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

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November 10, 2004

Airlines, EPA Agree to Water Rules
Most big U.S. airlines will more frequently test and disinfect aircraft storage and delivery systems to ensure water used for drinking and washing meets federal standards, the government and industry said on Tuesday. An agreement announced by the Environmental Protection Agency and the chief trade group for U.S. carriers grew out of a preliminary government study this summer that raised startling findings on aircraft water contamination. New guidelines require closer monitoring, more frequent disinfection and deeper analysis to determine the scope of any problem. The agreement also lays the groundwork for new regulation, which is on the fast track. Reuters | Posted 6:35 a.m.
• Earlier: EPA Finds Water Quality Problems (NY Times)
• At Least 1 in 20 Flights Flunk Tests (AP)

I still go for the bottled water every time. I'm not taking any chances.

Florida Worried About Cruise Pollution
Floridians are familiar with the staggering sight of cruise liners near port, so huge they eclipse the sky on their passage to and from exotic, distant places. But it's likely that few of us know the equally staggering amounts of waste those ships generate. A typical cruise ship, which carries about 3,000 passengers including staff, has the waste disposal problems of a small town. In an analysis from environmental group Oceana, compiled from reports by the Environmental Protection Agency and the cruise industry, we learn that a typical cruise ship can produce up to 30,000 gallons of sewage a day. This so-called "black water" may or may not be treated before being dumped into the oceans. Florida Sportsman | Posted 6:45 a.m.

British Airways Attacks 'Walking Dead'
British Airways yesterday attacked US bankruptcy procedures, widely used by the American airline industry, as being another form of state aid. The airline said US carriers operating in or close to bankruptcy were cutting fares aggressively on north Atlantic routes to generate emergency short-term cash. Martin Broughton, BA chairman, said that in the US "the walking dead" carriers, which had been forced to seek protection from their creditors, were being "propped up by the palliative care of Chapter 11." FT | Posted 6:50 a.m.

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The Myth of Bad Airline Service - Everyone talks about bad airline service. But what about good service? The nation's newspapers, Web bloggers, and airwaves are full of stories about the plummeting state of flying. Every day, my e-mail "in" box fills with airline horror stories. So I wonder: am I the luckiest person in world? For me, air travel is not that bad. I've flown 132,000 air miles this year, and on balance, my inconvenience factor has been relatively low. (In fact, I find navigating the Southern California freeways system, much more stressful.) And after a recent Sunday in Las Vegas, betting on losing football teams, I can certainly eliminate the chance that I'm just lucky. > All-new featured story from Travelcomment.com | Posted 7 a.m.

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Indiana Bails Out ATA - State officials have agreed to buy some of bankrupt ATA's assets and lease them back to the company to help keep the struggling airline in business. The state Transportation Finance Authority approved the $15 million bailout in an unanimous vote Monday. ATA bankruptcy attorney Jim Carr told the board that the airline could go out of business without the money. WISH | Posted 7 a.m.

Washington to San Francisco in 20 Minutes - They call it a "scramjet," an engine so blindingly fast that it could carry an airplane from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., in about 20 minutes -- or even quicker. So fast it could put satellites in space. So fast it could drop a cruise missile on an enemy target, almost like shooting a rifle. Washington Post | Posted 7:05 a.m.

Front Desk? There's a Dingo in My Room - A wild dingo has stalked a family on Queensland's Fraser Island, walking into its hotel room and coming dangerously close to a three-month-old baby. The Brisbane family says it found the dingo close to the baby and it only left the room after being shooed away by the baby's father. ABC | Posted 7:10 a.m.

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