Detroit braces for Northwest Airlines strike
Detroit braces for Northwest Airlines strike — As a possible strike by Northwest Airlines mechanics loomed Saturday, Detroit Metro Airport authorities prepared a command center Wednesday, dug up blankets and pillows for any stranded customers and put airport police on high standby. Northwest, meanwhile, in its first gesture toward worried travelers, waived the cancellation penalties for minors traveling alone Saturday or Sunday. (Free Press)
Gate Gourmet union probe begins — Gate Gourmet has begun an investigation into union allegations of improper corporate activity and “major health and safety concerns” at the company. The caterer, which is at the centre of the recent industrial action at Heathrow Airport, said it did not believe there had been any wrongdoing. (BBC)
After air disaster, EU to implement black list — The European Commission is planning to introduce a European Union-wide blacklist of airlines whose aircraft are grounded for safety reasons, Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said on Thursday. France, 152 of whose nationals perished when a Colombian charter plane crashed on Tuesday in Venezuela, said there was already support for the measure among major European countries. (Reuters)
Passport deadline for Caribbean lifted — The United States has withdrawn a December deadline for implementing new travel rules for Americans visiting the Caribbean, amid complaints that the measures will hurt tourism, an official said yesterday. The new rules would require Americans to show passports when returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean where only birth certificates or driver’s licenses had been needed. (Jamaica Observer)
Hotels court ’secret’ inspectors — Diamonds can also be a hotel’s best friend. The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, winner of AAA’s four-diamond rating for five straight years after a $40 million renovation, uses the appraisal’s cachet to attract guests from thousands of miles away and keep business buzzing. (AP)
US Airways bans cargo-hold pets — Taking your big dog home for the holidays? Not on US Airways. The airline said Wednesday it is banning live animals from cargo holds, part of an effort to simplify and align its policies with America West’s before the scheduled merger of the carriers in six weeks. Carrying small animals on board - a la Paris Hilton and her pooch, Tinkerbell - will remain acceptable for a $100 one-way fee. (Knight Ridder)
South Boston ponders $10 car rental fee for public projects — Ripping a page from Massachusetts and city of Revere playbooks, state Rep. Demetrius Atsalis wants to raise money for public construction projects in Barnstable by imposing a $10 surcharge on car rentals in the town. The state currently assesses a $10 surcharge on car rentals of 30 days or less in Boston, using the revenue to pay for convention center development, including the new one in South Boston. (Cape Cod Online)
Uh oh, TJ clamps down on its brothels — he Mexican border city of Tijuana, a weekend playground for U.S. visitors, plans to give prostitutes electronic health cards and regulate brothels in an effort to clean up its gritty image. Under a bylaw passed last month, the city is forcing about 50 clandestine brothels to meet public safety and hygiene standards, like putting clean sheets on beds, or face closure. (Reuters)
Despite accidents, air travel remains safe — A spate of plane disasters — from deadly crashes in Greece and Venezuela to the landing accident that all passengers survived in Canada — has revived questions about international airline safety and inspections. But for passengers who want to get informed before they climb aboard, it can be difficult to judge a carrier by its accident record, aviation experts say. (AP)
Reproductive tourism is a big trend — They call it reproductive tourism. Ageing single women, gays, lesbians and infertile couples from all over the world are being offered hotel-and-flight deals to take advantage of California’s anything goes attitude towards fertility treatment. According to clinics, the number of reproductive tourists visiting California each year is already in the thousands, and growing fast. (The Australian)
Vancouver gets new radar — Vancouver airport will next year become the first in the world to operate a new radar system that can detect the smallest piece of debris on a runway with pinpoint accuracy, officials said. Vancouver International Airport, on Canada’s west coast, has bought four Tarsier radar units developed by British company QinetiQ following the Concorde crash at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in July, 2000 which killed 113 people. (AFP)
Jet returns to Chicago after engine problems — An American Airlines jetliner bound for Dublin returned to O’Hare International Airport shortly after takeoff Wednesday after the pilot noticed an engine malfunction, officials said. The flight landed safely at about 8:20 p.m., according to American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith. No one was injured, he said. (AP)
Korean Air may face strike tomorrow — The pilots’ union at Korean Air, South Korea’s largest airline, said about 50 of its members will go on strike from Friday  just a week after the government forced striking pilots at the nation’s second-biggest carrier to return to work. (AP)
Skip Bowman, Carrie Charney, Leslie Friedman, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.