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

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September 16, 2004

Hurricane Ivan Slams Into Gulf Coast
Hurricane Ivan, which came ashore just east of here early Thursday morning, clawed America's boggy Gulf Coast underbelly, knocking out power in southeast Louisiana and lower Alabama, lifting powerful waves onto the genteel island retreats of Mobile Bay and scattering nearly 2 million people in search of higher ground from the Florida Panhandle to New Orleans. The maddeningly difficult-to-track storm, once expected to land as far east as Miami, punched its first hurricane-force winds onto the fragile marsh towns at the toe-tip of Louisiana's distinctive boot-shaped frame and came ashore about 3 a.m. near Gulf Shores, Ala. At least four people were killed in Florida and Louisiana on Wednesday. Ivan's hurricane-force winds targeted a region of seaside resorts, high-rise casinos, historic downtowns and oil refining behemoths. Washington Post | Posted 6:30 a.m.
• Storm Affects 400-Mile Stretch of Shore (Reuters)
• Tropical Storm Jean Targets Puerto Rico (Reuters)

You know things are bad when the most-visited page on your Web browser is the National Hurricane Center's.

Auditors Question Delta's Viability
Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday its auditors have expressed doubt about the airline's financial viability. In a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission to update its 2003 annual report, the airline said accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, raised significant questions about Delta's ability to continue as a going concern. As a result of Delta's recurring losses, labor and liquidity issues and increased risk of a Chapter 11 filing, Deloitte & Touche has reissued its independent auditors' report to state that these matters raise substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern, Delta said in a statement. A Delta spokesman said he could not discuss the matter beyond what was included in the late-day disclosure. Reuters | Posted 6:35 a.m.

Low-Cost Carriers: No Victory Dance
America's big airlines sure are a battered lot. Just 18 months after emerging from bankruptcy, US Airways Group filed yet again for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 12, rejoining UAL in bankruptcy. Delta Air Lines may be the next to throw in the towel, perhaps as early as the end of the month. Meantime, almost every other hub-and-spoke carrier is hurrying to slash payroll costs before sky-high fuel bills and a nonstop fare war with discount airlines knock them out, too. So executives at low-fare carriers must be pumping their fists in victory, right? Hardly. BusinessWeek | Posted 6:45 a.m.

Cuba Travel Bill Dropped, Citing Election - The House of Representatives dropped consideration of a measure lifting a ban on travel to Cuba, as lawmakers cited the Nov. 2 election in which President George W. Bush is courting Cuban-American voters who favor strong sanctions against the communist nation. ``Unfortunately, neither party can see past Florida when trying to decide what to do about Cuba,'' said Representative Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who sponsored the measure. ``With elections so close and politics so raw, this debate would not receive the thoughtful deliberation it deserves.'' Bloomberg | Posted 7 a.m.

Bombers Bribed Airline Worker - Two Chechen women suspected of blowing up Russian passenger jets last month were briefly detained by police before the flights, but bribed at least one airline employee to get on the planes, media reports said yesterday. Star | Posted 7:05 a.m.

Hotel Union To Sue Starwood - The union representing workers in contentious contract negotiations with nine local hotels said it would file a lawsuit today against Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. alleging unfair job practices. The lawsuit will accuse two hotels managed by Starwood, the St. Regis and the Westin Century Plaza, of failing to give workers mandatory meal and rest breaks because of "nonstop work schedules and chronic staff shortages," according to an advisory released Wednesday by the union, Unite Here Local 11. Los Angeles Times | Posted 7:10 a.m.

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• Off the Record ... When an airline says your ticket is non-refundable, does that mean you'll never see that money again? Not if you're flying on Northwest Airlines - and not if you're dead. In a just-posted troubleshooter column, I discover that dead people really can't fly. (And that their next of kin really do get a refund on the unused ticket.) Posted 7:15 a.m. | Send us your comments.

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