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

November 19, 2004

Travel Industry Braces For T-Day
Traveling this Thanksgiving may not be as easy as it was last year. And that is both good and bad news. On the upside: The long lines at airports, "no vacancy" signs at hotels, and crowded highways expected this holiday season are clear indications that Americans are being adventurous again. The AAA is estimating that more than 37 million people will take to the road or skies this Thanksgiving, which would surpass the travel record set in 2000. But on the downside, travel will cost more than last year. Despite the vaunted airfare wars, the increased travel volume has actually pushed up the price of flying and staying in hotels. That's if you can get there at all. (Christian Science Monitor) Posted 6:35 a.m.
• Airports Await 'Holiday Stuffing' (Dallas Morning News)
• Driving? Here's How To Stay Safe (Motor Trend)

Just a housekeeping note: This blog will be here through the entire Thanksgiving week to keep you posted on the latest travel news.

Newark Sticks With TSA Screeners
Despite continuing security gaps at Newark Liberty International Airport, the Port Authority chairman yesterday said the hub and the region's two other major airports would stay inside the federal security system, bypassing a chance to return the operation to private enterprise. Beginning tomorrow, the federal government is allowing the nation's airports to decide if they want to remain with the program now run by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration or return to a pre-9/11 system, where private security firms checked airline passengers and luggage. (Star-Ledger) Posted 6:45 a.m.

Disgruntled Liberal? Read This First
In the two years I've lived abroad, I've enjoyed many laughs and groans at the expense of my stateside brethren. But after reading the current whining from folks looking to "escape" from a president they can't stand, I'm shaking my head in disgust. I left Seattle in 2002 for South Korea; partly for a job, but mostly for something different. I'm quite happy with my life, and I'd recommend the experience to anybody; but I can't help but wonder just what manner of greener pastures these disgruntled liberals are expecting to find. (Seattle Times) Posted 6:50 a.m.

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Promises, Promises - If bad weather grounds your flight on a stopover, what should your airline do to help you? According to most airline contracts, the answer is "nothing." But after one passenger experiences a string of delays on her way from Memphis to Vail, Colo. - some of them mechanical-related - the airline's claim that it's off the hook starts to ring hollow. Now her daughter is stuck with a hotel bill that the airline agreed to pay. Find out who is responsible for what - and how you can prevent this from happening to you on your next flight. (Triprights.com)

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Pay Cut Sticks For US Airways Attendants - A federal bankruptcy judge in Alexandria yesterday left temporary 21 percent pay cuts in place for union workers at US Airways. Judge Stephen S. Mitchell denied a request from the Association of Flight Attendants to restore some wages by narrowing the wage cuts from 21 percent to as little as 4.7 percent. (Washington Times) Posted 7 a.m.

Passengers Stop Bus From Plunging Off Bridge - Passengers stopped a charter bus from plunging nearly 200 feet off a bridge after the driver collapsed, apparently from a heart attack. The bus was near the top of the Sunshine Skyway bridge Wednesday afternoon when Thomas Grove, 61, fell out of his seat, passengers and authorities said. (AP) Posted 7:05 a.m.

Biltmore May Be Demolished - The landmark Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa would be demolished if a major redevelopment proposal succeeds, a principal in the project said Thursday. The hotel's 136-acre golf course and Sand Key beach club also could be leveled and transformed into residences, project developers said. Two St. Petersburg firms announced Thursday they are partners in the redevelopment effort, along with Tampa's DeBartolo Development. (St. Petersburg Times) Posted 7:10 a.m.

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