• 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

Underwritten By Cheapflights.com — Compare sales, specials and cheap flights to any destination.

November 15, 2004

TSA Orders Airlines to Hand Over Data
The federal government said it will begin analyzing millions of U.S. airline passenger records by the end of the month in a first step toward creating a computerized screening system to protect the nation's airlines from terrorist attack. The Transportation Security Administration yesterday ordered 72 carriers to turn over historical passengers records by Nov. 23 so that the agency can begin testing a program called Secure Flight. The system seeks to consolidate various government watch lists and improve the accuracy of comparing passenger names against those of suspected terrorists. Washington Post | Posted 6:35 a.m.
• TSA Doesn't Like Fuzzy Ducks (Decatur Daily)
• Latest Revelation by TSA is Accidental (Wired)

Well, looks like CAPPS II is alive after all.

European Air Travelers Face New Fees
Air travelers are facing a pricing lottery of added fees when it comes to paying for their seats online. Airlines are offering seats to passengers for virtually nothing - then adding a string of fees when it comes to booking. A consumer watchdog has condemned the practice as "misleading" and say clearer pricing information is required. Many airlines have introduced fuel or insurance surcharges to compensate for higher industry costs in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and rising oil prices. But although these extra fees are put together with the mandatory government tax, they represent direct profit for the airline. Airlines have been told to quote all-inclusive fares in their advertising. But the ruling does not extend to website bookings, where the extra costs are often not revealed until the last moment before payment is taken. . Scotsman | Posted 6:45 a.m.

Future Of No Frills: No Baggage?
For many of us, packing to go on holiday means shoving piles of clothes into a huge suitcase you can barely drag to the airport. Now, if Ryanair gets its way, we may all have to adopt a slimline, capsule holiday wardrobe. The no-frills airline says it may begin charging passengers between £5 and £10 for each piece of hold baggage next year, with a view to phasing it out altogether. Observer | Posted 6:50 a.m.

----------

An R&R Resort for the Troops - Shades of Green, an exclusive resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, caters to military personnel. Reporter Christopher Elliott talks with soldiers who are vacationing after completing recent tours of duty. National Public Radio

---------

After 'Holiday in Hell,' Day in Court - Two friends are taking legal action over a "holiday from hell" in the Caribbean. Phyllis Gilroy and Paddy Buckley, from Tranent, East Lothian, claim poor hygiene at a hotel in the Dominican Republic caused 18 sun-seekers to suffer a nasty stomach bug which blighted their stay. The pair also say they were abandoned by their Thomson holiday rep when weather forecasts showed a category three hurricane, which can produce winds of up to 130mph, was on the way. Scotsman | Posted 7 a.m.

San Francisco Hotel Talks Hit a Snag - A fight over who's ultimately in charge of negotiations broke out Friday in the bitter San Francisco hotel dispute after the two sides met and then recessed until next Friday. The volleying began when John Wilhelm, one of two presidents of the workers union, said in an interview that Local 2 in San Francisco has complete authority to negotiate its own contract. Chronicle | Posted 7:05 a.m.

Jamaica Resort Offers Flu Shots Package - Long known for exotic flora and fauna, Jamaica now has a new attraction to woo foreign visitors: flu shots. Hoping to cash in on a shortage of flu vaccines in the United States, a luxury resort in western Negril is offering guests ''wellness packages'' that include yoga classes, personal training and a flu shot for those unable to get one at home. AP | Posted 7:10 a.m.

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

E-mail Elliott | Other bloggers | About this blog

Latest Travel Notes | Complete Archives