Frontier Airlines to add new fees

Fees, fees, and more fees! Frontier Airlines is at it again. In an effort to become an “ultra low cost carrier”, Frontier Airlines is set to introduce new fees yet again.

To kick things off, Frontier has announced that it will start charging customers who book their tickets through third-party sites a $25 to $100 fee for carry-on bags, excluding certain members of its frequent flier program. Yes, you read that correctly. This fee is for carry-on bags. This is an effort to get more people to check their bags to free up overhead space on their planes. The $25 price is for passengers who check into their flights on the airline website. For those who check in at the airport, the fee can be as high as $100. The start date for this carry-on fee has yet to be announced, but should be announced at some point this spring. If that wasn’t enough, Frontier has also announced it will start charging $1.99 for what was once known as a complimentary drink.

As miniscule as it may sound to charge $1.99 for a drink, it is frightening to see the trend of adding so many fees for basic services. Europe’s leading no-frills airline, Ryanair, has already brought up the idea of installing coin-operated toilets and standing seats. That is an extreme case, but it goes to show you the mind-set of the airlines and how they are trying to increase ancillary revenue through increased fees. Don’t be surprised to see other airlines study this move by Frontier and follow suit.

Super Bowl XLVII is upon us!

After Sunday’s conference championship games, we now have our two teams set for Super Bowl XLVII. The San Francisco 49ers will battle the Baltimore Ravens in this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans. Now that the two teams playing have been determined, their legions of fans can now begin to make travel arrangements to participate in the festivities.

If you are one of the thousands looking to make the trip to the Big Easy, you better get on making your arrangements ASAP. With the limited number of vacancies, hotel rooms will be hard to come across, and they will come at a hefty premium.

Hotel rates in New Orleans have gone up by an average of 304% during Super Bowl weekend. Although hotel availability is limited, there are some exciting options for the diehard fan. Take the Bud Light Hotel, for example. Bud Light will transform a 200-room downtown New Orleans hotel into the ultimate fan experience, and will be home to some of the hottest parties and events during Super Bowl weekend. An adjacent parking lot is even being converted to a 34,000 square foot concert tent.

This is just one example of the many unique experiences that can be had in New Orleans during Super Bowl weekend. With the big game less than 2 weeks away, time is running out to make travel arrangements.

With such limited availabilities, POTHOS can help ease your mind and let you focus on the festivities and not all the travel hassles. For travel arrangements for your Super Bowl getaway, please contact travel@pothos.us.

Book your trip to Albuquerque, N.M. before 12/31 and receive a $25 per night credit

Albuquerque, New Mexico is the largest city in beautiful New Mexico. It has great history, culture, and cuisine, among other things. It has also been proclaimed the Ballooning Capital of the World and offers breath taking hot air balloon rides above the beautiful city.

In an effort to showcase its fine city, the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced this offer: simply book your group by December 31, 2013 and receive up to $25 per room night to be credited back to your group’s bottom line. Contact the POTHOS travel team for additional details.

To get a taste of New Mexico’s fine cuisine, give this delicious Pork & Red Chile Tamales recipe a try:

 Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork butt, trimmed of excess fat
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Water
• 4 cups red chile sauce
• About 2 pounds of masa
• At least 36 softened corn husks, plus 36 strips for tying

Directions:
Arrange the pork butt in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Add enough cold water to cover by several inches. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 2 hours.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and allow it to rest 20 minutes. Using two forks, shred the meat. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of the shredded pork with enough New Mexico red chile sauce to thoroughly moisten the meat. To assemble the tamales, spread about 1/2 cup masa onto the center of each corn husk. Spoon some of the shredded pork filling down the center of the dough. Fold and tie the tamale; repeat with the remaining ingredients and husks.

Steam the tamales for 1 hour and serve slathered with the remaining New Mexico red chile sauce.

Makes about 24 tamales.

 

Seeking surgery abroad?

With many Americans struggling to find affordable health care, recent years have seen a boost in the medical tourism industry. Regions such as Argentina, Dubai, Singapore, and especially Thailand, are all prospering from this profitable source of new business.

Although medical tourism is not a new concept, its growing popularity is fairly new. According to the Medical Tourism Association and Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, as many as 1.6 million Americans will travel this year for medical needs- spending billions of dollars in the process. Compare that to 2007, where only an estimated 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for medical care. This trend is gaining a lot of momentum and the number of Americans traveling abroad for medical care should continue to rise.

One of the most important and popular destinations for medical tourism is Thailand. First class hospitals, high class medical technology, topnotch physicians, significantly lower treatment costs, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world have driven Thailand to the forefront of international medical tourism. You can find a wide range of treatments, including: dental work, cosmetic surgery, Lasik, and bypass operations to name a few, all at a fraction of the cost as the same procedure here in the U.S. Over 1 million international medical tourists are expected to travel to the Land of Smiles next year for their medical needs.

Here at POTHOS, we have made it our business to provide medical tourists with a stress-free and cost saving medical trip to Thailand.

To learn more about medical tourism in Thailand, please visit us at our websites:

                http://www.medicaltourismthailand.biz/home/?page_id=6

                http://pothos.us/