Cruise through customs
By:    Dena Braun

After a long international flight the last thing you want is an interminable wait in line waiting to clear customs.  Now a new program will allow US citizens and permanent residents to speed through checkpoints at select US airports.

Called Global Entry, the government program requires a $100 enrollment fee and a background check.  Once enrolled, participants will have a separate line at customs where they will swipe their passports and answer questions via an electronic kiosk.  Barring any issues, they will be cleared through customs.

Global Entry starts June 10 at Washington Dulles, Kennedy International and Houston Intercontinental.  Expansion is planned into 17 other airports but no timeline was announced.

The program is geared towards travelers who go abroad more than four times a year.  Applications are available at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/.

a kinder, gentler tsa
By:    Dena Braun

The TSA is making the first major changes to its procedures since the 1970s.  The new screening, described, as a more soothing screening process will be tested at the Baltimore airport.  Depending on its success more airports could be added later in the year.

The goal is to eliminate the noisy, chaotic security lines that the TSA believes makes it harder to root out terrorists.  In the new security line passengers will find soft mauve lighting, soothing music and yes, smiling and happy employees.

TSA planners have tested a variety of lighting and music and colors for the past several months to find the ideal combination to evoke calmness in people.  The agency believes that a terrorist will stand out much more in a sea of calmness.

The new security line will feature a machine that uses radio waves to scan passengers under their clothes for hidden weapons.  Passengers will be chose randomly for this additional scan.

tHE OPEN SKY ERA BEGINS

Air News

• 5-20-08-ALERT!  American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for checking your first piece of luggage starting June 15.  It will also be raising other fees.  The airline claims this is to reduce costs in response to higher fuel charges.

• 5-14-08-Italian airline, Air One, announces service between Milan and Boston and Chicago starting June 14.  The airline will operate in codeshare with United.  www.flyairone.it/en

• 5-12-08-Virgin America is hoping to win space at Chicago O'Hare.  If it does, it plans to offer four daily flights between the Windy City and San Francisco and LA.

• 5-6-08-US air carriers, which lag behind their foreign competitors, are finallly getting into the game and working to upgrade cabin entertainment with on-demand movies, TV, audio and gaming systems.  Experts say it will still be several years before they're all offering individual systems in economy class.

• 5-5-08-Airlines are slowing down their flights to save on fuel.  By adding a few minutes to the flight time airlines expect they can save millions of dollars.  For example Southwest is extending flights 1-3 minutes resulting in a $42 million savings.

• 5-5-08-Phoenix Sky Harbor is set to start construction on a train that will transport traveler between the 3 terminals.  However, the first phase won't open until 2013.  The airport is also investing $3 million dollars of artwork to decorate the train.

• 5-5-08-Southwest is expanding service at Denver International Airport, adding service to Portland, OR and Indianapolis.  

• 4-29-08-Don't look now but another airline merger possibility is swirling around United and US Airways.  If the two merged, they would form a larger airline than the proposed Delta/NWA merger

• 4-29-08-All business-class airline Eos has gone belly up.

• 4-18-08--Flying now takes longer than it has in the past 20 years.  A USA Today analysis shows that the avg. flight traveled at 342mph (including flying and taxiing).  In 1988 the average was 358 mph.  This means flights often take several more hours than they used to.  And this doesn't include time waiting at the gate.

• 4-17-08--Be leary of booking on Alitalia.  Stories from abroad tell that the airliner is in trouble and could likely stop flying sometime before July.

• Aloha airlines abruptly announced they were getting out of the airline business on March 31, 2008, leaving many passengers holding worthless tiickets.  Rivals Hawaiian and go! airlines said they would honor tickets Tuesday-Thursday of this week on a stand-by basis.

• Problems with Heathrow's new terminal continue.  After five days nearly 300 flights have been cancelled and over 15,000 pieces of luggage lost since the terminal's opening on March 27.

• Farecast.com predicts that summer fares to Europe will be up 10% over last year.  Traveling in May or Sept can save an avg. of $350/ticket.

• Northwest/KLM launched service from Portland, OR to Amsterdam.

• The TSA is taking a page from ski resorts implementing different lanes of security screening for different types of traveler at Salt Lake City and Denver airports.  Black Diamond is for frequent flyers and the green lane is for family.  This new style of security opened last week in Boston, Orlando and Spokane.  More airports expected to get it in the near future.

• London's Heathrow Airport debuts Terminal 5, home to British Airways on March 27.  The new faciility is supposed to make Heathrow easier to navigate for passengers and includes many amenities.

• Alaska Airlines is using an online avatar named Jenn to help people navigate online bookings. www.alaskaairlines.com

• Alitalia's board accepted a takeover bid from Air France/KLM.  The deal has to be approved by the Italian government.

• Delta begins service to China with a daily flight between Atlanta and Shanghai March 30.A recent study showed medical emergencies occuring in the air nearly doubled from 200 to 2006.  A USATODAY analysis found more people die from in-flight medical problems than from plane crashes.

• Qantas launches premium economy.  The new class of service will eventually be offered on all B747-400 and A380 planes.  It's currently operating on select flights from Sydney to London and Sydney and Johannesburg.

• Citing high gas prices, ATA announced it would leave Chicago Midway airport in April.

• Going through security can make flying even more of a headache.  Salt Lake City is testing a new system dividing passengers into different lines based on number of carry-ons, children and other factors.  If it reduces wait times, it could be implemented in the Denver airport as early as this week.

• Skyroceting fuel costs will mean higher fares for spring travel from the USA to Europe this Spring.  Tickets already purchased for April and May travel are up 6.9% over last year’s fares.

• Expect to get even less from the airlines.  Southwest and ATA reduced checked luggage limits from three to two and in May United will allow only one checked bag.

• United has extended its military fare program for domestic travel through the end of July.  Fares have few restrictions and no blackout dates apply.  www.united.com

• American Airlines will move all of its London service from Gatwick to Heathrow by April 13

• Seoul's Incheon International Airport was voted best in the world by the Airports Council International.  It features spas, shops, golf course and even a hospital!

• Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, the county's busiest airport announce plans for a new international terminal.

• Don't try sneaking extra carry-on luggage onto your international Delta flight out of Atlanta.  The airline has started tagging carry-on luggage with a red tag when you check in at the counter or gate

• Singapore Airlines is converting its flights from Newak and LA to Asia to all business-class seats.

• The TSA is soliciting prototypes for a laptop carrying case that would allow passengers to keep their laptops in the case through security.

• Never order tea or coffee on an airplane. It's made with municipal water ket in the plane's water tank.  A recent EPA study found dangerous levels of bacteria in 15% of plane tanks.
• With the 3-ounce toiletry carry-on rule in effect, remember that on longer trips you can always buy toothpaste and hairspray etc. once you arrive at your destination.
• Always request a special meal on a long-haul flight.  Because they are prepared in smaller quantities they tend to be better quality.
• If you’re traveling as a couple, request the aisle and window seat or two aisle seats across from each other to avoid either of you having to sit in the middle.
• Kindness works.  By simply smiling and being pleasant, I’ve gotten my seat moved to exit rows and bulkheads and rows of two people.  I’m still waiting for that bump to first class………
• Don’t expect the airline to give you anything onboard.  Plan ahead and have food with you.  You never know when the flight will get delayed….
• Nothing can make a flight more bearable than incredible noise canceling headphones.  I put on my set from Shure and it’s like I’m the only one on the plane.
• Use www.seatguru.com to scout out the best seat to pick on your next fligh
• Use www.farecast.com to see if that deal you find is really a good buy.
• Save time at the airport and check into your flight online before you leave the house.
• Check into Priority Pass.  The annual membership gives you access to airport lounges around the world for $25 a pop.  www.prioritypass.com
• Arriving well rested is a godsend.  If you’re like me and can’t sleep on planes, try Target generic sleeping pills.  I’ve found they work wonders.
• On international flights, try and get in the row of two seats found on many planes.
• A good movie playing on your laptop can make a flight more bearable
• On long flights, make sure to get up and move. 
• While alchol can make you sleepy on a long flight, it is also quite dehydrating, stick with the water.
• Get the 411 on flight delays, security waits and traffic to the airport from http://updates.orbitz.com/
• Use your business address on your luggage for security reasons
• Always pack essential things (medicine) in carry-on luggage.  You might also throw in a change of underware in case your luggage is lost.
• Always have a photocopy of the inside page of your passport in case it is stolen while you are abroad.
• Make sure you check the luggage weight allowances for the airline you’re flying.  Some international carriers are skimpy on weight and some carriers allow heavier bags for their business class fliers.
• Stuff smaller items inside larger ones (socks in shoes for example) when packing
• The cheapest day to travel is Wednesday.
• For holiday travel, booking early is your best bet to get your flight times and a decent fare.
• Some airlines offer exclusive deals to people signed up for their deal service.  Southwest has DING and American Airlines has DealFinder.  http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/urls/dealfinder.jsp  http://www.southwest.com/hotfares/signup.html?ref=cns_ding_hp
• If you book a fare on Southwest and the price drops, you can rebook the flight and use the difference on a future southwest booking