As airlines try wringing every last nickel from passengers, word comes out now that JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) will begin charging for blankets and pillows.

The airline that prided itself on comfy seats, television for each passenger and a glib, flippant employee style of service announced that the move would allow passengers to take home a blanket and pillow set plus receive a $5 coupon at Bed, Bath and Beyond, an online retailer our reviewer panned for being “amateurish” with shipping costs starting at $5.95 and a limited selection.

Oops.

We don’t have the answers on how airlines can stay solvent given current economic pressures, but we’re willing to bet that if passengers are turning up their nose at a $7 sandwich that a $7 pillow is not an effective way to cut costs.  Doing away with the blankets seems a sound idea.  Maybe JetBlue, which flies relatively short legs — all under 6 hours — can ignore settling consumers in for a long nap.

TTI Floorcare and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have issued a recall of 987,000 Dirt Devil accessory tools, as pieces in the tools can break apart and be ejected towards users and bystanders. There have been 140 such incidents reported, with 12 injuries. This is the list of affected models, as provided by the CPSC.

TTI Floorcare says that consumers should contact them for a free repair kit at (800) 245-2296 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. till 7 p.m., or at their website at www.dirtdevilturbotool.com

Electra Bicycle Company has recalled 9,500 Amsterdam bicycles, models Classic 3, Original 3, Sport 3, and Royal 8. The bike’s chain guard can derail the bike chain, which can lead to injury. There have been four incidents reported, with one report of a fall. Consumers are urged to stop riding the bicycle and take it to an Electra Bicycle dealer for a free repair. For more information, contact Electra Bicycle at (800) 261-1644 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit their website at www.electrabike.com.

Electra Amsterdam Bike Recalled

Passports for visiting Canada and Mexico, fees for checking luggage, fees for peanuts! What else will the travel industry and government throw at us? Your best defense against a stressful travel experience is preparation and patience. There are new government time-saving tips for summer travel for recent changes to ID requirements, baggage restrictions and security checkpoint procedures.

The good folks at the FCIC, you know them as sending out information from ‘Pueblo, Colorado’ have put together a wonderful resource that address all these issues. You can read Summer Travel Tips
at their site and even send the information to a friend.

The federal government takes much well deserved criticism for inefficiency. This agency, however, consistently gets the job done.

Studio RTA of Pico Rivera, California, has recalled 6,700 “Silhouette” TV stands, models 403650 and 404191. These stands, sold at Boskov and Shopko stores, do not meet standards for preventing the TV tipping over, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). No injuries have been reported.

The CPSS says that consumers should remove the TV from the stand and contact Studio RTA for a free repair kit. They can be reached by phone at (888) 309-0299 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or on the web at www.studiorta.com.

This scam must take the cake.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is warning consumers that some rocket scientists are calling Iowans and reporting they are from the power company.

What do you think happens next in mid-July?  That’s right.  The poor consumer is told their electric service will be cut off if payment is made by phone.

That would be a terrific service for late paying customers if the story were true.  Unfortunately, the scam is simply the latest wrinkle in the “Scare Them ‘Til They Give You Money” contests.

“Our utilities never operate like that,” Miller said. “Don’t be buffaloed into giving out your credit card account number, bank account, Social Security number, or other personal information. This scam appears to be hitting all over Iowa.”

Miller has also asked consumers to immediately contest the charges if they have given this information to a company and said that his office and utility companies want to know when the call comes, even if a consumer did not divulge any information.

Anyone receiving a call should contact their utility company and the state’s Iowa consumer regulatory authorities at 888-777-4590 (281-5926 if calling from Des Moines). You can also send an email to the Iowa Attorney’s General office.

Around 1360 Polaris 550 LX, Trail Touring, and Trail Touring Deluxe snowmobiles have been recalled after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) received ten reports of cracks forming in the starter ring-gear. This can cause it to fracture, and pieces could fly out of the chassis and harm the rider or bystanders. There are also a limited number of replacement and accessory parts that the CPSC says “are suspect”.

While no injuries have been reported, the CPSC says that consumers should stop using these snowmobiles immediately and contact a Polaris Snowmobile Dealer to schedule a free repair. For more information, contact Polaris Industries at (888) 704-5290 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. central Monday through Friday, or visit their website at www.polarisindustries.com.

Three children’s jewelry products have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) this past week because they might contain high levels of lead, which is dangerous if ingested. No incidents have been reported with any of these products.

The first product is Parragon Book’s “The Magical Ballet Slippers” (or “Ballerina’s Magical Shoes”), which comes with a necklace that may have lead in the solder. Also affected are the  Spanish and French versions of the book. The ISBN are 1405411449,1405448385 and 1405449527; the UPC numbers, respectively, are  9781405411448, 9781405448383 and  9781405449526. For the return and exchange information, contact Parragon at any time toll-free at (888) 480-2854, or visit their website at www.parragonrecall.com.

The next product is Action Product’s “Children’s Charm Craft Kits”. The clasp in the charm kit has high lead content in it. Some 18,500 units are affected, specifically the “Super Dooper Charms” (item #63403) and “Shoelace Charms” (item #67310). Action Products says that consumers should take these products away from children and contact them for a free replacement. Their phone number is (800) 772-2846, and can be reached from :30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Their Website is www.apii.com.

The final product is “Faded Glory” lip gloss, locket and bracelet made by F.A.F. Inc. ans sold at Wal-Mart. The lobster claw clasps on the bracelet contain high levels of lead.  The sets affected, according to the CPSC website, are:

Item             Model Number        UPC
Frog Set         6709-4250    72783357703
Monkey Set    6709-4251    72783357704
Cat Set           6709-4252    72783357705

Consumers should take these sets back to any Wal-Mart store for a full refund. If additional information is needed, F.A.F. Inc. can be contacted at (800) 949-3311 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and on the web at www.faf.com.

American Honda Motor Corp. recalled 20,500 Honda Lawn Mowers, models HR217(K)2HXA and HRX217(K)2HMA. They have been recalled because of a report that the  mower’s rear shield can break off, exposing the user to debris being thrown out of the mower, No injuries have been reported.

The lawn mowers effected have serial numbers MAGA-1500001 through 1520532. Honda says that consumers should stop using the lawn mowers and contact their Honda dealer for a free repair. For more information, consumers can call Honda at (800) 426-7701 from 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or at their website at www.hondapowerequipment.com.

Wanda Technology, Inc issued a recall for outdoor canopies sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club with the code number 1020-8-WT2007 sewn on the tag. These canopies fail to comply with  flammability standards, and could create a fire hazard to consumers. No injuries or incidents have been reported.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission urges consumers to stop using this canopy and contact Wanda Technology for a full refund. They can be reached by phone toll-free at (866) 312-8799 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  PT Monday through Friday or by visiting their website at ww.bjs.com