Folks were intrigued to learn about Derrie-Air, a new “carbon-neutral luxury airline” that charges passengers by the pound. It turned out to be a publicity stunt, but it got folks talking about the concept of treating passengers more like freight.
The folks at NAAFA, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, found it “sort of funny,” but ultimately “preposterous.” But as you can read in my Well-Mannered Traveler column on MSNBC.com, others thought it was actually a great idea.
US Airways just announced a new cost-saving measure: no more free snacks for coach passengers. Complimentary soft drinks are still on the menu, but probably not for long.
Now more than ever, travelers need a little relief.
In my Well-Mannered Traveler column today, I offer a round-up of some of the gas-rebate offers travelers can take advantage of out on the road this summer. The list includes everything from hotels offering gas rebate checks and free car washes to a car rental agency throwing in a free tank of gas.
One offer I didn’t list in today’s column is Kimpton’s “We Got Your Bag” offer. Through September 9th, the hotel chain is offering travelers rebates of up to $25 to offset those new charges airlines are charging to check-in second bags. There are, of course, some restrictions, so be sure to read the fine print.
More than 2800 people have voted, so far, in the survey about in-flight cell-phone service that accompanies one of my recent Well-Mannered Traveler columns on MSNBC.
The results? 64% say “In-flight text and e-mail service is great, but please no phone calls!”
So I’m not that surprised at the results of a recent Harris survey conducted by Yahoo! on the same subject:
74% of the 2,000 consumers polled for that survey say “mobile phone usage on airplanes should be restricted to features that do not require talking.”
But never say never: The survey showed that “If usage of mobile phones was allowed while in-flight, more than two out of three (69 percent) consumers agreed that there should be a designated area of an airplane for passengers who want to talk on their mobile phones.”
For more numbers and details see the full Yahoo release.
Would you put up with a seat mate who spends the entire flight on the phone?
“No way,” was the response of most everyone who weighed in after reading my recent Well-Mannered Traveler column on MSNBC.com about an Air France plane that allows in-flight calls. See what they said and add your vote to the survey.
Today, April 24th, is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Started by the Ms. Foundation for Women back in 1993 as a career day for young girls, the program is now on its own and has broadened its focus to include boys.
The goals for the day have expanded as well: parents and mentors are asked to expose girls and boys to the choices they have in the workplace and to offer lessons about the “family-work balance.”
But what if your work involves lots of travel? My Well-Mannered Traveler column today offers tips on taking kids along on a business trip.
