Priority Travel news: Airline Consolidation May Hurt Service

NEW YORK - The last time there was consolidation in the airline industry, customers suffered.
In addition to offering fewer seats, the 2005 combination that formed US Airways Group Inc. forced together two dissonant operations that turned the carrier into an industry leader in lost bags and late flights.
Nevertheless, the carrier's new chief operating officer, Robert Isom, argues that industry consolidation can be good for travelers in the long run.
An airline that can bolster its finances, be it through an acquisition or some other way, will be in a better position to cater to its customers, Isom said in an interview with The Associated Press. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Paul Fredrick Men Style

Priority Travel News: Wi-Fi For Airline Passengers Moves Closer To Reality

How would you like Wi-Fi on your flight: via ground antennae or satellite?
That's the choice air passengers are likely to have later this year as progress in both systems was announced this week.
Southwest Airlines on Wednesday said it is testing satellite-based service developed by Row 44. Southwest said it hopes to begin testing Internet service on four of its aircraft this summer.
Meanwhile, American Airlines on Tuesday reported that it has installed Aircell's Internet broadband on one of its 15 Boeing 767-200 aircraft. The air-to-ground technology utilizes a network of 92 cell towers scattered across the continental U.S. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Enterprise Rent A Car

Priority Travel News: 11 easy ways to make coach travel more comfy

Coach class has never been more uncomfortable, what with full planes, less personal space, and a scarcity of food, blankets, and pillows. My antidote to this misery is to pack a carry-on that holds all of my belongings and everything I need to maximize my comfort.
My opinion of coach is not unique. In fact, on a recent flight, a seatmate turned to me and asked, “Are we getting bigger, or are the seats getting smaller?” The answer to both questions is yes. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Earthlink Internet Services

Priority Travel News: J.D. Power and Associates Ranks Hotwire.com Top Travel Site for Second Consecutive Year

SAN FRANCISCO - For the second consecutive year, discount travel site Hotwire.com(TM) earned J.D. Power and Associates' highest ranking in Customer Satisfaction for Independent Travel Web Sites for booking low-priced hotel, airline or rental car reservations on an independent travel Web site.
The J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Independent Travel Web Site Satisfaction Study(SM) found that Hotwire(R) again outperforms six other major independent travel sites for competitiveness of price and ease of navigation.
"We are honored to be recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for the second consecutive year as the top independent travel site," said Eric Grosse, senior vice president and general manager of Hotwire.com. "Earning top honors again for competitiveness of price is especially rewarding as we take great pride in delivering incredible travel deals and offering deep discounts on plane tickets, hotel reservations, and car rentals." Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Hotwire

Priority Travel News: Budget Travel Magazine Honors Best Values

NEW YORK - Budget Travel Magazine today announced its first-ever Best Values list. The list, powered by TripAdvisor(R) and featured on the cover of the magazine's February issue, reveals the 132 best luxury hotels from around the world, according to TripAdvisor, with an average nightly rate of less than $250.
"The awards were created to spotlight the hotels that give travelers what they really want: A reliably satisfying experience at a reasonable price," said Erik Torkells, editor, Budget Travel Magazine. "We were thrilled to partner with TripAdvisor for our first-ever hotel awards program, to draw from their vast and reputable data to develop the list and feature traveler testimonials from their site for the winning hotels." Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - 1-800-PetMeds

Priority Travel News: Airline passengers’ bill(s) of rights take off

Food, water and working restrooms — when you’re stuck on a grounded airplane, is that really so much to ask? Not according to at least one U.S. District Court judge, several consumer advocates and a rapidly growing roster of state legislators across the country.
In fact, depending on where you live, such “amenities” may not be just a reasonable request, but rather, the law. If recent developments are any indication, the airline passengers’ bill of rights is on the verge of going viral. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - J C Whitney

Priority Travel News: Choosing the right travel insurance policy

Even with Hurricane Dean taking aim at Cancun, Mexico, last August, Miguel Guillen wasn't worried. After all, he had insured his vacation. Consider travel insurance policies carefully to guard against losing the money for your dream vacation.
A quick call to his insurance company, Access America, left him with the impression that he'd get a full refund in less than two weeks. So as the Category 5 storm threatened to blow away his hard-earned getaway, "I was told to cancel my flight and file a claim," he said.
Then the hurricane changed course, leaving Cancun unharmed. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Blockbuster - United Kingdom

Priority Travel News: 12 travel tips from the flight crew

If you want advice on your pipes, you go to a plumber. Trouble with your wiring? Talk to an electrician. So when it comes to tips on air travel, who better to ask than the flight crew? After flying as a flight attendant for 20 years, I have more than enough tips to keep you going. But I thought this time I would ask other flight attendants for their hard-earned advice, in order to spread the wealth around. Here are 12 tips from your flight crew. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - DVD Planet

Priority Travel News: Airline merger would have a big-city impact

A merger between Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Northwest (NWA) or United (UAUA) would greatly extend the reach of the resulting airline, giving it influence over service and fares in more major U.S. business markets than any of them has today.
A Delta-United deal would be an industry game-changer, giving the combined carrier heft in eight of the USA's 12 biggest business markets, according to a USA TODAY analysis of schedule data from OAGback Aviation Solutions. The analysis combines the current shares of each carrier in the big markets, establishing a rough estimate of the share the combined carrier might control. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Lane Bryant

Priority Travel News: Flying is still safest way to travel

As normal operations resume today at London's Heathrow Airport, the precise reason for last Thursday's crash landing by a Boeing 777 aircraft has yet to be established.
What is known is that the British Airways aircraft lost power just 20 seconds before it was due to touch down. Disaster was averted only by quick thinking on the part of the plane's captain. In the event, all 150 passengers and crew were able to walk from the stricken plane, with just one person being detained in hospital for observation. Given the other scenarios which could have unfolded, it was a miraculous outcome. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Prep Sportswear

Priority Travel News: The low-cost airline revolution

Recently Australians have seen a number of new low-cost airlines enter the domestic/international market offering to put you in the air for as little as zero dollars.
As international airfares plummet the numbers of Australians taking to the air for the first time soars. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Luggage Online

Priority Travel News: Philippine Airline Still To Flies To U.S. Despite FAA Downgrade

Philippine Airlines, the only commercial flag carrier in Asia, has announced it will continue to fly to the U.S. despite certain restrictions that downgraded the country to a Category 2 rating by the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority.
PAL President Jaime Bautista said, "Being the only Philippine carrier to fly to the US, we have a responsibility to our passengers to maintain our US operations in spite of the Category 2 rating." Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - CARIBBEAN Travel Deals

Priority Travel News: Airline launch 'delayed by training'

THE launch of Bahrain Air, the kingdom's first privately owned, low-cost airline, has been delayed.
It was due to be launched today, but sources said it was now likely to begin operations in the first week of next month.
Management officials could not be reached for comment, but sources said the delay was connected to staff training. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Country Inns & Suites

Priority Travel News: Airline competition heats up on Seattle to California routes

It soon will be easier and cheaper to fly between Seattle and California, with Virgin America beginning new cut-rate service to San Francisco on March 18 and an announcement today by Alaska Airlines that it will increase service between the two states.
Alaska will add five new flights to its California schedule. Starting April 27, it will offer 15 daily round trips between Seattle and Los Angeles on weekdays, three more than it now has. The LA-bound flights will depart on the hour and return on the half-hour. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Delta Airlines

Priority Travel News: UK advises against most travel to Algiers

London - Britain's Foreign Office tightened its advice Wednesday to travellers bound for Algeria after suicide attacks last month which killed at least 41 people, including 17 United Nations workers.It now advises against all but essential travel to the capital Algiers, where the bombings took place, and areas east and south-west of the city, as well as warning Britons in the country to travel by air where possible. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Hawaiian Airlines

Priority Travel News: Carnival Cruise Lines Honored with Record Number of Awards

MIAMI, Florida - Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest cruise operator, raked in a record number of awards during the past year, capping off the final weeks of 2007 with several additional accolades from a variety of esteemed organizations.
Readers of Ocean & Cruise News -- the publication of the World Cruise & Ocean Liner Society, an organization comprised of highly experienced cruise enthusiasts -- named Carnival "Best Cruise Value" in the superior four star category for the 14th consecutive year. The line also took home top honors in the "Short Cruise" category. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Hotel Connect

Priority Travel News: The travel gamble

Each winter millions of Canadians escape our cold, dreary winter with a vacation in the sunny south.
With March Break for elementary and high schools, and reading week for universities fast approaching, many people are currently making plans for their winter getaway.
If you are one of the lucky ones, be sure to consider travel medical insurance as part of your planning process. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Hotels.com

Priority Travel News: Record number of students to travel abroad

The number of students going abroad for studies is estimated to reach 200,000 this year.
Correspondingly, the number of high school and college graduates is expected to hit a record high of 14.8 million and 5.5 million this year, China Education International Cooperation Group General Manager Li Guanjun said. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Radisson Hotels & Resorts

Priority Travel News: The Romance of Foreign Travel

No matter how tough you think you are, how experienced hunkering down in unfriendly places, or how blasé you may be about danger, there is one thing that still gets your motor running…the thought of being “short time” and the prospect of soon going home. We in the Baghdad bureau of CBS News are hardly immune to the giddiness of counting down the final days in country. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Regent International Hotels

Priority Travel News: Travel to Asia to beat flight delays

NEW YORK - Travelers wanting to avoid flight delays should head to Japan and South Korea and avoid Brazil, according to Forbes.com, which rated Asian airports as the best in the world for on-time departures.
Six of Japan's airports figured in the US website's top 10 for on-time departures, with Osaka Itami International airport emerging as the world's most efficient airport with 97 percent of flights leaving on time in 2007. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Rosetta Stone- Learn A Language

Priority Travel News: Travel expenses to increase

Expect travel expenses will rise between 4 percent and 5 percent in 2008 -- that's the word from Atlas Travel International, a Milford, Mass.-based full-service travel agency, which recently issued a report.
The report compared domestic and international travel costs in 2007 to 2006, and made predictions that this year will also see increases.
Domestic air fares rose 2.89 percent from an average price of $393.59 in 2006 to $405.31 in 2007, according to the report. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Thrifty Rent-A-Car

Priority Travel News - US considers tighter travel rules for European visitors

Europeans travelling to America could face travel restrictions because of concerns about terrorism, the US head of homeland security said today, amid reports of discussions about the formation of an al-Qaida cell in Britain. Michael Chertoff told the BBC that the US increasingly saw Europe as a "platform" for a terrorist attack and he blamed the current visa waiver programme for European citizens as a reason for America's vulnerability. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News - Vacation Home Rentals

Priority Travel News: Urban Travel Legends

Business travelers are a secretive, clannish lot, and we take perverse pride in knowing the picayune details of how life works on the road. If there's an airline rule, we claim to know and maybe even understand it. A strange hotel policy? We feign indifference and insist we heard about it years ago.
Then there are those persistent factoids that can only be classified as Urban Travel Legends. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Airline Company Offers $18 Flights

SAN ANTONIO -- Spirit Airlines will offer nonstop service from San Antonio International Airport to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for $18.36 each way, company officials said Tuesday.
According to the company's Web site, the introductory rate will be offered for flights on April 15 and 16 and on May 7 and 14, when the company debuts service in the Alamo City.
The introductory fares must be booked on the company's Web site between 8 a.m. Jan. 15 and 10:59 p.m. Jan. 16. The airline company is based in Miami. Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Snowstorm slows travel in Washington state

SEATTLE — A snowstorm brought whiteout conditions to parts of eastern Washington, causing power outages and closing a major highway in the Palouse.
Light snow and black ice slowed the commute Tuesday morning in the Seattle area.
Avista Utilities officials reported more than 3,400 homes and businesses in and around Pullman and neighboring Moscow, Idaho, lost power at the height of the storm late Monday night. Areas in the dark included Greek Row and possibly parts of the Washington State University campus in Pullman. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Kenya travel suspensions remain

Holiday departures to Kenya will remain suspended until Friday due to the continuing political unrest in the country, the UK's Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) has said.
The decision follows continuing advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the organisation said in a statement.
The situation for charter flights due to leave on Saturday is still under review, and a decision is expected to be made on Wednesday afternoon. Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Flood warnings disrupt travel across Britain

Flooding has hit Britain once more following heavy rainfall, disrupting road and rail travel across the country. Sixty-two flood warnings were in place by mid-afternoon, including the River Ouze in Bedford and the Severn and Wye in the Midlands. The River Avon in Gloucestershire burst its banks on Friday and has as yet shown no sign of receding. However, the flooding is minor compared to last summer - when over 100 flood warnings were issued and as much as 127mm (5in) of rain fell in just twenty-four hours - and rainfall was less than the 40mm (1.6in) predicted by the Met Office. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Border travel means more choices, confusion

Remember the great passport-processing debacle of 2007? I hope so, because if you don’t, you may get to relive it all over again. That’s because the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which mandates more stringent requirements for travelers entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico and the (non-U.S.) Caribbean, is about to change the game for those arriving by land or sea. You still don’t need a passport — that deadline has been postponed until June 2009 — but you’re definitely going to want proper ID. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Handmark makes the iPhone travel smart

Handmark of Kansas City is jumping on the Apple iPhone bandwagon.
The software company today said it had developed a version of its Pocket Express software for both the iPhone and the Apple iPod Touch.
The software gives Apple users free access to travel services — airline schedules and flight status; hotel information; “click-to-call” phone numbers for airlines and car rental agencies; currency conversion information; and travel reservations. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Airline traveler with TB exposes fellow passengers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a woman infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis flew aboard American Airlines Flight 293 in mid-December 2007 from New Delhi to Chicago. The woman then took a shorter flight within the U.S. and, when reaching her destination, sought treatment for fever and chest pain at a hospital. She was being treated and is in airborne isolation. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Airline Delays Extend Holiday Stays

Several hundred people failed to reach Moscow this weekend as the Russian New year's holiday drew to a close. About 40 Russia-bound flights were delayed in Bulgaria, France and Italy. Heavy fog closed all of Bulgaria's airports for three days. On Sunday evening, 200 of the 400 Russian passengers stranded in Sofia were still waiting for flights home.
When KrasAir planes were rerouted from French flights to pick up tourists in Bulgaria, 300 Russians in Grenoble who were supposed to fly to Moscow late Saturday night were left stranded without explanation. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Air Traffic Controller Exodus Stifling Airline Industry in Chicago, U.S.

CHICAGO – On Aug. 26, 2006, 35-year-old airplane captain Jeffery Clay spent the evening dining with his wife and two children. After dinner, he went back to his hotel to catch some needed sleep for his 4:15 a.m. wake-up call. One last time, though, he picked up the phone and spoke to his wife. That call lasted four minutes. Mrs. Clay would never again speak to her husband. The short evening phone call would be their last. Captain Clay reported for work at 5:15 a.m., but at 6:07 a.m., he would be killed along with 48 other passengers and crew at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky. When Comair flight 5191 ran out of runway. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Cancelled flights are not covered by travel insurance – and airlines are not keen on refunds

Holidaymakers unable to take their winter sun break following the cancellation of hundreds of flights to Kenya as post-election violence sweeps the country will find airlines unwilling to pay compensation. The Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to Kenya, prompting tour operators to suspend trips to the strife-torn country. Travellers are being told they can take alternative holidays where possible, or have a full refund. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Asia Pacific airline capacity spurs new airline entry, offshore bases

A surge in capacity for Asia Pacific and Middle East airlines will result in one of the busiest years in new airline activity in the region this decade, according to a Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) news release today. Several carriers are also preparing to establish offshore hubs through cross-border JVs, as well as through the utilisation of increasing rights available under more liberal air services agreements. Extra domestic hubs are also planned by some carriers. The projected deliveries of many new aircraft in 2008, combined with the proliferation of new entrants and a possible global economic downturn will result in the most competitive airline conditions ever seen in Asia. For airports, these developments will provide unprecedented route expansion and traffic growth opportunities. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: American Airlines Voted Best International Airline

American Airlines has been voted the Best International Airline 2007 by readers of Travel Weekly.Travel Weekly announced the award at a recent ceremony, revealing that American Airlines was chosen from a list of five finalists which included British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: New Canadian airline rule on disabled, obese

Canadian airlines were issued an order Thursday that they must charge disabled passengers for only one ticket, even if they require more than one seat, AFP reports. The "one person, one fare" ruling by the Canadian Transportation Agency will prohibit Canadian carriers from charging disabled fliers for a second seat, even if a seat is required for an essential caregiver. The ruling also covers "clinically obese" passengers who cannot fit into a single seat. The CTA is giving Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet one year to come into compliance on the issue. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Free whiskey and other lessons on how to lure airline passengers

When Southwest Airlines Co. was just getting its business off the ground in the 1970s, the Dallas-based company faced stiff competition that threatened to crash it. So when the low-fare airline couldn't set its fares any lower, it opted to offer something that others weren't - a free bottle of whiskey. "We became the leading liquor distributor in Texas," joked James Parker, Southwest's former chief executive officer. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Crowded skies for Asia-Pacific airlines

AIRLINES operating in the Asia-Pacific face one of the most competitive environments for many years as strong growth collides with a potential global economic slowdown, a leading aviation think tank has predicted.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation said yesterday that a surge in capacity being brought on by Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern carriers would result in one of the busiest years of new airline activity in the region this decade.
It said the projected arrival of new aircraft in 2008 and the proliferation of new entrants would produce the most competitive airline conditions ever seen in the region. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: BA launches new transatlantic OpenSkies airline

British Airways has launched a new EU-US subsidiary airline which will run daily Boeing 757 flights from New York to Paris or Brussels from June. A second aircraft will be added to the fleet later in the year and up to six are expected to be operational by the end of 2009.The firm will be known as OpenSkies and will be managed by Dale Moss, BA's former director of worldwide sales. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Jet Airways may start Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco next month

Jet Airways is likely to get permission to begin its Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco daily flight with the Indian government clearing the proposal of China's Great Wall cargo airline to fly to Mumbai and Chennai. "I am hopeful and optimistic that the proposal would be now cleared," Commerce and Industry Ministry Kamal Nath told journalists in the presence of Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal after the India-China Trade and Investment Summit at the China World Hotel. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: UAE's Air Arabia to start budget airline in Nepal

DUBAI - Air Arabia, the Middle East's largest low-cost carrier, said on Sunday it would start a budget airline in Nepal with local carrier Yeti Airlines as part of expansion plans.
The airline, based in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, will make its first flight at the end of this month to Sharjah, one of seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates federation, and Air Arabia's home base. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Virgin Atlantic claims it will be the first commercial airline to use biofuel

Virgin Atlantic claims it will be the first commercial airline to use biofuel in a demonstration flight planned for next month.
The airline will fly one of its Boeing 747 aircraft on a sustainable type of biofuel from London Heathrow to Amsterdam in a bid to demonstrate what the aviation industry can achieve using clean-fuel technology to reduce carbon emissions. The flight is being run in conjunction with Boeing and engine maker GE Aviation. No passengers will be on board for the demonstration flight. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: IATA bids goodbye to paper airline tickets

Jakarta - Paper tickets are well on their way to becoming relics of a bygone era.
The air travel industry, in its efforts to anticipate profit downturn, is striving to be more efficient by eliminating unnecessary material and prolonged service at airports.
The International Air Transport Industry (IATA), a leading aviation trade group, says the industry needs to simplify its business as soaring fuel prices and the global economic slowdown will result in lower profits in 2008, despite a steady growth in passenger numbers. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Argentine Airline Flight Delays Cause Chaos

Argentina - The scene at Buenos Aires' Ministro Pistarini International Airport this weekend looked like something straight out of a bad movie. Television footage shows smashed ticket counters and broken glass in the main hall of the Aerlineas Argentinas terminal, where angry passengers vented their frustrations with flight cancellations, delays and lack of information by shouting down an Aerolineas Argentinas employee and throwing objects at him. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Thrifty Car Rental Awards 'Triple Miles' With 8 Airline Frequent Flyer Programs

TULSA, Oklahoma - Thrifty Car Rental, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. is thawing the winter snow and putting a little extra spring in travelers' footsteps. Beginning January 15, 2008, customers can earn triple frequent flyer miles/points with eight airlines at participating Thrifty Car Rental locations worldwide. The offer is valid on rentals booked in advance on THRIFTY.com from January 15, 2008 through May 15, 2008. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Airline calls for flight delay records

New Zealand - Pacific Blue is calling on the Government to force airlines to make their on-time performance records public, despite lengthy delays on its new domestic network.
It has written to Transport Minister Annette King and Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard urging the Government to set a reporting standard for airlines to state how often they are on time and the frequency of delays.
Virgin Blue Airlines Group chief executive Brett Godfrey said the move would give the consumer a transparent view of which airlines were more likely to get them to their destination on time. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Malaysia to stop weekend document-free travel to Thailand

KUALA LUMPUR - From next month, Malaysians who want to go to the Wang Kelian-Wang Prachan market at the Malaysian-Thai border during the weekend must have border passes, local media reported on Monday.
The decision to stop the weekend document-free travel between Wang Kelian, Perlis, Malaysian northern state and Wang Prachan, Thailand, was made for security reasons, deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum said on Sunday.
At present, Malaysians going to Wang Prachan and Thais entering Wang Kelian need to carry border passes during weekdays, but this ruling is not enforced during weekends. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: States’ measures define airline passenger rights

USA - As airline delays worsen, travelers are frequently forced to deal with long lines at ticket counters, hours of waiting on the tarmac, canceled flights or airline bumping. Passengers are now demanding efficient and reliable service, and rightfully so. New York passed the first-ever passenger bill of rights on Jan. 1, and legislators in Arizona and Rhode Island now plan to do the same. To act in the best interest of its residents, each state decided to make the issue of passenger rights an immediate priority and would no longer wait for Congress to intervene. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: British Airways to launch new airline in June

British Airways is planning to launch its new US-EU subsidiary airline, OpenSkies, with daily flights from New York to Brussels and Paris.
The airline will launch in June with one Boeing 757 aircraft that will operate from New York to either Brussels or Paris Charles de Gaulle airports. A second aircraft will be added to the fleet later in the year to fly to the other EU destination. The plan is to operate six 757s by the end of 2009, all of which will be sourced from the current British Airways' fleet.
The aircraft will carry up to 82 passengers on Boeing 757 aircraft with three onboard cabins: business, premium economy and economy. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News

Priority Travel News: Singapore Airlines takes delivery of second A380

SINGAPORE Airlines has taken delivery of its second A380, the world's largest civilian airliner, according the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The plane, delivered 18 months behind schedule because of production problems, left Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southern France for Singapore on Friday. A first A380 was handed over to Singapore Airlines on October 15 and since October 28 has been operating daily service between Singapore and Sydney. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Nutty News