Bereavement fares are dying
As the airline industry revamps its pricing strategy, carriers are scaling back on discounted last-minute fares to close relatives of the dead and dying. No. 3 Delta Air Lines last month dropped so-called bereavement fares for travel in the 48 contiguous states.
Plane cutlery is in vogue
At a time when dining at 37,000 feet is characterized by salty snacks, $5 turkey wraps and plastic cutlery, the flagship tableware from a fading era of air travel is turning up in places other than airplanes. Some are even turning up in fancy restaurants.
United gets urge to merge
United Airlines chief executive Glenn Tilton says it’s time for airlines to merge, and he wants United to take part in that consolidation. Tilton, speaking at an airline investor conference in New York on Thursday, did not say which airlines he expects would combine.
Finding old Florida
A steaming plate arrives at our table with bite-sized servings of alligator, catfish and frog legs. It comes with a side of cocktail sauce for dipping, in case we’re feeling adventurous. We aren’t. “Wait, wait,” we hear from the kitchen. “You have to try this.”
Senate rips security fee
Senate Republicans and Democrats united in criticism yesterday of President Bush’s proposal to increase security fees on airline tickets, saying that the costs of securing the nation’s aviation system should be paid for by government. Bush has proposed adding $3 to the existing $2.50 fee airline passengers pay for each flight.
Hertz backs off new fee
Hertz Corp. today cited backlash from corporate travel managers as it reversed a decision to levy a $2.50 charge on domestic reservations and put the fee on “indefinite hold.” According to a memo sent last week to corporate travel managers, the fee was to be enacted tomorrow.
Storm paralyzes cruise ship
A cruise liner carrying 791 passengers and crew was limping towards a Sardinian port last night after a storm knocked out its engines and forced it to call for help. French and Spanish rescue aircraft and boats went to the assistance of the vessel Grand Voyager, which was en route from Tunisia to Barcelona.
Agents: cut tsunami rates
Hotels trying to lure back tourists on the tsunamit-hit Thai resort island of Phuket have slashed their prices by about 50 percent but apparently not low enough for some foreign travel agents. A group of British travel agents is seeking additional cuts.
Cruise prices soar
Travel agent Joe Canino is noticing something happening to his customers booking cruises that he hasn’t seen in a while: sticker shock. Higher ticket prices and an insatiable demand among vacationers have the cruise lines basking in the smoothest sailing since the tough times prompted by the 2001 economic recession.
4 Spanish hotspots
When winter comes to North America, one of the traditional escapes is to the south of Spain. This region of the world provides a temperate climate, lodging bargains and some of the planet’s best historic tourism. The major destinations in southern Spain have something for everyone. Seville has the third-largest cathedral in the world.