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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a new series of passenger rights, the second update in two years. "It's the biggest change in airline passenger protection since deregulation in 1978," said Charlie Leocha, Director of the advocacy group Consumer Travel Alliance.

Most of the new rights regulations will go into effect on August 23, 2011. Here are a few of them:

1. Getting Bumped
   If you're bumped from an oversold flight, you'll be entitled to some cash for your troubles. For short delays you'll get double the price of your ticket, to a maximum of $650. For long delays, you will be entitled to four times the value of your ticket, not to exceed $1,300. These limits are to be adjusted every two years for inflation.
   
   Airlines sometimes offer a voucher good toward a future flight in lieu of cash to passengers who are bumped involuntarily. But the new rules will require that airlines tell these passengers of their rights up front - including that they are entitled to cash.
   
   "You should always ask for the cash," says George Hobica, founder of the travel site Airfarewatchdog.com. "A voucher may only be good for a year, and it may be hard to use."


2. Time on the Tarmac
   The December 2010 blizzard left nearly 30 planes sitting on the tarmac for up to eleven hours at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airlines involved were foreign, and so weren't required to let passengers off the plane after three hours, as carriers on domestic flights would have been.
   
   This nightmare moved the DOT to act. On international flights, U.S. and foreign carriers won't be able to keep passengers on the tarmac for more than four hours without giving them a chance to get off, so long as it's safe to do so. And airlines must make sure passengers have food, water, working bathrooms and medical treatment, if necessary, after two hours.


3. Lost Bag Fees
   Currently when you pay a baggage fee and your luggage is lost during transport, the airline keeps the fee.
   
   The new rules will require that airlines refund fees when bags are lost. Although it's not yet clear how long the bag must be missing before it is given up for lost Hobica said. (Airlines already reimburse passengers for lost luggage - up to $3,300 on domestic flights.)

One final word - Leocha suggests that if you have a legitimate complaint and can't get it resolved with the airline, email your complaint to the DOT at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov. "They take those emails and forward them to the airline," Leocha says. "Nothing gets a response from an airline like an email from the Department of Transportation."

This excerpt was taken from the article "New passenger rights rules will make air travel less bumpy for consumers" by Eileen Ambrose, The Baltimore Sun. Read the article in its entirety here.

(Photo credit - airport-int.com)

This is Part 2 of our 2-Part series as journalist Jason Notte of The Street looks at "packing an entertainment and travel survival kit full of six items that security can't take and fees can't touch." His article, "6 Essentials for Airline Travel Survival," is reprinted in part by permission.

3. A water bottle
   Wait, won't security take my water bottle away because of the liquid limit? Absolutely, if you have water in it.
   
   Water's generally one of the better purchases you can make in an airport, but a savvy passenger knows that nearly every airport on the planet has water fountains or, at least, bathroom taps once you've stepped through security. The savings only increase when you bring that same bottle on the plane, where even non-alcoholic beverages now cost $2 to $3 on carriers such as Allegiant and Spirit.
   
   "There have been too many incidents with people on the tarmac with rationed food and water," says Anne Banas, editor of SmarterTravel, of the wisdom of bringing along filled water bottles.


4. Granola, protein, Candy or any other Bar-shaped Food
   If airlines' once-free meals are now $2 to $11 and free pretzels just aren't coming, you may as well load up as efficiently as you can. The individually wrapped bar is a clean, compact and cost-effective way to tide yourself over during long trips or when it looks like you're not going anywhere for a while.
   
   "Even protein bars could count as a meal when you're really stuck in a bad situation, and you'll have no problems getting them through security," Banas says.


5. A Pillow-and-Blanket pack
   U.S. Airways feels its blanket and pillow set is worth $7 of a passenger's pocket change, while Allegiant charges a cool $15.
   
   At least they're offering. Delta, Southwest Airlines, Air Tran and Alaska Airlines, ditched those amenities altogether, and you're unlikely to get anything if you're stuck in a terminal rather than on a plane.
   
   Companies such as Travelpro, Lewis N. Clark (see photo) and Conair make $15 to $23 blanket-and-pillow sets that fold into small travel-sized totes. Despite the initial purchase price, you'll certainly save money in the long-run.
   
   "A thin portable blanket and pillow set could go a long way," Banas says. "You don't want the ones in the cabin because sometimes you have to pay for them and, even when you get them for free, you don't know if they've been laundered."


6. Moisture
   Passengers are signing up to spend hours in a giant dehumidifier once they buy their tickets.
   
   Because some folks just don't dry out as well as others, Banas recommends bringing a small bag filled with solid lip balm (such as Chapstick), moisturizer and other products that can live outside of the carry-on. The small bag creates easy access, while the products within make sure you're not kissing loved ones or hailing cabs through chapped lips.

Read "6 Essentials for Airline Travel Survival" by Jason Notte, in its entirety.

6 Essentials for Airline Travel – Part 1

Photo credit – Amazon.com)

Many of you fly to your timeshare vacations, and can perhaps use some ideas on how best to make airline travel as comfortable as possible. Use these tips that journalist Jason Notte, of The Street suggested for business travelers. If they work for people who feel like they live in airplanes, they might work as well for you, too.

In "6 Essentials for Airline Travel Survival," reprinted in part here by permission, Notte suggests "packing an entertainment and travel survival kit full of six items that security can't take and fees can't touch." Following is Part 1 of our 2-Part series.

{On top of rising ticket prices and extra fees} nearly 900 more flights a month are being canceled by carriers who don't want to risk fines of $27,500 per passenger for violating the three-hour rule (on the tarmac). For people with nowhere to go but an airplane that's not going anywhere, it could be a long wait in an unfriendly, expensive airport terminal.

Airlines are charging more for fewer amenities – all the more reason for passengers to bring their own.

1. An e-reader
   With multifunctional smartphones, tablets, MP3 players and laptops at their disposal, why should an airline passenger take a seemingly one-dimensional e-reader (see photo) along for the ride? Three reasons: Size, price and battery power.
   
   At six to eight inches and five to 12 ounces, the average low-end e-reader is just slightly bulkier than a smartphone but much more svelte and portable than a tablet. The biggest travel-friendly features are batteries that measure their life in weeks instead of hours. The Nook can hold charge for more than 10 days, the Sony reader can hold out for two weeks and a Wi-Fi-only Kindle can keep the pages turning for three weeks to a month.
   
   Yes, the readers can hold 1,500 to 3,500 books, more than even the longest layover or delay requires, and pull up periodicals, and their built-in MP3 players, dictionaries and translators do a lot more for the literate flier than unburden him or her of a bagful of books.


2. Noise-canceling Headphones
   Why buy a $10 pair of Maxell headphones or a $300 Bose or Beats Studio By Dr. Dre headset when a pair of earplugs will do the job?
   
   First off, they're not going to stick in your ears and irritate them. Secondly, they're awfully squishy and padded and a lot more comfortable than earbuds that can slip out of a big guy's ears pretty easily or sit uncomfortably in a smaller customer's canals.
   
   The best reason, however, is that you can sleep blissfully in a terminal - or listen to an airplane's radio channels while depriving them of 5 to 10 of your dollars.

Read "6 Essentials for Airline Travel Survival" by Jason Notte, in its entirety.

6 Essentials for Airline Travel – Part 2

(Photo credit - arstechnica.com)

The UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has released its annual report forecasting the economic status of global passenger and freight air traffic. As the world begins to climb out of the global recession, the modest airline industry growth that began in 2010 is predicted to become quite healthy in 2011, the ICAO report stated.

"A substantial growth in traffic reflects positive economic prospects worldwide - based on a forecast of a four per cent increase in the world’s real gross domestic product," the ICAO report said.

The healthiest growth in 2010 was seen by the airlines of the Middle East with 21 per cent, followed by those of the Asia/Pacific region with 12.9 per cent, Latin America with 11.4 per cent, and Africa with 10 per cent. Traffic in the mature markets of North America and Europe grew by 6.2 per cent and 6.7 per cent, respectively.

In spite of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland in the spring of 2010, that partially closed European airspace, disrupting passenger travel and freight traffic, the ICAO report stated that the European airline industry continues to perform well.

And while winter conditions over the 2010 holiday season also hit the industry hard, the ICAO report credits its positive outlook to the "ability of low-cost carriers to expand their point-to-point markets, due, in part, to the geographical enlargement of the European Union, thus demand for travel remained strong and resilient".

The number of passengers carried in 2010 worldwide was up 6.3% on 2009, at about 2.5 billion passengers. International passenger traffic grew by 8.8%, led by a strong rebound in business and leisure long-haul travel, particularly in Brazil, Russia, India and China.

ICAO was set up in 1944 as a specialized agency of the United Nations, to promote safe and orderly development of international civil aviation worldwide. It sets standards and regulations for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, and for aviation environmental protection. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 190 Contracting States.

A press release out of Washington, D.C., has announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) are working to prepare the nation for a busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week. The two government agencies will be working in tandem to clear the way for commercial aircraft to fly in airspace that is normally restricted to military use.

As you prepare to fly to your Thanksgiving timeshare rental destination, you'll be glad to know that under the agreement, the DOD will release airspace off the east coast above 24,000 feet, and that this added capacity is expected to ease delays during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, saving time and money for passengers and airlines while reducing fuel burn.

“We want to do everything we can to make it easier for people to travel so they can spend Thanksgiving with their loved ones,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We appreciate the military’s help in making this happen.”

The FAA has developed dedicated routes off the east coast to allow airlines to plan their flights through the normally restricted airspace. Normal inland routes will still be available. Weather permitting, the combination of both sets of routes is expected to ease congestion.

“The FAA is using all the tools available to try and give airlines the most efficient routes so air travelers can reach their destinations safely and on time,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

“The nation’s air traffic controllers are committed to upholding the safety of the system while working the most efficient airspace system in the world,” said NATCA President Paul Rinaldi. “Over the past year we’ve experienced a movement toward collaboration at all levels of the agency and we look forward to continuing to work together to improve air travel for the flying public.”

The DOD is also allowing commercial flights to use restricted airspace in other parts of the country, including airspace over the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base in California, and airspace over the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The FAA suggests that air travelers interested in flight and airport status visit www.fly.faa.gov for real-time updates.

(Photo credit - boeing.com)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that as of November 1, 2010, it will now require a full name, which includes first, middle name or initial, and last, exactly as it appears on your government issued ID (such as a driver's license or passport), date of birth, and gender for all passengers traveling on or after November 1, 2010, regardless of when the reservation was booked. Failure to provide this information could result in a reservation being refused by the airline. Airlines may cancel any record which does not contain this information at least 72 hours prior to travel.

To avoid cancellation, potential delays at check in, denied boarding, or additional costs, make sure that all required information is entered into your reservation.
This is part of the federal program Secure Flight. Secure Flight is the TSA's behind-the-scenes watch list matching program that fulfills a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.

"By establishing a consistent watch list matching system, Secure Flight enhances aviation security and more effectively facilitates air travel for passengers," states the TSA blog. "By providing complete information, passengers can significantly decrease the likelihood of a watch list misidentification."

The TSA web site lists the objectives of the Secure Flight program as: identify known and suspected terrorists, prevent individuals on the No Fly List from boarding an aircraft, facilitate passenger air travel, and protect individuals' privacy.

Regarding privacy protection, the TSA states that the personal data that Secure Flight collects is protected by the highest set of security protocol standards established by the federal government. "Secure Flight guards the privacy of individuals by adhering to the letter and spirit of privacy law, by treating individuals and their personal privacy information with respect, ensuring a high standard of privacy protection, and responding effectively to public concerns."

If the name you use to make your reservation and that exactly matches your Government-issued ID, but not your frequent flyer account, the airline's frequent flyer system will not recognize your name. If this is true for you, consult the airline frequent flyer program regarding the process to update the frequent flyer account information.

It's Up, Up and Away for the airline industry. Previously mired in the sunken economy of one of the world's worst financial crises, the airlines appear to be rebounding at a faster rate than had been predicted. That's great news for all of you timeshare vacationers!

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has just released a report in which it expects airlines around the world to post a $2.5 billion profit in 2010, compared with its previous forecast in March for a loss of $2.8 billion. Passenger traffic is now expected to grow 7.1% this year compared with its previous forecasts for 5.6%.

More good news for those of you who will be flying to your timeshare vacation is that new capacity will be added to the global airline system as a result of the 1,340 new aircraft that are scheduled to join the global fleet in 2010. Of these, just 500 are replacement aircraft, while the rest will increase seating capacity.

Across the globe, airline industry highlights include the Asian economy (excluding Japan), which is expected to grow by 7% this year. China will outpace that with an expected 9.9% GDP expansion. As a result, the region’s carriers are expected to deliver the largest profit at $2.2 billion. This is more than double the previously forecast $900 million in March and a major reversal from the $2.7 billion loss in 2009.

North American air carriers are expected to return a profit of $1.9 billion. This is a major reversal from the previously forecast $1.8 billion loss, and the $2.7 billion that the region’s carriers lost in 2009.

Middle Eastern carriers are expected to post a profit of $100 million - their first since 2005. This is significantly better than the $600 million that the region’s carriers lost in 2009. And African carriers are expected to post a $100 million profit, their first since 2002. This reverses the $100 million loss previously forecast in March and the $100 million that the region lost in 2009.

'"Seeing black on the bottom line is a great achievement," commented Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO. "The resilience of the industry has been strengthened by a decade of cost cutting, restructuring and re-engineering processes, with efficiencies in safety auditing, fuel management, infrastructure costs, and simplifying the business."

European airlines will continue to struggle, however. A stagnating economy, strikes, natural disasters, and a currency crisis are expected to result in an anticipated loss of $2.8 billion. The IATA report states that 70 % of the loss in revenue is a result of the volcanic ash crisis borne by the European carriers.