Why airfares stay so low - while airlines struggle
Why airfares stay so low - while airlines struggle — Airfares are almost 20% lower than they were in 2000, even though jet fuel is more than twice as expensive. That’s expected to change this year, but not by much. Fares, which have been inching up in response to the spiraling oil prices, will probably continue to rise by only modest increments. (Christian Science Monitor)
Record snowfall buries New York City — A raging nor’easter howled up the East Coast on Sunday, breaking a snowfall record in New York, shutting down airports and dumping more than two feet of snow on parts of the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. (AP)
Motion filed to stop eviction of Katrina evacuees — Lawyers asked for a temporary restraining order Sunday to stop the evictions of 12,000 families left homeless by hurricanes Katrina and Rita from hotels across the nation on Monday. (AP)
Three execs leave as airline faces challenging year — Several high-level executives have left Southwest Airlines in recent months as the carrier struggles to remain profitable amid punishing fuel costs and rapid growth. The executives’ exodus comes amid what some analysts call a slow shift in Southwest’s culture and strategy. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Bankrupt in the lap of luxury — I was in Montreal last week to deliver a speech, and I stayed at the incomparable Loews Hotel Vogue. On my last day, I sat down to breakfast at the hotel’s swank new Ristorante Cellini — pleated napery, impeccable service — and who do you think I found sitting next to me? (Charles Leocha on Tripso)
Among the latest lures: GPS and no lines — Car rental companies like Hertz, Alamo and others are beginning to reach out to choosy travelers, offering a wider selection of wheels and features like GPS navigation systems and satellite radio  in other words, cars that their customers might actually want to drive. (The New York Times)
Gas prices dip slightly — Gasoline prices shed about 3 cents per gallon over the past three weeks, according to a survey published Sunday. The Lundberg survey found the average price of self-serve regular was $2.30 per gallon on Feb. 10, down from about $2.33 on Jan. 20. (CNN)
Plane crashes into California home — A single-engine plane that appeared to have been performing an aerobatic stunt lost control and crashed into a suburban home Sunday, killing at least two people and sparking a fire that gutted the house, police said. (AP)
Woman charged with smuggling after human head found in luggage — A Haitian national faces federal charges after baggage screeners found a human skull with teeth, hair and skin in her checked luggage at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, authorities said Friday. (AP)
Carrie Charney, Christopher Elliott, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.