Small airports get help as big terminals suffer
Small airports get screeners as big terminals suffer — Last year, passengers at Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii, breezed through some of the fastest security lines in the nation. Meanwhile, in Orlando, travelers stood in lines that exceeded federal waiting-time goals every day. Even so, in July 2005, the Transportation Security Administration increased the number of security screeners at smooth-running Kahului by 26%. (USA Today)
On holiday? Be wary – identity thieves may we lurking — Experienced travelers know it’s critical to keep important documents, cash and credit cards close at hand to keep them out of unscrupulous hands. Nothing can spoil a vacation faster than the theft of your passport or money. Nothing, that is, except the theft of your personal information. (The Los Angeles Times)
Finding the right time to lock in airfares takes strategy — You can buy a ticket for $299 and wind up next to someone who bought a seat a week later for $189. And, with capacity dropping, costs increasing and demand soaring, the arena is changing. Once upon a time, the best time to buy was three to four weeks before a flight. Probably. But now? It’s anyone’s guess. (The Los Angeles Times)
More excursions on cruises demand exertion — Long associated with shuffleboard and all-you-can-eat buffets, cruise companies have been fighting that image in recent years by rolling out ever more ambitious land excursions — from helicopter tours to cooking lessons. Now, in an effort to attract younger cruisers and thrill seekers, they’re adding more extreme adventures. (The New York Times)
Turning Los Angeles’ traffic world into a kids’ adventure land — Bring an open mind and a willingness to experiment (which, after all, comes naturally to kids), and Los Angeles can offer what seems to be an endless diversity of places to explore and new things to try. (The New York Times)
When you need a little extra help getting from here to there — It’s the season for graduations, weddings and family reunions, and your loved ones are flying and driving to get to the festivities. But what if someone is too elderly, forgetful or frail to go the distance alone? (The Los Angeles Times)
NYC mayor suggests return of seaplanes to ease airport congestion — More than 60 years after the Pan American flying boat Yankee Clipper departed Long Island Sound on its last trans-Atlantic flight, New York’s mayor says it may be time to resurrect the seaplane — not to restore the romance of aviation’s “golden age,” but to ease pressure on the city’s crowded airports. (AP)
Cities send out ‘ambassadors’ — Kansas City’s (Mo.) is launching a new Heartland Tourism Ambassador program, which is instructing hospitality workers about local attractions and resources, city history and basic customer service. (USA Today)
Carrie Charney, Christopher Elliott, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.