Rental car companies have been kicking up consolidation efforts in recent years. The long drawn-out saga of who will acquire Dollar Thrifty, Hertz or Avis Budget (is it just me, or are these rental car companies starting to sound like they are law firms?) is possibly near a conclusion. Avis Budget has bowed out of its bid for Dollar Thrifty, leaving only Hertz with an offer on the table (currently valued at roughly $2 billion).
For more on this: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Avis-Budget-drops-bid-for-apf-768555982.html?x=0
Pothos: Travel news, travel industry updates, corporate and business travel
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Passenger Removed (Handcuffed and Searched) from Airplane Due to "Suspicious Behavior" and "Appearance" on 9/11 Anniversary
Trending now: Shoshana Hebshi's 9/11 ordeal-
Hebeshi says she was unfairly treated because of her Middle Eastern appearance (she is half-Jewish and half-Arabic) and unfortunate seat assignment next to two men (she identified them as being Indian) who both "suspiciously" visited the restroom on an airplane on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
For the full story, see this article by the Associated Press: http://news.yahoo.com/passenger-cuffed-searched-over-appearance-003800344.html
Hebeshi says she was unfairly treated because of her Middle Eastern appearance (she is half-Jewish and half-Arabic) and unfortunate seat assignment next to two men (she identified them as being Indian) who both "suspiciously" visited the restroom on an airplane on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
For the full story, see this article by the Associated Press: http://news.yahoo.com/passenger-cuffed-searched-over-appearance-003800344.html
New Airport Security Policy for Children 12 and Under Unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security
On Tuesday, September 13, 2011, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee regarding the terror threat to the United States. During her testimony, she discussed the outline of an updated airport security procedure for children 12 aged years and younger.
According to Napolitano, children will no longer be required to remove their shoes when going through the security line- except in cases of random screenings, in order to keep the sense of randomization and unpredictability of airport security in tact, and to continue to discourage terrorists' usage of children (and potentially their footwear) as a vessel for sneaking destructive weapons into crowded airports and planes.
In addition to this provision, children will also be less frequently required to undergo the increasingly intrusive pat-downs (often intruding passengers private-parts) that have more recently emerged. In order to reduce the unfortunate proclivity of the TSA to pat-down anything/ anyone that comes into an airport, children will sometimes be required to walk through metal detectors or imaging machines numerous times in order to obtain a clear(er) picture- and determine if the child is carrying anything that is illegal or potentially harmful- and will likely be subject to a more frequent exposure to explosive trace detection tools (ie: hand swabs).
TSA predicts these changes to begin being implemented in many airports in a matter of weeks (Napolitano originally said months).
It will be interesting to see what provisions are made to airport security in the coming months and years with all of this recent talk by the DHS about changes in screening technology and security procedures.
According to Napolitano, children will no longer be required to remove their shoes when going through the security line- except in cases of random screenings, in order to keep the sense of randomization and unpredictability of airport security in tact, and to continue to discourage terrorists' usage of children (and potentially their footwear) as a vessel for sneaking destructive weapons into crowded airports and planes.
In addition to this provision, children will also be less frequently required to undergo the increasingly intrusive pat-downs (often intruding passengers private-parts) that have more recently emerged. In order to reduce the unfortunate proclivity of the TSA to pat-down anything/ anyone that comes into an airport, children will sometimes be required to walk through metal detectors or imaging machines numerous times in order to obtain a clear(er) picture- and determine if the child is carrying anything that is illegal or potentially harmful- and will likely be subject to a more frequent exposure to explosive trace detection tools (ie: hand swabs).
TSA predicts these changes to begin being implemented in many airports in a matter of weeks (Napolitano originally said months).
It will be interesting to see what provisions are made to airport security in the coming months and years with all of this recent talk by the DHS about changes in screening technology and security procedures.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Air Travel Update: Flights Fuller than Ever!
An all time record 86.4 percent of seats were filled in all flights in the months of July and August 2011 (some airlines reporting much higher numbers- in the 90s!). This number has been increasing since airline deregulation in the 1970s. Considering the continuing elimination of pleasantries provided for air travelers (without astronomical costs attached to them) and the propensity for airplane cabins to resemble sardine cans, it is pretty amazing to consider airlines' struggle for profits.
More on dismal profit outlook: http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/06/news/companies/airline_industry/index.htm
Check out this article from Associated Press for more about full flights:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Armrest-wars-Flights-are-apf-692102837.html?x=0
More on dismal profit outlook: http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/06/news/companies/airline_industry/index.htm
Check out this article from Associated Press for more about full flights:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Armrest-wars-Flights-are-apf-692102837.html?x=0
Pittsburgh International Airport: One Carry-on Bag Express Lane!
By Harriet Baskas, msnbc.com contributor
Air travelers trying to avoid checked luggage fees by taking along extra carry-on bags often clog up the works at security checkpoints.
But passengers flying out of Pittsburgh International Airport now have incentive to pack light and check those bags.
Beginning Tuesday, travelers with just one carry-on item will be able to breeze through the airport’s new Express Security Lane, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.
“Traffic has been increasing at our airport, and the checkpoint lines have been getting longer. This could pull up to 25 percent of the people out of the longer line and improve everyone’s experience,” said Bradley Penrod, executive director/CEO for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.
The express line received approval from the Transportation Security Administration and will be staffed by security officers who will send passengers with both a carry-on bag and another item, such as a computer bag or purse, to one of the other, non-express, checkpoint lines. Jackets will be allowed, but not carry-on bags larger than 22" by 14" by 9".
“The program at Pittsburgh International Airport is one example of TSA partnering with airports to improve the passenger experience, while providing world-class security,” said TSA spokesperson Greg Soule.
Frequent flier and registered traveler programs already promise some travelers a quicker path to the secure side of many of the nation’s more than 450 commercial airports, but Pittsburgh airport officials believe they’ve come up with a novel, universally accessible idea.
“Even TSA couldn’t confirm we were the first airport to do this," said Penrod. "But we expect if it works here, other airports will start offering express lanes as well.”
Find the article here: http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/12/7728190-just-one-bag-sail-through-security-at-pittsburgh-airport
Air travelers trying to avoid checked luggage fees by taking along extra carry-on bags often clog up the works at security checkpoints.
But passengers flying out of Pittsburgh International Airport now have incentive to pack light and check those bags.
Beginning Tuesday, travelers with just one carry-on item will be able to breeze through the airport’s new Express Security Lane, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.
“Traffic has been increasing at our airport, and the checkpoint lines have been getting longer. This could pull up to 25 percent of the people out of the longer line and improve everyone’s experience,” said Bradley Penrod, executive director/CEO for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.
The express line received approval from the Transportation Security Administration and will be staffed by security officers who will send passengers with both a carry-on bag and another item, such as a computer bag or purse, to one of the other, non-express, checkpoint lines. Jackets will be allowed, but not carry-on bags larger than 22" by 14" by 9".
“The program at Pittsburgh International Airport is one example of TSA partnering with airports to improve the passenger experience, while providing world-class security,” said TSA spokesperson Greg Soule.
Frequent flier and registered traveler programs already promise some travelers a quicker path to the secure side of many of the nation’s more than 450 commercial airports, but Pittsburgh airport officials believe they’ve come up with a novel, universally accessible idea.
“Even TSA couldn’t confirm we were the first airport to do this," said Penrod. "But we expect if it works here, other airports will start offering express lanes as well.”
Find the article here: http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/12/7728190-just-one-bag-sail-through-security-at-pittsburgh-airport
Public Transportation and Amtrak Update: What is Going On with High-speed Rail?
With the ongoing (and stubborn) federal budget debate in Washington, DC, it is still uncertain what areas of funding will be cut, sustained, or increased in the upcoming months and years. The governmental gridlock will have to give one way or the other eventually (won't it?) as Congress and President Obama attempt to sort out the financial woes of the American public and the country. Much of the most aggressive cutting -percentage wise- has been proposed for industries that many claim could operate (and perhaps more successfully and lucratively!) in the private sector without federal funding.
Amtrak has had a pretty turbulent history in the past 40 years since being organized under the National Railroad Passenger Association and the U.S. government in 1971 in an attempt to save the declining utilization of the rail system in the United States.
The United States currently has one of the least often used rail systems in a developed country. This could be due to a number of factors: 1.) High costs- for a ticket from New York to Philadelphia on Amtrak's Acela Express, $105.00; for a ticket on Bolt Bus from New York to Philadelphia, $13.00 (though the bus takes about two hours to the train's one). 2.) Abundant lack of readily available, convenient, affordable, and practical mass regional transit (think of areas like Los Angeles, San Diego, etc that have dreadfully slow and often unreliable mass transportation systems within the region despite the immense population and screaming need for such a phenomenon) 3.) Much of the United States has been designed around the concept of automobile travel, not a shared transportation system that is integrated into cities and connected to other hubs around the U.S. 4.) Amtrak needs to modernize and extend its accessibility to more travelers.
These fundamental issues are nearly impossible to overcome without a surge of funding in support of establishing the sorely needed regional transit systems (buses, subway, metro), improved infrastructure that stretches state and country-wide, and a push towards the long term sustainability of mass transit as opposed to most of America relying on personal automobiles to get from point A to point B.
Now for the update:
An Amtrak app is now available on iTunes that allows users to plan and book travel, modify reservations, check train status, explore stations and connect to their Amtrak Guest Rewards accounts.
Amtrak is ditching the 120 year old technology of the "ticket-punch" for checking rider's tickets. In California and New England, Amtrak is running pilot programs in which conductors are using handheld readers to scan ticket bar codes rather than the paper-punches- a move towards the 21st century.
Public transportation may offer the best possible medium for utilizing renewable energy resources like solar and wind power and helping to reduce America's consumption of foreign oil. (Take a look at this from California's Department of Energy for a closer look: http://www.energy.ca.gov/2010-ALT-1/index.html)
The House just passed a bill on Friday, September 9,2011, that has been called the "Kill-Amtrak" bill by NARP.
From the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP):
"The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation & Housing proposed slashing funding for Amtrak to $1.1 billion—a reduction of more than $357 million from what Amtrak received in FY2011. Significantly, the operating grant would be cut 60%--from $563 million in 2010 and 2011, down to $227 million. The bill requires states to pay 100% of costs of operations of short corridors. This apparently overrides ongoing negotiations among states and Amtrak aimed at complying with Amtrak’s 2008 reauthorization law."
"The High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program—a highly oversubscribed program that has seen 39 states apply for funds to improve (and introduce) modern passenger trains for the 135 million Americans that live in a community connected to a rail corridor—was given no funding at all. Eliminating this program would set U.S. interstate transportation back by decades, severely undermining America's ability to stay globally competitive."
Fortunately for Amtrak and rail enthusiasts, it is very unlikely this bill will go anywhere in the Democratic majority Senate, especially given President Obama's freshly unveiled (Monday September 12, 2011) jobs plan.
Obama's $447 billion proposed piece of legislation includes $4 billion in funding for high-speed rail projects and states that at least 85 percent of the funds "shall be for cooperative agreements that lead to the development of entire segments or phases of intercity or high-speed rail corridors."
In addition, the proposal includes $2 billion for struggling Amtrak (much in counter to the House's latest actions above).
There is a lot of speculation about what will happen to projects like California's high-speed rail plan between LA and San Francisco, but I suppose time will tell soon enough.
For more on sustainable public transportation, check out: http://www.railvolution.org/
Monday, September 12, 2011
Update on Controversial FAA Bill
Here are a few interesting articles about the FAA reauthorization bill that is being hotly debated by the U.S. Congress- and a link that should interest anyone who has thought about exploring different parts of the world but hasn't had the means to do so.
- By Bart Jansen, USA TODAY
Congress will consider this week whether to extend the Federal Aviation Administration until Jan. 31 to give lawmakers more breathing room to settle long-simmering disputes about the agency.
The agency, which has staggered along under 21 temporary extensions since 2007, faces a potential shutdown Friday because of the legislative impasse.
But Rep. John Mica, the chairman of the House transportation committee, is sponsoring legislation that would allow nearly five months for haggling over labor rules, subsidies for rural airports and the number of flights at Reagan National Airport. The goal is for a policy that would last as long as four years.
"I'm willing to compromise," Mica says. "But having a 23rd extension would be tough."
His latest proposal posted on the House Rules Committee website would keep most policies the same. It also authorizes $150 million in subsidies for rural airports, which remains a point of contention between the House and Senate.
Senate Democrats, including Mica's counterpart, Sen. John Rockefeller of West Virginia, have defended the program as important to remote communities. Rockefeller had urged Mica to offer a several-month extension so lawmakers could iron out the disputes.
The congressional wrangling hasn't been obvious to airline passengers because air-traffic controllers remained on the job during the shutdown. But a partial shutdown from July 23 through Aug. 5 furloughed 4,000 FAA workers and shuttered 200 construction projects.
Passengers might not have noticed FAA's inability to collect taxes during the shutdown because most airlines kept prices as if the taxes remained.
Congress reinstated the taxes retroactively after the shutdown, so people who bought tickets before July 23 and flew during the shutdown couldn't get refunds. But the Internal Revenue Service also decided not to collect taxes for tickets sold during the shutdown, which lawmakers said was about $400 million.
"I was really ticked," says Kate Hanni, executive director of the passenger-advocacy group FlyersRights.org. "The airlines made bank. The IRS didn't collect the money. The airlines didn't make refunds."
Link to original post: http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2011/09/mica-willing-to-compromise-on-faa-extension/546922/1
More about this topic: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/10/140355546/deal-reached-to-avert-faa-shutdown?ft=1&f=1001
For a surprising look at rural airport subsidies: http://news.yahoo.com/govt-pays-empty-flights-rural-airports-212212863.html
-On a different note-
Anyone interested in traveling to unique spots around the world for free (hold it- while working as a volunteer) check out this article: http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2011/09/mica-willing-to-compromise-on-faa-extension/546922/1
- By Bart Jansen, USA TODAY
Congress will consider this week whether to extend the Federal Aviation Administration until Jan. 31 to give lawmakers more breathing room to settle long-simmering disputes about the agency.
The agency, which has staggered along under 21 temporary extensions since 2007, faces a potential shutdown Friday because of the legislative impasse.
But Rep. John Mica, the chairman of the House transportation committee, is sponsoring legislation that would allow nearly five months for haggling over labor rules, subsidies for rural airports and the number of flights at Reagan National Airport. The goal is for a policy that would last as long as four years.
"I'm willing to compromise," Mica says. "But having a 23rd extension would be tough."
His latest proposal posted on the House Rules Committee website would keep most policies the same. It also authorizes $150 million in subsidies for rural airports, which remains a point of contention between the House and Senate.
Senate Democrats, including Mica's counterpart, Sen. John Rockefeller of West Virginia, have defended the program as important to remote communities. Rockefeller had urged Mica to offer a several-month extension so lawmakers could iron out the disputes.
The congressional wrangling hasn't been obvious to airline passengers because air-traffic controllers remained on the job during the shutdown. But a partial shutdown from July 23 through Aug. 5 furloughed 4,000 FAA workers and shuttered 200 construction projects.
Passengers might not have noticed FAA's inability to collect taxes during the shutdown because most airlines kept prices as if the taxes remained.
Congress reinstated the taxes retroactively after the shutdown, so people who bought tickets before July 23 and flew during the shutdown couldn't get refunds. But the Internal Revenue Service also decided not to collect taxes for tickets sold during the shutdown, which lawmakers said was about $400 million.
"I was really ticked," says Kate Hanni, executive director of the passenger-advocacy group FlyersRights.org. "The airlines made bank. The IRS didn't collect the money. The airlines didn't make refunds."
Link to original post: http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2011/09/mica-willing-to-compromise-on-faa-extension/546922/1
More about this topic: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/10/140355546/deal-reached-to-avert-faa-shutdown?ft=1&f=1001
For a surprising look at rural airport subsidies: http://news.yahoo.com/govt-pays-empty-flights-rural-airports-212212863.html
-On a different note-
Anyone interested in traveling to unique spots around the world for free (hold it- while working as a volunteer) check out this article: http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2011/09/mica-willing-to-compromise-on-faa-extension/546922/1
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