The recent attempted attack on an airplane has once again stirred the pot of airport security, and this time there are some funky ideas floating around.

As the discussion of how to best secure our airports heats up, there are plenty of people throwing out ideas for how to keep travelers safe. Some of the ideas involve tactics that sound like science fiction such as mind reading, advanced lie detection, and three dimensional body scanning. There are more traditional ideas in the mix as well, such as randomizing screening methods, or more intense one-on-one screenings.

It is unclear which proposals will stick in the long run and be added to our security routines, but the ideas are certainly fascinating to read about. Check out this AP article for a more in depth look at some of the security proposals that are currently being considered.

We have all heard the travel horror stories of planes being stranded on the tarmac for hours and hours. You can imagine just how terrible it would be to get stuck in such a situation, cramped into an airplane on the runway with no way out.

Today the government has taken action in attempt to prevent these situations from happening anymore. The Obama administration had imposed a three hour limit for airplane tarmac delays.

Under the new regulations, airlines operating domestic flights will be able only to keep passengers on board for three hours before they must be allowed to disembark a delayed flight. The regulation provides exceptions only for safety or security or if air traffic control advises the pilot in command that returning to the terminal would disrupt airport operations.

In addition to the disembarking regulations, airlines must also provide food and water to any passengers stranded for two hours or longer, and working lavatories must also be available.

The regulations will go into effect in 120 days.

Read the full AP article here.

The good news is that hotel rates are expected to go down in 2010. The bad news, on the other hand, is that airfare is expected to be on the rise during the same time period.

Hotel rates are expected to fall by 1%-4% for mid-range rates, and 3%-6% for upper-range rates. According to the provided article, the hotels are being forced to cut rates to try and draw customers back into the travel fold.

Demand for air travel is expected to rise in 2010 and the airline industry is looking to capitalize. They are able to take advantage when demand improves because they were able to cut flights during the recession period. According to American Express Business Travel, overall airfare prices will increase by up to 5% for short, economy flights, and 1%-6% for longer, business class flights.

Source: MSNBC

Even though the number of people flying is down, the revenue of U.S. airlines is going up. During the first six months of 2009, the U.S. airlines have collected $3.8 billion (with a ‘B’) for fees and surcharges such as, pet carrying fees, cancellation fees, baggage check fees, etc. Checked baggage fees are doing especially well for the airlines. Revenue from baggage fees alone was $1.24 billion dollars. The supposed reason for the increase in fees, or addition of new fees, is to offset the current downturn in air travel since 9/11/01. I would not expect the fees to go away, even if air travel picks back up in the future. The airlines are making too much money off of these fees to quit charging them, even if business does pick up. But it seems to reason, that if ticket revenue increased, and the fees were meant to offset the previously low ticket revenue, the fees should drop off. Perhaps that is just too logical for the airlines to pick up on that.

• Source: www.usatoday.com

If you are looking to travel on some of the busiest travel days of the season, be prepared for another surcharge on your ticket. United Airlines and Americans Airlines each added a $10 surcharge on most of their tickets for the following busy travel days: November 29th (Sunday after Thanksgiving), January 2nd, and January 3rd. The charge is technically a “fuel surcharge,” but it seems that the airlines are really just looking to hit you in your wallet, just for traveling during the holiday season. If you plan on traveling by air for the holidays, perhaps you could choose travel dates that don’t include these three special days. Your wallet will appreciate it.

Source: www.msnbc.com

For busy business travelers, time spent in the air can be a waste. Stuck 30,000 feet above ground in a communication blackout is not ideal considering the old adage “time is money”. That may be changing soon however, since most airlines in the continental United States are testing and rolling out in-flight internet access.

Many major airlines in the US, including American Airlines, Airtran, JetBlue, and Southwest just to name a few, are either quickly rolling out the service, or starting to test the service on a limited number of planes. Airline industry experts seem to agree that offering internet access during flights could be a win-win situation for passengers and airlines.

For passengers, high speed internet access would allow email checking, video streaming, and everything the internet offers. This would allow business travelers to do work, and leisure travelers to relax with streaming music or internet surfing.

For airlines, high speed internet offers a new stream of potential income in a tough economic time. Fees are expected to be around $10 for internet access during a single flight. If widely adopted, high speed internet could make a significant impact on struggling airlines’ profits.

Source: CNN.com

When you are going through the security checkpoint at the airport and they take your favorite pocket knife and your excess shampoo and toothpaste, do you know where your items are going? Well, it depends on the item.

As for your shampoo and toothpaste (in quantities greater than 3 ounces), they are immediately disposed of. As for your favorite pocket knife (or anything else considered of value), it will be donated to a state surplus agency, and be sold at auction, retail store, or website such as Ebay. Some agencies give first choice of the items to deserving organizations, like the Boy Scouts of America.

Just remember, if you have something of value and you want to keep it, your best chance is to put it in your checked-in baggage. Don’t risk losing your prized possession because you didn’t follow the rules. You can’t bring knives, corkscrews, electric saws, meat cleavers, bats, clubs, blades, wrenches, replica weapons, or even “decorative belt buckles shaped like guns or plastic toys”, (or gasoline, as one traveler tried and failed) with you on an aircraft. The rules are for your safety and the safety of those around you.

Source: www.cnn.com

New legislation being debated in the US Senate seeks to limit the amount of time that passengers are forced to wait in cramped planes on a tramac waiting to take off. The bill is being referred to as a “passenger’s bill of rights,” and one provision in the bill would allow passengers to have the option to leave their planes after three hours of being stuck in a take-off queue.

Most travelers have heard the horror stories of planes sitting on runways for six hours or more waiting to take off. This can be unbelievably uncomfortable, not to mention all of the connecting flights that will be missed when flights are delayed this long. Needless to say, advocates of the flying public are pushing hard for new laws to prevent this from happening in the future.

Stiff resistance from airline lobbies exists to this legislation, so there is sure to be a long fight before anything comes to a vote or gets signed by the president.

Source: Associate Press

Next time you fly, you can feel safer knowing that the punishment for unruly passengers is becoming more and more severe. The FAA reports an average of 80 unruly passenger aircraft incidents annually, with a total of over 900 over the past five years. These number don’t even reflect the all of the incidents, only the major ones. Many more less severe confrontations take place over delays, missing baggage, etc.

Confrontations can happen in many ways:

• the most popular confrontation occurs when the flight attendant refuses to serve an already intoxicated passenger another beverage
• failing to comply with airline policies, such as staying seated when the seat-belt light is on or turning off personal electronics when the plane is taking off or landing
• fewer meals, snacks, and drinks, smaller seating space, more delays, more fees, and less fresh oxygen on board the aircraft are also triggers for confrontation

Interfering with a crew member can result in a civil penalty fine of up to $25,000. If criminal laws are also broken, the fine will be higher and jail time will most certainly be involved.

Source: www.cnn.com

Southwest is finding creative ways to cut costs in the current difficult economic environment that airlines are currently operating in.

Earlier this week, Southwest announced that it will no longer offer lemons with the beverages served on flights. They expect this move to save the airline approximately $100,000 per year.

Limes will still be offered.

Southwest remains as one of the minority of airlines not charging for checked bags. I think most passengers will sacrifice their lemon wedges in order to save $20 checking a bag. Another smart move by Southwest Airlines.

Source: USA Today