From the monthly archives:

May 2008

Buzz Lightyear launched into space aboard the Shuttle Discovery this afternoon.

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You probably already suspect that the weights used at the airport check-in counter are less than accurate. But what happens when a passenger catches an airline in the act of tipping the scales?

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Of all the creative ways of avoiding American Airlines’ controversial new checked-luggage fee, the most obvious is to ship your bag to your hotel. But here’s a tip the travel industry pundits have largely forgotten to include: make sure your hotel knows your plans.

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You don’t need a survey to tell you that being a traveler this summer — which unofficially started last weekend — is gonna be rough. But this week, just in case you weren’t sure, I’ve got a few. You’ll also find an overabundance of new posts from my site and Tripso, the other travel site I edit.

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It’s just the kind of pick-me-up news we needed to get the summer travel season started. Two new surveys — one released yesterday and one scheduled to be released tomorrow — suggest the state of travel has gone from bad to worse.

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Here’s an odd case with a surprise ending that would probably make David Mamet proud. It’s about a refund gone awry and and unlikely solution that even this ombudsman wouldn’t have known to recommend.

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Aren goes into space

May 27, 2008

It’s Aren Elliott’s sixth birthday, and his brother Iden wants to send him into outer space. What better place to try than at Kennedy Space Center? Here’s their adventure.

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Blow!

May 26, 2008

Aren celebrated his sixth birthday today. Six candles! Can you get ‘em all in one breath?

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Dave Bucher books a hotel room through Cheaptickets. But when he checks in, he’s told there’s no reservation. So he’s forced to find another room, and now Cheaptickets is keeping his money. Can it do that?

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What to wear on a plane — or more to the point, what not to wear on a plane — is a hot topic today. Just ask passengers like Kyla Ebbert. Oh where is Mr. Blackwell when we need him?

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Rocket

May 24, 2008

Erysse hangs out inside a rocket engine at the Kennedy Space Center. Sure is hot today!

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Looking at you

May 23, 2008

Erysse and her bear are ready for Memorial Day weekend.

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Delta Air Lines says no. United Airlines is seriously studying it (is there an exam coming up?). Other airlines are staying quiet after American Airlines’ controversial announcement that it will start charging $15 for the first checked bag.

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“Fee me!” That’s all I can say. The stories in this week’s newsletter speak for themselves.

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That’s no misprint. It’s a sad footnote to the decline of America’s once-legendary airline industry. American Airlines this morning slapped a $15 fee on the first checked bag, a move the rest of the industry is all but certain to follow.

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