Travel

Passengers can now check in and receive electronic boarding passes

SALT LAKE CITY, June 2, 2009 -- Customers flying Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) from Salt Lake City can now use Web-enabled mobile devices to check in and receive an electronic boarding pass, thanks to a partnership between the airline and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The option is available for domestic travel on nonstop Delta, Northwest and Delta Connection flights departing from Salt Lake City International Airport.    » read more »

HOUSTON, June 1 -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today reported a May consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 80.9 percent, 0.3 points below the May 2008 consolidated load factor and a mainline load factor of 81.3 percent, the same as the May 2008 mainline load factor. The carrier reported a record domestic mainline May load factor of 84.7 percent, 0.3 points above the May 2008 domestic mainline load factor and an international mainline load factor of 78.0 percent, 0.3 points below May 2008.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on-time arrival rate of 83.5 percent and a mainline segment completion factor of 99.6 percent.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- Policymakers need to address equity concerns early when implementing congestion pricing to improve traffic flow, as each situation is unique and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, according to a study issued today by the RAND Corporation.

Transportation policymakers often look to congestion pricing — charging drivers more to travel particular routes at peak travel times — as a way to reduce traffic gridlock and raise money for transportation projects. However, because these policies impose a cost on something that previously was not priced, critics often suggest that it will harm lower-income drivers who will be forced to pay additional costs or be "priced off" the roads.    » read more »

May 29, 2009 -- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded two grants totaling $1,140,000 to Plattsburgh International Airport for infrastructure improvements and safety enhancements. A $950,000 grant will be used to upgrade nose doc hangars and a grant of $190,000 will be used to perform terminal expansion and security improvements.    » read more »

FORT WORTH, Texas -- FORT WORTH, Texas, May 28 -- Summer is fast approaching, so American Airlines and American Eagle, its regional affiliate, are reminding customers about the box and bag embargo on flights to certain destinations from June 6 through Aug. 25, 2009.

"American's intent is to provide the best customer service possible and to consider the needs of all passengers," said Peter Dolara, American's Senior Vice President - Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America. "There are limitations on the amount of baggage that can be carried, both in the cabin and cargo areas, based on the size of aircraft."    » read more »

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 27 -- On June 1, American Airlines will go cashless onboard flights within the continental United States, as well as flights to and from Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. Effective Monday, for inflight purchases such as headsets, fresh meals, snacks and alcoholic beverages, American will accept major credit or debit cards only.

"We believe that, by moving to a cashless cabin, the transaction process is more convenient for both our customers and flight attendants," said Lauri Curtis, American's Vice President - Onboard Service.    » read more »

Airline Will Maintain Service Between Ithaca Tompkins And Newark; Service Provides Region With Critical Access To Domestic And International Flights

May 26, 2009 -- United States Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that Continental Airlines has withdrawn their plan to end their daily round-trip flights between Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport and their New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The service is operated by CommutAir as Continental Connection. The change comes after Schumer wrote and called Continental Airlines CEO Larry Kellner, urging him to reverse his decision, and after unprecedented lobbying on the part of community members and the Tompkins County business community.    » read more »

HOUSTON, May 26 -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) last week announced that it will launch daily nonstop flights between its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and through flight service between New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro beginning August 1, 2009. Effective as of May 19, the airline has made seat inventory available for sale in preparation for the start of service.    » read more »

PARIS, ATLANTA and AMSTERDAM, May 26 -- The Air France KLM Group and Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) last week announced a new long-term joint venture whereby the partners will jointly operate their trans-Atlantic business by coordinating operations and sharing revenues and costs of their trans-Atlantic route network. The airlines will cooperate on routes between North America and Africa, the Middle East and India, as well as on flights between Europe and several countries in Latin America.

For customers, this joint venture will result in more choices, frequencies, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and harmonized services on all trans-Atlantic flights operated by the partners.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Dick Lugar joined 16 other Republican and Democratic Senators on a bill introduced yesterday easing U.S. trade restrictions to Cuba, the Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2009, S. 1089. The bill would help U.S. farmers and ranchers export their products to Cuba by allowing timely and direct cash payments for agricultural goods.

The bill also requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. Additionally, the bill lifts the current travel ban, allowing U.S. citizens and legal residents to travel to Cuba, and it eases restrictions on exports of medicines and medical devices.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) joined a bipartisan group of fifteen Senators to introduce legislation easing travel and trade restrictions on Cuba.

"I have long said that trade with Cuba is an opportunity the United States cannot ignore," Senator Roberts said. "It is in the best economic and national security interests of the United States."

Many of the provisions in the bill, S. 1089, the "Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2009," are similar to legislation Senator Roberts has supported in the past including:    » read more »

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 22, 2009 -- What do tech-savvy frequent flyers want most? The desire to stay connected via Wi-Fi topped the technology requests, according to a new study conducted by American Airlines and HP.

The recent survey among frequent flyers shows how flyers continue to rely on technology to meet their business and travel needs.

More than 47 percent of business travelers surveyed indicated Wi-Fi was the most important airport amenity, outscoring basic travels needs such as food by nearly 30 percentage points.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 - The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines in February 2009 declined by 11.8 percent from February 2008, dropping by 6.7 million to 49.8 million in the largest decrease from the same month of the previous year since December 2001, the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported .

February was the 12th consecutive month with a decrease in passengers from 2008, dropping the number of scheduled airline passengers to the lowest total since January 2004.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- The nation’s largest airlines had a rate of on-time flights this past March that was higher than the same month last year but down from the mark posted in February 2009, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 78.4 percent in March, better than the 71.6 percent on-time rate of March 2008 but down from February 2009’s 82.6 percent.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- Summer vacationers can save money and lower their contribution to global warming at the same time, thanks to a travel transportation guide from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

"A summer vacation can be relatively inexpensive and 'green' if you know what to look for," said Jim Kliesch, a UCS senior engineer and primary author of the guide. "We've found that with a little bit of planning, consumers can save money with tips that save the planet, too."    » read more »