Airlines raise base fares sharply, still fill planes
Airlines raise base fares sharply, still fill planes — Last year, U.S. travelers were feasting on airfares that, on average, were the lowest ever when adjusted for inflation. No more. Last week, the USA’s big airlines tacked $50 onto their unrestricted coach fares in most markets. (USA Today)
Woman wins $27.5 million in lawsuit against Southwest — A Texas jury has awarded $27.5 million to a woman who says Southwest Airlines flight attendants had her arrested in 2003 because they were overly aggressive in enforcing post 9/11 security. (USA Today)
New Orleans-Baton Rouge route considered by Amtrak — Transportation officials are studying the possibility of an Amtrak passenger train route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge to help handle the flow of commuting workers following Hurricane Katrina. (AP)
In wake of problems, cruise lines cut prices — A spate of high-profile problems on the high seas, hurricane fears and weak demand for Caribbean sailings are leading cruise companies to offer fire-sale discounts in an effort to lure leery consumers aboard. (The Wall Street Journal)
Report: State Dept. failed to justify premium travel — Two-thirds of the $140 million spent by State Department officials for premium-class travel tickets over a year and a half was not properly authorized or justified, according to a new report from auditors. (Government Executive)
Climbing gas prices not expected to slow summer travel — Escalating fuel prices aren’t curbing drive time in the Chicago area and won’t dampen summer travel plans, according to AAA Chicago. (NWItimes.com)
100 years later, learning from disaster — What does a city do 100 years after its near-annihilation? Seemingly everything: the Web site of the Earthquake Centennial Alliance in San Francisco lists films, concerts, dance parties, religious services, earnest workshops, incongruous cocktail parties, conferences, readings and more. (The New York Times)
More than 15 million Chinese to travel abroad in first half of ‘06 — About 15.45 million Chinese from the mainland are expected to visit foreign destinations in the first half of this year amid booming outbound Asia-Pacific tourists, indicated a survey by credit card company Master Card International. (Xinhua)
Weekly service from Baltimore to West Africa to start this summer — Starting June 4, North American Airlines will provide weekly service to West Africa from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Jets will fly non-stop to Banjul, The Gambia, and continue to Accra, Ghana, state officials announced Tuesday. (AP)
Airline alliances get two new members — The Russian airline Aeroflot said Monday it would join the SkyTeam codesharing alliance — headed by Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines — on Friday. In other news, South African Airways (SAA) announced Monday it had joined Star Alliance, becoming the first African airline to join a major international alliance. (AFP)
Download a tour, then tour downtown — many Gen-Xers, interested in history but used to the History Channel, are plugging into podcast audio tours — entire self-guided tours that can be put on an iPod. Travelers need only download and head downtown. (The Christian Science Monitor)
Carrie Charney, Christopher Elliott, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.