Are airlines withholding seats? Readers say "yes!"
Last month I posed a simple question: Are airlines withholding seats so you"ll pay a premium? We asked for your thoughts. And, boy, did we get them: In nine years of writing this column, I have never received as many e-mails and online comments.
Behind the ScreenBy Bill McGee
By Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP/Getty Images
Readers have voiced frustration with the phenomenon of finding that most "free" economy class seats are unavailable at the time of purchase, forcing them to consider paying extra for "premium" seats, only to discover upon boarding that the flight is not a full flight.
EnlargeCloseBy Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP/Getty Images
Readers have voiced frustration with the phenomenon of finding that most "free" economy class seats are unavailable at the time of purchase, forcing them to consider paying extra for "premium" seats, only to discover upon boarding that the flight is not a full flight.
Sponsored...Round two: Another patron collapses at Vegas" Heart Attack Grill
Forget man bites dog.
In a bizarre "woman bites burger" tale, a patron of a Las Vegas diner infamous for its calorie-laden menu and waitresses in medical garb has suffered an apparent heart attack there - the second medical incident since February.
Heart Attack Grill owner Jon Basso told Vegas" KVVU that the woman collapsed while eating a "double bypass" burger Saturday night; she was rushed to a hospital and is expected to recover. In mid-February, a man had an apparent heart attack while chowing down on a 6,000-calorie "triple bypass" version.
The chain"s slogan is "a burger to die for." It gives free meals to people over 350 pounds, and a sign reads "Caution: This establishment is bad for your health," notes the Associated Press.
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The 8,000-calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger, with four half-pound beef patties, eight...
AA CEO "mindful of other" parties with "their own agendas"
American Airlines CEO Tom Horton sent a letter to employees today in which he addressed US Airways" "attempt to force a merger with American."
US Airways, of course, announced on Friday that it had reached agreements with unions at American in an apparent effort to engineer a merger.
USA TODAY: American merger could mean higher fares, analysts warnARCHIVES: Unions OK deal for US Airways-American merger (April 20)MONDAY"S NEWS: American makes case against union contracts
Despite that , however, Horton wrote to AA employees that US Airways" move will not alter the company"s bankruptcy reorganization plans.
"I want you to know these developments in no way alter our course," Horton writes in the letter. "We are making significant progress, and the Court has granted us the exclusive right to pursue our plan of reorganization at least through the end of September and this may be extended...
10 great places to check into an eco lodge
If you"d like more than 24 hours to celebrate Sunday"s Earth Day, maybe it"s time for an eco vacation. A growing number of lodges adhere to green values, offering nature adventures in a sustainable setting, says Irene Lane , founder of the eco-travel agency Greenloons.com. But you don"t have to rough it, she says. "You"re not sleeping on a straw mat on a dirt floor. There are opportunities to stay in very comfortable accommodations." She shares some favorite lodges with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY. Unless noted, prices are per-person per-night, and many include meals and activities.
Linden Gledhill
Peru"s Refugio Amazonas Lodge was founded to protect macaws, and now supports an entire ecosystem.
EnlargeCloseLinden Gledhill
Peru"s Refugio Amazonas Lodge was founded to protect macaws, and now supports an entire ecosystem.
Sponsored...Historic Charleston fights over docking of cruise ships
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Two years after Charleston became a year-round cruise destination, the arguments over the liners and their impact on this historic city continue unabated.
Sponsored Linksadsonar_placementId=1549640;adsonar_pid=2625771;adsonar_ps=0;adsonar_zw=245;adsonar_zh=250;adsonar_jv="ads.adsonar.com";It"s a debate that has led to a lawsuit, conflicting economic studies, dueling billboard messages and emotions that run high.
Supporters say the cruises provide jobs, pour millions into the city"s economy and are being managed appropriately. They say Charleston will always be a small market for cruises and won"t be overwhelmed by the vessels as in someplace like Key West, Fla.
But others, including residents of one of the city"s most historic neighborhoods, worry about soot from the liners" smokestacks darkening their window sills, and the...