A mostly-inclusive vacation
Is an all-inclusive vacation really all inclusive? It’s a question that comes up often when travelers consider whether to book a resort or a cruise. So often, in fact, that it makes me wonder if there really is such a thing as an all-inclusive vacation anymore. And if so, which one is more inclusive: the cruise or the resort?
Atlanta federal screeners say training inadequate
Some federal screeners at the Atlanta airport say they’re under such pressure to avert long lines at security checkpoints that they are not getting the training mandated by the Transportation Security Administration. The workers said they.
Atlanta screeners not trained
Some federal screeners at the Atlanta airport say they’re under such pressure to avert long lines at security checkpoints that they are not getting the training mandated by the Transportation Security Administration. The workers said they have been threatened with disciplinary action or losing their jobs unless they sign a form each week stating they’ve received training.
Discounts zap weak dollar
The reeling dollar, battered by the strong euro, yen and pound, is making travel in the developed world more costly for Americans this year. This is especially true in such popular capital cities as London, Tokyo and Berlin, which are using their Web sites and energetic marketing campaigns to advertise deals.
Lighters banned, matches fly
Airline passengers will no longer be allowed to bring cigarette lighters on board commercial airplanes beginning April 14, ending a security loophole that lawmakers said could be exploited by terrorists seeking to light explosives in the cabin. But another loophole remains.
Most cargo still not screened
Two years after federal officials described a “gaping loophole” in air cargo security, little has changed in the way packages are handled by shippers who transport goods in the cargo holds of passenger planes. Air travelers still sit a few feet away from cargo holds with contents that haven’t undergone anywhere close to the same level of scrutiny.
A dire turn for airlines
The risk of multiple, simultaneous bankruptcies in the U.S. airline industry is growing, according to credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, and could be triggered by renewed terrorism, a spike in fuel prices or pension liabilities. Credit analyst Philip Baggaley Thursday warned that “the breadth of credit deterioration” in the airline sector indicates that credit profiles won’t rebound as they did in the 1990s after a similar downturn.
How to survive spring break
After years of planning, Brian Mayers was finally able to escape the pressures of his job with the Anne Arundel County, Md., Fire Department to take a well-deserved break from his three kids. He had arranged for the pet, house, and baby sitters. He and his wife were finally headed to the paradise called Cancun to celebrate an anniversary. But when Mayers landed in the tropical paradise on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, he found he wasn’t alone.
Amtrak faces bankruptcy
America’s rail network will be forced into bankruptcy under Bush administration proposals that have infuriated many congressmen and passengers. The plan to abolish the $1.2 billion annual federal subsidy for Amtrak, the country’s nationalized rail operator, would kill many of America’s most famous rail routes.
Suit: SFO security cheated
The private firm in charge of security at San Francisco International Airport cheated to pass tests aimed at ensuring it could stop terrorists from smuggling weapons onto flights, a former employee contends. The allegations have prompted a federal probe into security at SFO, according to the government.