology
• Vault

Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

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

June 3, 2004

Binghamton Struggles With Hotel Tax
A proposal to double Broome County's hotel-motel tax to improve entertainment offerings in the county played to mixed reviews Wednesday. Several hotel operators said the proposal by State Sen. Thomas W. Libous could force tourists and groups planning conventions to bypass the area in favor of other destinations. But another hotel operator, and an official of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, indicated that they support the proposal. "For me, this is a huge problem," said Lynda Plain, general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in Binghamton and Vestal. But Ally Vasrim, who operates 400 rooms total at the Holiday Inn- Arena and the Holiday Inn-SUNY, said Libous' plan is the first one in a long time that will work, and if that means adding about $2 to the price of a room each night, so be it. Press & Sun-Bulletin | Posted 6:30 a.m.
-- WLOX: County to vote on new convention center tax
-- Post-Crescent: Green bay hotel taxes are on rebound

• These taxes are unfair to visitors, a point not made in any of the news coverage. I've mentioned this in a previous essay, but it seems to not matter to the dummies proposing new fees on their visitors. Send us your comments.

Fuel, Taxes 'Killing' Domestic Airlines
The airline industry's poor financial health could get even worse and, unless fuel prices fall or airfares rise, more furloughs and wage concessions are likely, according to testimony airline executives plan to present to Congress on Thursday. Chief executives from six airlines will offer members of a House transportation committee the latest snapshot of the industry's woes. They are expected to reiterate concerns about the high costs of security, taxes and war risk insurance, and emphasize the threat that rising fuel poses to the industry's nascent recovery. Gordon Bethune, the CEO of Continental Airlines and one of the executives testifying on Thursday, will describe the industry's financial condition as "perilous, and the skies are only getting darker," according to prepared testimony obtained by The Associated Press. "All-time high oil prices and the ever-increasing burden of government taxes and fees are killing the industry." AP | Posted 6:45 a.m.
-- Will: America West flies on optimism

British Miles Thief Sent to Jail
An airport worker who fraudulently used 5 million passenger air miles to enjoy first-class flights around the world was jailed yesterday. By the time check-in agent Satpal Singh was caught he had repeatedly visited the far east and cost his Air Canada employers tens of thousands of pounds. Officers found 18 air mile accounts he had set up and numerous alterations he had made to computer logs in a bid to cover his tracks, Isleworth crown court in London heard. Andrew Evans, prosecuting, said evidence suggested that had he not been caught his crimes would have escalated. The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to a total of 22 counts between August 2001 and June 2003. The Guardian | Posted 7 a.m.

-----------------------------------

• And finally ... Of all the e-mails I received during last month's fundraiser - which, thank goodness, is now finally over - one stands out the most. It's a note from an old friend who decided he would support this site after hearing my NPR report on Fort Lauderdale's monkeys. Hmmm, maybe I should be doing more pieces about animals running wild at the airport. Anyone have any ideas? Posted 7:10 a.m. | Send us your comments.

>> Yesterday's Notes | Tomorrow's Notes <<

E-mail Elliott | Other bloggers | About this blog

Latest Travel Notes | Complete Archives