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Travel News July 2005

Travelers should prepare for summer flight delays, official says. Travelers should expect heavy flight delays this summer, Federal Aviation Administrator Marion Blakey said. Bad weather and strong demand for travel have boosted delays. When planes are full, it is difficult for carriers to accommodate passengers who were originally on canceled flights, she said. Jul 27, 2005

More information needed on daylight-saving plan. The effects of a plan to extend daylight-saving time by four weeks is unclear, according to a Denver Post editorial. Critics question whether it would save the estimated 100,000 barrels of oil each day. Airlines oppose extending daylight-saving time because it would affect their international schedules. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam also criticized the plan and noted the Air Transport Association said last week U.S. carriers could lose $147 million because of disruptions. A conference committee approved the extension last week. Jul 26, 2005

Small changes could bring airport security improvement. Small changes, including longer tables for bins used to examine carry-on times, could greatly improve airport security, according to an editorial in The Providence Journal. The changes were suggested in a confidential government report. Some of the changes would increase costs, but most are simple. The report suggests using locked doors or gates at secured exit points and making full use of equipment used to detect explosives. Jul 22, 2005

Committee scales back plan to extend daylight-saving time. A conference committee has scaled back a plan to extend daylight-saving time after several business groups protested the change. The original proposal, intended to save electricity, would have extended daylight-saving time by two months. Under the new plan, daylight-saving time is extended by about one month. Also, if the Energy Department discovers problems with the plan, it would have the option of returning to the original daylight-saving time system. Jul 22, 2005

Lawmakers may amend daylight-saving time proposal. Criticism of a proposal to extend daylight-saving time by two months has pushed lawmakers to consider scaling back the plan. The proposal is part of a pending energy bill. Utilities say the plan would force them to change computer software and meters with electronic chips. Airlines also criticized the plan. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., said the issue may be settled Thursday. Jul 21, 2005

Airlines oppose plan to extend daylight-saving time. The airline industry opposes a plan to extend daylight-saving time by two months, Air Transport Association spokesman Jack Evans said. Airlines could lose valuable takeoff and landing spots if they are out of synch with the world's clocks, Evans noted. Rep. Fred Upton, R.-Mich, has proposed extending daylight-saving time by two months. He said the plan would save 100,000 barrels of oil per day during each additional day of daylight-saving time. Jul 18, 2005

Key lawmaker requests update on passenger bill of rights. The chairman of the House Committee on Aviation has asked the Transportation Department for an analysis of commercial airlines' commitment to the passengers' bill of rights, a pledge the carriers made six years ago to improve customer service. Rep. John L. Mica, R.-Fla., said he will hold hearings on airline customer service in the fall. Jul 12, 2005

Two new players launch "on-demand" air travel service. Two new companies introduced "on demand" air travel services which take passengers directly to their destinations without changing planes or making advance reservations. SATSair operates propeller planes with four seats and a parachute built into the airframe. DayJet flies jets that seat six passengers. NASA stimulated the creation of "on demand" air travel six years ago. It provided $250 million in grants, and private companies have invested up to $4 billion in products. Jul 11, 2005

International tourism on the rise, WTO reports. The World Tourism Organization reported international tourism arrivals in the first four months of 2005 increased 8%, a "positive trend," and June arrivals were particularly strong in the Middle East. "People are regaining the lust for travel and feel that the moment is appropriate to make the trips they postponed in the past years," said Augusto Huescar, head of market intelligence and promotion for the WTO. Jul 8, 2005

Fliers track upgrades, low fares on new Web sites. A new group of specialty Web sites provides inside information on airline inventory for sophisticated travelers, writes The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney. Travelers can find tools to help them locate upgrades, special offers and lower fares on sites such as ExpertFlyer.com and itasoftware.com. Jul 5, 2005

Airbus, Siemens partner to build in-flight cellphones. Airbus and Siemens formed a partnership to develop technology that will allow airline passengers to talk on cell phones during flights. The partners expect to launch the service in 2006. Siemens will provide technology based on GSM wireless standards, and Airbus will design and develop the system. Jul 12, 2005

Facing steep taxes, American Airlines winner turns down prize. The winner of an American Airlines contest has turned down the prize because related state and federal taxes amount to $19,000, the Wall Street Journal reported. Jack McCall lives in New York, where income taxes are high. He said he could do better buying the prize, which was 12 round-trip restricted coach tickets for two from the U.S. to anywhere in the world. American said it followed IRS guidelines by valuing the prize at $52,800, and noted that it has used the same value for setting the formula for "a long time." Jul 6, 2005

American Airlines traffic increased 8% in June. Passenger traffic increased 8% at American Airlines in June, compared to the same month a year ago, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Some analysts believe the company will post a small second-quarter profit. The airline said demand surpassed growth in the airline's number of flights. Jul 6, 2005

Monday holiday means longer trips, more packed planes. Airlines may experience record loads over the busy Fourth of July weekend, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. More people will take longer vacations and travel farther because the holiday falls on a Monday, an American Airlines spokesman said. The Air Transport Association expects 200 million passengers to fly this summer, 4% more than last year. Jul 1, 2005

Boeing invites bloggers to test Connexion. Boeing last week invited some influential bloggers for a private in-flight demonstration of its Connexion in-flight Internet technology. A Boeing spokesman said the company is working with Internet publishers to learn how Connexion can fit into the news cycle. One writer called the technology "flawless." Reporter Bryan Corliss: 425-339-3454 or corliss@heraldnet.com. Jul 26, 2005

Delta Air Lines upgrades Web site. Delta Air Lines on Monday will launch an updated version of its Web site. The updates are Delta's first since 2000. Delta hopes to reduce costs by luring more travelers to its Web site. The updates will help travelers book trips, check flight information, view plans and monitor frequent-flier miles. Jul 29, 2005

Citing soaring oil prices, Delta lifts fare caps. Soaring fuel costs have forced Delta Air Lines to lift limits set on airfares by $100 each way. The cap on walkup coach fares climbed to $599 each way, while the cap on first-class walk up fares climbed to $699 each way. Other carriers also lifted their fares. Delta put the limits in place earlier this year. It noted that when it set the caps, oil sold at $43 a barrel. Oil recently hit $61 a barrel. Jul 15, 2005

Hotels to offer flight information on room TVs. In a deal between LodgeNet Entertainment and travel information provider OAG, guests at up to 2,500 hotels in the U.S. will soon be able to check flight information from the comfort of their rooms on interactive TV screens. The service, due to begin at the end of the year, brings OAG's FlightCheck software to rooms with broadband technology. Jul 8, 2005

Two entrepreneurs to form suborbital spaceship company. Two space entrepreneurs plan to launch a new company to build commercial suborbital spaceships. Burt Rutan will form a company called Spaceship Co. with Richard Branson of the U.K.'s Virgin Group. Spaceship Co. will own the spaceship's designs and market them to aerospace operators. Jul 29, 2005

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