Economy keeps the brakes on summer travel
The Seattle Times
Fewer Americans will hit the road this summer, as lingering worries about jobs and the economy continue to affect travel.
Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers. Gas prices are lower in much of the U.S. but still high enough on the West Coast to keep some Americans off the road. The job market is improving but still shaky. And household debt remains high.
The bulk of road trippers, experts say, will take shorter trips and reduce food and entertainment spending to conserve cash, according auto club AAA.
Palestinian Airlines resumes flights after 7 years
BlueRidgeNow.com
Palestinian Airlines is back in the skies after being grounded for seven years by the deepening enmities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Once hailed as a symbol of Palestinian statehood dreams, the carrier is a tiny operation, with just two 48-seat turboprop planes, two weekly flights and a borrowed hub in Egypt.
But Palestinians say just being on the map again is what matters.
Resident hangs posters urging tourists to improve manners
Fox News
From this person’s kvetching, you’d think Chelsea was Times Square.
Someone in the trendy Manhattan neighborhood has slapped posters on light poles in an effort to lecture misbehaving tourists on how to behave when visiting the High Line and other local hot spots.
“Attention High Line Tourists,” the screed begins.
“The neighborhood around the High Line is not a tourist attraction. It is a small and fragile neighborhood. So while here, please use your best manners.”
Senator asks airlines to drop seat fee for kids
San Jose Mercury News
Sen. Charles Schumer is urging airlines to allow families with young children to sit together without paying extra.
The New York Democrat is reacting to an Associated Press story last week detailing how families this summer are going to find it harder to sit together without paying fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars over the original ticket price.
“Children need access to their parents and parents need access to their children,” Schumer said in a statement. “Unnecessary airline fees shouldn’t serve as a literal barrier between mother and child.”
Since last year, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines have increased the percent of seats they set aside for elite frequent fliers or customers willing to pay extra. Fees for the seats—on the aisle, next to windows, or with more legroom —vary, but typically cost $25 extra, each way.
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