AIRFARES GOING UP? - AIRFARES GOING DOWN?
The airlines raised their fares to offset the cost of increased fuel. Southwest and a few others refused to match, so the major carriers cancelled the increase. Then, Southwest raised their fares. United and Continental matched the increase and were joined by American and U.S. Airways. But the other low-cost carriers never went along so the latest airfare increases were reversed. It's a day-by-day situation that we watch very closely.

WHO CARRIES THE MOST U.S. PASSENGERS?
Southwest! Rumor has it that Southwest is now biding its time to increase fares around Easter and JetBlue, AirTrans and Frontier will follow them. We definitely expect fares to go up as we get into the peak summer travel season. Southwest also plans to add the new Boeing 737-800's to its fleet.

WAS THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER AT REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT REALLY ASLEEP?
Yes! He had been working his fourth consecutive overnight shift from 10 P.M. to 6 A.M. and was the only one in the tower at the time. He was fired but the planes landed safely.

DO YOU KNOW THE MOST EXPENSIVE U.S. CITIES?
New York, Honolulu, Boston and Chicago. Hotel prices declined in 2009 and 2010 but in 2011 because of increased demand, you can expect hotel increases of as much as 20%.

SPIRIT AIRLINES ADDS NEW FEES FOR LUGGAGE!
Last minute planners beware. Spirit Airlines has added fees for travelers who wait to pay for carry-on luggage within 24 hours of departure. You figure this one out!

CAN YOU SUE AN AIRLINE TO REFUND BAGGAGE FEES?
A Supreme Court ruling ended a lawsuit against American Airlines for a refund of baggage fees after a flight was cancelled but the airline said it was their policy not to refund baggage fees.

AIRLINE TICKETS: BUY EARLY OR WAIT?
With all that is going on in the industry, this is something of a gamble. Prices go up and prices go down. It's hard for us to advise you because the airlines make changes without warning on almost a daily basis. World events and oil prices play a large role so our advice is to buy your ticket now and don't lose sleep over it!

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE AND BETTER MOVIES AT 35,000 FEET!
Improved in-flight entertainment makes your traveling a little easier. Some airlines still have the old drop-down screens but many airlines, especially those flying internationally, have individual screens for each seat, with often many choices of films.

MAJOR U.S. AIRLINES CUTTING BACK ON CAPACITY!
This is due to a drop-off in demand presently and increased fuel prices. Check your flight before you go just to make sure. We expect a very busy summer so you should book now and not wait to see if the fares go down!

ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU ARE PAYING THE LOWEST FARES?
A recent study found that larger agencies provide their customers with lower fares, along with mobile booking solutions which are very helpful. That's why we joined Protravel, a $750 million agency, so we can take advantage of their lower fares and special services.

IN CASE YOU WERE WORRIED, AIRPORT SCANNERS ARE AN EXTREMELY LOW SOURCE OF RADIATION!
We heard some travelers were concerned about this. The radiation from these machines is extremely low.

DO YOU RUN YOUR OWN MEETINGS?
Why? You should put your time and effort into the Meeting itself and let Dianne Heffernan, Manager of our Meetings Department, handle all the transportation and hotel problems, and there are always some. She does a First Class job, plus you will save money.