Delta Cutting Capacity With Smaller Aircraft

I was just reading that Delta is downsizing the aircraft it flies between New York and Washington, and I’ve noticed that it’s doing something similar between Bradley and its Atlanta hub.

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Arthur Frommer Calls For Strong Action Against Piracy

The navies of the world’s maritime nations could easily stop piracy off the east coast of Africa, writes Arthur Frommer, and their failure to do it is astonishing.

Freighters have long come under attack by pirates based in Somalia, and the threat is spreading to cruise ships. On Nov. 28 a German naval vessel chased pirates away from a German cruise ship in the Gulf of Aden, and two days later a luxury cruise ship outran two pirate skiffs that were firing on it.

Other cruise lines are rerouting ships or even flying passengers over pirate-infested waters. Sailors on private yachts have been forming convoys.

Some nations have been getting more aggressive, including India, which captured 23 suspected pirates last week. The Bush administration is pressing the United Nations for permission to pursue pirates onto land.

Frommer suggests that travelers and the cruise industry agitate for action against this threat to travelers and voice their concerns to Congress and the incoming Obama administration.

Video: The Highway To Hana

A few months ago, the husband and I drove the Highway to Hana on the gorgeous Hawaiian island of Maui. Or, rather, he drove, as you will see in this video:

Who’s That?

What do you think of my new blog photo? I cut it from a snapshot my husband took in Hawaii a few months ago.

It really was time to retire the old photo because it’s … well … old. Like almost five years old.  I figured I really should use a crop of the picture that was taken a few months ago for the newspaper blog promos. Only I got it ready and I hated it.

If you’ve seen it in print, it’s not too bad in black and white. But somehow, in color on the computer screen, I have this horrendous glassy-eyed stare. Here, I’ll show you:

I really would like to use this one, which my sister Maryanne took in Istanbul last March, but I think probably Marie won’t let me get away with that:

What you forgot what the old one looked like already?

Early Birds Got Expensive Worms

Airlines have been cutting fares so much that procrastination could pay off if you’re looking to travel over the holidays, the Los Angeles Times reports. Now they tell me.

Greyhound Offers Hefty Discounts

Greyhound has kicked off what it calls a Travel Stimulus Package for the holidays, including half-price bus fares for up to three companions with the purchase of a full-fare ticket.

I immediately checked on prices from Hartford to New York and, indeed, the first fare came up at $58.50 and the next three at $29.25. That’s round-trip, non-refundable, bought at least three days in advance. (A few routes are excluded from this promotion.)

But, wait, there’s more:

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BDL To AMS Reportedly Returning

The Courant’s Eric Gershon reports that Northwest, now sort of doing business as Delta, will resume its direct Bradley to Amsterdam flight in June.

Now, that would be sweet. It was great to fly directly to Europe from Bradley. It was the airport’s only transatlantic flight until it was canceled in October.

An announcement is said to be forthcoming from the governor. I’ll be interested to see what incentive the state is putting up.

Cleaner Planes Feel Better

The husband and I were boarding a Southwest 737 recently and we had the same thought: it looks so clean.

“Oh, a new plane,” said a passenger boarding behind us.

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My Souvenirs: Cheap Earrings

Do you have a collection of vacation souvenirs
– trinkets you pick up when you travel? Refrigerator magnets? T-shirts? Snow globes?

My parents collect Christmas tree ornaments. My niece used to collect air sickness bags. My kid collected keychains.

As for me, I collect earrings, the cheaper the better.

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The Onion Mocks Airline Fees, Again

Check out this article, American Airlines Now Charging Fees To Non-Passengers, in The Onion. Well, I thought it was funny.