Airports make a clean sweep of their restrooms
Airports make a clean sweep of their restrooms — Looking to boost customer satisfaction, airports are upgrading the quality of their restrooms. “Restroom cleanliness is always one of the top five drivers of customer satisfaction,” says Lysa Scully of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which operates the three major New York City-area airports. (USA Today)
Shop till you fly — For years, savvy travelers haven’t had to board an airplane to rack up frequent-flier miles. Using airline-branded cards to buy gasoline and meals, travelers have slowly added to their bank of miles. Now they’re taking the expenditures to new extremes to lift their balances rapidly. (The Washington Post)
American Airlines flight lands safely after mechanical failure — American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp., on Tuesday said that one of its flights from Los Angeles to Chicago had a mechanical failure, forcing pilots to land using emergency procedures. (Reuters)
Crime has Guard due back in Big Easy — Acting at the mayor’s request, Governor Kathleen Blanco said yesterday that she would send National Guard troops and State Police to patrol the streets of New Orleans after a bloody weekend in which six people were killed. (AP)
Train to link NYC, Atlantic City — Atlantic City’s casinos, already betting on the enticing effects of fancy shopping and high-end restaurants, will try to woo more customers by offering direct train service to and from New York City. (AP)
The heavy bag slims down — While business travelers have already adapted to new weight limits airlines have put on baggage, leisure travelers are still getting with the program, judging from news reports and online accounts. And with the busy summer season upon us, now may be the time to pay heed. (The New York Times)
National parks underfunded — Across the 390 parks, preserves and historic sites that make up the 90-year-old national park system, park officials face tough choices as rising costs from labor, maintenance, operations and preservation exceed wartime budgets from Washington. (AP)
New Amtrak route considered for Missouri — pringfield could get its first daily passenger train service in nearly 40 years if plans move forward to develop a new rail line from St. Louis to southwest Missouri, transportation officials said. (AP)
Hearing: Pilots got conflicting reports on runway conditions — Two Southwest Airlines pilots received conflicting reports on runway conditions as they approached Chicago’s Midway airport, where their jet skidded off the runway and killed a 6-year-old boy, according to the cockpit voice recording transcript released Tuesday. (AP)
Northwest tries first-in-line boarding — Northwest Airlines has turned to the simplicity of the past to speed up its boarding process. Beginning in late May, the carrier began rolling out a new random boarding process for coach sections. Now, passengers on the USA’s No. 5 airline simply line up and take their assigned seats in no particular order. (USA Today)
SFO set to be first to screen all passenger cargo — Federal officials plan to make San Francisco International Airport the first in the nation to screen all passenger aircraft cargo for explosives. (AP)
Researchers work to make alternative jet fuel affordable — The spike in oil prices has prompted plenty of drivers to consider biodiesel-powered or hybrid cars for their daily commute, but what about that gas guzzler we use to fly across the country? Government and corporate researchers are looking into ways to power commercial jet engines with alternative fuels, although many caution that widespread use could be years or even decades away. (AP)
NWA wants more time for reorganization plan — Northwest Airlines Corp., the fifth-largest U.S. airline, asked for an additional three months to complete a reorganization plan as it negotiates pay cuts from flight attendants. (Bloomberg)
Carrie Charney, Christopher Elliott, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.