Fliers appear to be looking for a bargain seat more than for comfort. Responding to the trend, several airlines are eliminating first class and business sections or reducing the number of seats they offer.
AirTran, which is being bought out by Southwest Airlines, will eliminate its first-class seats once the merger is completed. Southwest has never had first-class seating on its planes.
United Airlines, after its merger with Continental, is considering abandoning its first-class section and adopting only two cabins, economy and business.
As the number of high-paying customers has dwindled, airlines are spending more to upgrade business and first-class sections, including lie-flat seats for long-distance travel. Another class of seating has emerged called “premium economy,” which has more legroom.
The grand Queen Elizabeth
Cunard LIne’s new cruise ship was recently christened by U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth II. It is an elegant and beautiful ship with grandeur similar to the original Queen Elizabeth of the 1960s.
The Game Deck has a tennis court, an English bowls court and croquet court.
The Garden Lounge has a soaring, vaulted glass ceiling inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens.
The stylish Yacht Club Lounge has 270-degree views. Live bands perform in the evenings, and the club overlooks the huge pool deck. The dining areas include three multi-deck-high restaurants.
Never too early to plan for next winter
Winter’s over. Are you enjoying the warm days of spring and forgetting the winter woes? It’s never too early to correct that which plagued you during the cold months.
Steps can be taken to weatherize your home. Many older homes have windows and doors that are not air tight and allow chilly drafts. Spring is a good time to get estimates on replacement windows and make a decision.
The IRS allows income tax credits on replacement windows, heating and cooling systems up to a total of $1,500.
Most modern heating and systems, whether gas, electric or fuel-oil fed, are designed for energy efficiency. If you are considering updates, lists of eligible tax credits can be found at the Internal Revenue Web site.
How about problems with pipes freezing in crawl spaces? There are ways to avoid the big expense of replacing broken water pipes. Heat tapes and additional insulation will do the trick in most cases. Decide what you need, buy it soon, have it installed or do it yourself on a warm summer day.
One creative solution is to relocate problem pipes to a heated area of the house. Since air is warmer near ceilings, it makes sense to locate them there. A decorative enclosure may be constructed from finished one-by-four lumber and made to match the room’s decor. Fastening the enclosure with wood screws rather than nails allows access to pipes for any future repairs.
Another innovation in plumbing is a plastic pipe known as Pex, a semi-rigid conduit connected with crimped brass fittings.
So plan to button up your home this summer. If you get a jump-start on Old Man Winter, he won’t get the upper hand when it’s cold outside.
Month-Ahead Travel Planner – March 2008
New Orleans, San Antonio celebrate in April
French Quarter Festival
to be held April 11-13
If you like to stroll about while listening to all kinds of music, New Orleans’ French Quarter Festival will fill the bill and then some. Free music and concerts will be offered on 15 stages. The festival focuses on all that makes the French Quarter special.
Nearly half a million people will be joining you for the event. It includes a parade, historic patio tours, kid’s and family activities. Check fqfi.org.
Fiesta San Antonio
slated for April 18-27
It’s just too big and too much fun to ignore. Again this year, Fiesta offers ten days of parades, carnivals, sports, fireworks, music, ethnic feasts and exhibits. Organizers predict that 3.5 million people will take part.
The fiesta originated in 1891 with the Battle of the Flowers parade to honor the heroes of the battles for Texas Independence. Visit www.fiesta-sa.org for more information.
Other:
1-31, American Red Cross Month. By Presidential Proclamation since 1943. Web: www.redcross.org.
1-16, Iditarod Trail Dog Race. Since 1973, about 60 teams compete on a 1,150-mile trail from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Web: Iditarod.com.
1-31, Irish-American Heritage Month. By Presidential Proclamation to recognize the contributions of Irish Americans.
1-31, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. About prevention, testing. Foundation. 1600 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
1-31, National Kidney Month. Kidney disease awareness. National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.
1-31, National Social Work Month. First commissioned by Pres. Ronald Reagan to honor Social Workers. Web: www.socialworkers.com.
1-31, National Women’s History Month. Accomplishments of women in history. Project, 3343 Industrial Dr., Ste. 4, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
1-31, Save Your Vision Month. Eye health education. American Optometric Association. 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141.
1-31, Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month. Prevent Blindness America, 211 W. Wacker Dr., Ste. 1700, Chicago, IL 60606.
2-9, Philadelphia Flower show. Largest flower show in the U.S., the premiere event of its kind in the world. Horticultural Society, 100 N. 20th St, 5th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
2-9, Save Your Vision Week. By Presidential Proclamation since 1964.
3-9, National Sleep Awareness Week. Recognize the dangers of sleep disorders. Sleep Foundation, 1522 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.
3, NEA’s Read Across America Day. Promotes reading for children. National Education Association., 1201 16th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036.
4, Peace Corps Day. Commemorates the 1961 founding of the Peace Corps. Founded by Pres. John F. Kennedy
6-9, Louisiana Sportsmen’s Show and Festival. 29th annual. 100,000 attend. Sportsmen’s Show, P.O. Box 2116, Kenner, LA 70063.
7, World Day of Prayer. The 121st annual global circle of prayer for all nationalities.
9-Nov. 2, Daylight Saving Time Begins. Set your clocks ahead one hour by 2 a.m. according to the Energy Act of 2005.
16-22, National Poison Prevention Week. By Presidential Proclamation since 1962. Focus on accidental poisoning, www.poisonprevention.org.
16, Palm Sunday. Commemorates Christ’s last entry into Jerusalem. First day of Holy Week.
17, Saint Patrick’s Day. Honoring the patron saint of Ireland. Often celebrated with green beer and parades.
20-June 20, Spring. The first day of spring begins today with the vernal equinox.
21, Good Friday. Christian observance in commemoration of the crucifixion of Christ.
21, National Common Courtesy Day. Citizens are encouraged to demonstrate common courtesy to each other.
23, Easter Sunday. Commemorates the Resurrection of Christ. Also a secular holiday featuring the Easter bunny, Easter baskets, colored eggs, and jelly beans.
26, Legal Assistants Day. To recognize their contributions. Claudia Evart, 30 Park Ave. # 2P, New York, NY 10016.
29-Apr. 13, Cherry Blossom Festival. 96th annual festival throughout Washington, DC. Web: nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
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Travel Bag for February
More discount airline choices
New discount airline companies used to just copy Southwest with its short, frequent flights. Now, some discounters are upgrading while others go farther down the bare-bones route.
On the high end, Virgin Airlines, flying mostly from California to New York, has fancy seats, a first-class cabin, and meals you can order over a touch screen.
Skybus, on the low end, has no seat-back pouches, seats are closer together, and food is bought from a cart.
Longest over-land tunnel
Officials in Switzerland recently opened a 21-mile rail tunnel. It is the world’s longest over-land tunnel and runs through the Alps. It is meant to ease highway traffic jams in the mountainous country.
The tunnel took eight years to build and cost $3.5 billion. It reduces the time trains need to cross from Germany and Italy by one and a half hours.
Aspirin won’t prevent DVT
During airline flights of five hours or more, there is a risk of dangerous blood clots forming in the legs (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT). Aspirin won’t help. It works mainly on arteries, not on veins, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The risk is low, and avoiding DVT isn’t difficult. Stay hydrated and periodically exercise leg muscles by flexing or pumping your legs, or by walking in the aisle. Those at higher risk should request an aisle seat so they can get up and walk frequently or get a seat in business or first class where there is more leg room.
Silverjet’s 30-minute check-in
Some airline’s last-minute business-class fare from New York to London Heathrow is about $8,000 round trip. Silverjet’s similar fare is about $3,000 between Newark and Luton Airport north of London.
Silverjet says its consumers want the whole experience, things like their 30-minute check-in and seats that convert into beds so traveling is less stressful.