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As a peak travel time begins again, some consumers may have forgotten about the “311″ rule regarding liquids in carry-on luggage in an airport.  Infrequent travelers may especially need a reminder about the rules.    Time has traveled fast — this year’s college freshman class was in elementary school when the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. changed US air travel rules  Those rules  were changed again after a man was arrested while attempting to ignite an explosive concealed in his shoes.

The 311 rule is illustrated below.  If you plan to travel by air this summer, you need to know and follow this rule.  If you do not, you will be stopped at security and you will lose your items there.  Everything in a liquid or gel form counts, even when sealed.

The rule says that you may have 1 quart-sized zippered bag.  That bag can include up to 3 ounces per bottle of as many liquids as fit.    3 ounces, 1 bag, 1 person.  That’s it.  And just like personal computers, that bag has to be removed from your carry-on luggage and placed on the conveyor belt to be X-rayed.

A can of soda or bottle of water won’t be allowed.  Even a to-go cup from a restaurant inside the airport won’t be allowed.  Worse, expensive cosmetics or a perhaps a bottle of wine intended as a gift won’t be allowed through either.  And the TSA employee who stops you from entering the secure area can’t do anything more than sweep those bottles of liquids into the nearest trash can.

Remember this rule applies to carry-on luggage only, but also remember that it is not optional or subject to negotiation.   You’ll be stopped, and you will lose your belongings.  Just remember 311, remember the bag and take the bag out of  your luggage.

Security lines are already reported to be long this summer as airlines attempt to reduce flights to cope with rising fuel costs.  We observed multiple consumers in Chicago and Washington this week not only lose items to the 311 Rule, but also undergo close examination of their identification.  Along with that zippered, clear bag, don’t forget your drivers license, passport or other id.

You won’t be leaving home without them.

Posted under Travel

The nation’s largest airlines recorded a rate of on-time flights this past March that was higher than in February but down from the rate posted in March 2006, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

The 20 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 73.3 percent in March, down from March 2006’s 76.1 but an improvement over February 2007’s 67.3 percent.

Special jeers for U.S. Airways. According to the government agency, the airline had by far the lowest on-time rate at 55.5% (JetBlue was next with 63% — that’s a huge difference). Even more astonishing was the performance of several US Airways flight. The survey found that one flight between Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport to New York — a flight with direct competition from Delta’s “shuttle” was late 100% of the time. That’s right, every single flight. Here are the worst five flights and the top 3 overall performing airlines:

Most Frequently Delayed Flights

1. US Airways flight 2188 from Washington Reagan to New York LaGuardia – late 100%  of the time
2. ExpressJet Airlines flight 2575 from Newark, NJ to Pittsburgh – late 96.15 percent of the time
3. Comair flight 5274 from Boston to New York JFK – late 96.00 percent of the time
4. US Airways flight 836 from Boston to Philadelphia – late 95.00 percent of the time
5. US Airways flight 834 Charlotte, NC to Buffalo, NY – late 92.86 percent of the time

Highest On-Time Arrival Rates

1. Hawaiian Airlines – 93.9 percent
2. Aloha Airlines – 93.2 percent
3. Frontier Airlines – 84.8 percent

Posted under Travel

A federal judge in New York has blocked a threatened strike by Northwest Airlines flight attendants that could have resulted in some flights being delayed or even canceled. With just hours to go before the flight attendants’ Friday deadline, the court prohibited them from implementing any organized work stoppages.

“As summer vacation seasons winds down, this is very welcome news,” said Consumer Help Web president Joan Bounacos. “Northwest did a great job weathering their mechanic’s strike in 2005, but this could have ruined many people’s vacations.”

Commenting on Judge Victor Marrero’s decision, Doug Steenland, Northwest’s president and chief executive officer, said, “We remain committed to negotiating a consensual agreement with our flight attendants and hope to accomplish that goal in the near future.”

The Labor Day Holiday weekend starts next Friday.

Posted under Travel

In response to a serious terrorist threat to international aviation security, the Secretary of Homeland Security has elevated the Homeland Security Advisory System Threat Condition to Severe, or Red, for all commercial flights from the United Kingdom to the United States, and to High, or Orange, for all other international flights and all domestic commercial aviation.

There are approximately 106 flights per day between the United Kingdom and the United States. Although numerous arrests have been made in the U.K. to disrupt and neutralize this threat, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking a number of heightened protective measures to ensure the continued safety and security of our international and domestic air travel.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be implementing a series of security measures – some visible and some not visible – to ensure the security of the traveling public and the Nation’s transportation system. TSA is immediately implementing following changes to airport screening procedures:

NO LIQUIDS OR GELS OF ANY KIND WILL BE PERMITTED IN CARRY-ON BAGGAGE. ITEMS MUST BE IN CHECKED BAGGAGE. This includes all beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, tooth paste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency.

Exception: Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling; prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket; and insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines

* Beverages purchased in the sterile area must be consumed before boarding because they will not be permitted onboard the aircraft.
* Passengers traveling from the U.K. to the U.S. will be subject to a more extensive screening process.

Posted under Travel

Bowing to pressure from rising fuel costs, Southwest Airlines has raised its maximum fare to $309.

The airline, which is known for no-frills flying including a lack of assigned seating, was the single largest increase in the company’s history, according to a spokesperson.

The increase moves the highest amount charged for a fare from $299, a rate Southwest put in place nearly four years ago.

Posted under Travel

Following on the heels of Delta and United, which both tried to operate smaller regional subsidiaries flying small jets, bankrupt Northwest Airlines has purchased Independence Air’s “operating certificate”.

The document is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. Industry observers Consumer Help Web spoke with say that similar transactions are common when an airline is liquidated. One likened the process to selling a taxicab medallion in New York on a much grander scale.

Northwest and Delta remain in bankruptcy protection although both observers we spoke with said that customers shouldn’t panic over their frequent flier miles. “Seats will be tough to find,” said one source, “because they will sell a seat instead of giving it away.” The source recommended travelers with flexible plans continue checking because seats allocated for “revenue” customers may be freed up later for award travel.

Posted under Travel

Beginning December 22, airline travelers can expect to see more random screenings, fewer prohibited items and a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce more dedicated to detecting and defeating more serious threats, such as explosives. These changes are part of an update to security procedures announced today by Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley, to address the ever-evolving threat to commercial aviation.

The specific changes include more additional screenings of passengers and their bags using a variety of methods selected at random. Passengers will also once again be able to carry small tools and scissors on-board aircraft. These changes will allow TSA to focus resources on more serious threats.

“It is paramount to the security of our aviation system that terrorists not be able to know with certainty what screening procedures they will encounter at airports around the nation,” said Kip Hawley, Assistant Secretary. “By incorporating unpredictability into our procedures and eliminating low-threat items, we can better focus our efforts on stopping individuals that wish to do us harm.”

Passengers will continue to walk through a metal detector and have their carry-on and checked baggage screened. However, these measures may now include a brief additional search of their person or their property. Examples of this additional screening include: explosive screening of shoes, hand-wanding of passengers, enhanced pat down searches and inspections of carry-on bags. These searches will be generated at random and will take only about a minute to complete. They will allow Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to better screen passengers for explosives and other threats to the aviation system.

Beginning December 22, scissors with a cutting edge of four inches or less and tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers smaller than seven inches will be permitted on board.

Scissors longer than four inches and tools such as crowbars, drills, hammers, and saws will continue to be prohibited from carry-on bags. Lighters will continue to be banned from the cabin of aircraft and in checked baggage.

In addition to these changes, the agency’s 43,000 Transportation Security Screeners have been re-classified as Transportation Security Officers (TSOs).

Posted under Safety, Travel

The Environmental Protection Agency has reached settlements with 11 major domestic airlines and 13 smaller airlines to ensure the safety of the drinking water used by their passengers and crew. The settling airlines have agreed to routinely monitor the quality of water on their airplanes. The action came after an EPA investigation of 327 U.S. and foreign planes at 19 airports in 2004 found total coliform contamination in the drinking water in 15 percent of aircraft.

Total coliform is an indicator that other disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water and could potentially affect people’s health. The settlements require the airlines to regularly monitor aircraft water systems; notify EPA and the public when tests reveal contamination; and regularly disinfect aircraft water systems and water transfer equipment. The orders also require each airline to study possible sources of contamination from outside of the aircraft.

The information released today will help the traveling public make informed decisions. Passengers with compromised immune systems or others concerned may want to request canned or bottled beverages. EPA will update its information and advice to the traveling public as soon as new information is available at: http://www.epa.gov/airlinewater

“EPA and these airlines worked together to establish new practices for protecting the health of the flying public,” said Grant Nakayama, EPA’s assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. “We will continue to monitor the safety of water on airlines that use U.S. airports while the agency develops regulations specifically for airline drinking water.”

Ben Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Water, insisted: “The water passengers drink on a plane should be as safe as the water they drink at home. The settlements announced today show that it’s time to fine-tune and upgrade EPA’s water regulations to specifically address airplanes.”

The settlements announced today were reached with: AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Aloha Airlines, American Airlines, America West, ATA Airlines, Champion Air, Continental Airlines, Continental Micronesia, Falcon Air Express, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Miami Air International, Midwest Airlines, North American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Pace Airlines, Ryan International Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, USA 3000 Airlines, and World Airways. The 11 major domestic airlines who have settled are members of the Air Transport Association, whose 14 members account for 90 percent of U.S. air travel.

EPA is negotiating agreements with Omni Air International and the three remaining members of the Air Transport Association: Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines. EPA will continue to work with smaller, regional and charter airlines to ensure drinking water quality with agreements similar to those reached with airlines that belong to the Air Transport Association and the National Air Carrier Association, and Air Carrier Association of America.

Meanwhile, EPA is developing regulations for water that is served onboard aircraft. EPA held a public meeting in June as part the development process for the airline drinking water rule.

Posted under Travel

Avoiding mass disruption that has marred previous work stoppages at its company, Northwest Airlines enters the fourth day of a strike by the airline’s mechanic’s union still flying and still seemingly without widespread system problems.

A statement issued by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, the union striking Northwest, claimed that the airline’s on-timer performance this year has been 78%, but that the number of on-time flights has dipped to 50% during the strike. Still, a tour of the carrier’s Memphis hub on Monday and media reports from its other two hubs in Detroit and Minneapolis seem to contradict the number.

“There could be a sampling issue,” said Consumer Help Web President Joan Bounacos. “Although the study reported that 99 flights were surveyed at random, a system-wide number was generated. Just a few outliers could skew that number.” Bounacos also noted that whether the number was 50% or 78% that the airline seemed to be maintaining operations despite the worker action.

“It’s always a good idea to check your flight’s status before leaving for the airport,” Bounacos said. “This action just makes it critical for Northwest travelers.

Although the airline has refused to comment on flight delays or statistics, the company has urged travelers to check on their flights by visiting the airline’s web site at nwa.com or by calling the airline’s toll-free flight information line at (800) 441-1818.

Posted under Travel

UAL, the parent company of United Airlines, has elected to keep the company in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company cited a colaboration with is Creditor’s Committee, in which the two parties agreed that remaining in bankruptcy would “…provide an additional opportunity to continue collaborating on and reviewing the complex, extensive documents as part of the overall confirmation process” as well as provide “a smoother exit process.”

Airline industry observers remain concerned that Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines may soon also seek bankruptcy protection. Delta has lost billions of dollars since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks despite massive cost cutting, including employee concessions. Northwest has fared little beter and faces a looming strike date next week when mechanics may walk off their jobs. The airline says it has contingency plans that will allow it to continue operating even if its mechanics strike, but the last major US aviation work stoppage was also a Northwest action that cost the company millions.

“This isn’t a ’strand travelers with tickets’ bankruptcy issue,” said Joan Bounacos, President of Consumer Help Web. “Even if Delta or Northwest were to seek protection from the bankruptcy courts, there is every indication that they will continue flying their normal schedules and honoring all tickets. We urge consumers to more carefully watch the possible Northwest strike action for next week as that may disrupt air travel more than any financial restructurings the airlines do.”

Posted under Finance