The final steps in the merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines took place on March 2, 2012, as the last Continental flight landed, the remaining “Continental” signs at airports were removed, its separate ticket counters closed, the “CO” code stopped being printed on tickets, both airlines’ passenger reservation systems were combined, frequent-flyer programs were combined and the old website went dark.
As a final project in the unification of Berlin, the city’s new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will open June 3, 2012. Tegel airport will be shut down, as will the main facilities of the other remaining airport, Schönefeld. The new airport, which was built using the former Schönefeld site and about 2,500 acres of additional land, will have two independent runways plus trains running every 15 minutes to the city center.
CORRECTION: (August 2012) Because German authorities are concerned about fire-safety systems, the opening has been delayed until March 2013.
For years I had thought about visiting Brazil. Finally, at the age of 73, I headed there for a stay, Aug. 6-Sept. 5, 2011.
British Airways and Iberia Airlines have merged, becoming the third-largest carrier in the Europe market (Air France-KLM is first and Deutsche Lufthansa is second), pending approval from the UK High Court on Jan. 19.
Though the new corporation will be called International Airline Group, the two airlines will continue to operate under their respective brand names, coordinating flight schedules and providing more code-sharing flights.
American Airlines (AA) no longer will list its flight information nor sell tickets through the travel websites Orbitz and Expedia, and Delta Air Lines has stopped providing rate and flight information to CheapOAir, OneTravel and Bookit.
AA said it can make more personalized offers on its own website and cited a need to stop paying fees to companies that distribute flight info.
Consumer advocates claim that this trend will reduce the ability of people to compare fares and book separate legs of a flight on different airlines.
Here’s a new type of excursion: parahawking, which is paragliding with birds of prey. In Nepal, tandem parahawking adventure flights, which last 20 to 30 minutes each, are offered November through March at the Parahawking center (Maya Devi Village, Kapaudi, Lakeside, Pokhara, Nepal). It costs £115 (near $182) plus an additional £15 ($23) for souvenir in-flight pictures and video.
After disembarking from a Mediterranean cruise on Oct. 2, 2011, I stayed at Hotel Nazionale Rome (Piazza Montecitorio, 131 00186, Rome, Italy; phone +39 06 695001, fax 06 6786677). This was my third stay at the hotel, and I just love everything about it: its central location, the staff, the rooms, the service and the fabulous breakfast served. For four nights, two of us paid €270 (near $360) per night for a twin room.
I read the subscriber’s recounting of her lost-luggage experience (Dec. ’11, pg. 27). A few years ago, my wife’s bag never showed up after being checked onto a flight to California from Spain via Mexico City. Dealing with the airline was an extended nightmare, beyond just the issues discussed in the subscriber’s letter. I will spare you those details, but I have suggestions that may be useful. My homeowner’s insurance policy covers personal property that is lost outside of the home.
As of Jan. 1, passengers boarding flights in Austria are being charged an “ecological air travel levy” similar to the levies in Germany and the UK (Nov. ’10, pg. 67). The charge is €8 (near $10.50) for European flights and €40 ($52) for long-distance flights.
Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport introduced a 17-mile Express Service train in August that connects the airport with Bangkok’s Makkasan area.