It started with US Airways, and quickly snowballed into an industry-wide trend. Beginning in May, no longer will you be able to check two pieces of luggage free of charge. Six major airlines – American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways – will all charge $25 for passengers to check a second bag. Several smaller carriers – Air Canada, Alaska Air, Air Tran, and JetBlue among them – have enacted similar policies.

Travelocity’s FAQ page is constantly updated with the details of each policy.

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We’ve said it before and we’ve even said it again, but yet another one is biting the dust as Continental is now instituting a second-bag fee, making it the fourth airline to do so after United, US Airways, and Delta have all taken the plunge. But is it really so terrible?

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member dinkime

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Cell phones on an airplane? Yep--it’s true. Well, almost. This Monday, in one of the biggest in-flight revolutions since the addition of Wi-Fi Internet service, the European Union approved a plan that would permit passengers to make and receive calls while in E.U. airspace. That’s right--you could conceivably update your buddies, confirm your hotel reservation, and let your Nana know you’re safe and sound--all while cruising at 10,000 feet or higher over any of the E.U.’s 27 countries. Pretty slick, right?

Not so fast. Though it sounds tantalizing, the approved plan brings up some tricky new issues. For example, how much would you pay for these calls? Would different providers tack on different fees? What if you have an American provider? And, perhaps most importantly, would you feel comfortable listening to your neighbors’s one-sided conversations for a good portion of your flight?

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member rokiss.ch.

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It may not be news to anyone outside of New York or the Tri-State Metropolitan area, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan intended to fund the MTA and help make New York the greenest city in America has been squashed. Regardless of what you think of the plan itself, it was great in theory—it took cars of the road and raised money for public transportation.

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ATA filed Chapter 11 and ceased all operation on Wednesday, April 2. The airline has cancelled all current and future flights.

On its website, the airline states "ATA currently is unable to provide refunds to customers who purchased tickets directly from ATA with cash or a check. These customers may be able to obtain a full or partial refund for their unused tickets by submitting a claim in ATA’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Information about submitting a claim will be available at the following website: http://www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines."

The airline has a codeshare agreement with Southwest Airlines and suggests customers who purchased tickets from Southwest Airlines for flights operated by ATA under the codeshare agreement should contact Southwest Airlines directly at (800) 308-5037.

Travelocity customers should view the FAQ page for more information on their options and information on how to contact an agent for assistance. Agents will work to minimize the impact of this disruption on your travel plans.

According to the Associated Press (via USA Today), "Prior to the shutdown, the airline had approximately 50 flights a day, mostly between Hawaii and four west coast cities — Oakland, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas."

USA Today's Ben Mutzabaugh's reports "ATA's shutdown is another blow for air travelers in Hawaii, where Aloha –- formerly the state's No. 2 carrier -– ended passenger service earlier this week. ATA, which had briefly grown into one of the USA's 10 biggest carriers earlier this decade, had a heavy focus on Hawaii. In addition to its charter business, ATA offered regularly scheduled commercial service on several routes -– almost all to and from Hawaii. The Hawaii flights operated as part of a codesharing partnership with Southwest."

The airline cited the cancellation of a major military contract and the high cost of jet fuel as reasons for its decision to cease operations.

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Transportation Security Administration has released a pretty cool interactive multimedia explanation on their site. Checkpoint Evolution is an attempt to help us passengers wean ourselves off the old hurry-up-and-wait queue system and get us not only to move more easily, but also calmly, through security to help us help ourselves and also to help TSOs screen us more efficiently. The interactive map and related videos are a slow, steady barrage of euphemisms by a variety of personae including the chipper officer, suited administrator, and psychologist-type with whom you’re on a first name basis. It’s Catherine, by the way.

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Aloha Airlines announced Sunday that it would cease operations effective March 31, 2008. According to a news release from the airline, Aloha will run a normal schedule on March 31 with the exception of flights from Hawaii to the West Coast and flights from Orange County to Reno and Sacramento, and Oakland to Las Vegas.

Travelocity customers with plans to travel on Aloha should visit the FAQ page for more information. Travelocity agents will assist you in rebooking your flight and making adjustments to your travel plans.

United Airlines, a code-share partner of Aloha, will assist affected passengers. Customers flying on an United ticket will be rebooked on an alternate flight where space is available, for no additional charge. For customers traveling on an Aloha Airlines ticket, United offers a discounted one-way fare through the end of April.

Hawaiian Airlines has added capacity on key routes to help accommodate stranded Aloha passengers and will allow them to fly standby for no charge on the day of original travel on some flights on March 31 and on all flights April 1-3, 2008. In addition, all inter-island seats are $49 through Monday, April 7, 2008 on Hawaiian Airlines.

If you are headed to the airport and hope to fly on United or Hawaiian, bring your original ticket with you. For passengers with a future reservation on Aloha who do not wish to travel, call your credit card company and request a refund.

Aloha Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 20, in part blaming what it called "predatory pricing" by competitor go! that forced Aloha to lower fares. The Associated Press (via USA Today) also cited high fuel costs as a factor in the airline's inability to generate revenue.

"This is an incredibly dark day for Hawaii," said David A. Banmiller, Aloha's president and chief executive officer. "Despite the groundswell of support from the community and our elected officials, we simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer or secure continued financing for our passenger business. We had no choice but to take this action. "

The shutdown of operations will affect about 1,900 employees. Aloha Airlines has served the Hawaiian islands for 61 years.

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The moment they announce that the flight safety video is coming on, I think, “Ah…let the nap officially begin.” I know the information is important, but I've been flying for 30 years and could probably recite the rules in my sleep.

Finally, the industry has taken notice of this trend. In a bid to entice you to sit up and tune in, major airline carriers are updating their videos with humor, sultry backbeats that seem better suited to ultra-lounges, and easy-on-the-eyes instructors.

This week, when Delta Air Lines released their new safety video on their corporate blog, it caused such a stir that USA Today took notice. The video features a Delta flight attendant who bears a striking resemblance to Angelina Jolie, causing fans to dub her "Deltalina." Here, take a look, but promise me you won't stop until the part where she playfully wags her finger at the camera, insisting in a smoking-hot way that smoking is not allowed.

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New York State's new air passenger bill of rights law has been overturned by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to the Associated Press (via CNNMoney.com). The appeals court ruled that the law " . . . interferes with federal law governing the price, route or service of an air carrier."

The law went into effect on January 1, 2008 and required, among other things, that airlines provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped in a plane delayed on the ground. The law had not yet been enforced, and was contested by the Air Transport Association of America, the industry trade group representing leading U.S. airlines. Several other states have modeled passenger's bill of rights plans after the New York State plan; no word on how this new ruling will impact those bills.

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Aloha Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday, citing "predatory pricing" practices by its competitor go! , a Mesa Air Group subsidiary.

This is the second time the airline has filed for bankruptcy protection. According to the Associated Press (via The New York Times), Aloha emerged from previous bankruptcy protection in February 2006, 14 months after filing under Chapter 11.

The airline, according to its web site, has asked the Court for permission to continue flying as it operates under bankruptcy protection. As long as this request is granted, customers can expect all existing reservations to be honored and to be able to make new reservations. For now, frequent flier programs remain unaffected, and customers will continue to earn mileage credit.

For more information, Travelocity customers should visit the FAQ page.

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It seems to be the question on every travel journalist's mind: Will people stop traveling due to high costs and an uncertain economy? Here's the short answer: No. But we may see changes in the way people travel and may need to adjust our attitude on what constitutes a good "deal." For me personally, it's hard to imagine a price point that would make me stop traveling -- it's just that important to me, and I find ways to make it work. After all, I recently flew to Italy for just three days of skiing -- would have loved to have stayed longer, but the Euro is killing me. So, I had a shorter-than-usual trip -- but I still went. Shorter trips are just one way that people adjust their travels when they're trying to control their vacation costs.

Yesterday on the Fox News show "Studio B with Shepard Smith," I talked about a few other ways travelers can try to control costs this summer. You've all heard the advice to book early, but with service cutbacks by a few airlines, there's going to be stiff competition for the least-expensive seats and booking far in advance is as important as ever for those of you who have your heart set on a particular destination.

Watch the video, or read on for my three other tips:

St. John beach chair photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Jose Kevo.

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Alright, I'm biased. If asked to name my favorite American city, I wouldn't hesitate to bestow the honor on San Francisco---but that's because I've wanted to live here since first visiting at the tender age of eighteen, and now that I do, I can hardly believe my luck.

But what about where I'd most like to go for a romantic break? Well, um, San Francisco, I'm afraid. And my pick for the city with the best ethnic eats? You guessed it---San Francisco again.

Travel + Leisure magazine is currently conducting its annual America's Favorite Cities survey, and if you don't want San Francisco to steal the show in every single category---oh, you know I'll be voting for it again and again---you might want to head over there and start ticking a few boxes.

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The New York Times recently ran an article about slum tourism or, as they refer to it, “poorism.” The piece claims that “tourists are forsaking, at least for a while, beaches and museums for crowded, dirty—and in many ways surprising—slums.” I can understand that people are concerned with this—class seems to be one of the most consistent and perpetually yawning prejudices between groups of people. From being born into castes to simply living like “the other half,” whichever that half is, it seems that people often have difficulty looking past privilege—or lack thereof—despite the inability to control it.

photo courtesy of IgoUgo member nik-nak

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Don’t start celebrating just yet; you still have to take your laptop out of its case, but, according to a story in USA Today, the Transportation Security Administration is “searching for a "checkpoint-friendly" case that would give screeners a clear view as it goes through an X-ray machine,” allowing travelers to leave their laptop in its case. Sold!

Personally, I’ve had excellent luck getting through security quickly when I travel; it rarely takes any longer than 10 minutes. However, I do loathe the process of taking off my shoes and coat; removing my laptop from its bag; and putting my Ziploc bag of liquid toiletries on the conveyor belt, only to repack and redress once I get through the checkpoint. A TSA-compliant laptop case would at least remove one of the hassles, but a faster security line is also a plus.

This comes on the heels of an earlier announcement that TSA plans to create special security lines for families and expert travelers, a program they are currently testing in Denver and Salt Lake City. A line for families…now this I’m stoked about.

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Normally, this blog is about getting out of town. But as the dollar weakens and the economy remains top of mind in this election year, I’d like to shift the focus for a moment on getting people in town.

A message promoting The Travel Industry Association's Discover America Partnership just popped in my inbox with the headline Foreign Press Continues to Bash U.S. Travel Experience While America Remains Silent.

A few of the unfavorable headlines include:

Coming to America Isn't Easy
US visa requirements and airport entry procedures have become the stuff of legend. (The Sydney Morning Herald, Feb. 28)

Business Travel to USA Is Unpopular
Conferences are moving to other countries with simpler entry conditions where travelers are not made to feel like potential terrorists. (German Financial Times, Feb. 19)

Fortress America
Why hassle yourself to go to America, when the Caribbean is there, the Maldives, all of these other markets? (The Irish Independent, Feb. 16)

America - More Hassle Than it's Worth?
Brits visiting America down 11% since 9/11, despite the weak dollar. (The Guardian (UK), Feb. 12)

Travel to America? No Thanks
It's already a nightmare, but now they want to make entry into the USA tougher. So let's not go. (The Sunday Times of London, Jan. 20)

Photo Courtesy of Mike Wroblewski.

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Last week was a bizarre one for travel-related news. In India, a pregnant woman on a train thought she was making a routine bathroom visit and instead gave premature birth to a babylet who fell through the toilet and onto the train tracks--and the baby survived. In Egypt, a study-abroad student lost one-third of his body weight after boarding with a host family who, allegedly, didn’t give him enough to eat during his stay. And, tragically, in the waters off the Bahamas, an Australian tourist was fatally bitten by a shark during an encounter in which bloody fish parts were used to attract the predators to tourists who shelled out the big bucks for a cageless dive.

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Every December 8th since I was a little girl, my mother and I have capped off a day of Christmas shopping with afternoon tea at the Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The last three Decembers we've had to take our tea elsewhere -- the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, the Pierre -- but truthfully, none have been as delightful as the famed Plaza.

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A winter storm expected to hit the Northeast over the weekend will likely cause flight disruptions throughout the region, according to reports issued Friday. Several states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont are likely to get hit.

Passengers with plans to travel to, from, or through destinations impacted by the storm are advised to check the status of their flight before leaving their home and to prepare for delays at the airport. Dress comfortably, bring a fully charged cell phone, and have access to the phone number of an airport hotel should you experience overnight delays. As always, Travelocity customers should visit the Customer Care page for information on receiving assitance with their travel plans.

Airlines have begun issuing waivers for customers who wish to postpone thier travel. See below for a list of airlines that have instituted flexible travel policies. Visit your carrier's web site for details and restrictions.
United Airlines
US Airways

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This past weekend, Virgin flew a 747 from Heathrow in London, to Schiphol in Amsterdam. Of course, this wouldn’t normally be such a big deal, except it was on time. No, I’m kidding. What was of note on this particular flight was that one of the four engines was powered by a mix of jet fuel and coconut and babassu palm oil. The idea, of course, was to test out using biofuel in the sky to try to cut back on what is an increasingly noted issue of air travel pollution. What is also noteworthy here is that, by using a biofuel that is not from a staple crop—like corn, we can avoid using both food supplies and some other crucial crops

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The Associated Press (via USA Today) reports that US Airways announced Tuesday they would begin charging travelers $25 to check a second piece of luggage. This follows a near-identical move by United Airlines earlier this month. Southwest Airlines began charging customers $25 to charge a third bag in late January.

The additional charges come at a time when airlines are struggling to turn a profit. On Tuesday, the price of oil again topped $100 a barrel. The price of oil is closely tied to that of jet fuel.

The new charge will be effective immediately for tickets purchased starting Wednesday, March 27 for travel on or after May 5.

US Airways already charged customers who checked between two and nine bags $80 per extra bag, and they are now boosting that charge to $100.

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Last week's announcement of Fidel Castro's retirement has Americans abuzz about the fate of the long-standing US embargo against the island nation. What does it mean for travelers?

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member bnicolas007

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United Airlines announced Monday that it would charge domestic passengers $25 each way to check a second piece of luggage. According to the airline web site, United will charge travelers with non-refundable economy-class tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008 for travel on or after May 5, 2008. Customers who have attained Premier status or higher in Mileage Plus or who have Silver status and above with a Star Alliance partner, are exempt from this policy change.

Checking a third bag would cost $100 each way. Previously, passengers were permitted to check two bags free of charge. According to USA Today, Southwest Airlines implemented a $25 fee for checking a third bag last week.

The New York Times reports that the fee also applies to passengers traveling to and from Canada.

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You know how some people just like being naked? It's the people who take their shirts off at sporting events for no apparent reason, that friend who is always suggesting skinny dipping, the guy or gal who tries to strike up a conversation with you in the gym locker room when they're NOT WEARING PANTS. You know what I mean. And if you don't, let me know, because I am going to have to find a new crowd to hang with.

Well I have good news for you exhibitionist (sorry, naturalist) travelers. Today, a German travel agency began taking reservations for the very first nudist flight, scheduled for July 5. The route is from the eastern German town of Erfurt to the popular Baltic Sea resort of Usedom and costs $735. Expensive, but a small price to pay to fly in all your glory. According to USA Today "The 55 passengers will have to remain clothed until they board, and dress before disembarking, said Hess. The crew will remain clothed throughout the flight for safety reasons."

This is even more scandalous than Kyla Ebbert!

photo courtesy of Hidden Beach Resort

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Richard Branson, Virgin entrepreneur extraordinaire, wants to bring space travel to the masses. Well, sort of. He wants to bring space travel to the moneyed masses. For $200,000 and at least a $20,000 deposit, you too could sign up for glory hereby only experienced by the world’s astronauts.

Oh, but what glory it is! Imagine being rocketed up into the upper-most regions of the sky until you get a true alien’s-eye view of the Earth. From space, you’d be able to see cloud masses and continents, bodies of water and polar ice. The g-forces would be extreme, but once you’d hit weightlessness, you’d be able to float around for a full five minutes, taking everything in, before returning to your home planet.

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In the latest move to alleviate the delays that plague the nation’s busiest airports, the Department of Transportation announced yesterday that airports could charge fees for flights landing during the busiest part of the day. According to The New York Times, this might encourage airlines to fly fewer planes or schedule landing at slower times or even slower airports. The proposal is open to public comment for 45 days before it is finalized.

At present, landing fees are, for the most part, determined by weight. The revenue collected by a new pricing structure would allow operators of multiple airports, such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to distribute landing-fee revenue among facilities, according to the Washington Post.

What does this mean for the consumer? Fewer flight choices during peak hours and higher airfares seem likely, especially at New York City airports, where flight caps during peak travel hours are set to take effect in March. Business travelers in particular will feel the impact of these new regulations because they’re often forced to fly during the busiest times of day because of meetings. David Stempler, who runs the Air Travelers Association, told the Wall Street Journal, “This is just going to add further to the cost of passengers that want to go out to a meeting in the morning and come back at the end of the day."

The Wall Street Journal reported in December that the airlines, vehemently opposed to congestion pricing, thought they had won the battle. Yesterday’s announcement came as a surprise.

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Inspired by a piece in this morning’s USA Today and of course, the melancholy that comes with saying goodbye to one year and welcoming another, I decided to take a look back at the year in travel. Not my own travels, mind you, though I did have some wonderful trips – Hawaii, Thailand and France come to mind. No, I wanted to take a look at what changed in travel in 2007 – especially those things that will impact us in the year ahead.

If you read this blog (or a newspaper) with any regularity, you know this year was a record one for flight delays. The delays were particularly bad this summer, when one in four flights did not reach their destination on time. Passengers were beyond frustrated, and the federal government stepped in. President Bush told the airlines it was time for a change – and now, with flights being capped at JFK during peak hours starting in March of 2008, it appears change is on the way. How will flight caps help? Many industry experts say that over scheduling by the airlines is a major factor. For those of you who live outside of New York, this impacts you too – at one point this summer, 75 percent of delays can be traced to a New York-area airport, according to an article in New York Magazine.

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As an American living in a post-9/11 world, it’s somewhat counterintuitive to abolish border checkpoints. Over the past few years, our government has heightened security measures and implemented new passport regulations. But in Europe, just the opposite is happening, as nine more countries will sign the EU agreement on Friday.

Traveling throughout Europe is much like traveling domestically from state to state. Europeans have enjoyed the freedoms of borderless travel since the founding countries (France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) signed the so-called Schengen treaty in 1985. Since then, the EU has grown to include 15 countries.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Vicho.

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For this week’s post, I’m inspired by the recent return of a fellow IgoUgo employee who ventured off on a two-week trip to Yemen. Despite the warnings from the State Department—and pleas from his mother—our friend ventured into a land that is (was) purported to have a high risk of kidnapping for westerners. Yet, he returned, replete with some of the more stunning photos of vast plains, spectral hilltop villages, and children just curious about the camera.

I am all for trying new and uncharted and even slightly dangerous waters, in fact, I think I would prefer them to the placid sea, but certainly some things that call themselves adventurous don’t seem as daring as other, more extreme choices. Of course, to each his or her own—to some, being daring can depend on your location.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member HELEN001

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The travel industry may have found a way to improve security and go green at the same time. Continental Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston are testing a new check-in procedure using cell phones instead of a paper boarding pass.

The technology involves using encrypted bar codes on mobile device screens, eliminating the chance of a traveler presenting a fraudulent boarding pass. During the three-month pilot program, Continental passengers can receive boarding passes electronically and a TSA officer will then scan the bar codes when the passenger goes through the security checkpoint.

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Editor’s Note: It’s “holiday week” on The Window Seat, and our editors get into the spirit of the season with a series of articles exploring the many facets of this busy travel period.

On Thursday, President Bush announced a plan to reduce congestion in the skies over the Thanksgiving weekend. The plan, which opens up designated military airspace to commercial airlines, has been dubbed the “Holiday Express Lane.”

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member rokiss.ch.

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“Gas Prices At $4” screamed the headline of yesterday’s San Jose Mercury News. According to the article, people around the country are paying more at the pump, and the Bay Area has some of the highest prices around. While plenty of my friends worry about the rising cost of gas, I generally shrug off oil-related drama. I don’t drive, so it’s not my problem, right?

Wrong. As gas prices rise, so do jet fuel prices, and these prices get passed on to the consumer. United Airlines announced yesterday that it plans to add a surcharge of $5 each way for most of its domestic flights (except to Hawaii, which already has a $25 one-way fuel surcharge in place). This announcement comes on the heels of a similar statement by American Airlines that it plans to tack on a $10 one-way fuel surcharge for its continental flights.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member torpedo1962.

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At last, fall has blown in like a much needed cool breeze and travel life has resumed to a more relaxed, more normal flow. Even the on-time performance levels are looking better recently. We travelers tend to think normal is always better because those pesky families and kids are back to school and our airports are largely dominated by well-heeled travelers like us who know the ropes and can handle the routine more adeptly.

But I've been thinking that perhaps our definition of normal is not quite right. Perhaps the norm should really be these holidays that bring out the masses. With the biggest travel days of the year just weeks away I've asked other travelers what they think of the current state of air travel.

What I found was a little frightening. Many air travelers are not in sync with what is really happening out there. One glaring example is that only 2% of respondents say they expect delays after security and yet one in four flights are delayed. Another finding showed that the majority of respondents considered more than a half an hour to be excessive waiting time. Though there is no official tracking of how long people wait for any given flight, most airlines pad their schedules and can therefore make up for a limited amount of waiting without being officially "delayed." Yet these days, I consider a half an hour of waiting likely. (