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Elliott's Travel Notes

Travel Notes is a summary of the day's most important travel news and commentary. It's published five days a week by Christopher Elliott, a travel journalist and commentator. You can also get the blog by e-mail. Here are the latest postings:

January 7 — New Leads in Mizener Case
A man aboard the cruise ship from which Annette Mizener disappeared a month ago says he’s the one who found an array of her belongings on a deck, and that he witnessed a security camera covered with paper near those items. [Read the entire post.]

January 6 — Airline Stocks Fall - And So Do Fares
The stocks of major airlines were hurt on Wednesday by the prospect that lower fares would spread even more thickly across the country, fueled by strategic moves by the industry's healthiest player and one that is trying to regain its footing. [Read the entire post.]

January 5 — I-Air Cuts Flights to Avoid Chapter 11
In a cost-cutting move, Independence Air plans to eliminate 150 of its 560 daily flights -- most in and out of Dulles International Airport -- at the end of this month. [Read the entire post.]

January 4 — Rental Tracking Case Goes to Court
The state's highest court will hear arguments tomorrow over whether a rental car company was allowed to use satellite tracking to slap customers with hefty penalties when they're caught speeding. [Read the entire post.]

January 3 — Delta Cuts Prices, Fare Rules
Next week Delta Air Lines, the nation's second largest carrier is expected to become the first of the so-called Big Six (American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways) to radically change its pricing policy nationwide, removing irritating ticketing rules like required Saturday-night stays, halving ticket-change fees to $50 from $100 and slashing fares on everything from first class to last-minute tickets.[Read the entire post.]

December 31 — Northwest Passengers Nearly Riot
December 30 — End of the Line For US Airways?
December 29 — More Airline Chaos in Store Next Year?
December 28 — Government Investigates Airline Snafus
December 27 — 'Death Came From The Sea'
December 24 — Whiteout Conditions For Christmas
December 23 — Study Criticizes Airport Smoking Areas
December 22 — Norwalk Virus Closes UK Hotel
December 21 — Six Accused in Ohio Car Rental Scam
December 20 — Alaskans Will Vote On Cruise Tax
December 17 — Indonesia on High Alert After Warnings
December 16 — Record Christmas, New Year for Travel
December 15 — Greek Tour Bus in Hijacking Drama
December 14 — Passenger in Real-Life 'Terminal'
December 13 — New York Airport Fees Take Off
December 10 — Family: Mizener Thrown Overboard
December 9 — Law Protecting Air Travelers Extended
December 8 — Cruise Line Fined $200K For Dumping
December 7 — Passengers Skip Electronic Check-In
December 6 — Another Cruise Passenger Lost at Sea
December 3 — Serial Thefts Plague Washington Hotels
December 2 — What a Ride For United Flight 668
December 1 — As Dollar Drops, British Invasion Begins

November 2004

November 30 — TSA Accused Of Spilling Man's Ashes
November 26 — Low-Fare Airlines Singing the Blues
November 25 — Weather Hampers T-Day Travel
November 24 — Car Rental Wait Times On the Rise
November 23 — Experts Avoid Holiday Travel Trauma
November 22 — Busiest Travel Week Of Year Begins
November 19 — Travel Industry Braces For T-Day
November 18 — Crime Wave Hits Brazil Visitors
November 17 — Record Thanksgiving Travel Predicted
November 16 — Longer Airport Layovers More Common
November 15 — TSA Orders Airlines to Hand Over Data
November 12 — Payless Settles GPS Car Tracking Suit
November 11 — Suit Seeks to End 'Behavior Profiling'
November 10 — Airlines, EPA Agree to Water Rules
November 9 — Under the Hood With Big Brother
November 8 — Hotel Rates Hit The Roof in Gotham
November 5 — Fat Passenger Weigh Down Profits
November 4 — Holiday Bookings at Record Levels
November 3 — TSA Screeners Want to Stop Testing
November 2 — FAA: O'Hare Can't Handle Flight Load
November 1 — Another Outbreak at Milwaukee Hotel

October 2004

October 29 — Dot-Travel Domain Approved
October 28 — Report: Screeners Improperly Trained
October 27 — ATA Files For Bankruptcy Protection
October 26 — Travel Industry Recovers - Finally
October 25 — Mystery Illness Strikes Vegas Hotel
October 22 — Concern Raised About 'Flu Ships'
October 21 — Alaska Ponders New Cruise Tax
October 20 — New 'Secure Flight' Under Attack
October 19 — Business Travel Expenses Will Rise
October 18 — Agent Charged With Embezzlement
October 15 — Storms Spawn Car Rental Shortage
October 14 — Delta Air Lines Faces Debt Problems
October 13 — Report: Airport Screeners Overworked
October 12 — Congress Asked To Protect Travelers
October 11 — Passenger Balks At Breast-Feeling
October 7 — Don't Like Your Airport? Try Baghdad
October 6 — Storms Dampen Florida Tourism
October 5 — New Era Of Commercial Space Flight
October 4 — NCL's 'Pride of Aloha' Takes A Fall
October 1 — Survey: Business Travel Recovering

September 2004

September 30 — More Travel Dot-Com Mergers Ahead?
September 29 — Cendant To Buy Orbitz For $1.1 Billion
September 28 — Cruise Lines Attacked Over Access
September 27 — Storm-Battered Florida Wants Visitors
September 24 — Hurricane Jeanne Zeroes In On Florida
September 23 — Court Curbs Branson Travel Club
September 22 — Travel Expected To Surge This Fall
September 21 — Hotels in 3 Cities May Suffer Strike
September 20 — US Airways Waits For Worst
September 17 — Hotels Try To Dispel Hurricane Myths
September 16 — Hurricane Ivan Slams Into Gulf Coast
September 15 — Radar Failure Affects 800 Flights
September 14 — Hotel Workers Prepare For Strike
September 13 — US Air Files For Bankruptcy Protection
September 10 — Jamaica Braces For Hurricane Ivan
September 9 — Ivan 'The Terrible' Grinds Caribbean
September 8 — U.S. Warns of Indonesia Hotel Attacks
September 7 — Frances Leaves Dent in Tourism
September 3 — Travelers Flee Hurricane Frances
September 2 — Monster Storm Targets Florida Again
September 1 — Gap Seen in Airport Screening

August 2004

August 31 — Why Are the Airlines Failing?
August 30 — Cold Winter Ahead for U.S. Airlines
August 27 — UK Airports Ban Heavy Luggage
August 26 — New Hawaii Cruise Isn't Ship-Shape
August 25 — Northwest, United Add New Fees
August 24 — Thousands of BA Passengers Stuck
August 23 — Nervous Passengers Avoid US Airways
August 20 — London Strikes Loom Next Week
August 19 — After Storm, Fla. Hotels Turn to Scams
August 18 — Airlines Agree to Cut O'Hare Flights
August 17 — InterContinental, Expedia Part Ways
August 16 — No Travel Notes today.
August 13 — Charley Takes Aim At Tampa Area
August 12 — Hurricanes Force Airline Cancellations
August 11 — Gun-Toting Congressman Pleads Guilty
August 10 — Delta on the Verge of Bankruptcy
August 9 — For Airlines, Worst June In Four Years
August 6 — Is IAC About To Flame Out?
August 5 — FAA: Cut O'Hare Flights, Or Else ...
August 4 — Board: Require Child Seats on Planes
August 3 — Hotel Rates, Profits Jump This Year
August 2 — Looks Like Another Airline Bailout

July 2004

July 30 — Price, Security Fears Stunt Dot-Coms
July 29 — Glitch Forces Philly Mass Evacuation
July 28 — US Warns Visitors to ... Cancun?
July 27 — Song: An Airline That Really Rocks
July 26 — CDC: More Travelers Need Shots
July 23 — Iberian: Deaf Passengers Can't Fly
July 22 — Man Takes Tractor on Airport Joyride
July 21 — Drunken Attendants Attack Passenger
July 20 — Delta Air Lines Loses Record $2 Billion
July 19 — Motorist Finds Airport Safety Plans
July 16 — Government Jettisons CAPPS II
July 15 — Beware of Summer Airline Delays
July 14 — Hotels Are Hot - Wanna Buy One?
July 13 — Beleaguered Agents Take It Home
July 12 — It's Official: The Skies Are Crowded
July 9 — False Alarms Rattle Several Airports
July 8 — Car Rental President Is Indicted
July 7 — Delta, American On The Brink
July 6 — Airport Screeners Making a Comeback
July 5 — Another SUV Crash Roils Airport
July 2 — It's Going to Be a Busy, Busy Weekend
July 1 — California Senate Passes GPS Bill

June 2004

June 30 — Ship Repossessed Before Cruise
June 29 — Air Travel is Up - Way Up
June 28 — Theme Park Prices On Rollercoaster
June 25 — Booking Hotel Room No Longer Simple
June 24 — Four More Airlines Shared Data
June 23 — Should Volunteers Fly Delta's Planes
June 22 — Space No Longer The Final Frontier
June 21 — Duluth Demands Jobs From Northwest
June 18 — Airline Travel Goes Hollywood
June 17 — United's Tilton Tries To Revive Airline
June 16 — 'Trusted Traveler' Program Ready
June 15 — Pittsburgh Airport Slips into Chaos
June 14 — Europe Open Skies Deal Rejected
June 11 — Hotels Offer Free Fuel to Travelers
June 10 — Report: TSA Failing to Secure Airports
June 9 — US Airways Passenger Attacks Cop
June 8 — Web Site Warns of Airline Attacks
June 7 — Virgin USA Goes to San Francisco
June 4 — Norwalk Virus Strikes Alaskan Cruise
June 3 — Binghamton Struggles With Hotel Tax
June 2 — Air Travelers Face Long Summer Wait
June 1 — Hotels Get Pushy About 'Rewards'

May 2004

May 27 — Record Gas Prices Greet Travelers
May 26 — Bedbug-Bitten Attendant Sues Hotel
May 25 — Virgin USA to Take Off Next Year
May 24 — Paris Airport Collapse Kills Four
May 21 — Hotel Robbers Pose as Employees
May 20 — Song: Free Tickets For Being Nice
May 19 — AAA Predicts Record Memorial Day
May 18 — Put the Brake on Car Rental Overruns
May 17 — Jet Fuel Crisis Looms For Airlines
May 14 — Experts: Airline Bailout Didn't Work
May 13 — Airline Offering 1-Euro Flights Folds
May 12 — Hotel 'Rocket Tax' Blasts Off In Ala.
May 11 — Summer Airport Delays Predicted
May 10 — Norwalk Virus Strikes in Australia
May 7 — TIA: Finally Upbeat About Tourism
May 6 — Hidden City Case Picks Up Steam
May 5 — Cheap Tricket Tricks Airlines Hate
May 4 — Airline Pricing Formula Doesn't Work
May 3 — Airlines Gave Up Data After Attacks

April 2004

April 30 — Snoozing Airline Pilot Suspended
April 29 — Viral Illnesses Keep Plaguing Cruises
April 28 — Beware of Hidden Car Rental Charges
April 27 — Royal Caribbean Torpedoes Vacation
April 26 — High-Cost Airlines Are History
April 23 — Security Screeners Perform Poorly
April 22 — Hotel Rates Poised to Climb
April 21 — Hotel Chain Restricts Online Booking
April 20 — US Airways' Siegel Resigns
April 19 — Start-Up Travel Sites Take Off
April 16 — Measles Warning for Air Passengers
April 15 — Delta Air Lines' Woes Deepen
April 14 — Car Rental Companies May Pay Fines
April 13 — Online Hotel Wars Heat Up
April 9 — Gas Prices Will Continue to Rise
April 8 — TSA Tests Passenger Fast Lane
April 7 — ACLU Files 'No-Fly' List Lawsuit
April 6 — JetBlue Gets No. 1 Ranking
April 5 — Continental Settles Discrimination Issue
April 2 — Bill Seeks to Arm Pilots Faster
April 1 — Going to Dominican Republic? Drive

March 2004

March 31 — Travel Agents: Down, Not Out
March 30 — Old Cruise Laws Could Be Lifted
March 29 — Airline Flights Are Getting Longer
March 26 — Air Travel Finally Rebounds
March 25 — Southwest is 'Coming to Kill Us'
March 24 — Gasoline Hits Record High Prices
March 23 — Airline Loans Probed By Government
March 22 — For Airlines, it's All About the Food
March 19 — Travel Stress Reaches New Highs
March 18 — New York Considers New Hotel Taxes
March 17 — Norwalk Virus Strikes Casino Hotel
March 16 — TIA: Traveler Sentiment Takes Off
March 15 — Say Good-Bye to Cheap Online Rooms
March 12 — Is Spain Still a Safe Destination?
March 11 — Mississippi Hotels Fight 6 Percent Tax
March 10 — The Art of Booking a Hotel Online
March 9 — Bank Robber Returns to US Airways
March 8 — Is Delta Air Lines Bouncing Back?
March 5 — Student Wins 'Rental From Hell' Case
March 4 — U.S.: Euro Carriers Can't Fly Domestic
March 3 — Car Rental Industry Bounces Back
March 2 — Another Fare Hike? Never Mind
March 1 — Visa Offers Rental Coverage on Cards

February 2004

February 27 — Will Airline Passengers Get Weighed?
February 26 — California: Stop Tracking Rental Cars
February 25 — Airline Liable in Smoke Death
February 24 — Business Travelers Bend the Rules
February 23 — EasyJet, the Sequel: EasyCruise?
February 20 — Travelers With Banned Items Fined
February 19 — Some Air Travelers 'Really Get Hosed'
February 18 — Welcome Aboard, Mr. Bin Laden
February 17 — Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite
February 16 — United's 'Ted' Takes Off
February 13 — Alaska Simplifies Fares, Lowers Prices
February 12 — Report Slams Screening System
February 11 — Car, Hotel Surcharges Just Aren't Right
February 10 — How 'Total' is Car Rental Price?
February 9 — Hotel Spas Can't Get a Break
February 6 — TSA: Please Delete Testimony
February 5 — Dog Delivered Dead on Air Canada
February 4 — Euro Privacy Group Blasts CAPPS II
February 3 — US Airways' Mileage Mess
February 2 — Is Airline Security a Joke?

January 2004

January 30 — Ooops, Wrong Airport
January 29 — Better Beds, Bigger Profits
January 28 — Commission Hears Attendant Call
January 27 — Europe Approves Passenger Rights
January 26 — Passenger Screening Gets Tougher
January 23 — Judge Won't Toss Abuse Case
January 22 — Hotels: Stop Using Web, Please
January 21 — Cruise Line Health Care Questioned
January 20 — Travelers Return, Airline Profits Lag
January 19 — Northwest Released Passenger Data
January 16 — Look Out for St. Croix Sewage
January 15 — Crashed Cars Text Message for Help
January 14 — Wolff: Tourism Needs Stronger Lobby
January 13 — Cheapestflights.com: 'Expectation Error'
January 12 — Conflicting Diamonds and Stars
January 9 — US Airways Attendants Sue Airline
January 8 — U.S. Wants Passengers Toilet-Trained
January 7 — Washington Bans Cell-Phone Drivers
January 6 — Cruise Lines Look for January "Wave"
January 5 — Southwest Stars in TV Reality Show
January 2 — Security Highest Ever at Airports

> 2004 Travel Notes
> 2003 Travel Notes

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