February 2010

By Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times


At Philadelphia International Airport, a baggage screener was caught in March of last year stealing laptop computers and a video game system from the luggage of airline passengers.

That same month, police in St. Louis broke up a theft ring involving eight baggage handlers working for a contractor for Delta Airlines.

In October, a former baggage handler at Northwest Airlines pleaded guilty to stealing more than $10,000 in goods from checked baggage, and posting some of the booty on EBay.

But before you swear off airline travel or strap a LoJack device to your suitcase, you should know that, while pilfering from airline luggage is a problem, reports suggest that these thefts by government and airline employees may be on the decline.

Complaints filed against the airlines about luggage problems -- including theft and damage -- totaled 1,442 in the first 11 months of 2009, a drop of about 25% from the same period in 2008, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. During the same period, the overall number of passengers flying in the U.S. dropped about 6%, so the decline can't be attributed solely to fewer passengers and bags moving through the airports.

In 2005, the Transportation Security Administration paid out about $3.2 million in claims for baggage theft and damage. But by 2008, that dropped to about $813,000. For the first 10 months of 2009, TSA paid out about $446,000 in baggage claims, the agency said.

But don't necessarily credit a rebirth of honesty for the trend. Because of the threat of terrorist attacks and advances in airport technology, airline baggage is more closely watched with surveillance cameras and scanned with high-tech devices, reducing the need to open the bags for inspection. Thus, sticky-fingered baggage handlers and TSA screeners have fewer chances to rummage through your suitcases.

The primary way the TSA catches luggage pilferers is to analyze passenger claims and look for patterns. If passengers are losing valuables on a particular airline, during a specific time of day, the agency will install hidden cameras or deploy undercover investigators to catch the crooks in the act, TSA spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said.

"The problem is that we have so many people that touch the bags," she said.

Passengers can file claims against the TSA or the airlines for lost property, depending on who may be liable. Although the TSA compiles and discloses the payout costs for such claims, the airlines do not.

But good luck getting the airlines to pay for items stolen from your luggage.

On domestic flights, most airlines accept no liability for valuables lost from a checked bag. So, if you are traveling with something of value, carry it with you on the plane. (Airline policies vary regarding liability on international flights.)

"Don't put it in your checked luggage," said Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines. "Hold on to it in the same way you would hold on to something of value while walking on the street."

Still, the decline in reports of luggage theft is little consolation to passengers who lose expensive items. The website www.airlinecomplaints.org is rife with such misfortunes, including the story of a man who flew from New Jersey to India on Northwest Airlines in November and discovered that some gifts for family, including an Apple iPod Touch and a Sony PlayStation game, had been stolen from his luggage.

The airline refused to take responsibility for the loss, saying it was not liable for missing electronics that are packed in checked luggage.

"This, to me, is customer service at its worst," the passenger said in a posting on the complaint website.

A spokeswoman for Delta Airlines, which owns Northwest, said incidents of luggage theft were few and that the air carrier worked hard to put a stop to them.

Air Canada announced on January 27, 2010 new services for seven more American cities, fortifying its Toronto hub and strengthening its position as the leading transborder carrier with the most daily flights between Canada and the U.S. of any airline.
    "This additional service to seven more U.S. cities further solidifies Air Canada's position as the leading transborder carrier between Canada and the U.S. and the Number One foreign carrier flying to the United States --
offering the most flights per day to more destinations in the U.S. than any
other international airline," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and
Chief Commercial Officer. "It also demonstrates our commitment to drive
Toronto's growth as a hub. Air Canada is already the leading carrier at
Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport. Centralized in a single
terminal, Air Canada's Toronto hub is the most convenient gateway to and from
the U.S., offering multiple connection options for passengers travelling
anywhere in our global network. Our strategy is to leverage our hub to make
it a global transfer point for domestic, transborder and international
travellers."
    This spring, Air Canada will offer new daily service between Toronto and
seven more American cities including: Orange County (Santa Ana) and San
Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Memphis, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio;
Portland, Maine; and Syracuse, New York. Flights will be non-stop and
conveniently timed for connections with flights on Air Canada's extensive
domestic and international network. Customers can earn and redeem Aeroplan
miles on each route.
    Air Canada is also adding four new international destinations from
Toronto this summer. The airline has announced it will begin flying to
Athens, Barcelona, and Copenhagen, and offer same-plane, direct service to
Brussels through Montreal.
    "Today's route announcement is great news for passengers flying between
Canada and the US," according to Pamela Griffith-Jones, Vice President, Chief
Marketing and Commercial Officer for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
(GTAA). "We have worked with our airline customers' needs in mind to create
opportunities for route expansion. We are very pleased with Air Canada's
continued commitment to using Pearson as a connection point with the US, and
as a gateway to connect passengers to destinations around the world."

 The seven new U.S. transborder routes are:

Orange County, CAlif; San Diego, Calif; Portland Ore; Memphis, Tenn; Cincinnati, Ohio; Portland, Maine; Syracuse, N.Y.
  
    With the launch of these seven routes, Air Canada, along with Air Canada
Jazz and its Tier Three partners, offers up to 142 scheduled flights each day
to 51 U.S. destinations from its hub in Toronto. In total, this summer Air
Canada will operate up to 232 flights per day between six points in Canada
and 55 destinations in the U.S. In addition, this summer Air Canada will also
serve 30 domestic and 45 international destinations from Toronto.

WestJet has advised Vision 2000 that on some of their aircraft, they are awaiting repairs to the live seatback TV system. If you are travelling with WestJet in the next few weeks, you might find yourself on a flight without seatback TV. They are very sorry for any inconvenience, and they have assured us they will have this temporary problem fixed soon.

OTTAWA — Canada's Transport Minister John Baird today announced a new change that will benefit passengers flying outbound from Canada whose connecting flights are through European Union (EU) airports. Effective today, passengers can carry duty-free purchases of liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 millilitres with them through an EUairport en route to a final destination.

The change requires that Canadian airport retailers now put duty-free purchases of liquids, aerosols and gels into secure special bags. These bags will be recognized as secure in the EU.

"Passengers will now have assurance that what they buy at Canadian duty-free stores can continue on through any connection point in the European Union," said Baird. "Also, starting this spring there will be two airports in Canada equipped to offer the same service for passengers flying in from the EU."

Two Canadian airports will be ready this spring to screen duty-free liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 millilitres that passengers bring from EU airports, en route to domestic airports. At the end of April 2010, passengers from Europe will be able to transfer through Toronto Pearson International Airport, and in May 2010, passengers from Europe will be able to transfer through Montreal's Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport with these items.

Transport Canada advises travellers to respect the number of carry-on items allowed by airlines and to check the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's website at www.catsa.gc.ca before flying for further information about security screening.

Effective February 1, 2010, Passport Canada is no longer accepting passport applications with a declaration of professional guarantor requirement submitted by Canadians living in Canada.

In accordance with the new passport-holder guarantor policy, in effect since October 1, 2007, all applicants residing in Canada must submit an application with a declaration of guarantor provided by a Canadian adult passport holder.

For more information regarding the application process for Canadians living in Canada, including guarantor requirements, please review the step-by-step guide on the government's website.

Passport Canada will continue to accept both passport holder guarantors and professional guarantors with application forms submitted by Canadians living in the United States and Bermuda. Canadians residing abroad must continue to submit professional guarantors with their application.

The specific provisions regarding guarantors for Canadian military personnel, adopted children and children in foster care remain in effect.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has implemented Secure Flight, a program developed to provide for uniform watch list matching by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). By establishing one consistent watch list matching system, Secure Flight will enhance aviation security and help make travel easier for passengers.

How will Secure Flight affect passengers? Under the Secure Flight program, passengers will be required to provide:

• Full name (as it appears on passenger's identification document)
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Redress Number (if available)

What are the benefits of Secure Flight? Secure Flight makes travel safer by more effectively identifying individuals that may pose a known or suspected threat to aviation. It also enables officials to address security threats sooner. Furthermore, by creating one watch list matching system, it helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on terrorist watch lists. Lastly, Secure Flight offers an improved redress process, so that those who are mistakenly matched to the watch lists can avoid problems in the future.

Protecting passenger privacy The privacy of individuals' information is a cornerstone of Secure Flight. TSA collects the minimum amount of personal information necessary to conduct effective watch list matching. Furthermore, personal data is handled in accordance with stringent guidelines and all applicable privacy laws and regulations. Redress – for passengers who feel they have been misidentified Those who believe they have been mistakenly matched to a name on the watch list are invited to apply for redress through the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP). Secure Flight uses the results of the redress process in its watch list matching process, thus preventing future misidentifications for passengers who may have a name that's similar to an individual on the watch list. For more information on the redress process, visit www.dhs.gov/trip.

To learn more about Secure Flight visit www.tsa.gov/SecureFlight.

By SARAH NASSAUER, The Wall Street Journal

First, hotels asked guests to opt out of daily towel replacement for environmental reasons. Then it was bed linens. Now it's the entire room.

Hotels are offering room discounts or other rewards to guests who agree to make do with less housekeeping. As part of their "Make A Green Choice" program, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. offers hotel credit or points in its reward program. At the majority of their Westin and Sheraton brand hotels, guests can earn a $5 credit at any of the hotel's restaurants, or 500 Starpoints, for every night they opt out of housekeeping—for up to three consecutive nights.

At the Marmara Manhattan, a luxury hotel and residence on New York's Upper East Side, guests who forgo housekeeping for three days receive a $20 discount for each night they stayed without the service.

About 8.5% of guests who stay at a participating Starwood hotel take advantage of the offer, says Stacy Trevino, a spokeswoman for Starwood.

Beyond the reduction in soap, water, and energy used for washing linens and towels, it's unclear how much additional environmental benefits there might be in not cleaning a room (i.e., not emptying the wastebasket, making the bed, vacuuming, etc.).

But for hotels, there is a clear financial benefit in cutting back on housekeeping.

At a high-end or luxury hotel, the estimated cost of cleaning a single hotel room is about $22 a day, including labor, laundering and wear and tear on linens, according to Bjorn Hanson, an associate professor at New York University's Tisch Center for Hospitality.

"If they [don't clean] it a third of the time, they save that $22 a third of the time," Prof. Hanson says.

The average daily U.S. hotel rate in 2009 fell 8.8 percent year over year to $97.51, according to Smith Travel Research, and occupancy dropped 8.7 percent to 55.1 percent. STR described the year as the "worst in the modern hotel industry." Each of the 25 largest markets experienced a lower average daily rate, ranging from a 4 percent drop in New Orleans (to $113.52) to a 21.8 percent decline in New York (to $215.14).

By Tatiana Rokou, Travel Daily News

For Valentine’s Day 2010, the site trivago.co.uk has brought together a list of the top ten most individual and romantic hotels in Europe. Every year couples exchange gifts such as flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Those who want to impress their beloved one, offer an unforgettable romantic weekend getaway instead. trivago has prepared a selection of the cosiest romantic hotels. Whether a small luxury hotel right next to Buckingham Palace, a restored millhouse in the French Dordogne, or a quaint hotel overlooking the Italian Umbria – these hotels guarantee special quality time together.

Ηere are the top ten hotels that offer a very special atmosphere and have very good reviews from travellers:

Santini Residence, Prague
The elegant Santini Residence offers nine spacious suites, where couples can enjoy hours of leisure time together. Some rooms have a special highlight: Ornate ceiling paintings that attract the attention of all visitors. Located in the middle of the historical centre of Prague, the luxurious hotel is an ideal base for exploring the capital of the Czech Republic. The Prague Castle and Charles Bridge are easily accessible. In the evening, guests can relax with a glass of red wine in soft lighting and with musical accompaniment on the cosy sofas in the hotel lounge.

Hotel 41, London
Guests at Hotel 41 are located in the neighbourhood of the Queen: The luxurious city hotel can be found behind Buckingham Palace. In a quiet and exclusive location, the hotel welcomes its guests with the flair of a traditional London club. In the tastefully decorated lounge with chandeliers and antique furniture, couples can enjoy their afternoon tea in an elegant atmosphere. After a stroll over the Tower Bridge and through the streets of the bustling capital, comfortable and stylish rooms await the guests of the hotel.

Hotel Grodek, Krakow
The Grodek hotel is tucked away in a small side street in the historical centre of Krakow. The 23 guest rooms are individually furnished with a great attention to detail. From here, guests can embark on a journey into the past. The popular “Kings Way” takes travellers past the memorial of the Battle of Tannenberg, a large gothic tower and the medieval marketplace. Only two minutes separate this area from the charming city hotel. In the intimate atmosphere of the hotel restaurant, guests can enjoy the evening with a romantic candle-lit dinner.

Villa Contessa, Bad Saarow
The Villa Contessa is located in Bad Saarow on Lake Scharmutzelsee in Brandenburg and is only around one hour’s drive from Berlin. Located in picturesque natural surroundings, this small hotel is home to eight mundane and lovingly decorated rooms. Highlight for lovers: The Rose Spa Suite with a private bio-infrared sauna and a four-poster bed. Guests who book the luxury suite can enjoy the hotels award-winning cuisine in private on the lakeside terrace. Couples can spend time on a romantic carriage ride, in popular thermal baths or on a boat trip on the lake.

Moulin d’Abbaye, Brantome (France)
Moulin d’Abbaye is located in the charming market town Brantome in a restored mill house on the tranquil River Dronne. The rooms are all named after the Bordeaux grands crus and decorated with a meticulous attention to detail. In the small town in Dordogne there is a lot to see: a well-preserved medieval city, ruin and Gothic facades on the Rue Joussen. After a leisurely stroll through the city, travellers can enjoy a romantic dinner in the hotel’s restaurant and become enchanted by the magic of this hotel.

Amfitriti Paradosiakos Xenonas, Nafplio (Greece)
The Amfitriti Paradosiakos Xenonas is a small and elegant hotel in the beautiful port town Nafplio. Each of its five rooms is individually decorated in a particular colour. Handmade carpets and antique furniture give the rooms a romantic historical feeling, without losing the modern day comforts. With a view of the sea from the breakfast terrace, guests can begin their day on the Peleponnes. Lovers of Greek mythology also have a lot to explore, with the archaeological sites of Epidauros and Mykene nearby.

Hotel The Pand, Bruges
The first-class hotel The Pand is located in the centre of Bruges. Decorated with numerous works of art, antiques and rich fabrics, guests are surrounded by luxury. A boat trip on the “Reien”, the canals of Bruges, is a must on a visit to the city in Flanders. Under picturesque bridges there is a lot to discover along the banks: Hidden gardens, artistic facades and medieval houses. Travellers can also spend the day by the open fireplace in the library of The Pand.

Il Cantico della Natura, Magione (Italy)
Il Cantico della Natura is built out of massive stones from the 16th Century and is home to twelve rooms and suites. Surrounded by olive trees guests have a breathtaking view of Lake Trasimeno. The rooms are cosy and are individually decorated with fine furniture. In the Jacuzzi or the sauna, lovers can take advantage of the “dolce vita”. For adventure seekers, the hotel regularly organises various activities such as sailing, mountain biking or cooking classes, in which fresh ingredients from the Umbrian region are used.

Villa Carona, Carona (Switzerland)
In Ticino, in the south of Switzerland, Villa Carona can be found in the artistic village of Carona. In the two hundred year old Patrician House, the hotel has 18 individually designed rooms. At this family run inn, rest and recreation are in the foreground. In particular, the gardens of the house are a little paradise: Here guests can have a breakfast with a view of Monte Generoso before they go on the popular hike from Carona to the picturesque village of Morcote.

Ca‘n Simo, Alcudia (Majorca)
The small family-run hotel Ca‘n Simo with only seven rooms is situated between the bay of Alcudia and Pollensa. In traditional Majorcan architecture, guests can enjoy the amenities of modern luxury away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Majorca. The area around the lively town of Alcudia is also a place for peace-seekers: Whether a romantic walk on the beach, a tour of the nearby golf course or an excursion to the dragon caves of Porto Cristo. After an exciting day on the Balearic Island, guests can relax in the hotel whirlpool or sauna.

Book an Air & Hotel package with Air Canada Vacations to the Walt Disney World Resort, including roundtrip flight, hotel accommodation and Magic Your Way Ticket, and receive a free Disney Gift Card.
 

$300 US at Disney Value Resorts
   

$500 US at Disney Moderate Resort
   

$750 US at Disney Deluxe Resort & Disney Resort Villas

A Disney Gift Card gives you the gift of magic. Use it at participating locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort for dining, entertainment, shopping and more.
   
 
Limited time offer! You must book by March 27, 2010!
For travel from March 1, 2010 and completed by March 27, 2010 and from April 11 and completed by June 3, 2010.