Consumer Traveler Today:Feb 5

Consumer Traveler Today: Agony on the Ecstasy
 
 
Agony on the Ecstasy
What we’re reading: Hong Kong airport installs Playstation 3, Boeing 747-8 almost ready, TSA harbors felon
American Airlines’ list of unbundled “services”
Forget TSA, maybe we should put Carnival Cruise Lines in charge of security
House committee focuses on passenger acceptance of whole-body scanners, artificial dog noses
Agony on the Ecstasy
Posted: 05 Feb 2010 03:46 AM PST
The DeBorde family of Galveston, Texas had high hopes for their first-ever cruise vacation – a four-day sailing on the Carnival Ecstasy from their hometown to Mexico. According to the DeBordes the cruise didn’t live up to what was promised in Carnival’s brochure or website and they wanted the line to own up to its “Vacation Guarantee” so they could get off the ship and get their money back. There was just one big problem - they didn’t tell Carnival they wanted to leave.
       

What we’re reading: Hong Kong airport installs Playstation 3, Boeing 747-8 almost ready, TSA harbors felon
Posted: 05 Feb 2010 03:00 AM PST
Hong Kong airport installs Playstation 3 as entertainment, Boeing 747-8 almost ready for customers, TSA forces Richmond airport to issue security badge to worker after discovering he was a convicted felon
       

American Airlines’ list of unbundled “services”
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 08:15 AM PST
This is a list fees charged by American Airlines for various "services." It was included in a letter from the IRS clarifying what fees for services would be subject to the 7.5 percent Transportation Excise Tax. Which fees are subject to the transportation tax? Which are not? The sometimes surprising answers are noted after the list.
       

Forget TSA, maybe we should put Carnival Cruise Lines in charge of security
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 07:15 AM PST
Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the leading cruise lines both in terms of selling drinks on board and in trying to keep passengers from bringing their own on board, is at it again.
       

House committee focuses on passenger acceptance of whole-body scanners, artificial dog noses
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 06:15 AM PST
Yesterday, the House Science and Technology Committee, Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation held hearings about airport screening research and development. Chaired by David Wu (D-OR), the subcommittee surprisingly focused on passenger acceptance of the of the new technology rather than on technologies themselves.