US airlines charge to take second bag on flights

Most US carriers began charging $25 this week for coach passengers who want to check a second bag on domestic flights — instead of allowing two checked bags for free. Six US airlines also are raising the cost of checking a third bag to $100. There are exceptions for first and business-class passengers and for those with certain types of mileage rewards. And some airlines will waive the fee for international travel
Each bag must weigh less than 50 pounds, and its dimensions (length plus width plus depth) must be less than 62 inches.

Southwest is the only major US carrier to allow travelers to continue to check two pieces of luggage without charge, but the cost for checking a third bag is now $25.

It is not uncommon to see passengers at US airport terminals trying to magically transform three carry-on bags into one. But it's not easy with a golf bag or skis!

Where are Americans travelling to ths summer?

With less money to spend almost two thirds of Americans are planning to stay in the US with almost half visiting family and friends, according to a joint survey by AOL Travel and Zogby International. The survey also said that more than half of Americans have some sort of cost-savings plan and booked their summer travel on the Internet.

Record high oil prices are threatening to ground millions of travellers and airline executives and aviation analysts say that only fare increases and cutbacks in flights will enable the industry to cover a 2008 jet fuel bill that could be 44% higher than last year's. By this time next year there could be 20% fewer seats available if airlines respond to oil prices in excess of $100 a barrel by cutting as many flights as some are predicting.

Sarasota Brandenton Airport offers incentives to international airlines

Sarasota Brandenton Airport in Florida has announced a plan to attract intercontinental carriers by offering $100,000 in marketing incentives, along with a six-figure waiver of customs costs and other items, to the first overseas airline that schedules weekly flights to SRQ.

The airport currently has no overseas carriers but feel this is an ideal time to lure one there with the dollar's exchange rate hovering at nearly $1.60 to one Euro, which means that foreign tourists' money will go further.

Southwest Fort Myers Airport handles over one million passengers in March

For the third time since it opened the Southwest Fort Myers Florida International Airport logged more than a million passengers through its doors in March.

The traffic leader for the month was AirTran with 144,393 passengers traveling to and from Fort Myers, and the top five airlines were JetBlue (119,328), Delta (112,346), Northwest (95,442) and US Airways (94,457).

Continental Airlines to stop flying to Daytona Beach

Continental Airlines will no longer provide services to Daytona Beach Airport in Florida from September 2008.

They currently operate one daily flight, a Saturday round-trip flight to Newark, New Jersey and a seasonal Saturday flight to Cleveland.

Continental cites poor financial performance and the high cost of fuel incurring losses which make it unviable for them to maintain the service.

They have provided service to the area since 1988 and airport officials are trying to convince the longtime carrier to stay.

New customs welcome package for travellers to USA

Miami International Airport, Orlando and Orlando Sanford Airports and Fort Lauderdale Airport are among 20 airports across the country where US Customs and Border Protection will improve the process of clearing and welcoming overseas travellers to the United States.

The programme includes a new video, currently available in Spanish, French, German and English, that helps travellers through the customs and immigration process; a "Welcome to the US" brochure and a variety of new bilingual directional signs. In the future, these airports will also be equipped with more video monitors.


Customs said it selected airports with the largest number of foreign visitors annually for the new programme. They include Honolulu, New York, Miami International, Los Angeles, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Orlando, Detroit, Boston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Philadelphia, San Juan, Fort Lauderdale and Sanford Florida.

FUNDING GRANTED FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SARASOTA AIPORT

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded a total of nearly $3 million for construction and planning at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida and Wauchula Municipal Airport.

The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority has been awarded $2,711,379 for construction of a service road and taxiway, runway lighting and works to improve drainage.