Consumer Traveler Today: April 6

Consumer Traveler Today: Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags
 
 
Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags
Consumer organizations team up to get better airline cost transparency
What we’re reading: Tahoe casino closes its doors, Republic to announce new airline name, passenger conversations may be monitored
Honoring inventors who changed travel and tourism
Hotels try to kick the smoking habit
5 important connecting flight considerations
Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags
Posted: 06 Apr 2010 04:19 AM PDT
Calling it the “next phase” of unbundling, Spirit Airlines a few hours ago announced that it would begin charging passengers for carry-on luggage. Seriously.
       

Consumer organizations team up to get better airline cost transparency
Posted: 06 Apr 2010 03:10 AM PDT
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the Consumer Travel Alliance (CTA) have written a joint letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate Commerce Committee, the House Transportation Committee and the Senate and House Aviation Subcommittee Chairmen urging them to mandate that airlines release all fee information at the same time that they release airfare information.
       

What we’re reading: Tahoe casino closes its doors, Republic to announce new airline name, passenger conversations may be monitored
Posted: 06 Apr 2010 03:00 AM PDT
Cal Neva casino closes its doors, Republic to announce new airline name, airline passenger conversations may be monitored
       

Honoring inventors who changed travel and tourism
Posted: 05 Apr 2010 08:30 AM PDT
Last week a new group of scientists were inducted into the inventors hall of fame. Among those honored are a few who have had dramatic impact on travel and tourism. The other inventors honored this year improved rocket propulsion, synthesized diamonds, pioneered video games, developed the glue for Post-It Notes and revolutionized phone wiring.
       

Hotels try to kick the smoking habit
Posted: 05 Apr 2010 07:30 AM PDT
After President Obama’s negative comments about Sin City and his subsequent mea culpa (“I love Vegas — always have!”), I realize that this might not be the most prudent way to start a column. But how do you fire up a discussion about smoking in hotels without mentioning America’s capital of secondhand smoke?
       

5 important connecting flight considerations
Posted: 05 Apr 2010 06:30 AM PDT
In an ideal travel world, all fights would be non-stop. But realistically, that isn’t going to happen. If anything, airline cost-cutting and cutbacks mean less and less of those non-stops. Especially as airlines reduce their presence at one-time hubs. St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham and Cincinnati all come to mind as airports with reduced non-stop [...]